Funny that the title of this is "Or Alcoholism" and I can't have any alcohol at all for the next year.

I promise you this will not turn into a pregnancy blog. Expect pregnancy posting every now and then, because...well...for the past week all I've been able to do is throw up.

"Morning Sickness" is a big fat lie. Mine has lasted all day for quite some time. This is particularly difficult when you're trying to move to another city and your Husband is recovering from surgery. I haven't been to work in a week. Thursday through Saturday I couldn't even get out of bed, except to crawl (yes, crawl...couldn't walk) to the bathroom.

I did some online research and found out that 80% of pregnant women have "Morning Sickness" that lasts all day. I also discovered that 25% of pregnant women have to take their first trimester off of work because their nausea and vomiting get so severe.

I am going to guess that 25% of pregnant women in this country (probably a greater percentage, actually) cannot afford to take three months off of work. My husband is hoping to increase his paycheck, as he's expecting that I won't be able to work until July, things being the way they are. Honestly...there is no possible way I could have gone to work this last week. Even if we were already moved in to the new place and was within walking distance to the office, I could not get out of bed. A quarter of women have it like me? That's too big of a number to not be common knowledge.

I'm going to do some more research on this (when, I do not know). I'm thinking our country's attitude towards pregnant women needs to change.

Something Cool

My husband found this. I know this guy's cartoons quite well (I think I've put a couple of them here) but this was something I had not seen.

It's about...well...it's basically about creativity, and what we do with our lives, and what we hope to get from our lives. It made me think about stuff.

Check it out.

ac·ci·dent

1. An unexpected and undesirable event, especially one resulting in damage or harm.
2. An unforeseen incident
3. Lack of intention

This happened weeks ago, back when my laptop was fried and blogger was not being helpful in getting me my password.

One of my best friends has parents who are missionaries in Africa. One day his father (Jon) and a friend were driving down a road, and two little girls just ran right out of the woods and in front of the Jeep.

One second the road was clear, the next, there were two little kids in front of the car.

Jon tried to stop in time. He couldn't.

He was himself injured, but he refused medical attention, wanting to sit with the girls in the ambulance.

They both died.

As soon as Jon was released from the hospital, he was taken to jail. He was utterly devastated. He spent the night on a hard jail cell bench, not worrying about himself, but grieving for the two little girls.

For days everyone who knows and loves Jon was worried about what would happen to him. Would he have to go to prison? As a US citizen could he be extradited to the States?

I was terrified for Jon. He's a sweet man who has dedicated his life to helping the less fortunate. He has four children, and two grandchildren, not to mention a loving wife and friends all over the world.

At one point, I started thinking about how, had I seen on the news "An American man hit two little girls with his Jeep in Africa this week." I would have been so upset. I would have said something about how Americans are so inconsiderate in foreign countries, how the driver was probably drunk...all my sympathy would have been with the families of the children. I would have given no thought to the driver himself.

My heart broke for the families of the girls. It would have made so much sense for them to be filled with rage, to demand some awful punishment for Jon. How can you be gracious and forgiving to the person who took your baby's life away?

Jon was released to go to the funeral. He told their families that he knew he couldn't expect forgiveness, but wanted them to know how truly sorry he was.

They forgave him.

They told him that they heard how he tried to save the girls, how he stayed by the children. They understood that it was a tragic, tragic accident, but it was just that. An accident. They will not press charges.

Jon is home now, but he claims he will never get behind the wheel of a car again.

Every time I hear of something like this, I will think of Jon, and how we never really know what happens unless we are there.

Panic Comes, Panic Subsides.

Husband came home from the hospital last night. He's doing well, just very very very tired. We discussed our move back to Worcester.

I'm feeling kind of overwhelmed. I can't lift heavy things now that I'm pregnant, I need to get lots of sleep and exercise and I have so much to do!

Other than the everyday laundry, dishes, job responsibilities, I have to schedule the move, pack up the rest of our stuff, move the antique china (I'm not trusting that to movers. One slip and they're powder.).

Oh, and the liquor stores around here are limiting the number of boxes you can have. What is that all about? What do they need a thousand Bacardi boxes for? I have a million books and framed photos and I'm saving them the trouble of recycling them later. They should thank me and let me have all the boxes I can stuff in my car!

I feel so bad for my husband, because he really wants to help, but he physically can't. He has to be extremely careful so the muscles in his abdomen can heal. He's not allowed to do ANYTHING. Even the dishes are dangerous for him because it involves prolonged standing.

You know what, though? I am so freaking happy, amidst all this. My life is going to change forever. It's going to be filled with poopy diapers, getting jerked awake at two am by a small person screaming, sore nipples, sleep deprivation and I am so HAPPY! I feel like throwing up until 3pm every day. I am so so so so tired. I can't drink alcohol or coffee for over a year and I am ECSTATIC!

The size of a sesame seed. That's how big my baby is right now.

I am complaining about all the crap I have to get done soon and I am smiling from ear to ear. I'm having a baby! I am having a baby! I've wanted to be a mother for as long as I can remember, and now I finally will be. I'm in love with an amazing man who will be a great father, I'm going to be raising my child in a beautiful house with a backyard and a porch in a quiet neighborhood.

Nothing else really matters, does it? If we have to move a little later on to get everything done, that's what we'll do. If we have to shell out money for boxes at packing supply stores, we'll do it. If I have to let my boss know that, sorry, this project I'll have to work on at home because I haven't had a lot of sleep lately and I need to make sure I nap today, I'll do it.

My family is what's important right now. Before I know it I'll be in my new house, looking at fabric for my baby's curtains. I am sure there will be a host of new things to stress me and my Beloved out, but so what? They'll pass.

Life's little everyday annoyances will come to pass, and I will be this child's mother for the rest of our lives.

A Note To My Internet Friends Who Are Comic Bloggers:

You guys will need to help me track down some literature for this baby.

Alan Moore's ABC's (Guess what “V” is for!)

You're Special and Loved...But That Won't Help You In This Heartless City by Frank Miller

Count to Ten with Grant Morrison (nothing witty there, but I figured I needed another guy).

Not to mention all of the actual children's books that Neil Gaiman has written. The Wolves In The Walls is a particular favorite of mine.

YEEEEEEE HAAAHHHHH!

HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE!

Man, I have never been so happy to feel so horribly sick in my life!

Huh.

Sooo...haven't been feeling well for a few days...thought the E. Coli was back.

No...I am pregnant.

I am pregnant.

I am pregnant.

I am pregnant.

Friday

I feel lousy today, but I've gone into work, at least for a few hours. My boss is one of those really cool guys who realizes that it takes a few days to recover from E. Coli, so if he were here he would probably tell me not to worry about it. He is taking a much needed weekend away with his freakin' adorable ladyfriend.

My husband and I are going to move back to Worcester this summer. Though we adore East Providence, it's just too far from work and his doctors.

We have found a gorgeous first floor apartment that is three times the size of the place we have now, massive kitchen, dining room, 2 bedrooms (babies!), laundry in the basement, screened in back porch that spans the length of the house (swoon!), hardwood floors, in a wonderful neighborhood...gotta tell you, people, I was almost in tears. Under a grand a month and best of all it is walking distance to the office.

In a month of the skies raining crap down on us, this is wonderful news. I am having people over on Sunday to help me box up our crud. The only good thing about Beloved being in the hospital is I can throw away a lot of his utterly useless junk without hearing him complain about it.

Though before he went into surgery, he did inform me that he wants to be sure I keep all of his National Geographic magazines from the last seven years. Damn. I was hoping to toss those out before he mentioned anything.

He may not have a full intestinal tract, but he's got a cunning mind, that Love of mine.

His surgery went so well. He'll be in the hospital for another week, and then home on rest for a few weeks after that. There will then be a second (very small) surgery in July. Then...health, we pray.

I feel optimistic and nervous at the same time. Our life looks as though it will be going a smooth course for a while. Everytime I have thought that in the past, though, something has gone wrong.

Ah, well. We shall see. Meantime, I'l be hitting the liquor stores in search of boxes.

AH HA HA HA FINALLY!

Considering I haven't been able to get into my account in three weeks, I would guess that no one is around anymore.

There has been a LOT happening here, but as I am at work, I will have to go into details at another time.

Take a fun quiz:

Novice's last few weeks have involved the following:

a. E Coli
b. Laptop fried and had to be sent back to Apple
c. Husband had major surgery
d. E Coli AGAIN
e. Found gorgeous apartment 1 mile from office for ridiculously wonderful price.
f. ALL OF THE ABOVE!

Since I still have no computer, my blogging will be restricted to lunch breaks at work for a while. I think it sucks that my last post before this period of antibiotics and plans to move was merely about the trailer for the latest Star Wars movie. It really should have been more profound. Or more poetic. Or funny.

Well...I am back for anyone who cares.