Like Christmas...

Tonight I feel all of the wonder, magic, and anticipation of a child on the eve of Christmas. I can hardly believe that tomorrow we will get to see the form of our little baby. Little legs, tiny arms, a beautiful baby silhouette...

The last time we saw the baby was at 7 weeks, and he or she was no more than a tiny dot.

Needless to say it's going to be especially difficult to sleep swimming in the great JoY welling up in me...

The DaDdy is just a little bit excited too...

Other highlights of this past weekish (week 20 and 21)...

Lying in bed the night before the last day of school I felt the baby's nudging from the outside for the first time. I couldn't stop giggling even though Dan was next to me sound asleep.

Walking around our lake a perfect stranger asked "When's baby due?" There's definitely no hiding this baby anymore! In fact I'm wondering how he or she is going to fit in my shorty torso!

It's official. My jeans no longer fit, but I think we've finally made it to summer so I won't have to buy huge pants until fall :) Living in stretchy skirts, dresses, and my one pair of shorts that actually fit!

Reading and praying the Psalms for our baby.

Dan says he thinks he will be much better with the actual human being than pregnancy ;) In our house you will often hear him refer to me as Artemis the fertility goddess and ask me questions about my "gut". He's lucky to be so funny because not every man could get away with such comments!

Goodbye Bulldog. Hello Summer.

Messy: It has been a hard year to say the least. Sometimes saying less is best, and this has been one of those years as far as school goes.

This AmAziNg card from my sweet friend Allison

pretty much sums it up. Basically she has the GiFt of finding the perfect card always:

Beautiful: Since August I've donned the bulldog Monday through Friday, and today the bulldog is officially off of this girl's skirt...It is a beautiful day indeed!

Grateful: I know that this trying year is serving it's purpose in refining this messy soul. We shall see what fruit it will yet bear. As for now, I'm grateful for the many times I was able to rely on the ONE greater than anything my 31 could throw at me for help and comfort. I'm grateful for the FoRgiVeNesS He continued to offer me on those many days I relied on my own strength instead of His. I'm grateful for my patient husband who graciously listened to my daily woes. And finally I'm grateful friends like Allison who pray, listen, and always seem to be there (with reinforcements) when I'm on the brink of losing my SaNiTy.

So Goodbye bulldog, hello summer! I will not miss you. I much prefer the poodle...And just because we're saying goodbye to the bulldog, it does not mean that our Ben and Jerry's days are over. There's always a place for ChErRy GaRcIa, always...