I try to remember to have Gabe take a picture of my progress on Sundays right before we head out the door for church . Why? Well, because I haven’t quite been able to justify (though admit have been tempted!) wearing my pregnancy yoga pants to church that I otherwise find myself living in every other day of the week! I figure I need a day to wash them right? That was a joke. I do wash them more than once a week, sometimes! And I HIGHLY recommend them if you’re pregnant!

This baby continues to grow steady and strong. Carrying life inside of you, no matter how hard at times it can get or feel has yet to get old for me. I’m still just as much amazed as I was when Asher, my first, was being formed and fashioned in the womb. I will however admit that this time is going by in a whirlwind compared to his or even other previous pregnancies. Tucked away inside, this baby is already SO much apart of this family. I can’t get over it! The only things missing are a face, name, and cheeks to touch and kiss!

Things for the home birth are well under way. I have loved (HUGE understatement!!!) the experience thus far, which although has been nothing more than 2 prenatal visits have ALL and will continue to be right here in the privacy of my own home where my other children have gotten to see and be apart of mommy and baby’s special time. Seeing their little faces light up when the heartbeat can be detected and heard by their little ears or helping to aid in a little wipe up of “cold gooey stuff on mommy’s tummy” has really been a treasure for me to see them get to experience.

I have an appointment with the chiropractor tomorrow! I am VERY excited to go. I think Gabe is just as excited. I can tell he is secretly anticipating and hoping this will relieve him of what has now become a nightly ritual for him of rigorous “pain in his hands” massage. I tell him it’s just to prepare him for labor as my back typically is all that I feel in the process. Forget the contractions!

Though very fond of the idea of a home birth (let’s face it, I wouldn’t have gotten to this place if it didn’t at least start out that way) I certainly don’t glorify it, the process, or just one way of thinking. I am thankful for the peace in this decision that came solely from the Lord in making this particular decision this time around! It just as easily could have been to have yet another hospital birth (all of which have been AWESOME experiences!). He is good! He hears prayers. He answers prayers. He gives direction and guidance and with it comes peace and the confidence to trust Him and go through with it. 

~Catherine Marshall quoting her father, Peter Marshall

I have no pictures but lots of video of Asher riding his bike with NO training wheels. We’ve taken a couple hard spills and it hasn’t come without its tears but the kid is one determined kid and I have to hand it to him.

Asher also started Friday school last week. Friday can’t come soon enough now! It’s a family affair between the kids and I for this first semester before baby is born in December. I am not sure what I am going to tell Sophia and Liam when it’s time for us to stay home! They go to “Friday school” too and are just as much into it as Asher. It’s the highlight of their week!

Liam has grown up more in the last month or two than ever before, though don’t be fooled, he is still very much our “baby”. It has been a rare treat for us having one this old still be the baby. With the others the baton was handed off much sooner, so this time around we’re enjoying in a fresh way what has been given.

Asher and Sophia are now in the bigger room together and out of toddler beds! This was more a big deal for Asher since, yes, he’s almost 5! He fit fine in it, but I was the one ready to get him in a “big boy” bed. Sophia feels like quite the queen in her big double bed and looks way too small to even be in there. I’ll have to take pictures and show the new set up upstairs. I seem to have gone a bit nest crazy with rearranging and reorganizing every room, and even some painting in one!

Eventually the plan will be to put bunk beds in there with the new to us twin bed and have all 3 older ones in there together. We’re really in no hurry to do that seeing as this baby will be in with us for many months in the basket, as well as an overall hesitation to even open that can of worms with Liam! He will remain in the smaller room with a new crib to come soon! The poor guy has been in the pack n play for some time now. We have NEVER bought a new crib and have definitely paid for it along the way.

Our neighbors, Steve and Betsy (who are pretty much the best neighbors anyone can ask for!), continually bless us with furniture (among other things) they don’t have use for anymore now that their kids are grown and out of the house: dressers, shelves, and Asher’s new bed which still is awaiting the proper frame to hook up to a Jenny Lind style headboard and foot board I absolutely LOVE and will fit perfectly with the vintage style I was going for with their room!

All three love to have people over, host, and share their room with guests they don’t even know. I have the most cheerful laundry put-awayers, and wash cloth folders. Food, meals, and what we’re going to eat at each one is still very much apart of their little brains.

As I look at my ticker I see I am not quite a full 31 weeks! This baby continues to be super active and involved with what’s going on here at home. Besides some hip discomfort, this pregnancy really has been a breeze and I know it has absolutely nothing to do with me! Let me give credit where credit is due: The Lord has been and is good to me in this department!

Something else I’d also like to announce at this point! After a lot of prayer and thinking and even dreaming, (assuming our ducks continue to line up in the neat little row they have) we are planning a home birth! I am SO excited as well as Gabe!

I guess I’ll throw Gabe in on the action too! Now that his Master’s is complete, he’s now looking into what’s involved in getting his Professional Engineering License. Maybe someday he’ll branch out on his own and I’ll have him working closer to home! No hurries on this one, the job he has currently is amazing and we’re still taken aback by how the Lord provided us with it 3 years ago! He’s the most patient teacher (let’s just say Asher didn’t learn to ride a bike from me!), and he always comes home ready to dive right in on the chaos and serve the kids and I! I am one blessed girl and my children are blessed to have a dad like theirs.

Life is full, busy, good, always interesting, and never with a dull moment! Exactly how we like it and roll!

Baby moves A LOT these days! Baby likes Hershey’s chocolate bars and black bean soup.

What are you thankful for today?

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like the shifting shadows.”
James 1:17