Thank you all for posting

I guess I have a little apologizing to do because I was the one wagging my finger and now I am just getting around to posting!!! Well, maybe I have a good enough excuse. I'm up when I shouldn't be, but right now I really don't care. I will lay down in a minute.

It just occurred to me this morning that I could log into my bookmarks from Micah's laptop. My computer is upstairs, which I am banned from for all eternity. The kids take pictures to show me the good work they've done to clean their rooms or the study. It's so cute.

We are ready for Christmas. I have shopped vicariously through the computer and other people, mainly my mom. All is wrapped and under the tree, again thanks to my mom, Micah, and the kids. God has given me much grace to just be okay with everything. Maybe the total, preoccupation with baby has something to do with it. But I'm really okay with resting, on most days. Mostly, I just miss everyone. But in time I will peak out into the world and get reacquainted with all those I have missed, including all of you wonderful family.

What Did I Miss??

Okay, what happened to Kara's blog??? Did everyone know about this and I am just now finding out? This is not funny.

December Blogging

I'm blogging because not many others are right now. How boring is that??? Pretty much so. I think everyone is catching up with Thanksgiving and trying to get a handle on Christmas. But let me just say that none of us are allowed to stop blogging during December! It is illegal, do you understand? I must hear about all of your lives and how you are doing. I want to hear about all your shopping escapades and wonderful deals. Oh, and all the parties and how much fun or not so fun they are. So, please get those typing fingers ready.

I am doing well. Having a pretty good week actually. I am looking forward to Amber's wedding and hoping I will still feel good on Saturday. Baby is rolling around and happy as usual. My mom is coming next week! Hurray!!!

It Has Slipped...

I can no longer do the grocery shopping. On Monday the kids and I went to HEB, I think the first time in 3 weeks. They pushed the cart, lifted all the heavy stuff. They were super. Well, Blaine did scream and cry that he cut his hand on a pineapple. But I was so nice and patient during the whole thing, refusing to get stressed but to enjoy this little moment. Let's face it, he won't cry about pineapples forever, and he'll probably never touch one again. Everyone in the store thought it quite amusing. I'm glad we could offer entertainment.

Later that day I laid down some and did a few piddly housework items. Then they came. From 2:30-8:00 my uterus contracted. I drank 3 glasses of water and laid down at 2:30 but felt good enough to get up again in an hour. I don't know if they went away. Eventually, at 5:30 I took notice and decided I should probably start timing these suckers. 5 in 30 minutes. Drink 3 more glasses of water, lay down. 5 in 20 minutes. Call the nurse. Stay down. Starve. Finally, at 8:00pm they subsided. I ate and fell asleep. It was stressful and emotional. I saw the doctor on Tuesday and thankfully everything checked out fine.

So, I've been banned. Is it "lay" or "laid"? Jenny???

Starbucks

I broke down and cried in Starbucks yesterday. We were on a date, and I had a little meltdown. As we drove home, cutting our date short, it escalated into a full-blown chocolate fondue party (meltdown). We won't go into details. Let's just say Micah decided that he needed to purchase me 3 huge boxes of Kleenex at Target later that day. All he said was, "Here, you need this." Poor guy. You know we think we have it hard with them, but they really had no idea what in the heck they were getting into when they married us.

We Have Made It...

to 30 weeks. Somehow I feel a sense of accomplishment and relief. I think the next milestone will be 32 and then probably 36. I don't know. I still have to take things super, super easy. My normal pace is so far away from reality right now it is UNREAL. I can do about 1/100 of what I used to do. I can go shopping. That is a good thing, but I am afraid that might be slowly slipping from my hand, too. I hate to say it. But I think once or maybe twice a week is realistic for the shopping arena. Not sure how groceries fit into that. Maybe that sounds like a lot to the rest of everyone else. But when you have the nesting hormone surging through your blood, that is very limited. I am learning to accept it.

I am Learning

That I am not defined by what I do but WHO I am. Not that I've learned it; I said I AM learning. I broke down crying in the doctor's office Monday about. My doc put on her psychologist hat and gave me some counsel. It is difficult to explain because we are ALWAYS, ALWAYS wanting a break as a mother, yet deep down I don't know that we really do. When one can suddenly no longer do the dishes, clean the house, make dinner, do her own laundry, make her own bed you feel sort of...useless. It's weird. I think because there is no choice in the matter. When we "vacation" we're CHOOSING to take a break from those tasks. When we're sick or way-too-pregnant-and-too-much-activity-gives-me-contractions then there is no choosing. It is forced upon us and we suddenly have to face the demon staring at us in the closet, telling us we're worthless. But thankfully I have wonderful friends reminding me that I'm making a baby, a life that will forever live into eternity praising our Lord. But I am still learning.