I'm a little embarrassed at my lack of attention to the blog... hopefully I can redeem myself :) Careful, this one might be a novel!
Last week we had a little bit of a scare. I hadn't been feeling myself. At first I was scared I was getting the flu but it didn't quite feel like the flu. I was just soo tired. I would wake up worn out, like I had been up all night. I was taking naps, thinking it was just a need for sleep but they weren't helping. Then last Sunday, after the early and late church, I started noticing some cramps. There were only a few and lasted just a few seconds so I didn't really think too much about it. I knew braxton hicks could be starting so I was wasn't worried. Later on the night, they happened again. I called in just to check and they said take some tylenol, drink lots of water, lay down, and if it doesn't get better in an hour-call us back. Well when I laid down, I fell asleep. It was like 830! They baby was still wiggling like crazy so, I wasn't too worried. Monday came and I was so worn out, again, that I just laid on the couch with Retta right beside me and watched some movies. It was a rainy day and I thought it would be the best idea to cool it. Well that and my husband telling me to cool it. Around 3 the cramps started again and didn't stop. I called the doctor and they said to come in. Sometimes, knowing the things we know can cause more grief than anything. I called Ben but couldn't get ahold of him, they had just left for working out. I kept calling and got him. I was praying so hard to get him home. Anytime between 4 and 5, the gate to leave base backs up so bad sometimes your waiting for a half hour or more. I called my Mom and talked to her until Ben came home to take us to the hospital.
We got there and they hooked up the monitors, checked the heartrate (which was beautiful), and did a urine check. I was on the monitor for about an hour and no contractions. The urine test came back great which surprised me because I thought for sure thats what it was after she said I wasn't contracting. The doctor came in and ran a bunch of more tests just to be on the safe side. Everything looked good she said. A few of the tests wouldn't be back for a few weeks but a couple would be done tonight and she would call me if they showed anything. She was so great. Ben and I really liked her. I'm really hoping she does clinic hours so I can see her.
We got home around 9. I was so thankful everything looked good. She had also said it couldn't have been round ligament pain from all the stretching. We ate a late super and went to bed. She called me in the morning to check on me and to let me know one of the tests came back and that I had a common infection. She called me in a weeks worth of antibiotics. She said that's were the cramps came from and it was a good thing I came in to be seen because this infection is the main cause of preterm labor. I was really thanking God. I called Ben and let him know. He was so glad everything was okay and that we got things under control. I was just so glad we went and got checked out before I went to London and all that! No joke, I felt a huge improvement after the first dose and a world of a difference after 24hrs. I have energy now!! Look out!
So, after that time flew! Before I knew it, it was Friday and I was leaving for London that night! I'm usually packed days, sometime a week before but not this time! haha It was Friday morning, nothing was packed and I had a list a mile long! I got all of it done and was packed by the time Ben got home! haha He took me to the lady's house we were leaving from. It was a little hard! I haven't been away from him since June, when I went home early. I know it sounds funny, I was only going for 2 nights a a day but it really was hard for me to do! I guess because being here, he's everything ya know? Like I'm making friends and everything but I don't know how to describe it. haha Anyways, we went to the little airport for Ryan air. We got there in great time.
I have never flown Ryan Air and from the way the girls were talking, I was in for a treat. You are only allowed ONE carryon including your purse. So not like the states where you can have one carry on AND your purse. Nope, not Ryan Air. They had sent me emails and emails reminding me that my carry on had to be the right size or it would be checked for a fee of 35 euros which is about $52. I made sure I had the right size, I was scared not too!! I had good reason to be too! While we were waiting for the gate to be open a woman came around to each person checking the size of your ONE bag. If you couldn't fit your purse into your bag, it had to be checked. People were getting very angry with the woman. It was almost comical. I didn't feel bad for the people though- it sent reminders and reminders about it and when you bought your ticket, you had to click the box that you read and saw the info about it. Not to mention, it was Ryan air, not United or anything like that.
On Ryan, you had no seat assigned. You also had to walk out on to the run way to walk up the stairs to get on the plane. People were running to be first in line to get their seats. It was like a free for all! haha But I guess thats a big reason why they can keep costs so low. When we got into the plane-yellow was everywhere. The seats were navy blue and yellow was about every where else. They also had advertisements on the seats and luggage stow. It was a very colorful plane to say the least. No drinks, no snacks, no frills! haha They were also selling smokeless cigarettes. Never in my life have I seen an airline selling cigarettes. They were these plastic cigarettes that only provided the nicotine. I was amazed! haha It was really odd to me. The flight was about 50 minutes. We had the roughest landing, I've ever had. The plane even shot to the side it was so rough. I guess whenever there is a really good landing or the plane is ahead of schedule everybody claps and this bell thing goes off, neither one happened. We got out and worked our way through customs. I was soo excited to get a stamp in my passport! haha It doesn't take much. We got in really late at 1 which was really 2am in Germany time. I was a sleepy Momma. We grabbed a taxi to take us to our hotel. London Stansted is a pretty rural airport. It was hard to see in the dark but you could just tell. Here in Europe, traffic circles are all you have. It took me awhile to get used to in Germany. Now imagine this- your so super tired and a little foggy, you get into a little van that had the steering wheel on the otherside and you pull out and get on the other side of the road. Now, since your on the other side of the road you enter the traffic circle on the left side and go the opposite direction. It took me a second and I calmed down. haha I was overstimulated.
We survived the taxi ride and made it to our super sweet hotel. I took a picture of the room but I think I deleted it on accident. I shared a room with another nurse who also works at WIC part time. I'm pretty sure that was the first time I've slept on a twin bed since college. The room was sooo adorable. It had a darker pink wall paper with cream trim around the door and windows. The beds were white with a dark purple blanket at the bottom. The carpet was also a shade of dark pink. The curtains were a mix of the dark purple and pink. There were a table by the big old old old drafty windows that had assortments of teas. On the wall across from the beds was a huge, cream colored entertainment center that had built in storage space. There wasn't a TV in there, it was sitting on a little stand kind of in the corner between the tea table and the wall length entertainment thing. Right after that was the door to the bathroom. It was pretty tiny but had bidet, that had spiders in it. haha
We climbed into bed to get some sleep before our big day ahead of us. I was out like a light. I slept so sound, it was almost scary. I got up early in the morning and dozed in and out until it was time to get up. I got up to go the bathroom a little before our alarm was to go of. My roommate was up and and said um- I can't get the toilet to flush. haha I have never worker harder to get a toilet to flush in my life. I finally got it to flush. You had to keep pushing down the lever to fill it up with more water so it could flush. The other girls came down to our room after they had gotten ready and said the same thing. They also had no water pressure and had to wash their hair in the sink. haha Other than that the hotel was great!
The taxi came to pick us up and take us back to the airport so we could catch a bus into London. It was chaos. People were jumping line, the bus people could have cared less. We waited about an hour and finally got on. It was about an hour ride in to the city, so I dozed. haha It was hard work standing in line that long! :) It was raining pretty hard so I wasn't missing anything out the window.
As we got in to London we came across the Tower Bridge that was under construction on on side of the bus. Never, will I ever, attempt to drive in London. I don't think the bus driver was aware of anyone else on the road, including the woman he came extremely close to hitting! When we got into Victoria we sat down with our map and figured out which train to hop on to take us to Picadilly Circle. We made our way around on the tube, which was pretty exciting! The only thing I didn't like was the yucky, warm air on the platform and the crowed cars. We got off the tube and found our theater.
I knew it was the theater district but didn't realize how many there were. They were also pretty small. We had about an hour before the show started and went to find some where we could sit and grab a snack. I had some very yummy peppermint tea and come cheese. We made our way to Her Majesty's Theater and found our seats. The last time I saw the Phantom was in Toronto , I remember how large and grand it was. This theater was sweet but a lot smaller. The seats were a dark red velvet. We looked down on the stage from our seats. I just had to sit on the edge just a few times.
The show as amazing, no surprise there!! The cast was wonderful and I loved loved loved it! I got yelled at though.... I tried to take a picture at intermission. I honestly thought it was okay since the curtain was down but... haha it wasn't.
We left and went to find a place to have a nice dinner. The girls all really wanted a sushi bar. I've never been and didn't want to be the one stick in the mud. Plus they said there were other things to eat than fish. We went to this place called YO Sushi. Look is up on google- it was really neat. You sat at the bar and different plates of sushi went in front of you on a conveyer belt. It was priced by the color of the plate and they just added it up at the end. I got shrimp and chicken dishes. I also had a seaweed salad. haha It was okay. I found myself really missing Ben at that moment. He would have loved to try it!! And to make it even better they had little water fountain things in front of every two chairs! I loved it!
After dinner we thought we would check out some shops. The lady that had been to London a few times said we HAD to go to Harrods. I was really excited to see that. It had so much gliz and glam- I felt out of place. When we first walked in, I was greeted by either and man in a black suit or a woman in a black suit every few feet holding $900 cologne. We went up the marble staircase, complete with the Egyptian exhibit and Princess Diana fountain to the women's department. haha It was almost comical. Some of the clothes where really something else... Like you knew it was something else when there were only one piece of each item of clothes. All of the crazy expensive, expensive lines of clothing were there. I thought about asking if they had a maternity section but didn't. haha We tried on hats that cost more than a semester of college! haha It was great!
It was 8 when we left and all of us were starting to wear down. The one girl had worn these high heel things and could barely walk anymore. haha Poor girl, but really, who wears high heels to walk around London? We stated making our way back to the bus stop. we had some excitement there too. When we got there, this one bus driver said you can no go any further. He wouldn't tell us why or what was up. I was like great, there's a body or a crime scene around the corner where our bus is supposed to pick us up and Ben's going to hear about it and be all worried. No sooner did we see the London police come flying down the road. We walked further down and could see more what was going on. Here a bag was left on a bench and the police just walked right up to it and took it away.
I fell asleep on the way home and crashed as soon as I hit the bed! We decided not to get up so early to get some more sleep. We made it to the airport and had a good trip home. The landing was much better. I was ready to be home and see Ben and Retta.
I had a great time and I'm really looking forward going back with Ben to see the palace and all that. Now I know I wanted to write more but it's getting later and we have a big day tomorrow. We're going on a tour of the Battle of the Bulge and Band of Brothers in Bastogne, Belgium. We were on the waiting list and the called today with two open seats! I'm more excited to see how much Ben's going to like it! He's soo thrilled!! We got our bag of snack, water, and camera. We good to go. Stay tuned for more adventures of Ben, Jaimie, and the little one!!! I'm sure we'll see a ton tomorrow to write al about.
We miss you all and love ya a ton! Take care!!
