Sleep Deprivation

For the past week or so, sleep deprivation has become part of my life.  I am able to sleep for a couple hours after first laying down my head, and then get up every couple of hours to use the restroom and get a drink.  I stay up for about a hour or so, thinking about things while I try to fall back asleep.  I have come to the realization that this is simply God's way of preparing me for the lack of sleep that I will face once Lucas comes.  It has actually been quite enjoyable to sit up late at night- watching Travis sleep, feeling Lucas moving around, and listening to Daisy snore.  The quiet is something that I'm not used to.  Therefore, I think I'm going to try using this time beneficially- praying and listening to the Lord speak to me. 

Prayer for Discernment and God's Direction

My best friend, Danielle, and I have recently been talking and praying for God to direct our paths and give us discernment to know where He is leading us.  I have never been great at knowing the difference between what I want for my life and what God is calling me to do.  With the center, we basically just took a leap of faith and ran with it.  It has turned out wonderfully, but prayer has been at the center of it all and we have relied on Christian friends and community members to lift up the organization in their prayers.  Because of how things are working out with it and how many doors have flung open, I think the decision to open FOCC was most certainly willed by God.

But what about in my personal life?  Do I just keep making leaps of faith with every open door?  Do I just trust Travis and Christian friends like Danielle to help me come to a decision?  I am so scared that I will make wrong decisions because of what I want for my life, not necessarily what God wants.  Isaiah 48:17b says "I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go."  Okay Lord... I'm waiting on a sign here!  I know that He teaches me through prayer, daily study of His Word, and through my obedience, but how will I honestly know that it's HIS will?  Please pray!

Let God Be God

"To lack faith is to give into one's desire for control." -James S. Spiegal

This week in Sunday School, we were given one line to focus on this week- Let God Be God.  I thought about this very quickly on Sunday and moved along, not thinking twice about it.  Yesterday during my devotional and prayer time, I became aware of what this means in my life right now.  Simply put, God is in control.  I, however, must be willing to surrender every aspect of my life over to Him.  It's easy for me to give some things over to Him- things that aren't big and don't matter all that much.  However, the big things like our finances, Lucas, our marriage, and my health are things that are just hard to stop worrying about.  Psalm 142:2,3 says that is is You who knows my way.  I see this little sliver of my life- today, tomorrow, even maybe a few months or a year down the road.  But God sees my whole life, laid out and planned for me.  He knows how everything will work out.  So why do I find it so hard to rely on Him to direct my path?  Why can't I simply trust that he will show me where I need to go and what I need to do?  Maybe it's because discernment is not my best forte; maybe it's because I'm too impatient; maybe it's because I think I can handle it myself.  That is, I can handle it myself until life starts going crazy and whirls out of control.  Then, like a puppy dog with my tail between my legs, I come back to God and realize that I really do need Him to direct me.

Today, I commit to stepping back and allowing God to work in my life.  I'm going to Let God Be God. 

Maternity Pics

We got our maternity pictures taken and they turned out so wonderfully!  Here are some of my favorites:

Making Progress

As you can see from the pictures, we are slowly making progress on the house.  Drywall will go up starting on Saturday and it will hopefully only take a few weeks to mud.  That may be wishful thinking, though.  :)  Travis and Bill have been hard at work getting the windows and door in and cleaning up the plaster mess.  I will be so excited to see the drywall go up!  I will post pictures after this weekend!  Lucas is due in just 5 short weeks.  It doesn't seem real that it is so close.  We have his bringing home outfit bought, now I just have to wash it.  We still can't find an infant carseat that we love.  I just want the carseat- not the whole travel system, but that's posing more an issue than we had originally thought. Our EMT class will be finished before long also.  We only have 3 more weeks until we should have learned everything to start saving lives.  :)  I'm nervous about the state test, but have until September 8th to study.  It will be nice to have our week back- Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday is just a bit too much!

Reasons I Know I'm in the 3rd Trimester...

- Picking up something off the ground requires preparation and thought.
- After each meal, I notice I am saving bits for later.
- We leave the bathroom light on during the night to avoid bumping into things during my 10 nightly trips to the bathroom.
- I'm afraid to laugh to sneeze too hard... ;)
- People look at my belly before my face.
- I break a sweat walking from the door to the car.
- Exercise counts as getting out of my chair to go to the restroom.
- I pick my shoes for the day based on which ones are easiest to get on.
- I stopped wearing my rings before I couldn't get them off any longer.
- Rolling over in bed requires counting out loud- 1,2,3, GO!
- I can't get off the ground without rolling onto all four paws first.  Wow!
- My stretchmarks look like a spider web.
- Strangers comment on how pregnant I am.
- My waddle is more like a duck than Donald's...
- He kicks my ribs so hard that I have to stand up or sit up straighter. 

Cute Pregnancy Comic

33 Weeks... The Lists Continue!

With only 7 weeks (around 50 days) to go until Lucas is expected to make his grand entrance, I have been getting more excited and have been nesting more than ever.  Last night at around 9 pm, I decided I would wash some clothes, put away the clean dishes, and clean our whole bedroom.  I felt very accomplished!  :)  Today, all I have wanted to do is go home and organize the upstairs in order to fit all the shower goodies.  I will probably do that tonight when I get home! 

I have been thinking about what all I need to do before Lucas comes.  To make life easier for me, I once again have a list:
- Get nursery done!  Trav.. I love you, but move it!  haha! :)
- Organize upstairs in order to fit more stuff
- Move dresser from Treasa's to home
- Start washing newborn clothes, towels, etc.
- Clean up carseat
- Download music onto the Ipod
- Buy the Ipod dock if I don't get it at the shower on Saturday
- Finish the scrapbook
- Buy magazines and snacks for Travis and put them in the hospital bag
- Go with Grandma Sharon to get the crib
- Write a will and get it notorized
- Start Lucas' "cuss jar" savings account
- Clean up the glider and ottoman
- Buy diaper bag if I don't get it on Saturday
- Wash bobby pillow and cover
- Send baby shower thank you's after Saturday
- Set up pack and play in our bedroom
- Pack hospital bag
- Stock up on: toilet paper, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, baby wipes, heavy overnight pads

31 Week Belly Picture

I can't believe that we are at 32 weeks already!  It's unbelievable where the time has flown! Saturday is my baby shower.  I'm SO super excited!  I will post pictures when I get a chance!  I've just been too busy with EMT classes, work, and getting the house ready to even think about posting!  :)