We have officially reached the third trimester and are getting so excited to get through this last stretch before baby arrives. Both Matt and I have been working hard to get the apartment organized and have been tackling little areas each day. We have the bedroom pretty much set up, the bassinet built, and the changing station stocked with supplies. Baby is moving around and kicks are getting stronger, so much that we can see he/she move around on the outside of my tummy. I just sit and stare in awe of this little life growing inside of me!

At the beginning of this month, Matt and I traveled to Minnesota to visit my family. The decision to travel during this time was a difficult one. Being pregnant during this pandemic has definitely been a challenge, especially when it comes to setting boundaries and prioritizing health and safety for both myself and our baby. After some discussion, and because of the already “high risk” nature of our jobs, we decided we were comfortable with the travel risk and wanted to share part of this season of pregnancy with my family. We both agreed on the precautions we would take while visiting, similarly to what we already have been doing while at home.

Since we both work in healthcare, Matt and I got tested for COVID both before we got on the plane and before returning to work as a measure to protect others. Thankfully, the city has made it relatively easy for us to get tested for free. We flew Delta and felt very comfortable with the modifications they have in place at this time; including blocking the middle seat, requiring passengers to wear masks, boarding the plane from rear to front, and providing wipes for each passenger upon entering the plane. I am not sure how long they plan to block the middle seats, but I felt like that made a huge difference in my comfort level while aboard!

My family threw me a sweet , “COVID friendly”, baby shower in our backyard the day after we arrived. It was so nice to see my extended family and spend a bit of time celebrating Baby K! After the shower, we headed to my parents lake house in Wisconsin where we spent the rest of the week. My siblings and grandparents also came up with their RVs and camped in the driveway. It was so special to have everyone together again, something that hasn’t happened since my brother’s wedding in January. We spent the week cruising on the lake, relaxing at the cabin, playing with our niece and nephew, sitting around the bonfire, eating lots of good food, and reconnecting with my family. We headed home with full hearts and are so excited for my family to visit us in California when Baby K arrives!

Getting back from vacation is always a little difficult, but this week was particularly hard. Flying into California we could see the glow of fires and smoke plumes over the mountains. The day after we got home, the smoke suffocated the sun and we woke up to orange skies in the city and cars covered in ash from the fires all over California and the West Coast. The air quality that Wednesday afternoon was surprisingly still good, but by the next morning was absolutely awful. For a week straight, our air quality was horrible. We spent the week cooped up in the apartment, our hearts breaking for all those directly effected from the fires. We are very fortunate that the only part we are dealing with in the city is the smoke.

Yesterday the sun came back out and the skies turned blue again. The fresh sea breeze blew in and sent the smoke away, finally bringing with it some relief for our area. Matt and I took a long walk through Golden Gate park and felt so grateful for the chance to be back out in nature. We aren’t fooled that this is the end of the smoke — fire season has just begun and we’ve already seen a record breaking year of destruction. In fact, the last few years we have seen progressively worse fire seasons on the West Coast. The extreme weather from coast to coast should have us asking more questions about how we are stewarding this planet we have been given. We do not get a second chance in this life, we only get one earth to care for. Personally, we are working every day to reduce our carbon footprint and be intentional with the way we live our lives. Here are a few things we have found helpful for reducing waste and even saving some money along the way. We are a work in progress, but doing our best to make lasting changes for our family!

Some easy way to go green:

start composting and recycling
reduce your food waste by meal planning rather than blindly grabbing items at the grocery store (we make it a goal to use everything in our fridge before it spoils!)
choose plastic free/recyclable packaging when available (like bulk boxes for produce/nuts/grains)
bring reusable grocery bags when shopping
purchase from brands with sustainable/ethical practices (clothing, household items, furniture, etc.)
walk, bike, take public transport or carpool to work if you have the option — even once or twice a week can help!
turn lights off/unplug appliances in home when not using them
adjust your thermostat a few degrees, up or down depending on the season
limit TV use — better for you, better for your energy bill!

I think the biggest misconception is that climate change is a political opinion. The reality is, whether you agree or disagree with the exact science of it; climate change is happening. We see it all around us and it doesn’t seem to be improving by ignoring it— look at the increasing extremes of our summers and winters, frequency and intensity of hurricanes on the gulf coast, tornados and derechos in the plains/midwest, melting glaciers, rising sea levels, and fires on the West Coast. Our earth is shouting at us that it is distressed and we need to listen. Little steps collectively, like the ones I mentioned above, can make a huge difference — not only for the earth, but also your bank account! Live with what you NEED first, then intentionally evaluate the things you consume outside of that. Our children’s future depends on our actions today. I would love to hear more about what you guys think about this topic — I know it is complex and difficult to know where to start!

Third Trimester, Travel During COVID, Wildfires!