Homemaking & a Visit Home

ah to say this has been a quiet week would be an understatement. the campus is deserted, my boss is out of town, and, thankful though i am to have this job for the past 2 years, i am counting down the days { currently: 23 left! } until i can transition into my New Job: full-time Wifey, Mama & Homemaker Extraordinaire.

and look good doing it?

 though i am, in all this idle time, sometimes apprehensive about those transitional two months--all those days before the baby comes. with us moving at the end of july, i think i should have plenty of nesting and unpacking to keep me busy, but i am still a little apprehensive. after all, i've gotten up every weekday morning and trotted over to the office for the past 2 years, how strange it will be to suddenly stop! i've been the primary financial provider since B has been in school--definitely not something we wanted as a forever-thing--but how will it feel to give that up? will the feeling of not "contributing" be overwhelming?

hmm.

i am going to keep in mind that my value is based on who i am in christ and not what i do. sometimes i think the complex emotionalness of being a woman maybe makes everything more tangled than it needs to be. perhaps i'm overthinking...

***

i have a happy { and long } weekend ahead of me: i'm heading south tomorrow to spend the weekend helping my parents sort & pack for their Big Move { and i get to have brunch with Heather along the way! hurrah! }. to everyone's surprise, they're moving at the end of the month, like us, except much further--to sunny florida! my dad got a new&fabulous job there, so off they go!

its strange to think of them moving--my family has stayed put my entire life { my dad has never lived in another city }. i'll miss spending time in the house i grew up in, whenever we come down for visits--and we'll be living much further away now, about a 17 hour drive, which will make visiting a little harder to do. but it will be fun to take the baby to the beach! and my parents have always been the kind that are up for an adventure. i hope to be that way too.

the farmhouse.

last week we found the perfect rental house--a little brick farmhouse out in the country!

::what i'm most excited about::

* its less than 10minutes from our church

* i love living in the country, i'm glad to go back to it!
* its $80 cheaper than the rent we pay now--for our 1bedroom student-housing apartment!

* 2bedrooms--one for us, one for baby

* hardwood floors!
* a real, not student-sized, kitchen
* a DISHWASHER!
* a screened in porch and a little mudroom
* a laundry room! no more saving quarters!!
* a fenced in backyard
* lots and lots of windows

our landlord, a local farmer, is renting it to us a little cheaper than he normally would, since we're a ministry family. he doesn't have any problem or charge extra for us having our kitties there { which means ralph&waldo are coming home to us soon!}. most importantly, the house is vacant right now, and he's going to let us move our stuff in gradually throughout the month and not start paying rent until august 1, our official move-in date! that is going to be a HUGE help to us, with me being so.very.pregnant!

every sunday and wednesday afternoon this month we're going to go by and move things in and unpack as we can. today we set up some furniture for the porch, and cleaned and cleaned the house so it will be all ready for us to move more things in.

i'm so glad to have this extra month to get the house ready--i wasn't sure if i would have time to completely unpack and decorate { and freeze meals, and find a pediatrician, and learn to swaddle, and learn to cloth diaper...and probably learn a hundred other things i haven't thought of yet! } before the baby comes, but with this extra month and the 6weeks that i'll have off work before my due date, i should have plenty of time to get us settled!

***

(and why we are moving, in case you are wondering)
we currently live an hour from our church--way too far to drive 2x a week or more, and we don't like being so far away from the community we're ministering to. with me becoming a stay at home mom soon, and B transitioning to all online classes for his last few before graduating, there is really no reason for us to stay in louisville past my last day of work { july 22! hurrah!}. B does still need to find another part-time job nearby the church--he's going to be bivocational--so please keep us in your prayers that he will find something soon.

***

this house is such a blessing.
i never would've thought we could afford to live in an actual house or that i would be able to have a nursery for the baby or that i would be able to Stay Home with the baby! ...and there are so many other smaller things i know that probably sound so silly to others but that are huge to me. 

i keep thinking about those verses in matthew--If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! {Matthew 7:11} and So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. {Matthew 6:31-33}. 

even though God did say No (or, at least, Wait) to what we had asked for earlier this summer, that doesn't mean that he doesn't plan to take care of us--and its good to see evidence of that, already!

:: i give myself permission ::

to be transparent
to try
to fail without apology
to not be the woman that can run marathons her entire pregnancy.
to look in the mirror without criticizing
to not need to explain or justify B&my parenting choices to others
to ignore negativity
to not feel guilty about being a SAHM
to take my time
to have ambitions and dreams
to choose my friends carefully
to believe it when my husband says i'm beautiful
to say what i think
to not be Louise Gluck
or Elisabeth Elliot
or Martha Stewart
to not feel embarrassed about who i am
to not have everything together
to not have a plan

to not be perfect.

{ He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:8 } 

ribbons & bows

the clips can be taken off those headbands and changed up!

I made some hairbows for our little girl this weekend! they are on hairclips so i can clip them directly into her hair or onto one of these crocheted headbands.

::cost breakdown::
fabric: thrifted at the seminary, free!
headbands: 75 cents each at hobbylobby(i bought 3 in different colors)
hairclips: 12 for a dollar at the dollar store
total: $2.50, for 3 headbands and 12 interchangeable bows and flower clips!

definitely worth it!

Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread

Yesterday B and I worked on recording his latest song--"Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread"
You can watch it online { HERE } and here are the lyrics:

She was thirsty
For water from the well
In Your mercy
You calmed her broken soul

And now her cup will never dry
Her cup will never spill
You’ve given her true life

Lord, I’m hungry
I’m full of emptiness
I’m malnourished
I need Your sustenance

And yet the sparrows always eat
They always build their nests
They never sow nor reap
How much more will I be blessed

Father, fill me with your Word
So I will never want again
Quench my thirst from day to day
And fill my heart with songs of praise

You were thirsty
When you were on the tree
You were broken
Your blood was spilled for me

And now my cup will never dry
My stains have been washed clean
You are the Bread of Life
In Your death You've set me free

Father, fill me with your Word
So I will never want again
Quench my thirst from day to day
And fill my heart with songs of praise

Lord, Your body is the bread
That satisfies my empty soul
And your blood has washed me clean 
My sin is gone, You’ve made me whole

Father, fill me with your Word               
So I will never want again               
Quench my thirst from day to day      
And fill my heart with songs of praise     

Lord, Your body is the bread                 
That satisfies my empty soul                 
And your blood has washed me clean     
My sin is gone, You’ve made me whole   

Father, fill me with your Word
So I will never want again
Quench my thirst from day to day
And fill my heart with songs of praise

I love this song, its my favorite of his so far!

27 weeks!

my baby girl is due exactly 3 months from now! i can't believe how fast these past 6 months have gone!

Baby's size? as big as a head of cauliflower--around 14.5 inches, 2lbs

Weight Gain? 10lbs, right where i'd hoped to be at this point!  i will say though, i'm ashamed of how little i've exercised the past two weeks--i've just been going walking about 4x a week and my walks have gone from 30-45 minute walks to 20-30 minute walks--and i'm Winded at the end of them! i nearly passed out after our walk yesterday (and climbing the stairs to our 3rd floor apartment--thats hard sometimes after a long walk!). what happened to my plan to do aerobics all 9 months?!! i feel like a wimp. i hope all my muscles haven't turned to Jelly by the time the baby comes!

Stretch Marks? not yet!

Belly button in or out? in!

Sleep? some nights really well, other nights not so much. heartburn was keeping me up a lot of nights (then i bought some Tums and they helped tremendously), then last night i woke up with morning sickness (middle of the night sickness? is that normal?) and had trouble falling back to sleep after that.

Foods I am loving? nothing in particular, but i have developed more of a sweet tooth than i'd like over the past few weeks (due to my husband Spoiling me Rotten!!). so i'm back to limiting sweets to once a week, which i did manage to stick with this week, hurrah! 

Foods I am hating?  oh watermelon. i loved it so much a few weeks ago, then it made me sick and i love it no longer. and anything raspberry flavored too. also i'm off Chicken again! noooo!!!

Best moment this week?  B was giving me a hug after i brought him lunch at work and the baby kicked right when our bellies were pressed together! i love it whenever he can feel her kick! oh and also giving him his first Father's Day present (the Romans journible he's had his eye on!) from his "lovely ladies" (thats what he calls me and baby)--i got impatient and gave it to him a few days early--i love surprising him!

Symptoms? some morning sickness again, heartburn, and i've been easily worn out. being pregnant is hard work!

Movement? constantly!she's kicking right now, all along the side of my belly!

What I miss?  being able to do the things i used to do, like running and aerobics. after the baby comes, i think i am going to take up running again since we won't be closeby the seminary aerobics classes anymore.

What I'm looking forward to? moving and getting settled in the next month, so we can get everything ready for her. and, of course, meeting her for the first time! i can't wait to hold my baby!

Emotions: sometimes a little stressed when thinking about everything we need to get done before she comes, but i am doing my best to rest in God's promises--he has Always taken care of us!

Lately: monday i had my glucose test--i'll find out on the 20th if i "passed"--hopefully i did! my appointment went well--good blood pressure, weight, belly-size. the doctor listened to the baby's heartbeat and was like "whoa, its a party in there!" since our babygirl was, as usual, kickpunching away.

i Finally found some time in our schedules to start going to some of the free classes the hospital offers expecting parents. our top priority is the infant cpr class (we're signed up to attend in august), and i figured that we'll go to whatever else we have time for besides that one.

i went to a breastfeeding class on wednesday and it was Great! i'd read a few books before but going to a class really did make a difference, especially with the Q&A time. i liked learning about what all our hospital offers for breastfeeding moms--the government actually just started a program this year trying to promote breastfeeding in my state, since its got one of the Very lowest percentage of breastfeeding moms in the country (less than 1%!). a lot of the things that i had worried about them allowing, they actually encourage! that was comforting to know.

in a few weeks we're going to go together for a hospital tour and labor&delivery class, and i'm going to try to find time to go to a new baby basics class that they offer. the time is drawing nearer, so its good to feel a little more prepared!

( lately )

a few weeks ago i started writing again. so my plan for two months off became one month; i need my writing more than it needs me.

it feels good to write. good like when i give my husband a hug and smell his hair and skin. oh i can't describe this type of thing, you'd just have to know it. 

and it feels good to Do Something. something that i love, that i've done for a long time. it helps, when in a season of what seems sometimes to be indefinite waiting.

we've had a few disappointments this month--in May we thought God was leading us in one direction, only to hear, clearly, that it wasn't right.

on one hand, it is amazing to hear such a resounding answer to prayer; on the other, the answer wasn't the answer we'd hoped for. the cloud stayed over the mountain.

and we make other plans. we're praying that God will be so clear with us again--we can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps (Prov. 16:9)

we're looking. praying, asking what he would have us do. planning, because we have to. and with all of it, we add on a "Lord willing"

my husband always prays make the decision easy, even if the path is hard. we've gone on some hard, and rewarding, paths before. we're not afraid to go on one again.

but i don't believe it will be so terribly hard--we have so many blessings, even in this "fallback" plan--all that we've needed, the Lord has provided.

so, all in all, we've ( and mainly I, my husband has more faith and less trouble in this area ) been through a confusing few weeks, but are growing less fearful

i keep in mind that the Lord knows we need these things, and we've never been without our dailybread. that worry can't make me grow an inch taller.

and so we're turning, or trying at least, this time of waiting into a time of rest and anticipation for the next Grand Adventure.

swimming, shakespeare in the park, good books, window-shopping, long walks when the sun goes down and the day cools off. laying out our tentative little plans like a gardener plants a seed and hopes, oh hopes, that it will grow.

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my father!

There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not:
As thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth.
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is Thy faithfulness,

Great is Thy faithfulness,

Morning by morning new mercies I see:

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!

[today i will be..]

.optimistic.

.hopeful.

.happy.

my God is a big God
and He has a plan for us.

25 weeks!

25weeks

babysize: eggplant ( around 14 inches long, 2lbs )
weightgain: 6lbs. feeling rather large and ponderous.
sleep: yes please!
food.i.love: watermelon and cherries
food.i.hate: anything that makes the summer seem hotter
symptoms:aching hips and back, tired, emotional
what.i.miss: being smaller
looking.forward:to being a little more settled, if possible
emotions: lots, oh yes, about other things though ( and still nothing but excited & happy about our sweet babygirl! )

~ in summer, the song sings itself ~

June, the beginning of true summer. the beginning of a lot of things for us, i suspect { & will know soon }

ah, and it is Hot. like last year, we skipped right over spring and landed in the dead-heat of summer. and being pregnant is like carrying your own personal furnace (inferno?) of heat, right in your core.

my gameplan: water. water. water.

drinking it and swimming in it and running through sprinklers if i have to. i discovered over B and my weeklong trip to the South, that the heat brings on my morning sickness

{  in the middle of my ultrasound, unfortunately. but i held off long enough for all the grandparents to see their granddaughter kicking around in there. and oh does she kick! B felt it himself last week, and again a few days ago. only on the really hard kicks. which i sometimes say are dancing, sometimes kick-punching, depending on my mood. }

ah well. the things you do for love.