State Side or KSA?

For some reason one of the hardest decisions I have had to make while being pregnant is whether to have the baby in the US or in Saudi Arabia. There are both pros and cons, but the more I think about it, it seems more logical and less stressful for me to stay in Saudi Arabia. Don't get me wrong, I would love more than anything to have the baby in the States. There are days I say to myself, "I am changing my mind". Maybe it's  because there are many people giving their opinion on what they would do, which then makes me doubt my original decision. Plus, it would be nice to take a 3 month break from Riyadh and be in beautiful San Diego, Ca. But once I am in California, I know I will miss Billy's presence, especially during the last month of my first pregnancy. Of course, he would fly to San Diego a couple weeks before the birth and stay 4 weeks after, but if I stay here we're together during the entire experience and not 10,000 miles away apart.

If we were at a post where medical care was not up to standard I would go back to the US, no questions asked. Health care in Riyadh is actually very good, and I believe I will be well taken care of here. My doctor is Western trained and has been in practice for a little over 15 years. The hospital I will be delivering at is comparable to the US, plus there's a NICU on the same floor should any medical emergency with the baby occur.

Like I stated before it's a hard decision to not have the baby in the US, but staying here is what makes me more comfortable. It may even make for an interesting story for Lucas Mateo to tell his friends, he was born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. After all, he will be entering into a life in the Foreign Service, which I think is exciting.

It's Been A While...

I haven't posted ever since our Vienna trip, so I don't even know where to begin. We've done so much since December, but the biggest and most exciting news of all is that we are PREGNANT! Yes, after 18 years of marriage we decided to take the plunge into parenthood. We found out the wonderful news in January, 2 weeks after our trip to Austria. I am now 23 weeks along; almost half way through. We are having a baby boy. Most recently we went to London for a prenatal exam and saw our little boy on ultrasound once again. He is exactly where he should be at this stage, and the doctor didn't see anything abnormal.

At times it seems surreal that I am pregnant. For the longest time the thought of being a mother rarely crossed my mind. I was content just living life and doing what I wanted to do. Quite honestly, I wasn't sure if we would ever want to have children. While here in Riyadh the feeling of starting a family increased. Guess that biological clock finally starting ticking for Billy and I. So, in October we started trying because we felt it was the right time. I know a lot of people say, there's never a right time to have a baby, but for us feeling like it's the "right time" and planning was important.

Billy and I have been married a long while and during this time, we've done a lot as a couple. We've accomplished goals, traveled, experienced life, and have had a lot of fun doing it. Our relationship continues to be strong, which is something extremely important to me. We are in a place in our lives that we know we will be completely devoted parents. If for some reason we can't make it to a party, hang out with friends, or travel on a long weekend, it's OK because we've been there and done that. We're not going to be hermits, but our focus now is to share our life with this little baby, who is growing inside of me and is truly the extension of our love.

I am thrilled to start this next adventure with my husband, our dog Dante, and our baby boy. I feel blessed to be at a place in my life where I feel 100% sure that we are ready for this. Of course we are scared and know there will be challenges ahead, but our baby will be loved, well taken care of, and our relationship will flourish even more because of him.