Fall Updates
Happy Fall! This is my favorite time of the year.
We haven't updated you all in a while, but as you read this I'm sure you'll soon understand why.
In August, Alan and I took 2 weeks off from teaching classes since most of Italy goes on holiday for the entire month of August. Most of our students had cancelled for that month, and we decided to take advantage of the much needed break. However, the last day we taught classes before the break, I fell at the beach (where we would go for a quick morning swim for some exercise each morning). I landed on some rocks as it was the beach with large lava rocks, and hit my 32 week prego belly directly on it. I started having some pain later that day, and it continued into the next day so my doctor had me go to the hospital to just get a check-up. Turns out while I was there that I started going into preterm labor. I spent 10 days in the hospital on different iv medications to try to stop the labor. After I had maxed out on the therapy they could give me, I was sent home and told to rest until I was at least 37 weeks pregnant.
Alan continued started classes again at the beginning of September as planned. I waited until mid-September since I was on "house arrest." I managed to make it to 37 weeks (and then some), and continued to teach up until my due date, which was Sept 30th. My mom arrived Sept 24th, and my dad came later on Oct 1st. I ended up getting induced at 41 weeks and after my obligatory 3 day hospital stay, we brought home our baby boy, David Alessandro, on Oct 9th. Alan's parents arrived the day after mine left so we had a good two weeks of help after David was born. I again had some health problems after I arrived home, and I'm still having some issues but I hope to join Alan in teaching classes within the next 2 weeks.
For all of you who contacted us and prayed for us during our hospital stays, we truly appreciate it! It was very encouraging to hear from all of you and know that we have your support and prayers.
Alan is at the church building most days teaching classes. He has picked up a couple new students this semester and most of our students from last year have returned. We continue to ask for prayers for these people we come in contact with who are coming from all walks of life. While I was in the hospital, my number was given out to several workers who said they wanted to come for lessons, so we shall see if some of them come.
The Catania church is planning to host the winter camp for the youth again during the days between Christmas and New Years, and Alan and I are planning on attending to help out. There are a few other projects in the works right now such as a skit for the children to perform like they did last year. Also, Alan is working on the start of making a Bible Bowl program here for the kids. So if any of you readers have experience in this area, we would love to hear from you because Alan and I neither one of us went to a church that did a Bible Bowl, so we've been doing lots of research online on how to get one started.
Several people have asked me to write my birth story experience here in Italy. I have written it, but I will not post it on this blog as this is geared more towards our mission efforts here in Italy. I will warn you now, it's a detailed story of my hospital experience and my birth. So if you don't like reading about anything to do with bodies (for example my dad who doesn't even like to talk about bones) then don't read it. This is the link if you are interested: My Italian Hospital Birth Experience
We love and miss you all!
We haven't updated you all in a while, but as you read this I'm sure you'll soon understand why.
In August, Alan and I took 2 weeks off from teaching classes since most of Italy goes on holiday for the entire month of August. Most of our students had cancelled for that month, and we decided to take advantage of the much needed break. However, the last day we taught classes before the break, I fell at the beach (where we would go for a quick morning swim for some exercise each morning). I landed on some rocks as it was the beach with large lava rocks, and hit my 32 week prego belly directly on it. I started having some pain later that day, and it continued into the next day so my doctor had me go to the hospital to just get a check-up. Turns out while I was there that I started going into preterm labor. I spent 10 days in the hospital on different iv medications to try to stop the labor. After I had maxed out on the therapy they could give me, I was sent home and told to rest until I was at least 37 weeks pregnant.
Alan continued started classes again at the beginning of September as planned. I waited until mid-September since I was on "house arrest." I managed to make it to 37 weeks (and then some), and continued to teach up until my due date, which was Sept 30th. My mom arrived Sept 24th, and my dad came later on Oct 1st. I ended up getting induced at 41 weeks and after my obligatory 3 day hospital stay, we brought home our baby boy, David Alessandro, on Oct 9th. Alan's parents arrived the day after mine left so we had a good two weeks of help after David was born. I again had some health problems after I arrived home, and I'm still having some issues but I hope to join Alan in teaching classes within the next 2 weeks.
For all of you who contacted us and prayed for us during our hospital stays, we truly appreciate it! It was very encouraging to hear from all of you and know that we have your support and prayers.
Alan is at the church building most days teaching classes. He has picked up a couple new students this semester and most of our students from last year have returned. We continue to ask for prayers for these people we come in contact with who are coming from all walks of life. While I was in the hospital, my number was given out to several workers who said they wanted to come for lessons, so we shall see if some of them come.
The Catania church is planning to host the winter camp for the youth again during the days between Christmas and New Years, and Alan and I are planning on attending to help out. There are a few other projects in the works right now such as a skit for the children to perform like they did last year. Also, Alan is working on the start of making a Bible Bowl program here for the kids. So if any of you readers have experience in this area, we would love to hear from you because Alan and I neither one of us went to a church that did a Bible Bowl, so we've been doing lots of research online on how to get one started.
Several people have asked me to write my birth story experience here in Italy. I have written it, but I will not post it on this blog as this is geared more towards our mission efforts here in Italy. I will warn you now, it's a detailed story of my hospital experience and my birth. So if you don't like reading about anything to do with bodies (for example my dad who doesn't even like to talk about bones) then don't read it. This is the link if you are interested: My Italian Hospital Birth Experience
We love and miss you all!
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