Pregnancy Thoughts...

The "experts" really are not kidding when they say that every pregnancy is different. Most notable besides generally having less morning sickness has been the lack of the "first time parent" hype. In the first half of the pregnancy I had a hard time connecting to the baby; Keeping up with Noah and settling into a new community were enough to keep me preoccupied. As soon as I really started showing and our little girl started kicking (about 24 weeks) I finally began to really enjoy the pregnancy. Her kicks became delightful little reminders that we are having another child. Now, as we are headed into the homestretch I am throwing myself into preparations and trying not to get overwhelmed by the physical limitations/discomforts that are showing up so much earlier.

I met a woman at the OB's office who I learned was the parent of two kids under 3 and about to have her third. Her husband travels 4 days out of the week and she can't afford help. She shared that one day she cried so much her kids got scared. I felt so helpless to encourage her. I did leave there abundantly aware of the gift I have in my husband's servant attitude as well as his current presence at home. Nick may not be providing an income at the moment, but he provides so much love and support for Noah and I every day!! When he goes back to work I know it will be an adjustment for all three of us.

In the meantime, we are currently looking forward to a much needed break from our temporary home in Wisconsin. My parents have invited us to join them in Hilton Head and it just so happens we have two tickets that need to be used. It will be challenging to avoid the shops, but the beach is even more tempting after being landlocked for so long. Though I made a trip with Noah last summer, Nick hasn't seen the ocean in 2 years!

Regarding our "temporary home in Wisconsin"....we learned this week that Nick was not accepted into the program at the University of Wisconsin. There are not currently any jobs in Nick's field in the area, so unless the Lord shows us a new opportunity we will be moving again at some point. There are some options, one in particualar that we really like. The waiting is the hardest part right now, so please keep praying!