Here I am, blogging my evening away while LOTR The Two Towers, Disc 2 plays in the background.  Joey frolics past, grabs my empty plate that once held delicious homemade pizza, then frolics back to the kitchen.  He stops briefly, lip-syncs what Gollum happens to be saying at the moment, to which I respond with a look of fright.  Undaunted, he continues with his task at hand: making mochas.  Soon he will bring one over to me with with an air of triumph and sit down by my side.  I’ll ooh and aah over it, as always, and then we’ll commence playing Scrabble while King Theoden despairs in Helm’s Deep. 

I stare off into nothingness as I reflect on the year past.  My gaze wanders over to Joey, who says “what?” in a slightly goofy (but not abnormal) voice, folds his hands, and looks at me with a childish smile.  I’m in love with a man.  And that man has been my husband for one whole year—a small victory and wonderful blessing to be outweighed by a lifetime together. I am forever grateful for God’s gift of marriage.

37 weeks: full-term!

This baby WILL come within the next five weeks.  It WILL happen.  Eek!

What’s different this week: baby’s movements are becoming even more painful than before—shocker.  Stretch-marks are covering my poor belly like the plague.  And, surprise surprise, sleeping is really difficult.  The dreams are even more insane (as if it were possible!), intense, and COMPLETELY RANDOM.  Example: yesterday I saw some cheap book covers in Dollarama (or “Doll R Ma” in Plap) and distinctly remembered dreaming about them a couple nights ago.  I think I was last in Dollarama at least two or three months ago.  Strange… Nothing escapes the dreamer’s scope, apparently. 

I am so exhausted and brain dead that I can’t think of much else to write.  Hey, I see that little bum!  You must be a smart kid, because you’re already in position.  Getting ready to come out? soon? PLEASE?  Thanks for your consideration.  I’ll be waiting. 

A more intelligent post to come later.  Maybe. 

this early bird despises the worm

I don’t know if I’m officially into the “nesting” stage of pregnancy yet. I actually think I’ve been nesting for a whole year, being a newlywed and all. And, considering that we’ve already lived in 4 different places, I think I’ve had plenty of reason to obsessively nest. At any rate, keeping things clean and in order is high on my priority list these days. Our house is small, so continuous organization is kind of a must. At this point I can proudly say that all of baby’s things are in order, and we would be able to function quite comfortably should baby come, say, tomorrow. Gulp…

Joey and I got a tour of the maternity ward in the Brandon Regional Health Centre yesterday. It’s fairly new and very well set up. I won’t go as far as saying I’m excited to give birth there, but I’m pleased we have access to such a facility. The midwife that was supposed to give us the tour was actually at a birth, so another midwife on our team was our guide. I’ve met all three of our midwives and I think I’m going to be very comfortable with whichever one is on call when the big event takes place. (Here we pause for a moment of slight panic. Fear not, readers, these moments pass quickly…)

That pretty much sums up my news for now. I leave you with random pictures of our not-so-random life.

I think knitting like crazy falls under the category of "nesting". I just finished this afghan yesterday!

We got our new phil&teds stroller in the mail the other day. See? Pretty!

Sheba's being a naughty kitty and spreading things all over the floor.

Joey and I have discovered that we share a love for Scrabble. Strange, isn't it?

the power trips start young

Baby has no room in there. Movements have become really uncomfortable, and I’m convinced that it wants OUT! How soon will baby come? Who knows? It’s annoying to think that it has a 5 1/2 week window for coming. I just wish I could count down the days, the hours, the minutes even! Joey and I are all anticipation. We’ve got everything we need for a good start. As much as I want baby NOW, it wouldn’t be that nice for the whole toboggan hill aspect of VVBC. It would mean getting a lot of volunteers to take over for Joey for a week or so. I’m sure there will be a lot of willing people in the area, though. MacGregor’s good for that. Nevertheless, I’m still impatient. And I’m thinking, maybe, just maybe, baby is too.

36 weeks

Only a month or so stand between my baby and my arms.  That’s so hard to believe!  When we fist found out we were pregnant, it felt like nine months would be an unbearably long time to wait for our baby.  First of all, it hasn’t been unbearable—on the contrary, it’s been rather necessary.  My swelling abdomen and growing discomfort are very sober reminders of the quite serious task Joey and I will soon be taking on.  I’m glad for the time to think, read, pray, and make general preparations for the new little family member.  I’m pretty sure many couples would throw in the towel if it was more like BAM! there’s a baby!  Nine months is God’s gift to expectant mothers and fathers. 

So what makes week 36 different from other weeks?  Well, for starters, my baby, if it would be born today (shudder!) would no longer be considered premature.  That is amazingly comforting to know.  God is faithful.  As opposed to previous weeks, this week is starting to bring a lot more “gulp!” moments and day-dreaming.  I find myself seeing a baby that isn’t there so often that I’m slightly worried about my mental health.  Not only is it kind of fun to envision my baby, but it also gives me the opportunity to get into the mindset of mothering before the actual event.  It’s neat how God prepares a mother’s heart.

Today, however, I’m slightly frustrated (only slightly) with miscommunication.  Joey and I have not been looking for any prenatal classes to join because we were assured that one would be starting up in January right in MacGregor.  Well, January is almost over, and we had no news of any such classes taking place.  After a little investigation, I found out that there aren’t enough pregnant couples to warrant a class, so no steps have been taken to plan one.  Our public health nurse (we’ll call her PHN) phoned to see if I could get in on some classes in Portage, but, alas, there are none taking place until March/April.  That might be a little late… :)  I know that prenatal classes are not the only way a person can get educated about the new life being thrust at her, but they are highly recommended.  Thankfully, our PHN is kind enough to offer classes to Joey and I.  I feel a little bad for making her give up some of her evenings… but she HAD assured me previously that classes would start in January, so I guess she kind of owes it to us. 

Any more “news” I could share becomes fairly trivial and uninteresting now.  I’m determined to take these last 4 + weeks easy.  Rest is important to a pregnant lady, you see.  I have no other plans today other than to wash the last few baby items, drink tea, and finish reading a book—and start another.  At least I now have a cat AND a baby to keep me company. 

still abnormal

I think it’s about time for the “things I look forward to after pregnancy” post.

• learning all about my baby, of course
• getting back into clothes that do not accommodate for baby bellies
• wearing my wedding rings again ON my finger
• forsaking the incessant urge to pee
• riding my sadly neglected bicycle
• sleeping on my back without feeling like there’s a bowling ball on my pelvis
• being able to bake without getting flour all over my belly
• the cessation of my involuntary belly dance (aka baby’s kicks)
• enjoying farmer sausage again (I hope!)
• sharing the baby with Joey instead of hoarding it to myself, which I can’t really help right now :)

Life, once again, is going to be very different for us.  Thank God that He knows and sees and plans all things!

Well, off to get ready for the day.  I have another midwife appointment today.  Hopefully all goes well!

the waiting game

My husband is currently making French toast.  On a Tuesday morning!  He says that he’s just using up stale bread, but I believe that he is the most wonderful man on the face of the planet and he simply loves being good to me.  I love this guy!

Well, I’ve officially enrolled myself in the waiting game.  Even though I’m only 35 weeks and 3 days along, my gut feeling is “be prepared for anything!”.  I might be a little anxious.  Just a little.  But I think that it’s better to live with an awareness of what could happen than to live in ignorance and be caught off guard.

Wait a second—doesn’t that apply to the Christian’s life?  “..it’s better to live with an awareness of what could happen (i.e. Christ returning like a thief in the night) than to live in ignorance and be caught off guard”?  I’m reminded of Jesus’ words in Matthew 24 regarding the very subject of His return.

No One Knows That Day and Hour
36 "But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son,  but the Father only.
37  As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
38  For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark,
39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left.
41  Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.
42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.
43  But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.
44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
45 "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time?
46  Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.
47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.
48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed,'
49 and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards,
50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know (Matt 24:36-50, ESV , emphasis mine).

How can we really be prepared for the coming of our Lord?  Vv 45-46 state that we must be wise and faithful to carry out all that God has appointed to us.  Come to think of it, I don’t think I have really been living with a daily awareness that my Lord could be coming at any given moment of the day.  I’m reminded of a previous post I wrote entitled “a faithless fig tree”.  I don’t want to be like that fig tree and have my Lord look for fruit and find none. 

I challenge you, followers of Christ, to seriously evaluate the state of your lives.  Are you living for pleasure (for yourself), or are you living in a constant state of readiness for the coming of Christ (for the Lord)?  Ask the Lord what he requires of you, and he will be faithful to reveal all.  Don’t be like that fig tree—caught unaware and cursed by the Lord God himself.

How thankful I am for the whole process of pregnancy and the conviction that I need to be anticipating Christ’s return with greater joy and fervor than I have anticipating my own child.