Happy Thanksgiving!

This year I am thankful for God's protection and faithfulness.

As I was up rocking the baby early this morning I started to think how very different this day would feel if we'd had a different outcome with Abbott. What a blessing that I can hold this sweet baby and be so thankful for a healthy and perfect little boy!

While I was rocking Abbott back to sleep, Laurelei started singing sweet lullabys in the next room. There is just so much to be thankful for in this little house.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I'm thankful for time...

This has been a big struggle for me recently, but today I decided that I would be thankful for time.

 

{photo via}

Let me explain. 

I am having a hard time waiting. I know, I know, you've heard it before but this has felt like the longest pregnancy ever. Every day I am off of work and just sitting around the house feels like an eternity to me. I start to think about how everyday I sit here without the baby and not working is one more day I can't provide for my family. It's one more day I'm alone, doing next to nothing, one more day without Abbott, putting extra responsibility and stress on Matt, missing active playtimes with L, waiting, waiting, waiting. The thought of what I am not doing makes me feel so guilty it's overwhelming!

People keep telling me to, "enjoy this time because once the baby gets here..." It's something I've definitely heard before, and while a lot of people say it in a negative tone (insinuating all of the difficult things that I know are going to come with having another little person to rely on you) I think a lot of people are just being genuinely honest that I should just stop worrying and enjoy-the-time. So, I've decided today that I am going to be thankful for the time. The time to rest. The time to talk on the phone to great friends who I miss a lot. The time to have breakfast with L in the mornings and lunch with my mom. The time for Abbott to grow healthier each week without the added stress my body was giving him. And the time to plan more specifically for the future instead of just running headstrong into it.

I guess all this 'time' isn't such a bad thing. I just have to remember that I didn't chose it, but maybe it was given to me for a reason?

 

{linking to Thankful Thursdays with Blissfully Burton}

Perspective

Among so many things to be thankful for, today I am thankful for the outlet and distraction that bearing my blogging soul to you will allow. :)

For a couple of weeks Laurelei has been sleeping in Matt's old t-shirts. I can't quite remember what started this, but I can tell you there is nothing sweeter than seeing L wonder into our room, all sleepy eyed in the mornings, wearing daddy's big t-shirts.

These are the little things I always call to mind when I need a little perspective. This week was my first week off bed rest and the first few days back at school. I've spent the majority of the summer thinking mostly about Abbott and I and trying to get us closer to this 'safety zone.' I knew going back to work full time after 9 weeks off my feet would be challenging, but I wasn't really expecting the balancing act this week has turned into! All of the sudden there is school, students, monitoring contractions, L starting preschool soon, me and Abbott all to think about. It's been a little overwhelming!

It's easy to go down the list of stresses and forget how richly blessed we are. Is there a financial burden? Sure. Are the contractions wearing me out day and night? Yes. Does the uncertainty of the future tend to keep me up a few hours each night? Definitely. Am I the absolute WORST person ever at dealing with change? Apparently so! Yet in the mist of all the 'hard' I am reminded how precious L is, what a gift Abbott is to our growing family, how much Matt loves me and how God always seems to provide exactly what we need. It will get easier. This will all get easier!

{linking to Thankful Thursday at Blissfully Burton}

the 'band-aid days...'

I am thankful for the 'band-aid days.'

I can't quite put my finger on when it started, but at some point this summer L started accessorizing herself with band aids daily. I've mentioned this before, but it's just become such a staple part of our day that I wanted to record this sweet memory (especially before we have spent hundreds of dollars on princess band-aids and I begin to lose my sense of humor about the whole thing!)

It started small, just the occasional band-aid on the bumped knee. Can you spot the simple days?

 

One boo boo turned into two...

 

Two boo boo's turned into seven...

And, well, it seems it was all down hill from there. Matt and I go back and forth on whether or not this is a healthy habit. Like anything else that a parent would find wasteful or highly unnecessary, I think our first instinct was to devise a plan to break the 'band aid habit.' 

 

Lately though I have shifted my thinking on the issue. The other day my mom made a comment about how she's happy to indulge the $2.50 habit when L is at her house because, "Before long, the band-aid days will be gone." 

Isn't that the truth? To think that L's band-aid days are numbered really puts things in perspective. She is already 2 and 1/2 years old. The time is flying by. Staring down the tunnel of our last pregnancy really makes me think about how all of our 'band-aid days' are numbered in this household.  I can't quite go on looking at every childhood whim she has this way, that I know wouldn't be healthy for any of us as it would probably just result in making me a puddle of tears. That's reality though, isn't it? Before long L, and then Abbott too, will grow out of these silly habits and we'll probably wish it was that easy, to just pull out our hidden band-aid stash to make them smile.

I think I will just be happy to have L exactly the way she is in this stage of life, a feisty little toddler with a band-aid problem. No more wishing away childhood desires in this house.

I'll have to remind Matt too that while we've added 'two boxes of princess band-aids' to our grocery list each week, it's a lot cheaper of an obsession than, let's say shoes, right? I am sure that will put things in perspective for him, as it really is one of the most cost effective desires we have in this household!

linking to...

 

{Thankful Thursday at Blissfully Burton}

Thankful...

{I am doing an extra post today, so sorry for the blog-roll over load! :) A blogging friend just started a new little link party and I didn't want to go back on my word that I would participate!}
{Linking to Thankful Thursdays at Blissfully Burton.}

I woke up this morning feeling very thankful for family, so this comes at a great time! I am so, so thankful for Matt's family for all the help they have given us in taking care of L this summer. Especially Dana, who takes on a 4th! kiddo almost everyday for us. That's love!

I am thankful for my mom. She's had one heck of a summer and still mananged to bring me lunch everyday for about the first 5 weeks of bedrest! She has been by my side helping along the way since L was born, and I have a feeling it won't change with baby Abbott either!

 And I am thankful for Matt, who I love more every single day! could I be lucky enough to have a more awesome husband?

Finally, I am thankful that we will have made it all the way to 29 weeks tomorrow! Abbott is growing strong and healthy every single little day he stays inside, and God has been so faithful to answer these prayers for our family.