Update part 2

So it feels like crazy timing to find out you are pregnant two days after your husband gets laid off from his job. But we felt like because of how impossible the whole situation seemed, that it must be God at work in our lives. We still believe that.

The week following was crazy and busy. I was still working, but I was off in the afternoons. We used the afternoons to get our Colorado driver's licenses (to establish residency), get my pregnancy confirmed at the crisis pregnancy center, and get signed up for food stamps and medicaid.

Here's the amazing thing. If I had gotten pregnant while Ben was working we would have been paying for everything out of pocket. We didn't have insurance, and we wouldn't have qualified for medicaid. As it is, we  won't have to pay anything to have this baby. Not a single cent. AND, even if Ben gets a job that "disqualifies" us, it doesn't matter. I can't lose the coverage because I qualified at the beginning of pregnancy. I am covered up to my 6 weeks postpartum appointment and the baby is covered for a full year. It's kind of unbelievable. It was a huge blessing that came out of this situation that didn't seem ideal.

Fast forward to now. I'm still at my temporary job that was only supposed to last two to three weeks. Ben is still unemployed. We certainly have been taken care of, but it hasn't been easy. My pregnancy has been an interesting time. I'm so happy to be pregnant and we are so excited for the baby. But it has been a very painful time as well. It's been a learning and growing experience in regards to trusting God. We haven't been able to buy anything for the baby, and we probably won't be able to for a while still. The only reason I have any maternity clothes is because my mom bought me some. We don't live in our own place. We live in a motor home/my in-laws house. It was the plan...but not the plan to do it with a baby. I also underestimated the strain this would end up being on me as an introvert. I've really had to let go of a lot of how I want things to be. Ben has been so helpful and supportive. He lets me vent, but he also reminds me we have a lot to be thankful for. I think it's been hard for him because I've been upset so much and I cry a lot. It is hard for him to see me sad.

Our church life has been going pretty well. We've started to volunteer with the youth group. We are actually going as sponsors on a weekend retreat. I am...not very good at doing this so far. I am still very shy, and I'm not any better at interacting with teenagers than I am with adults. Ben seems to be a little better at than me. He is also playing drums for the youth band. I'm hoping going on this retreat will help me build some relationships with the kids. This is something that I definitely never saw myself doing.

I don't know at all how things will play out in the next few months. Ben has put in a lot of applications and the only interview he has gotten has been to be a substitute custodian in the school district. But he hasn't even heard back from that interview. I may be getting a permanent part time job as a church secretary at a church that's close to home. I would probably even be able to take the baby with me for a while, which would be great. I am certainly very curious to see where the next few months take us. My pregnancy isn't flying by, but I have a feeling this baby's arrival will find me completely unprepared...