This week, my students found out that I'm pregnant.  I'd been holding off on telling them, dreading the distraction from the upcoming concert, but I've noticed that some have been looking and whispering.  So on Wednesday, when a loudmouth 6th grade girl, let's call her Katie, started asking me questions, I was hesitant at first, but went with it.

Katie:  Mrs. Berra, Do you have any kids?
Me:  No.  I have a dog.
Katie:  Oh.

 ....30 seconds later...

Katie:  Mrs. Berra, Do you plan on having kids?
Me:  Yes, I suppose, why?
Katie:  Oh...reasons.
Me:  Reasons like what?
Katie:  Well, when teachers get pregnant, they leave us with substitutes for a long time and I just would want to know that sort of thing.
Me:  Do you think that I'm pregnant?!
Katie: ...yes.
Me:  Well...You would be right.

There was much screaming and jumping.  When I told her she could tell the rest of the class (that had not been paying attention to this exchange)  I expected her to just yell it out, but she went around to every student and whispered in their ears so I could see each one's look of surprise.

I figured every student would know by Friday (word travels fast in middle schools), and I'd rather have them congratulate me and get it over with than whisper about it, so I went ahead and told the rest of my classes.  

In one 7th grade class, I was hugged by about 10 kids at once.  I'm glad I don't have to fret too much about what I'm going to wear in the morning and whether the kids will notice.  I'm hoping they will be more helpful. 

This is my first blog post ever... I'm so untechie.  

Oh look, I can add pictures!  This is me at 13 weeks, 3 days pregnant in one of my new maternity shirts that actually camouflages the belly area when I'm not emphasizing it with my hand there.  It doesn't look like much yet, but I packed away my "skinny clothes" yesterday, including 16 pants/shorts that do not fit at all.  Oh, and a shout-out to those lovely ladies who are giving me your maternity clothes- you rock! 
I'd like to do a series of pictures every two weeks or so until the birth to show how my body is changing. 






Robert is out of town in the Phoenix Valley this week.  He's meeting church people, people he'll be working with, and finding us a place to live with room for our little family.  I'm planning to stay home with the little one for a while and do the crunchy mom thing.  Robert says I'm crunchy (like granola) since I want a natural birth, to cloth diaper, and  to baby wear.  Okay, now some people are rolling their eyes in disbelief that I'd want to go through the pain of birth and months/years of scrubbing poop, but that's fine.  I'm not going to be uptight about it if things don't go my way.  Que Sera Sera.