you know it's almost time to have the baby when...

1. children outside the grocery store point at you and tell their mom to "look!"
2. the body pillow now seems small compared to your huge body
3. you have exit strategies in movies, restaurants, and church that are discrete and speedy
4. the only items on your Target shopping list are: dark circle concealer and stretch mark cream
5. you apologize a lot to your husband for being short tempered
6. "people" (a.k.a mom and sister) answer the phone "hello?" in a very unconvincing "calm" voice
7. new moms with strollers knowingly smile when they pass you on the street
8. people no longer look at your face while talking; they stare at your enormous belly
9. you cry at least once a day
10. you eat ice cream daily and don't feel guilty about it


*Note: all of these listed items are true stories that have occurred over the last few weeks.  I'm hopeful they are all signs that this baby is coming very soon!  Can anyone relate to these last days before baby is due?  Pray little boy would make his way into the world and into the arms of his impatient parents soon :).  Have a wonderful weekend friends!

Much Love,

Jen

Week Thirty Eight and Thirty Nine

Hello Friends!  It has been a while since I wrote last.  You probably thought I had the baby, huh?  Well, not yet...  but things are moving along (slowly but surely)!  I am dilated to a little past 1cm and have been feeling more contractions.  

Here I am at 39 weeks 2 days:

 1 week to go (hopefully)!

I have been living in this skirt:

It was my mom's when she was my age!  I love the floral print and of course the elastic waistband :).

I have been slowly at work on our nursery (with the big help of Josh of course).  
Here are a few photos of little boy's room:

The adorable bunting was sewn by friend Meg.  I love it!  Little boy's dresser was found at an antique store. 

 Here is a close-up of the changing pad cover I made:

rocker: from my parents ottoman: thrifted

 bookcase: Ikea

 I had so much fun creating these fabric embroidery hoops!  I also sewed the crib skirt.

 I had to include a picture of this diaper...isn't it SOO TINY!  The only thing cuter than little diapers are little baby butts :).  

I still want to add a few more details of decoration to his walls.  But, I'm okay with my projects being a work in progress :).  We are all ready for him to arrive!  We can't wait to hold him and kiss him and love on him.

I would appreciate prayers for patience as we wait, grace during labor, a healthy happy baby, and for our transition into parenthood.  Thank you friends!  If you don't hear from me for a few weeks it may be because we are spending endless hours with the new addition to our family!

Much Love to you all,

Jen

good morning

After preparing the husband's lunch this morning I brewed myself some "pregnancy" iced tea and sat down to read Ruth.  The morning sunshine peeked through the blinds as I drank up my good tea and the good word.

I will leave you with a sentence to savor today:

"The life of the godly is not a straight line to glory, but God sees that they get there." 

(John Piper, A Sweet and Bitter Providence)

Week Thirty Seven (and four days)

The Bump This Week

 less than three weeks to go!

It's a hot one today...over 90 I am sure.  The husband is out washing and vacuuming the car (said he likes to work up a good sweat) so I thought I would take a little time to reflect on this past week from the comfort of my air conditioned basement.  So here's what I've been up to this week (my first week "off" from teaching!):
1.sleeping- it's unbelievable how tired I've been...more tired than the first trimester?  can't remember...seems like it
2.sewing- just a wee bit of this- I sewed a changing pad cover...pictures soon to come
3.soaking- one thing that's been really sweet has been the extra time I have been able to spend dwelling in God's word.  During the month of July I have decided to study Ruth.  To go along with my study I have been reading A Sweet and Bitter Providence by John Piper and listening to these sermons each week.    Ruth is a story of love, suffering, and trust in God; I've found myself in these pages and have been praying to have a heart like Ruth that finds refuge in the Lord.
3.preparing- 

• hospital bag (check)
• baby clothes washed and put away (check)
• car seat assembled (check, thanks hon!)
• make lots of lists with endless "baby oriented tasks" that will never get done in time (double check)

4.pondering- I still lay awake some nights and think about our little guy.  Some thoughts are simple- I wonder if he'll have his daddy's eyes? Some are more complex- sleep schedules, immunizations (you get the picture), and some are ridden with worry about being a mom...a MOM.  When I actually heard someone say the word in reference to me it took me a moment to swallow that one syllable title.  Being a mom is a big deal and there is a lot I could worry about so these verses have been helping my heart these past months:

"do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." 

                                             -Philippians 4:6-7

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

                                             -2 Corinthians 12:9

Do you all have any Scripture to help cast off fear and anxiety?  I would love your thoughts.

Much Love,

Jen

Week Thirty Six

Greetings Friends,


Can you believe we are already one week into July?  Summer seems to be whizzing right on by.  Maybe it will slow down some now that summer school has ended (my last day was Friday).  It seemed pretty surreal to pack up my last few boxes and close the door to my classroom for the last time.  God has been so gracious to me in allowing me to serve at Hope Academy for three years!  I am thankful for the sweet relationships I have gained and the many ways God revealed himself to me through the staff and students.  Hope will always hold a special place in my heart! 

Here are a few fun pool photos from my last day with the kiddos:

Speaking of July, how did you all spend the fourth?  The husband and I had to stick close to home considering our little guy could come a little early.  On the fourth we went to our first Twins Game at the new (outdoor!) Target Field.  We had a great time and were thankful for a spot in the shade considering it was well over 90 degrees.  I had at least two women tell me to drink plenty of water and one told me where I could find guest services "just in case" :). 

 Here are a few pictures from the day:

 the bump

Have a great weekend everyone!  

Josh and I are off to a wedding (I love wedding cake :) )!

Much Love,

Jen

A Party for Pamela

Meet Pam (she's the lovely blonde on the left).  I have had the privilege of knowing Pam these past couple of years through our church small group.  She is a thoughtful, kind-hearted woman who radiates the light of Jesus.  She is also getting married very soon and moving to South Carolina!  We will all miss our friend very much but rejoice with her in this new season of her life.  Some of us girls got together this evening to celebrate Pam's entrance into marriage.  We ate on the rooftop of a Japanese restaurant called Moto-I.  It was a wonderful time of sitting in the sunshine (under the shade of an umbrella) and enjoying good food and friends.  

Here are a few more photos of our time together:

We love you Pamela!  

God bless you and Michael and your new life together!