Baby Leu

Pregnant in China: Pro-Prenatal Costs Con-Chinese Food

It’s past 1:00 and I really need to eat lunch to feed this little guy/girl. But at the moment, the only thing sold on our campus that doesn’t sound terrible is ice cream. Maybe that’s because it is packaged, looks, and tastes just like an ice cream bar from America would. Chinese food sounds awful at best. What really sounds delicious is a sub from subway…tomato, lettuce, mayo, swiss cheese, turkey, on a toasted bun. Unfortunately, I can’t recreate this here. There is no cheese, no lunch-meat, no buns for making subs. Actually, I can think of numerous things from home that sound wonderful. Lasagna, spaghetti, a nice big juicy hamburger, any number of casseroles, well, I’m torturing myself. It’s something about chinese food that throws my stomach into fits just thinking about it. Okay, enough about food.

We recently went in to the the OBGYN here. She was recommended to me by another foreigner who has had two of her four children here. She speaks enough English and we, enough Chinese, that we can get by. The notable thing about the visit was that the ultrasound cost $10. I think a delivery would cost somewhere around $175. I am hoping to sneak a few pictures of the halls and rooms next time we’re there. It is different : ).

Preparing

[from adam]

As I’ve been trying to let all this sink in, I read the following words on John Piper’s blog. He is in the process of writing a book on marriage and that day was working on a section about children. As we attempt to prepare for this next stage in our lives these words have really challenged me. There are probably all kinds of things I could do to prepare, but the most important is continuing to pursue Jesus and become more like him. He says:

“The most fundamental task of a mother and father is to show God to the children. Children know their parents before they know God. This is a huge responsibility and should cause every parent to be desperate for God-like transformation. The children will have years of exposure to what the universe is like before they know there is a universe. They will experience the kind of authority there is in the universe and the kind of justice there is in the universe and the kind of love there is in the universe before they meet the God of authority and justice and love who created and rules of the universe. Children are absorbing from dad his strength and leadership and protection and justice and love; and they are absorbing from mother her care and nurture and warmth and intimacy and justice and love—and, of course, all these overlap.

And all this is happening before the child knows anything about God, but it is profoundly all about God. Will the child be able to recognize God for who he really is in his authority and love and justice because mom and dad have together shown the child what God is like. The chief task of parenting is to know God for who he is in his many attributes, and then to live in such a way with our children that we help them see and know this multi-faceted God. And, of course, that will involve directing them always to the infallible portrait of God in the Bible.”

Hungry and Sleepy

I’ve been really fortunate to not have any morning sickness. I have just started getting a little nausea in the last week. It comes and goes and is pretty mild. Besides that I find myself getting quite sleepy in the afternoons and when I succumb to this and take a nap, my sleep is so deep. Then upon awakening I’m usually starving. I’ve been much more hungry than usual, yet, most things don’t really sound very appetizing. Last week I bought a cucumber over a foot long. I cut it up, salted it, then marinated it in the fridge with vinegar and chili powder. I ate the whole thing in one sitting. Unfortunately, since then, it sounds terrible. I’ve found that bland things sound the best at this point. It’s the first time in my life I’ve been a picky eater. Ice cream however, still sounds wonderful, which reminds me of a dream I just had while napping. I was somehow back in America and I decided to stock up on some delicious ice cream and bring it back to China. Ice cream doesn’t melt in dreams apparently : )

6 Weeks

We wanted to start a blog chronicling the new littlest Leu’s progress especially for those of you back home. It’s still pretty early, but it’s incredible to think about all that is taking place in these early weeks. It doesn’t feel real yet. In a way, I wish I could fast-forward to three months and have a little belly so that it would seem more real. But at the same time, I want to enjoy this time, and spend time pondering and praying for this life growing inside me. As I’ve thought about preparing to be a mom, I’m met with an insurmountable list of things to remember and consider. I’m not so naive as to think I will be the perfect mother. I know I will not. But as I’ve thought about these things, I know the best thing I can give to my child is a mother who knows her God and loves Him with all her heart, soul, mind, and strength…and who lives that out before them every day. The best way I can prepare to be a mom is to know my God. When I think of this, I need every single day left of this pregnancy to pursue that.  We’d love for you to join us on our journey.