Overwhelmed

Sometimes it's so easy to get overwhelmed with fear and concern for the future. But this weekend I have just been overwhelmed with love and gratitude. I am so grateful for good friends, quality time with family (I love Taboo!), pies that turn out beautifully, people who are kind when other pies don't turn out beautifully (I forgot to take the pecan pie out of the oven...I blame the hormones), technology that allows us to stay connected no matter how far we roam, Christmas decorations, traveling mercies, birthday gifts, pedicures, and the best husband in the world.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving and got to do all the things we love with family. You have not laughed until you have played Taboo! with my sister Whitney. We put up our Christmas tree and decorated it with blue trimmings in celebration of our baby boy! We got to see family and friends who were in town for the holidays...people we rarely get to see and often miss. I even got to chat with my cousin in New Mexico for a bit yesterday and am hoping to finish catching up with her today. She is expecting a little cousin for Benjamin just about 2 weeks before our due date! Yesterday we had a wonderful breakfast with friends (I don't just casually throw out the word...it was wonderful!), and we took Benjamin to his first football game. He moved around sufficiently to show us that he's already a fan. We're not sure if his enthusiasm was for football in general, his daddy's alma mater in particular, or left over from the amazing breakfast. I guess we'll know for sure in a few years. This was also one of my more fun birthdays for receiving gifts...I love things for the baby! From breast pumps to board books and characters for the nursery (they're so cute!) to maternity clothes for me (seriously, it's a true friend who understands this particluar need--thanks Trish) to games and books that have nothing to do with baby....it was a good birthday and I really felt loved. I was extremely impressed by the people who lead much busier lives than I can imagine and who have many stresses on them, yet still managed to send birthday cards!!!! I rarely accomplish this myself, and I'm amazed at you ladies for being so diligent. Thank you so much! And my mom gave me the little white New Testament from when I was a baby. (ya'll would be proud...I didn't cry at all....at first).

There are so many many things to be thankful for and I'm truly overwhelmed when I try to soak it all in. And in another twelve weeks or so, I'm sure I will be absolutely speechless when I see the little one that is so much a part of me and so much a part of my sweetie.

Tell me not to panic

I've been feeling so good lately and enjoying feeling Benjamin move around, but today I just lack the confidence I have grown accustomed to. I think it's because I talked to my coworker about her sister's miscarriage a lot today and yesterday and lots of people were telling her their stories about how they've been through the same thing (well, it's like one in five pregnancies!). But I just started thinking about all the things that can still go wrong and I got so scared. I've had to stop reading the newsletter I receive from MEND (Mommies Enduring Neonatal Death) because the stories that used to give me hope now fill me with dread. I have enjoyed pregnancy so much, but I think I will just be really relieved once Benjamin is safely born. Fortunately I have a sweet husband, an active baby, a good doctor, and most of all, a Faithful God to get me through the final leg of our journey. The third trimester begins tomorrow! Please don't stop praying for us. And please remember to pray for Robin, who has a tough time ahead....sometimes it's hard to give thanks in all things, even when it is Thanksgiving.

Do I Look Pregnant Yet?

The top picture is at McKinney Falls, TX this past Saturday. We are almost 27weeks!
This one was last week at the wedding of Brenton and Cara Dowdy. We were just almost 26 weeks here!

I am feeling Benjamin kick all the time now. He's quite the little gymnast in there...sometimes we can watch my belly pop and move as he rolls and somersaults around! What a great feeling--if anything was ever to be described as indescribable, that would be it. I can't explain what it feels like...it feels like exactly what it is...a tiny person rolling, flipping, and kicking inside of me.

Needless to say, we're having a wonderful time right now. Everything is going great with the pregnancy and I'm feeling good (if a little tired). But in our joy, we do not forget to share the sorrows of others. Today we found out that my co-teacher's sister lost her little one to miscarriage at 8 weeks gestation. For those of you who have experienced it...you know. For those who have not, I could hardly explain the grief and fear. It is not just the loss of a life, but the loss of so many hopes. Please pray for Robin and her family during this season and remember all who are facing a difficult holiday time. We are so thankful for the prayers that carried us through last year at this time and for the prayers that still keep us in good spirits and in good health.

Indelicates

So even though the baby is most decidedly in the front, my backside seems to be growing as well. Therefore, I needed to buy some larger unmentionables this weekend (the monthly free VS panty coupon is no longer cutting it!). So I went to Walmart, thinking I could easily pick up a package of cotton maternity panties....it sounded easy enough. But after wandering the clothing section for a while with no signs of anything maternity, I found an employee in the dressing room area and decided to ask for help.
"Can you tell me where the maternity underwear are, please?" I said in an appropriately lowered voice.
"WHAT?" she asked.
"Ahem...Can you please tell me where to find maternity underwear?" I asked again in a normal speaking voice.
"WHAT?" she asked again, more loudly. I began to think she might be hard of hearing.
"Where are the maternity underwear?" I asked with a slightly raised voice.
"Honey, I can't hardly hear you. What do you want?" She said.
"MATERNITY UNDERWEAR!" I said in an embarrassingly raised voice.
"WHAT KIND OF UNDERWEAR?" She shouted.
"MATERNITY!!!!" I shouted, all my remaining delicacy quietly dying.
"BRAS OR PANTIES??" she shouted.
And I thought of the scene in Little Women where Jo comes upon the pregnant Meg in the garden and asks why her sister didn't write about her condition. "One hardly speaks of such things," says the ladylike Meg. Any Meg-ish-ness I might once have treasured was buried for good when I shouted,
"PANTIES!!!!!"
She didn't know where they were. She could not help me. I went home with a wedgie. Yes, a wedgie. I am no longer a lady. Now I'm a mom!

Raindrops on roses and....

My baby boy waking me up before the alarm with his little kicks....

Getting packages in the mail (Thanks, Amber!!!)....

People telling me I look cute even though I'm having a bad hair day (all they see is BELLY!)....

Imagining Benjamin in the darling outfit my mom bought him....

Other people who are pregnant....

Amazon.com.....

My Boppy total body pregnancy pillow....

Maternity jeans (cause you don't have to unbutton to go to the bathroom! It shaves off valuable seconds in an emergency!).....

Making maple pumpkin cheesecake with Shanna....

Trying to imagine my man's blue eyes and chin dimple on a little baby who I hope will look just like him!

What are some of your favorite things?????

Halloween

Well, in honor of Halloween I did something scary and something silly. I got the flu shot... scary... only because my doctor absolutely insisted. I have always been wary of superfluous vaccines and have known too many people who claim that the flu shot made them sick. But I faced my fear and so far there have been no side effects other than a slight soreness in my left arm (which is also the arm I have to sleep on for the baby's sake...ouch!). Then I dressed as Nymphodora Tonks for a friend's costume party and the church Harvest Festival...silly...I am usually way too self conscious to dress up for Halloween. But it was just too much fun to create a maternity witch robe with a graduation robe and a belt. And, yes, my Harry Potter loving friends, I did wear a pink wig (actually a blond wig that Jon sprayed pink) and Jon did dress as Remis Lupin. I guess Benjamin was dressed as little Teddy Lupin but only because he was the baby inside Tonks! At my friend's party everyone knew exactly who we were. At the church festival, no one had a clue.