week 31

We are now fully into week 31 and starting to count down the weeks until Joshua is supposed to come! I have nine weeks left, and I can't decide if I'm ready or not. There are definitely days that are really very good and I love having Joshua in my belly and just wish that he could stay there forever, but there are also days (like this morning) that I wake up and realize that none of my clothes look cute anymore and I don't have the energy to shave my legs or pluck my eyebrows or even fix my hair! It is on those mornings that it is only because of the wonderful and amazing husband that God gave me that I can put on some clothes, straighten my hair, and go to church with a real smile on my face. Because Tyler always looks at me in those moments with eyes that I know will always be for me. When he looks at me and walks over to hug me, his eyes and smile say "baby, you have never looked more beautiful!" Now that is a love that I know comes from Christ. :) And I am oh so very thankful to be married to a man who loves the Lord even more than he loves me.

We had a check-up with the doctor this past week and were told that my belly measurements, weight gain, blood pressure, and hydration all look good. Baby Joshua's heart is still sounding strong, and my heart problems seem to finally be subsiding. They took blood for thyroid tests again and should let me know the results and further medication instructions this week. No new ultrasound pictures this time, but I will definitely have one at the next appointment, which is in two weeks! The doctor told me that I have now entered into the "two week phase" where I will have an appointment every two weeks until 36 weeks and then I will have one every week! And then she said, "at that point we'll start seeing if we can get you into labor!" ...............
This is when Tyler and I just looked at each other and walked out in a bit of silence. uh... what?! labor?! Excuse me, did you just say that we're going to try to get me into labor?! Because, I think I'd be ok if we just let Joshua decide when labor was going to come! We haven't really been talking about the labor part of it, and I'm not really so sure about it because every time I get to that part of the books I'm reading things get scary...and I like to think labor is something way far off into the future that I don't have to worry about right now. In fact, it might be better if it just surprises me when it comes because the picture in my head is not pretty. ....But yes, that's what she said... so now we're starting to think about labor. fun! :)

Lots of exciting things are happening this week actually. Tyler finished painting Joshua's room. It looks awesome! We ordered a changing table, and once it's set up and the room looks somewhat like we want it to, we'll post pictures to fb. We start our childbirth classes at the hospital next weekend. I wasn't sure that they were necessary, but now I'm really happy and excited that we're doing them because neither of us have any idea what's about to happen. It's kind of cool and exciting to be on the brink of something that you just know is going to be the most amazing and rewarding experience but also have no idea what it's going to be like at the same time. The anticipation is great, but the joy that we are also experiencing now as we grow together and in the Lord in preparation to be parents is so wonderful. It's hard to wait, but I think I am learning to be happy and thankful for the moment - to know that there is something that I can do while I wait on the blessings that God has promised... and that is to just "be wheat" like my husband says. Just be the wheat among the weeds-the holy, called out ones-and continue to pray and study His word so I can learn to love the Lord with every fiber of my being. Because the closer that we are to Him the more His love will spill out of us onto all of the weeds...and maybe also onto other wheat that is wilting and just needs encouragement. And just maybe that's even what the waiting part is for...