Ready and Waiting

Pizza Party

Last night we had friends over for fun, fellowship and food.
Here are some pictures from the evening.

Can anyone guess Dustin's favorite fruit?

Yvette gives Baby Redin a hello pat. Only 2 weeks to go!

No, your eyes are not playing tricks on you. That's homework Jordan is doing.

Elizabeth was popular with our youngest guests.

Brenton & Sarah's Half Dome Hike Diet: pizza and ice cream sandwiches.

The Most Fun You Can Have for $30

Josh informed me that buying, tweaking, flying and crashing a Yellow Bee RC Airplane is verifiably the most fun one can have for $30. . .

I would amend that statement slightly to say that it is the most fun one can have for $60 (we ended up having to buy two since the first one broke irreparably).

36-week Photo

This was taken last Friday (9/15/06), exactly one month before the due date.

Anyone want to place bets on the date/time/gender/etc?

Heading the Right Direction

Josh and I went to my 36-week check up this morning. This visit was with my regular OB doctor and was much more pleasant than my last check-up with one of her colleagues.

Praise the Lord. . . after examining me, the Doctor reported that the baby turned and has assumed the right position for delivery! Sometime in the last month, God gently turned this baby, without my even noticing it. Thank you to all of you who were praying.

Josh and I are so grateful that the God we serve is an expert in this childbirthing process from start to finish. Not only did He create the womb, He lived one for 9-months.

the word became flesh

a swirl of sound, soft and thick,
the music of a human metronome,
embraces the tiny life.
darkness swaddles the infinite one
knees to chin,
as his half-formed fingers feel
for the intangible rhythm.

seconds, perhaps eternities ago,
the skillful weaver spun silken sinews
around the spindle of himself,
measuring off the immeasurable,
defining the indefinable,
hiding the omnipresent
in the hollow of his own handiwork.

a slow dance,
a swaying from side to side,
soothes the one who never slumbers,
drowning him in the silent song of sleep.

My New Career

Today is my first official day as a full-time homemaker. So far, the day was comprised of housework, converting some cd's that Josh asked me to convert for him, and a trip to the grocery store. Doesn't sound like a lot but, WOW, my first day has flown by!

I decided to view homemaking as my new career. I know myself and it would be very easy now that my hours aren't being logged on a timesheet to lose the self-discipline and diligence that being a paid employee provided. I don't want to lounge around in PJ's all day long or sleep away the mornings. There is more than enough to do here in my own home and if I find myself bored, there are plenty of opportunities to serve Christ outside my home. I need to seek God in regards to this. I need to ask for His help in establishing my new routine. I need His wisdom in learning how to prioritize all of the distractions that will inevitably crop up. I need the Holy Spirit to keep me on track! In this new career, I don't report to another hired employee. . . I report to the King of the whole universe and to a husband who has entrusted me with the care of his home and his child. I need to remember that!

Bitter Sweet

Today is my last day of work. I certainly didn't expect to cry as I pulled out of the driveway. . . my last drive to work. Haven't I been waiting for and dreaming about this ever since I was a little girl? But, now that it is actually here, I realize that this transition to full-time motherhood also comes with goodbyes. And goodbyes are always hard. Today I am saying goodbye to the people I've spent the greater part of my waking hours with over the last 6 years. They've come to mean a lot to me and I pray that through me Christ has become more real to them. After all, that's what it's all about.

Storybook Shower

My friends, Sharon and Yvette, hosted Baby R's very first shower this past weekend. Knowing me well, the theme of the shower was books. All of the guests were asked to bring a favorite storybook as a gift for Baby R. There were so many wonderful books. . . some I had never heard of, some were favorites from my childhood.

The first thing I did when I got home Saturday afternoon was plop down in the baby's room and started reading. Josh came home to find his wife sitting cross-legged in the middle of the floor surrounded by storybooks. He just scratched his head and gave me that look that says, "I love you, but I think you're weird!" Hahaha!

The shower was perfect. The weather was wonderful, the food was delicious and it was so good to see friends I hadn't seen in a while. Thank you, Yvette and Sharon, for your kindness.

(P.S. I'll try to get some pictures up as soon as my mom sends me the files)

Must See DVD

Answers in Genesis has an amazing DVD lecture regarding the miraculous process of conception and birth: Fearfully & Wonderfully Made.

My mom gave us a copy a few months ago and said it was excellent, especially now that we are expecting our own miracle. But, we've read a lot of books and figured it was just another prenatal informational video. We shoved it to the back of the DVD rack and forgot about it. On Friday night we were bored and looking for some free entertainment; we ran across this DVD and popped it in. We sat there mesmerized for the entire lecture.

I have studied quite a bit about the conception and birthing process, but this DVD goes into scientific details that are so amazingly designed that only our wonderful, all-knowing, creative God could have come up with something this perfect. Even if you have a dozen children, I guarantee you'll learn things you never knew.

If you want to borrow our copy and you're here in town, let me know. I'd be happy to loan it to you. If you don't live in town, visit the link above and buy a copy. It'll be worth the investment.

Labor Day Fun

In honor of the holiday, we piled into our car and headed to the beach. Ahh, nothing like a little sand and sun and a three-day weekend to make you depressed about going back to work!

Is that a beach ball hidden in there?!

L-R: Dustin, Elizabeth, Me (and baby), Yvette and Josh

Our backseat was converted to a veritable technological hub for Apple devices (three ipods and a laptop).

Garlic Explosion

Less than 24 hours ago, this jar was full. Thanks to the bulk-sized proportions available at Costco, I had a bulk-sized mess on my hands when I dropped this tub yesterday. Based on the equivalency chart (1/2 tsp = 1 clove), I figure I spilled about 200 cloves of garlic (along with garlic juice) all over my kitchen.

It happened in slow motion, as do most life-changing events. One moment the tub was securely in my hand. The next moment, only the lid was. The tub plummeted toward the ground, making a quick stop first on the edge of the kitchen counter. It landed firmly on the linoleum, sending a spray of minced garlic all over my kitchen and living room. The explosion was impressive. Nothing within a 10-foot radius was spared, including me.

If you'll notice, the upper right hand corner of the label proudly claims that minced garlic is fat free. Not only is it fat free, but it is also extremely good for your overall physical condition. When spilled, it can provide one of the most intense and thorough workouts you'll ever get, especially if you're 8 months pregnant! I spent over an over an hour on my hands and knees picking up the tiny garlic chunks and triple washing my floor. As you can imagine, I woke up this morning sore from head to toe. . . and reeking of garlic!

Doctor Grumpy vs God

I went in for my 34-week check-up this morning. My regular doctor (who I really like) was on vacation so I had to see one of her colleagues (who I really don't like). To my great disappointment, Doctor Grumpy didn't palpitate my tummy to feel the baby's position and when asked if he would, he said he'd rather leave that to my regular doctor. He then said, "I don't really see the point, anyway, since after 30-weeks, babies don't turn on their own." Thanks for the words of encouragement, Doc!

Little does he know that God can do whatever He wants in regards to this baby's position. I have complete faith that if God wants this baby delivered normally, it'll happen. If God chooses to leave this baby in breech position, it won't be because "after 30-weeks, babies don't turn on their own." It'll be because God wants that baby to be breech.

In the meantime, keep praying!