(Old) Breaking News

It's common knowledge that you wait to see if the pregnancy is viable.   Miscarriage is not uncommon in the first 12 weeks and some women never know they were pregnant.  

As excited as we were, holding onto our news for a month was difficult enough.  In fact, the news nearly slipped out before the first ultrasound. 

Our family tends to make impromptu trips the beach.  And by impromptu- there was a year we went to the each season: Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer.  This fall was no exception.  I can't remember the exact week, but we were all down at Edisto Beach.  His grandparents, his parents, and we all shared an ocean-front beach house for a weekend.  

Hint: there are 2 people in the chair

Cold, windy days made for mostly porch reading with big fuzzy blankets.  Some braved the beach to look for seashells or take the metal detector for a spin.   I took my prenatal vitamins covertly and politely turned down offers of coffee. The last night at a family dinner (I can remember what we had: smoked pork and pineapple skewers ...tender, juicy, melt in your mouth food!) I sat between my in-laws. The most wonderful people on the face of the earth!   Per usual we were having a great time, food and conversation going quickly.  Someone made the comment, "Yeah, when Ali stops eating chocolate we'll know she's pregnant!" I may be known for my food obsessions...see above comment about dinner.  The conversation continued along that line coming a point where my father-in-law starts mimicking use of the metal detector, passing the imaginary tool over me jokingly saying, "BEEP...beeep...beepbeepbeepBEEEEEEEP! Pregnant! Pregnant!" His wife took up the joke on my other side, both of them miming a 'pregnancy detector'. 

I will never forget that moment when Sam and I just looked at each other wide eyed.  That split second was all we had to pass it off as the joke it was meant to be.  They would find out soon enough the following month how true it was!   We all got a good laugh from it and had many more laughs in the following year. 

There were a couple other times that the news almost leaked before we announced the pregnancy to family. 

We took announcement pics
 that were never used

We had gone to Chimney Rock to enjoy the fall colors and weather.  On our hike back down, we were talking about the baby and how we were going to tell family.  Basically just super excited!  Turning a corner, we passed a couple who looked familiar.  It was Sam's aunt's parents out for a hike, we had almost missed them!  (to explain: family gatherings usually include many people's in-laws and we typically saw these wonderful people every major holiday and had even been down to their place a few times..In case you haven't noticed we're kinda big on family)  After stopping and visiting for a while we went our separate ways, but Sam and I wondered if they had overheard us talking about you-know-what. Later we discovered they hadn't - it had been close though!

On that same trip, we ran into some friends who were also there on a date to see the fall colors.  Months later we all found out that they had just gotten pregnant too!  We find it funny now, looking back, that we all had the same secret news. 


The official announcement took place after the first ultrasound.  Both sets of parents were invited over for dinner (ha- nothing suspicious, right?).  After chit chat, food, ect. Sam got their attention and made the announcement, pictures and all.  They were just peanut pictures, nothing more than a white bean on a black background but they were loved on.  This was their first grand child and they were over the moon.   Smiles abounded, tears of happiness were shed.  New life is always precious and exciting and that evening there was no better news! 

After telling the parents we started to tell other family members.  Some we called, others we stopped by to tell them in person.  That whole weekend was spent going from house, to dorm sharing the excitement.  

Sam took his brother out to dinner
and gave him
this to break the news!

Ok, I'll be honest here.  There were some people who took the news with ALOT of energy.  It was incredibly encouraging to have them be as excited as we were.  But we also learned that not everyone was going to match our  enthusiasm.    That was difficult to take sometimes, especially when it was someone who we thought would have a bigger reaction.  I don't mention this as discouragement, but to give other couples a heads up in regard to expectations.  Even joyful reactions will vary.

NOTE: Youngest siblings have the absolute best surprised reactions.  Its priceless.  

For example...my little sister literally went into spasms.  Jumping up and down, squealing, to the point of falling on the floor.  Ok, she may be a bit of a drama queen, but still...HILARIOUS!  Sam's brother's reactions were also priceless.  No rolling on the floor, but same level of unfettered excitement!
As scary as the thought pregnancy and childbirth is, surround yourself with friends and family.   Their support and encouragement is EVERYTHING! 

Intuition..that stuff is real

I love being busy.  I feel stretched, exhausted, and accomplished.  Bragging rights are also kinda cool.  "I did THIS..." But as many people will tell you these days, having too much on your plate is not always good.  Especially if you are choosing to do so, and not out of necessity. 

Props to all you women who work full-time with multiple kids and more on the way, going through school at the same time!  I have NO CLUE how you do it.  May you continue to be blessed with the endurance, strength, and patience to conquer each new day! I know from personal experience that just having a full time job, school, and growing a human inside me is wearing enough as it is. 

Speaking of that!

View from my Iphone at Chimney Rock

The Autumn of 2016 was amazing.  We found out we were expecting in October and waited as long as we could to share the news with friends and family.  There were 3 friends I shared my suspicions with before I had it confirmed by a test. This is how it went...


I went on a roadtrip to visit my 2 besties from who lived about 3 hours away.  Before I left I  had started to just feel "different."  Couldn't really put my finger on it.  Not a "fluttering" or any pain.  I hadn't even hit the point where I was ravenous.  Nothing was off.  Its like your mindset is in the process of changing.  Your reactions to mundane things shift. Intuitively I thought something might be changing or about to change, but I didn't want to get my hopes up until I could know for sure in a few weeks.

SO.  I went down and met my BFF of 8 years (now a full decade! woot woot!) for Thai and a movie.  We sat down with our food and within 5 min I blurted out, "I think I'm pregnant!"  I was that excited!  She gave me a "Say Whaaaaaa????" look of excitement and we both laughed nervously as she started asking questions and then we moved on to other topics.  I mean, at that point, it still could have been nothing. Way too early to tell. In the movie theater I proceeded to bawl at pretty much every trailer (especially ones with puppies) and during the movie. (Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children)  During the trailers, my friend just turns to me and says, "YUP. You're definitely pregnant!"  This girl, man she knows me.   Neither of us are the crying type.  We just don't do that- especially during cheesy trailers with talking dogs.  And she was right.  Pregnancy hormones- they getcha!

Now I'm the type of person that researches a subject till google wants exile me from the web and friends get tired of my questions.  I like a mixture of scholarly articles and real life experiences.  Everything is cross referenced and the references get background checks. (hello, I NEED credentials!)   So, of course, I scheduled a coffee date with a mid wife referred to me by a good friend, just to ask questions. NOTE: I hadn't told the husband or taken a pregnancy test yet.  

On the way to meet with the Midwife and her assistant (certified doula), I started praying.  "God, I know that YOU are in control, no matter what happens! I know that YOU have the best plan for my life."  All the while I'm thinking, its a boy, pretty sure I'll have a boy- I have the perfect name for a boy! Then comes, "Well Ali, what if I gave you a girl?  What would you do?  Freak out because you have no plans or ideas for a girl? Are you scared to have a daughter?" In all honesty, yes.  The years leading up to this moment of prayer and reflection had been full of I couldn't do that!  BUT.  In that moment I realized that no matter what- I loved this baby and was so excited to meet them!  Suddenly my arms ACHED to hold my child and all I could think was Gosh- I have to wait 9 months.  Intuitively, I knew we were going to have a girl, but I didn't trust myself enough to believe it.  (and only a thorough ultra-sound at 22 weeks is really going to give you a positive answer) 

So, I met with the midwife and asked many questions about pregnancy, labor/delivery, complications, and places to give birth.  I got prices and the cost of what an at home delivery would be, along with care before and after.  Having more information settled me, and I felt better equipped to make decisions as the process unfolded.  Later that week, I finally purchased a pee stick and, sure 'nough, there were 2 strong lines. **squeal** And yes- I did a little happy dance!

First things first- the next day I call to schedule a visit to my OB to make sure everything was on track and this was no fluke.  Cue the beginning of odd food cravings, ravenous hunger, weird gas, and pain. Yup, the whole gamut.  Before I even had my first appointment to "officially" confirm the pregnancy or even show him the positive test- Sam asked what was up when I started eating bananas.   Those are NOT my go-to food.  EVER.  They have a weird texture I don't care for.  But the next couple weeks I craved them, eating about 2 a day. 

From our wedding day, hands down my favorite shot!
  Photographer: Themis Vourous

By the time my appointment rolled around, I was trying to come up with a cute/original way of telling Sam he was about to be a dad.  Something like that needed to be memorable- right?  Heh.  Guess pregnancy brain kicked into gear early for me (yes, that is  a real phenomenon.  Not a lame excuse.)   I left the paperwork from the doctor's office on the passenger seat when I went to go pick him up at work.  It was in one those little bags they give you, but STILL.  My husband is smarter than your average bear.  He's actually pretty intuitive for a guy!  Already suspicious due to the banana consumption he jokingly says, "You're pregnant aren't you?"  DING DING DING!  WE HAVE A WINNAH!!!  

Not realizing I had forgotten the paperwork on the seat of the car, I looked at him dumbfounded and said- HOW DID YOU KNOW?  Again- not my brightest moment....

He proceed to be the MOST EXCITED I HAVE EVER SEEN.  Picked me up in a HUGE bear hug and spun me around the parking lot chanting, "We're having a baby!  I'm a dad! I'm a dad!" You guys.  I was more happy to be married to him in those moments than I had been on my wedding day.  

There are highlight moments in your life.  HUGE moments. Un-documented, un-filtered, not contrived bursts of pure delight.  This.  This was one of these moments.  

This was the beginning of a fresh NEVER BEEN THERE Sali Adventure. 

Aaand... WE'RE BACK!

Yikes!  I am such a terrible host.  Poor you, waiting for another post that never came.  (yeah, yeah, yeah I'm know what you're thinking Don't flatter yourself!) 

Resting at Redwall Bridge after hiking down from the  North Rim. 

I forget which overlook this was at- just that it was sunset at on the South Rim.  We rented bikes and rode up and down the South Rim road, occasionally hopping on a bus when we felt like we were needed a breather. (laaazzzy- I know) But had we not hopped the bus we would've missed out on the driver telling us about the mountain lion she spotted near the road that morning! And I thought the risky part would be watching my husband "fly" back down to our cabin on his bike- arms spreadeagled.  He will never get the sound of me screeching at him to stop out of his head. 

The Narrows @ Zion National Park

The trip out west was phenomenal.  I still look at pictures and think, "Man, I really can't wait to get back there!"  Even to the point I've hinted to the husband, "Hey, I applied to a job in Utah!"  It didn't pan out, but it was worth the try! (I may or may not subscribe to alerts on job opportunities near Zion National Park...) 

If you look closely-
you can spot the most phenomenal adventure Buddy on earth

Despite being years ago, I remember my last post.  And I had every intention of following up with stories of our travels!  But before we even got back to the airport in Phoenix from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon- I had to start my course work for my accounting class.  From there, life only got more interesting. 


I dove into my online accounting courses, determined to get my Master's in Accounting and pass the CPA exam.  Not even back home from vacation, and I was paranoid about keeping up. We hit the ground running when we returned, going back to our work routines.   I kept up with my classes, had fun with colorful new binders and taking notes in 8 different colors.  (I'm guessing most accountants don't try to make their work pretty...?? Ya'll let me know here.)  My front desk job left me with plenty of time work on problems between calls.  All that down time is what had driven me to look for better career options in the first place.

Fast forward to not many weeks after getting home.  We went to SkyTop Orchard for our annual apple picking early September.  We had discussed having kids "sometime in the future."  Seeing all the families there together and several babies brought the topic up again.  Now, if you're following what I'm saying you might realize that I already had a full plate.  I was working full time and going back to school for my Master's.  Buuuuuuttt.....Adventure is made of risks.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained- right? The whole point of this blog is our adventures.  And the biggest one was coming up next.