{a fresh spring breeze}: 36 weeks + maternity pictures

Today, or tomorrow, I am 36 weeks.

Praise Jesus! That's four or five weeks left. I can do anything for a month, I tell you! The last two weeks have been hard. I've lost a lot of motivation and energy. I've felt rather helpless. And I really just want to eat salads a lot -- and drink coke zero.

Either way, I am still grateful. God contunially amazes me with this gift of life. And I think, too often, I forget to stop and relish in this pregnancy and remember. God has blessed us so much and shown us kindness beyond measure. I'm too quick to distract myself with the things of the world when I should be praying for this girl more and praising God for what He has done. These are the days I'm thankful for unlimited grace -- in every way possible.

This girl can come whenever she wants because we are ready. Bags packed {mostly}, nursery is in place, we have plans for the boys -- we just need a baby. And I realize that adding one more is hard -- people tell us daily that going from two to three is the hardest -- but I just would rather get the show on the road then be pregnant too much longer :) There is just one thing that needs to happen before she can come: Patrick needs to write a paper for his current seminary class. He just couldn't do that in the hospital. And it's due in about 10 days.

I think I've gained 32 pounds. Give or take, you know? Somedays I eat more than I could ever imagine anyone in the world eating. Other days, I just want to eat cereal and fruit and yogurt. I have awful indigestion/heartburn and that makes eating so sad. I am still going to the Y about three days a week. But my real workout is keeping up with the boys and cleaning the house, at this point. I do, however, feel pretty good most of the time. My back pain is constant and I am tired a good portion of the day. But I would guess that's just par for the course at 36 weeks and I count myself overly blessed that it's not worse.

The baby is strong and healthy, as far as I know. She was head down at my last appointment and everything looked good. I start my weekly appointments this week and look forward, especially, to this weeks appointment. Mainly because I want my midwife to check me and see if these intense braxton hicks contractions are doing anything in my favor. I fully anticipate her to say that I'm not dilated at all, just as a fair warning.

So. Here are some pictures we took for "maternity pictures". I told Patrick that maternity pictures loose their appeal by the third time. Maybe it's just because I'm really hot and tired. But I think we get less and less creative each time :)

If you want to see pictures from my pregnancies with Benjamin and Andrew -- those are linked up to their names. :)