“Therefore, in light of the great host of witnesses we have before us…”

A humble thinker comes in many shapes and forms over the years and inspires others to pursue that which really matters when the lights go down……

– blessed by much today.

Announcing for the first time ever the gender of our baby…

haha, fooled you. And you thought we’d actually find out.

Well, what we did find out was the following:

1. Baby’s squished in there nice and tight with minimal movement (and no showing of gender with continually squished up frog legs and fist blocking the tell-all – again modesty prevails).
2. Baby’s measuring at 8.5 lbs plus of minus 1 lb for error. AKA, our baby could be anywhere from 7.5-9.5lbs, but is currently averaging out at about 8.5lbs of educated guessing based upon leg, arm, stomach and head measurments. The ultrasound lady said baby’s stomach is measuring a bit bigger than average babies during our current weekly status. – Whatever that means.-
3. Baby’s heartbeat is about 136-137 beats per minute (normal and healthy).
4. My blood pressure is good (thus far).
5. And any and all other results will be further discussed during our Tuesday Dr.’s appt (provided that I don’t pop beforehand – which in that case the stats won’t really matter).

Didn’t actually see a doctor on Friday so I have no idea if I’ve advanced any in dilation or anything. But the ultrasound lady said baby’s head’s really far down there and repeated that a few times when trying to get a good picture. (In my mind the further the better. BRING IT ON!) So we just keep on trucking here on the homefront with packed bags by the door. I have started feeling much more sore than usual and a couple other more anatomical signs are popping up to notify me that soon baby will make it’s debut.

I’ll keep you all posted as further joys arise. Take care everyone!

So I finally got around to packing a hospital bag. We were supposed to have one packed “just in case’ at latest at 36 weeks. So here at 2 days shy of 39 weeks I can proudly say that my hospital bag is packed. Why is it packed? Well because today is Friday and on the very small chance that something were to happen today I don’t want to show up at the hospital with only the shirt on my back. Baby’s bag, on the other hand, has been packed for a few weeks – that’s right… priorities.

It’s still kind of weird to me to think that labor and delivery will happen quite soon (keep in mind that soon is a relative term at this point). Some of the foreign aspect of having this baby revolves around the fact that i have yet to really understand what a contraction feels like. According to others, this is a common reality. Renee and Ellen both stated, among others, that they were unaware that they were contracting until being linked to hospital monitors. It does bring to mind one question though… How will I know it’s time to go to the hospital if I’m not sure what a contraction feels like? – Oh, you’ll know. I’ve been told. Okay then! “Are you contracting yet?” Matt has frequently asked me over the past few days. “Nope,” I tell him, but I’m not sure if I’m right or not. I just wouldn’t classify the weird tightness in my stomach and random crampings as contractions. But again, it’s the blind leading the blind. I guess I could tell him more fully that I am or am not contracting once we’re holding the baby. 😉

Almost all is in place for baby when baby comes home. We’ve moved the bassinet into our room (which is an odd sight during my nightly pee breaks). Odd how much that bassinet appeared to ft in the nursery, but still feels so out of place – and yet in place- at bedside. I just have to redress the guest bedroom bed and then we’ll be all set for my mom to come and baby to come home. All other little details like getting a baby bathtub and changing pad we can work through later. =) Yeah, yeah, yeah… we’ll be just fine.

We realised yesterday, as we were hanging out at the in-law’s house, that if I were to go into labor this weekend, Matt’s family would need to come home early from their vacation (if they wanted) and could potentially miss the laboring part. This weekend’s Michigan Family Christmas. which Matt and I will not be embarking upon due to overly obvious reasons. We hadn’t given any thought to the whole ‘his family not being here’ aspect of the spontaneity of labor. But I am sure it will all work out according to God’s plan. Which in other words means that I am sure of nothing in this plan, but that a baby will be born at some hour during some day or night. And yet knowing nothing can bring such peace and normalcy with the knowledge that God is in control of it all.

Anyway, I better get ready for today and head off to work. I’ve got a few things to pack into the car before I go to work, sheets to put on the bed, trash to get out, and breakfast to eat. I’ll keep you posted on today’s updates regarding the ultrasound and all. Have a great day, all!

Last night’s doctor’s visit provided the following information:

• I’m 1cm dilated (will need to get to 3-4cm before hospital admittance) – hey, progress is progress.
• Doctor was concerned about my high blood pressure, which ironically went down during the visit (maybe sheer relief that the check was over), but asked me to come in on Friday to recheck before the weekend.
• Doctor is concerned that baby is “a big baby” and has scheduled an ultrasound for Friday at 2:30p to verify size and birth-ability. – which means we’ll get to find out for ‘certain’ baby’s gender among other statistics about baby. And my biggo stomach is “all baby” according to the doctor which is crazy to think when you see my stomach.
• There’s a chance that pending upon blood pressure counts and “big baby” status we’ll be having baby this weekend – after being admitted into the hospital upon the ultrasound. – But again, they may let me keep going if all is “normal for delivery.”

And then again there’s always the chance of having baby prior to Friday depending on how quickly I advance in dilation. So in other words, all this to say… the end is quite near. And we’re all excited here. =)

I got up this morning with intention of checking the weather report prior to popping into the shower. Our room felt a bit warm and I wanted to know if it was weather related or inferno within me related. Sat down at the computer, as usual, but this time the familiar pictures captured my 6am mind. I watched the honeymoon pictures interlocked with seasonal pictures, wedding pictures, California pictures, Cheddar pictures, and so many more memories. And a flood of joy filled me.

A few weeks ago Matt and I were out on a semi-routine walk. I was feeling whale-like and inactive, Matt finding joy in the joy I received from the walk (AKA he did not want to go, but went because it made me happy and therefore was happy because I was happy). We walked along sharing the day with each other and enjoying the random silences that we also shared with each other. Then Matt piped in, “So I’ve been thinking and I’d like for us to plan to go out to California. I want to meet your grandma and see the beach, and the church, and the places I’ve seen in the photos.” Could he have said ‘I love you’ any stronger? His heart just poured out in a few thoughtful sentences. And I must confess, that really meant the world to me that he wanted to meet my family more. “We’ll have to check where we are financially,” he went on “but I’m thinking if we plan far enough out then we could bring the baby to go meet your Grandma.”

Those words flew through my thoughts as I watched how far God has taken us. I was reminded of being nearly engaged to Matt during the last California trip. And the joy on our faces during the outside pictures after our ‘I do’s. We had no idea what we were getting into, and we still don’t, but I’ve never been more sure of forever in my best friend’s arms.

I can easily fall into a pattern of complaining and focusing on how much plans are not what I had imagined since I was a child regarding being a stay-at-home-mom instantly and all the other naive imaginings that will drift away as reality is born. And it’s in those complaining and incontent times that I really need someone to holler, “Are you serious?! Look what you have!!!”
Selfishness is such an easy trend. “I want it all, I want it all, I want it all and I want it now,” familiar commercial jingles about electronics and food come to mind. But God just caught me this morning before starting the normal routine of, “so this is life,” and reminded me of the blessing.

I have never felt such joy in life as I feel today. Each day that passes is a new day to be married to my best friend. And I can honestly say that I love him more today than on our wedding day. I mean seriously, who else is going to be there to sing Celine Dion songs in the car like Jr. High protegees at the top of our lungs because we are both comfortable enough with each other that we can be silly in front of each other? Who else can help set me straight when I’m way out in left field? Who else pursues me because he wants to know me more? Who else is there to make royal mistakes with, cry with and then later laugh about the mistakes with? No, my sweet friends, Matt is not perfect – and neither am I. But I really can’t put into words the absolute joy of being married to your best friend – morning breath and all. I am overjoyed with all that God has brought us – even the trials – and can’t wait for the joys that God will bestow upon us in the future.

A co-worker asked me last week if Matt was my first love. “You know, I guess he is because he really defines love in the most real way I have ever experienced. I honestly can’t say I experienced the depth of a true love prior to him.” And the only way he can do so much and be so much to me is because of how hard he tries to be like Jesus. Because I know that Matt does not complete me, he’s no where even close. But Jesus completes me and it’s Christ in him that floors me as well. Matt compliments me far greater than anyone will even compliment me – after all one we have become and no man can separate that. Oh but you should see that man on fire for Jesus. Who could not want to be married to him?
-No wonder I’m head over heels for him. –