A Little Jack-O-Lantern.

Happy Halloween! ;)

Pregnancy: 37 Weeks

 I have been bad about keeping up with the weekly baby progress. At 37 weeks, 3 days we are now in 'waiting for baby' mode. Justin and I have been walking, walking, walking, eating spicy foods and pineapple, going on weekend hikes, and everything else that is supposed to naturally help soften the cervix and entice dilation.

A little too much information? Sorry.

At this point, getting a good nights sleep is growing exponentially harder, and I am just assuming that this is God's way of preparing me for the nights that are soon to come.

At my last doctor's appointment (on Tuesday) I was 3 cm dilated and 50% effaced. She said I was progressing well and the baby could come from any day to a couple weeks from now. Either way, woah, Little will be here SOON!

The nursery is prepped and ready with all of the stuff that an infant will need for survival (at least I hope so). 

My belly is somehow STILL growing, and I waddle - not just a cute, little sway from side to side while I walk, either. I look like a duck.

Besides the lack of sleep and the waddling, this pregnancy has been much easier than I imagined. I am thankful to have been blessed with good health and no swollen ankles or stretchmarks throughout this adventure. As we prepare to meet our little girl in the next little while, my heart is overwhelmed with the blessings that surround me.  Justin and I are so amazed that we will soon be using all of our past experiences, our parents examples, and God's word to guide us through the marvelous journey of raising a child. As we grow increasingly anxious and the day of meeting our new family member draws closer, keep us in your prayers. We ask for prayers for Little's health, a safe delivery, and for our future beyond the delivery room - for us to lead a Godly example for our kids, to be loving, kind, patient, and wise.

I feel every emotion imaginable. One moment I feel completely confident and prepared, and the very next second I feel I am way too young to be having a child. Sometimes I feel overly excited and the next I feel more nervous than I have ever felt. They say this is normal, and I suppose it is to be expected. Our lives are changing, but I love the life I live now. How can a little baby change what we have for the better? And some how, I know she will. I know when I see her face, when I hold her in my arms, everything will be right. Our hearts will be filled with more love than we can currently imagine and we will not want to come back to this time before her.

These were just a few of the random thoughts that have been plaguing my mind lately. Sitting on ready, waiting for those first contractions is more difficult that I imagined it'd be. We will meet her when the time is right, and we will find out when that is soon enough.

A Glimpse at Our Week.

Traveling 13 hours in one day while 36 weeks pregnant is not recommended by most doctors. However, the need to be around family last week took precedence, so we chose to make our way towards Florence on Tuesday morning, while following orders of stopping every hour and a half to keep up the circulation and drinking lots of water.

While our trip was initiated by something so sad, we were able to make the most of it by spending some much needed time with other family members who we haven't seen in several months. I was able to catch up with some of the new happenings in my brother's life (buying a house and all the work that it entails), make a brief trip to Georgetown to spend a little more time with my folks, and then head to Athens to see Mrs. Mona and Mr. Tony.

Since we now live in a state that has only one area that reaches 806 feet in elevation, and that point is clear across the state from us, it is probably understood that we are going through fall withdrawals. We have been spoiled the past couple of years to have been able to spend a great amount of time in the quaint, little mountain town of Clayton, GA (where we still own a house), enjoy apple cider, watch the leaves turn colors, and take in the fresh, crisp air. So while we were in Georgia, we decided we were close enough to spend a day enjoying fall; buying apples, hiking through the colors, and enjoying a little bluegrass. 

It is strange to think that this was our last trip home without a baby buckled into a car seat, stroller packed, and bottles pumped.

Georgetown: Broken Bridge

Athens: Lucy and Lucky

Clayton: Black Rock Mountain

Sharing Old Memories, Making New Ones

Yesterday, Justin and I made the 13-hour drive to Florence, SC to join family and friends in celebrating the life of my grandmother and honoring her memory. When we arrived at Grandma's house this morning after a restful night at a friend's house, all of her old photo albums were pulled out and spread across the dining room table. Friends and relatives gathered around the table to look through the pictures, to share stories and reminisce, and to remember Grandma as the person she was - someone who cherished her family. Eyes grew teary as old memories were revisited. Looking through the photos reminded us how much we have changed over the years, but what was equally remarkable was how little the old homeplace had changed. Justin and I decided to use some of the old photographs to create new memories.

My dad beside Grandma's house with his old Brittany Spaniel

Grandma holding my dad on the front porch nearly 50 years ago - shutters have been added to the window, but the exact same swing still occupies this spot. Little and I in the background make this a four-generation photo!



It is well.

I know there has been silence on my end of the blog-world lately. Lately, Justin and I have been making the moments count, prioritizing life, and enjoying the time that we have together - as just husband and wife - before our great, new adventure makes her way into the world very, very soon. As this pregnancy draws to a close and we enter the weeks of 'she could be born anytime now', our thoughts are full of prayer for the health and safety of this little girl, for her to be strong and happy and loved ...but this blog post is not intended to be about Little. Its purpose is greater than that.

It is a bit hard for me to write of happiness and excitement and a growing family when, at this very moment, all I feel is sadness. With tears falling on the keyboard and my head pounding from a day full of crying, I replay many years of barbecues on Christmas Eve, of tailgating before and after Carolina football games, of smiling uncontrollably when Carolina beat Alabama, and of many wonderful mountain vacations. All of these sweet memories were spurred this morning, when my phone was on silent and my mom was trying to reach me and my dear husband ran into the house with a face full of sorrow, there to give me the news of my grandmother's passing.

I don't deal with death well. Actually I am terrible at it. I realize my grandma is in a much better place, peaceful, away from the dialysis machines that have plagued her life over the past several months. I realize that she is now free to enjoy and be happy and worry-free. But I still cry - in a selfish, I'm really going to miss her kind of way. I cry that she missed meeting her first great-grand child by just a few weeks (maybe less than that) and I cry for my dad who lost his mom and Mr. Jim who lost his wife. The sweet memories I have of my grandma make losing her so much harder. Knowing that from now on life goes on, we make new memories without her, birthdays and holidays will lack a certain luster.

Although things will be different without her, she left a smile in all of our hearts and we are all better people because of her. If she felt the love of her family it is because she taught us all to love. She taught us to cherish good times and accept each others differences. She truly was a wonderful woman, who looked for the good in everyone and loved with all of her heart.

She will be remembered and loved, always.

Friday Night Football

In the fall, small town streets come alive with stadium lights and the roar of a crowd hungry for a high school football win. Living just down the street from all of this commotion, it is hard not to get wrapped up in the drum line beats and the enticing aroma of concession stand hotdogs and join in on the fun.

It has probably been 5 years since I have attended a high school football game, and to be honest, they are usually a little overrated and maybe a tad bit lame, but this time it was different. This time it was special.

Several of our friends here in McComb are involved in a beautiful program called Camp Sunshine. This special camp, held at Percy Quin State Park, was started in 1976 as a way to offer fun and excitement to mentally and physically challenged children and adults.

Once a month we get together with a few of the campers who help us all keep our lives in perspective and to see the beauty that surrounds us.  

Before heading to the game, we all gathered across the street to enjoy pizza and birthday cake to celebrate two of the campers, Warren and Calvin, and their November birthdays. 

After which we walked to the game, enjoying the company of some wonderful people.

Unfortunately McComb High School ended up losing pretty terribly, but that didn't stop the waving of the green and yellow pom-poms and watching the guys thoroughly enjoy their Friday night excursion.

After making friends with the mascot, we all decided to call it a night of football and head back to the house. After a few good laughs and discussions of next month's gathering, we said our good-byes and left with smiles.

 

After nights like these we are able to see the past the insignificant problems in our lives, see past money, see past possessions, and see what truly matters; sharing this life with people who make you see life as beautiful.

Things I'm loving on this Thursday morning...

• I recently found this precious blog, Enjoying the Small Things, and absolutely adore this sweet family. After reading the birth story of their second daughter, who was born with down syndrome, I was left in tears. The sheer honesty behind the words, the beauty behind the unconditional love of a mother was heartwarmingly touching and quite inspirational to this soon to be mommy. Read the story here, but, please, grab a tissue first.

•  How cute are these baby leg warmers?! Maybe Little will have cute, chubby legs that will look just adorable in these little things! And what's even cooler, if you don't want to spend $10 on a pair at the store or online, check out this cool blog, Calico! Learn how to make them yourself really quickly.

•  The husband and I have declared the last few Friday nights stay-at-home date night. We build a fort and curl up with blankets and sleeping bags and watch a movie. I think this lovely tent-like creation would make a wonderful addition to our 'acting-like-kids' sort of night. I found this beautiful piece on Pinterest and think it  may be one of my next projects! 

• And another really cool blog I stumbled upon recently is Dear Photograph. When I found it I was so excited. Check it out, I think you'll be impressed!

Well, that's all for today. What are you loving today? Any cool blogs or good reads I should know about? I hope you enjoy this Thursday as it is the last day before the start of another wonderful weekend! :)

Pregnancy: Week 34

 6 weeks to Little!

Whew! Yesterday concluded our birthing classes. If things did not seem real or like they were progressing before, we definitely feel it now. From touring the hospital, watching a video of several women given birth, and seeing just how the labor bed comes apart and gets put back together for the different stages of the birthing process - our eyes were opened in a big way.

The handsome one has been full of questions lately and seemingly analyzing every action I take or pain I have trying to determine if it is pregnancy-induced or me just overreacting. He's also observed that I'm at least 3 inches wider from navel to back than from side to side, which is ultimately a little disheartening but I guess it should have been expected.

With my belly taking the shape of a torpedo as I begin to waddle, I'm constantly approached with the concerned question: How are you feeling? I stop and think and can't help but feel absolutely weird and fantastic all at the same time. When I feel the little feet and a hard bottom rolling around under my ribs or in my side - realizing that there is really a little person inside of me, how can I not feel anything but weird and fantastic? 


On the home front, the nursery is pretty much ready. Tiny little girly outfits are washed and arranged by size in the closet. With only a few picture frames to paint and hang, we’re now left to wait out the last few weeks until Little gets here. Our emotions and feelings are all over the place as we constantly contemplate life as a family of three. Life with a newborn. Life where traveling will now include packing strollers, car seats, diapers, and bottles.

Our lives will change. They already have. It has been a beautiful ride so far, but we are anticipating the journey to get even sweeter as our family expands and we watch our little girl grow.

Weekending.

We love weekends. Especially when Fall completely encompasses all of nature with it's wonderful beauty, transforming hot humid days into brisk, orange and yellow colored dreams. That's how this weekend felt.

The first of October brought temperatures of low 70's and cloudless skies. The only reason to be inside was to bake - and bake I did. My husband's mouth has been watering for some delicious pumpkin pie for months now, and lately, so has mine. It was time to bring out the good ol' pumpkin pie dish and get to work. The recipe called for a little more pie filling than my pie dish could hold, so I used the left overs to make our own individual pies.

This recipe was wonderfully delicious, but tasted a little more like pumpkin cheesecake than pumpkin pie. The recipe did not call for cloves, ginger, or nutmeg - which I'm sure if added would give you a little more of that Autumn feeling we've all been longing for. Find the recipe here. 

As I baked, Justin worked in the shop constructing a bench for us to enjoy when we sit out back by the grill. We found the Georgia V. Mississippi State game on the radio, turned it up loud, and cheered as the Dawgs brought in another victory! We were also able to find the disappointing USC V. Auburn game online and even with cringed teeth and pounding hearts we were unable to pull the Gamecocks through for a win. 

To get my mind off of the fact that we had just spent several hours in front of a small computer screen watching a football game that had such a frustrating ending, we went for a walk around the neighborhood and to the nearest park. Acting like kids again, we headed for the swing set, where I (almost 8 months pregnant) simply rocked myself gently, back and forth as I held my breath and closed my eyes hard in a disapproving manner every time Justin did this:  
 

 Soon the shoes came off and he held a contest with himself to see how far he could jump. What a nut. :)

Sunday started off slow as we slept in, waking up to pull ourselves out of bed just in time to get ready for church. Since the weather was still gorgeous, we opted to go on a picnic afterwards; picking up chicken and sides from the deli and loading Paisley in the back of the Prius, we headed to another park.

Later we drove around looking for walking trails or something to do outside, away from the neighborhood, but failed and came home. A few chores around the house were necessary, so we took a break from all of the weather-loving to accomplish them.

Since the kitchen was clean and we now had a new bench to enjoy, we decided grilling was the perfect way to end the perfect weekend. Pork chops with steamed potatoes, onions and peppers were on the menu as Justin fired up the grill.

Paisley watched admiringly as she lifted her nose slightly in an approving fashion every time Justin opened the top to check on our dinner's progress.

When dinner was ready to serve and our plates were fully loaded, this is all Paisley had to say when we told her she couldn't have any:

:)

Ending the evening with a campfire was just the way to conclude the weekend. The only things missing were marshmallows and a guitar.

How was your weekend? Did you make time to enjoy the beautiful weather? Happy Monday!