5.23.2011

Miscellany Monday - 100 days to go!!!


Well, here's to another Monday after another beloved weekend.  I just looked at my baby tracker and it says Baby love has 100 days left to grow!!!  Wow - hopefully in about 100 days our first baby will have his/her birth day!  Crazy!  What a celebration that will be. :)  The countdown is on...the question is, are mommy and daddy ready???  While we will joyfully receive our baby when he/she comes, we are prayerful and thankful that the little one keeps growing in there for quite awhile!  While of course I want the baby to keep getting bigger, I am liking the 25/26 week pregnant belly for me.  Definitely very prego, but doesn't overwhelm me or tip me over just yet.  Ha ha. 

(The coolest thing just happened as I'm writing this!!!  Baby Love, who has been doing all those small kicks and movements below my belly button, just rolled, or slowly swam or waved hello at the very top of my belly - how cool!  I am AMAZED at how much he/she has grown in even a month.  I love this baby and feeling his/her little lively self in there!!!)

So how about some miscellany for this Monday -

1.  Feeling great.  After last week's less than spectacular update about my aches and pains, I'm happy to say I am feeling much better.  I'm taking everything in stride, and overwhelmed with gratitude that the baby is healthy and I've had a healthy pregnancy so far.  I have nothing to complain about.  As long as Baby Love doesn't have to feel mommy's aches and pains, I am perfectly happy with them.  And my ribs and back have had some good days lately!  I haven't gotten sick in several days which is awesome.  I honestly love my pregnant body more than I could have ever imagined.  It just feels different and I love feeling comfortable, purposeful, and just right in my own skin.  (Though I often have these suddenly strong desires to run a marathon once I'm able...hope that feeling remains after the baby comes!! :)

2.  Home sweet home.  My feeling better might have something to do with the fact that Kevin and I were able to go to Indiana to visit my parents for the weekend.  There is definitely no place like home, no matter how old you get, and the last time we were there was New Year's, when we announced we are pregnant!  It's always so nice to experience the love of where you grew up.  My mom is an expert at hospitality, and she and my dad have been working hard on some home improvement projects. My home town is also such a peaceful place to visit because it's right in the middle of farmland and cornfields.  Quiet and beautiful.  I did feel slightly reminiscent about my college days as my parents were also gracious enough to also let us to our laundry there!  Thankfully they have plenty of compassion for log cabin living. :)  It was also awesome to visit my home church and chat about Baby Love with many people who have known me since I was a baby!  Sweet times for sure.

3.  Puppy love.  My sweet dog Chai turned 7 on May 12th!!!  Wow.  According to the vet he's officially a "senior" now.  Crazy...that news wasn't particularly my favorite I must say.  What a journey he and I have been on.  I got him two summers after I graduated from college because I longed to be a mommy and I just didn't know when that would happen.  So I got a puppy to love on and take care of, which actually did turn out to be a great help!  He was so sweet then, and he still is so sweet now.  He's also the most adaptable dog ever, seeing as how he has lived with me in a total of 7 different places since I've had him!  Wow.  I'm sure I have such a love for him because he's been right by my side through some tough and wonderful transitions.  He is definitely my furry first baby. :)  What's funny now is that I realize I've used my mommy voice to talk to him all these years...so when I talk to my baby belly in that voice his head turns quickly!  Looks like some fun times are ahead as we work on fur baby and real baby sibling bonding in the near future!!


4.  Nursery art.  I have made one piece of artwork for the nursery so far, and it's gotten me very excited to work on some other things!  The funny thing is how indecisive I've been about the nursery and we don't even have one to decorate yet!  My random obsessions are so weird. There are two totally different color schemes I love, though I'm pretty sure I'll stick with the original plan.  I did just realize that because we will probably be renting a house, I most likely won't be able to paint the walls.  Which is just fine because this is real life and not a design show.  And we'll just be happy to have a place!  I do love to look at Etsy for artwork - what are your favorite Etsy shops for nursery art/decorations??

5.  Prayer for Joplin, MO.  My heart broke for the people of Joplin this morning when I heard about the tornado they endured over the weekend.  Apparently 85% of the small town was leveled and many people were killed in this tragedy.  I can't imagine how scary that must have been...as even last night we had a powerful storm here and iI have a special place in my heart for this town because I spent a summer living there at Ozark Christian College as an intern for Christ in Youth, (C.I.Y.), the summer before my senior year in college.  I also attended C.I.Y., a week long event for high schoolers, all 4 years of high school with my youth group.  We made great memories and experienced life changing moments with God on those trips.  When I was an intern I worked with amazing people and it was an incredible summer.  God is powerfully moving in that town through the people He is equipping and working through in that place.  Please join me in lifting them up in prayer, that they might find healing, comfort, peace in the midst of a horrifying reality, and the resources needed for rebuilding their lives.  I know many people in our country have been affected by recent weather related tragedies, and are all in need of powerful prayer and help from the rest of us.

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed."  Psalm 34:18

Miscellany Monday @ lowercase letters

3 comments:

cait said...

yay for 100 days!! I feel like your pregnancy is flying by...you probably don't feel the same way. :) Glad you had a nice trip home! And your writing about Chai melted my heart. We've only had Boone around for a couple years and it still seems like he's been through so much with us. Isn't it funny how they steal your heart?

And look at you already finishing some nursery art!! Way to go! :) Pictures!! ;)

Kevin Russell said...

I always love the way you share your heart and express yourself in your writing! You have such a gift.

It's so exciting and humbling to be on this Divine Adventure with you. I love you Beautiful!

Kevin

Venessa said...

Well now you have less time, but yeah on baby getting closer to making his/her big debut! I can not wait to see you holding that sweet baby!