Home Sweet Home

Home has never felt so great! 

As we pulled in to our neighborhood after our final road trip I took a deep breath and was overcome with joy and peace in knowing that this is where we belong and in 3.5 seconds I'd be able to really kick up my feet and just chill out for the first time in a week. It was wonderful being greeted by a couple of the boys who then helped us bring in our luggage, and while I was ready to be alone with just Travis, it was nice having them stay a bit and hang out. Travis taught them a few things on the guitar while I started dinner. It was a perfect evening back home. 

The icing on the cake came later in the evening...lounging on our red couch and Travis' hand on my belly with Juice Drop dancing through our entire movie! Too presh! :)

P.S. Blue Like Jazz = Uh-Mazing! 

How far along? 35 Weeks and 1 Day

Total weight gain: 28 lbs

Maternity clothes? Most of the time. 

Stretch marks? Nope 

Sleep: Oh, the ush, waking up every 1-2 hours to pee, plus my sinus infection kept me awake while in bed even more so

Best moment this week: Seeing the joy on Travis's brother's face when he saw me for the first time in a year. He had tears in his eyes and he couldn't really believe his baby niece was inside of me :)

Miss Anything? Subway and sleeping on my back

Movement: Morning, noon, and night!

Food cravings: a 12 inch turkey sub from Subway sounds amazing right about now!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope

Gender: GIRL!!!

Labor Signs: Braxton Hicks are getting stronger.

Symptoms: Back and rib pain, Braxton Hicks, peeing ALL THE TIME (even when hardly anything comes out!), shortness of breath, memory lapse, clumsiness, swollen fingers and toes 

Belly Button in or out? Outie!

Wedding rings on or off? Off but on a necklace, still very bitter about this.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy! 

Looking forward to: My sister, Emily, moving in to college tomorrow which is only 20 minutes from us!!! :)

Pictures as of late soon to come!

the day we've been waiting for!

This is it! Today is the day! The day we've been waiting for! 

No, we haven't gone into labor just yet...

Today we embark on a long journey, a journey filled with hourly stops for bathroom breaks, walks to avoid swelling, and drinking 5 gallons of water to stay hydrated. All for my dear, dear friend Lindsey Marler, who will be getting married to the wonderful Matt Runda on Saturday! 

Feel special, Linds, because you're one of the only people I'd travel 10 hours for! 

I will proudly don a beautiful purple maternity bridesmaids dress, waddle down the aisle, and sit on my tush, legs up, during the reception while one of my best friends marries the man of her dreams. 

I cannot wait! I know this weekend it going to be an absolute blast...as long as Juice Drop stays right where she is!

You see my necklace? Yeah, that's my engagement/wedding ring; still kind of bitter it's around my neck and not on my finger :(

How far along? 34 Weeks

Total weight gain: 28 lbs

Maternity clothes? Most of the time. 

Stretch marks? Nope 

Sleep: This week has been surprisingly better. I'm still waking up every few hours to pee but I'm getting more comfortable with my array of pillows :)

Best moment this week: hearing my sister Stef's voice who I haven't heard in almost 2 months! Even though it was a very brief conversation, her voice brought so much joy to my heart. 

Miss Anything? Being able to sit up without having to turn to my side to do so. I look ridiculous and Travis enjoys my struggle, not nice, hubby!

Movement: Morning, noon, and night! Hiccups at least twice a day :) 

Food cravings: Nada

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope

Gender: GIRL!!!

Labor Signs: Braxton Hicks are getting stronger.

Symptoms: Back and rib pain, Braxton Hicks, peeing ALL THE TIME (even when hardly anything comes out!), shortness of breath, memory lapse, clumsiness, swollen fingers and toes (this heat is redonkulous!)

Belly Button in or out? Outie!

Wedding rings on or off? The ring has officially come off...very, very sad :( 

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy! Unless I'm outside or hungry lol

Looking forward to: Lindsey and Matt's wedding!! and seeing friends in Indiana :)

P.S. You see my husband at the top of this page? Yeah, he's a stud! ;)

You said "I know that this will hurt"

The Lord has made Romans 8:22-28 known to me on a couple of occasions.

First, it was a little over a year ago when everyone and their sister were getting pregnant. If you know anything about me, you know that I've always desired to be a mother. I feel like it's part of the calling God has placed on my life. I've been ready since I was a kid and for Travis and me to wait as long as we did to finally have a child took a lot of patience and trusting in God. I was reassured of God's timing and his faithfulness when I stumbled upon this passage and more aptly this verse:

"But if we look forward to something we don't have yet, we must wait patiently and confidently." Romans 8:25 (NLT)

Then a few months ago the Lord brought this passage back to me.

I love God's Word because it's always relevant to what you're going through. You could've read a certain passage 10 times throughout a given year and each time it says something different, something that applies to what you're going through at that specific time.

When I stumbled upon this passage again I was beginning to feel the affects of pregnancy, and I was also thinking a lot about the type of birth I was going to have. Do I want to have pain meds that allow me to feel nothing, and not know what my body is going through or do I want to go natural and feel every contraction, every pain--a pain so powerful some women compare it to completing a marathon? Usually I would say give me the drugs!! But something inside of me was telling me I can do this without meds, I can get through this pain! And I think that something was the Holy Spirit.

Now this passage isn't directly about pregnancy but instead compares our life with Christ here on earth longing for that day in Heaven to a woman who is pregnant, giving birth, and in a whole LOTTA pain. Take a look see (I've added the italicized in parenthesis):

"All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it's not only around us; it's within us (Juice Drop). The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We're also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance (I'm yearning for a full delivery!). That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don't see what is enlarging us (I'm enlarged and haven't seen Juice Drop just yet). But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy (pregnancy takes a while, just as labor does, but in the end it's all worth it!). Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along (when labor gets too intense or I get too tired, God is right there with me, experiencing the pain too). If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in us and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans (oh, I'll be groaning all right!). He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God (He knows my body better than I do, and He knows I can do this!). That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good (and when I see my daughter's face, all will be GOOD!)." Romans 8:22-28 (The Message)

Wow! What an amazing passage not just for me going through labor but for that yearning and desire to be with our Heavenly Father. How great the Father's love for us that we will go through whatever it takes to be with Him, and all along He is there right beside us going through the same pain and anguish. We find joy in enduring these "birth pangs" because we know in the end it is all worth it, our joy will be complete, and we will experience no more pain!

I know it sounds crazy, to experience pain for the joy that comes in the end. But I look forward to feeling that pain, to that feeling where I know I'm alive, so that in the end I will be pain-free and will know joy like I've never known before!

**Disclaimer: I realize circumstances arise when pain meds and other medical procedures are necessary for the mother and for the baby. I do not believe this makes the mother less of a mother, less of a woman, or less of a child of God. If you choose or it's deemed necessary to have medical intervention, then that's great. My goal is to have a natural birth and whatever happens in the labor and delivery room happens, and I'm trusting God to get me through it, whether it's naturally or with medical intervention. 

a little overwhelmed...to say the least

Wow, I am spent!

On top of getting anxious about Juice Drop coming in roughly 7 weeks, losing my mind and forgetting to pay bills, we are having to unpack the boxes we still have yet to unpack from moving in 6 months ago!

What were we thinking waiting until the end like this?!

And on top of unpacking boxes, these are the things that need to be done just in general and in her nursery:

Get life insurance
Find a pediatrician
Write a birth plan
Pack ours and Juice Drop's hospital bags
Sew changing pad cover, pillows, and curtains
Paint doll baby bed and little rocking chair
Buy lamps and nightlight
Artwork
Make mobile
Buy storage containers

Oh yeah, and do our job by spending time with kids and connecting with adults in our neighborhood and take a week off next week to drive to Indiana to be in one of my best friend's weddings!

Phew! Can I take a nap now?

How far along? 33 Weeks

Total weight gain: 28 lbs

Maternity clothes? Most of the time. 

Stretch marks? Nope 

Sleep: I had a great night's sleep last night! Woo Hoo!! I only had to get up once to pee and it was cool enough in our room that I could use blankets to cover up. Uh-Mazing! I realize this was just a teaser because I know my sleepless nights will reemerge very soon (most likely tonight).

Best moment this week: Spending time in Greenville and having my girl friends there throw me my 2nd baby shower! *pics below*

Miss Anything? Being comfortable.

Movement: Morning, noon, and night! Hiccups at least once a day :) 

Food cravings: Nada

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope

Gender: GIRL!!!

Labor Signs: Braxton Hicks are getting stronger.

Symptoms: Back and rib pain, Braxton Hicks, peeing ALL THE TIME (even when hardly anything comes out!), shortness of breath, memory lapse, clumsiness, swollen fingers and toes (this heat is redonkulous!)

Belly Button in or out? Outie!

Wedding rings on or off? I'm trying my hardest to keep my ring on until Lindsey and Matt's wedding. 

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy! Unless I'm outside or hungry lol

Looking forward to: Getting this apartment straightened and finally finishing the nursery!

My baby shower in Greenville was amazing! I got to see some ladies I haven't seen in a few years and it was so great reconnecting with everyone. A huge thank you goes out to the ladies who were involved in putting it all together and making me feel very special! Donica, Dee, Beth, and Jayne, you all ROCK!

These cupcakes are too cute!!

 

The food was delicious!

We got a lot of great things for Juice Drop!

Ok, check out this candy-it's called Juicy Drop Taffy!!! 

I'm in love with these Mary Jane socks!

Prayers over Juice Drop 

 I feel so blessed! Thank you Beth, Donica, and Dee!

P.S. a durian looks like this: ...hopefully Juice Drop isn't as prickly ;)