36 Weeks

I'm 36 weeks today--1 more week and I'll be full-term!!! I had my midwife appt today and all is fine and dandy. I feel terrible, but thankfully my BP is fine and the baby's heart rate is perfect. I'm also measuring right at 36 weeks, so that's good too! My midwife seems to think I won't be pregnant much longer, but I have come to decide that picking the day a baby will come is like picking the day Christ will return! I think only GOD knows the real day of the baby's arrival. :) My Braxton Hicks are getting a little more "biting," but this is totally normal. I've also reached the point where I go to my midwife every week until the baby comes. So...guess I should get the hospital bag packed and the rest of the baby stuff done! :)

A Day of Hard Work

For weeks now we've been trying to get the rest of our yard fenced in. We had scheduled a work day in April--which didn't work--so we rescheduled and that didn't work (due to David and I spending the night in the hospital because of my contractions). Soooooo, we FINALLY were able to get it done on Saturday! The plan was to get the fence done and also get my washer and dryer moved from the basement up to an area in the kitchen. The fence got done, but the washer/dryer will need to get done later (hopefully this week). After learning that this week is going to be in the high 80s and 90s we opted to skip the washer/dryer, and David had my dad help him get a window A/C unit installed in our room. Our room is upstairs and it gets HOT up there! It's been hot with just mid-70s weather so we knew anything higher and we'd be miserable. I'm so thankful for the work my dad and husband did. It'll be great not have to chain the dog up anymore (and untangle her 1000 times a day!), and it'll also help Cora learn boundaries a bit better. 

Front of the backyard...from garage to back porch (door we use all the time)

Back of backyard (behind garage)

While the men were doing their thing, my mom and I were sorting through all of the baby clothes we've been given. Not only did we get tons at the shower, but I've also been given a ton of hand-me-downs. We found all of the newborn-3 month and Mom washed and folded them. The rest were set aside to be used later! Because I had so many hand-me-downs I got rid of some that I knew I wouldn't use. Mom knows of a family who will be able to use them, so that's great! I think we're getting there! 

We still need to put the crib together, buy a mattress for the crib and get the bedding all set. I need to put all the baby clothes AWAY, wash the bottles (just in case nursing doesn't go well) and buy a few odds and ends. After getting all this done I have this horrible feeling/thought that the baby will decide he's plenty happy inside and will be "late!" Oh, I really hope not...

From "My Utmost for His Highest"

GOD'S SAY-SO
"He hath said...so that we may boldly say..." Hebrews 13:56


My say-so is built on God's say-so. God says--"I will never leave thee," then I can with good courage say--"The Lord is my helper, I will not fear--" I will not be haunted by apprehension. This does not mean that I will not be tempted to fear, but I will remember God's say-so. I will be full of courage, like a child "bucking himself up" to reach the standard his father wants. Faith in many a one falters when the apprehensions come; they forget the meaning of God's say-so, forget to take a deep breath spiritually. The only way to get the dread taken out o us is to listen to God's say-so.

What are you dreading? you are not a coward about it,  you are gong to face it, but there is a feeling of dread. When there is nothing and no one to help you, say--"But the Lord is my Helper, this second, in my present outlook." Are you learning to say things after listening to God, or are you saying things and trying to make God's word fit in? Get hold of the Father's say-so, and then say with good courage--"I will not fear." It does not matter what evil or wrong may be in the way, He has said--I will never leave thee."

Frailty is another thing that gets in between God's say-so and ours. When we realize how feeble we are in facing difficulties, the difficulties become like giants, we become like grasshoppers, and God becomes a nonentity. Remember God's say-so--"I will in no wise fail you." Have we learned to sing after hearing God's key-note? Are we always possessed with the courage to say--"The Lord is my helper," or are we succumbing?

O Lord, speak to me now. Inspire me for today; dulness, deep and devastating, seems to hold fast to my powers. 

A Shout Out!

I have thought many times since becoming a mother how thankful I am that I'm not a single mom. I know a few women who have been, or are currently, single moms, and I just don't know how they do it on a daily basis. During both of my pregnancies I don't know how I would have gotten through them without David. When Cora was born (and I'm sure it'll be the same with her brother) I would have been totally lost without him. During the day I suppose I'm a bit of a single parent. I mean, David's not here, he's at work. However, the difference is that I always know he'll be home at supper time and there are days that just knowing this simple truth gets me through the day.

So, to all of you single moms--past or present--good job to you! I know you don't have it easy, and I know you're doing the best you can! Press on!!

11 Years Ago

This May marks 11 years of being out of college. Really? How is this even possible? I seriously often think it's been just a year, or 2, or maybe even just 5, but not ELEVEN! Where has that time gone? When I graduated college I was bright-eyed and ready to start my job at a food service company, with thoughts of moving up through the ranks, using my college education to get me there. I worked for this company as an assistant manager for about 3 months and due to health reasons and also financial reasons on the company's part left there and started looking for something else. Thus began my time as a member of cubeville! I spent 2 years overseas as a missionary in Cameroon, Africa. After my time in Cameroon I had to look for another job, took a temp job, which then led me to one of my favorite places to work. It wasn't so much the work I loved but rather my coworkers. I'm still close friends with a lot of them! During my time at this job I started to wonder what God had next for me? I didn't see myself living forever in corporate America, although if that's what God wanted for me then I was OK with it. I started to think I would just be single and find a cute place to live and go from there.

Truth be told, I was SO thankful the Lord didn't have any of those in mind for me. He brought along my dashingly handsome husband, we have lived in MI and now back to OH. We've been through a lot of downs and many ups. We have a beautiful daughter and a son on the way. We own our own home, are involved in a great church, love the community we live in and well, life has been good. A lot has happened in the 11 years since I graduated from college. I love looking back at all the things God has brought me through and the different lessons he has taught me.

What have the last 11 years looked like for you?

35 Weeks

Taken at my baby shower on Sunday. My shirt is compliments of my mom and sister and is so nice and cool for the weather that's heating up!

I'm 35 weeks today, yeah! I have 2 more weeks to keep this baby inside so it's safe for him to be born. "Safe" meaning, no time in NICU, less chance of complications, etc. Even though it's "only" 2 more weeks it seems an eternity to me right now. I'm still having contractions, though nothing too drastic, for which I'm thankful. I know this baby will come when he's ready, and I'm just praying he comes when God says it's time, even if that time is before 37 weeks. I have to chuckle at the thought that after all this worry, laying low and taking it easy he may just think it's nicer to stay inside and could end up being late! Oh, I sure hope not!!! 

I find myself struggling a lot with fear and anxiety.  I believe some of this is normal, because let's be honest, the idea and thought of labor/delivery is NOT fun or pleasant and there's a lot of pain involved and unknowns. But, I find that my fear is more related to the fear of not wanting things to happen the way they did with Cora. There was so much uncertainty, no control, unnecessary measures taken that became necessary due to being induced. It was all so nuts and chaotic when I look back on it. I'm scared of the same thing happening. However, I know it won't happen that way. Why? Well, for starters I won't be induced (unless absolutely medically necessary) and that's the change. Because I won't be induced all the unnecessary things that became necessary won't happen. I was sharing my fear with David and he said this to me, "I know you can do it. You know why? Because you did it with Cora and this time won't be so horrible." Pray for me if you think about it. Fear is something that I seem to struggle with the most in life and it's starting to hit me pretty hard right now. 

But, YEAH! I'm 35 weeks!!!! 

Showered with Blessings

Our church threw me a baby shower yesterday. It was a lot of fun and I'm glad I felt OK enough to go! I had told David on Saturday that I could not do both church and the shower, so we decided it was best to go to the shower. I slept all morning and got up in time to get ready for the party. I'm so glad I was able to go. It was such a good time and I left feeling so blessed and "showered" by the ladies of our church. They put a lot of work and effort into making things cute and baby boy friendly! My mom, MIL, aunt, sister, niece, nephew, sister-in-law and my sisters MIL were able to join us too! We had a good time and I can't wait to see our baby boy in all of his new clothes!