Love is Blooming

Maybe I'm just getting sassy in my old age. Or maybe it's all pregnancy hormones, whatever it is, I've decided some things. Some things that are worth sharing.

For the first time in my life, I'm on the other side of this being pregnant thing. Normally, I'm the one watching and waiting for friends or sisters in law or my mom or whoever. I get excited about babies. About ALL of it, the pregnancy, the labor, the newborn. I wish every women felt comfortable with sharing their birth stories, because I always have this burning curiosity to ask. I like knowing it all, how long it took for them to go into labor, how many weeks they are, all of it.

As the pregnant one now though, on the other end, I must humbly apologize for all the times I've annoyed a pregnant lady. Because you can be sure I've gotten annoyed a time or two myself. Here and there. About certain things. Little things.

The matter of the uterus a common topic, though we don't call it that. But if we're all honest and grown up and adult about this, that's where babies are formed and created. The uterus.  I don't like saying things about my daughter being in my tummy...makes me feel like I've eaten her and that's weird. She is where God intended her to be. The muscular organ that has grown SO very large.

Here's the deal though, my reproductive system, is the business of three people. Me, my husband, and my God. This includes but is not limited to how many children we have, how far apart they are, and when they come out of me.

I've decided that when I go into labor, I don't want people to know. I have certain expectations in my head. One of them is that I will be in labor for a while, like my Momma was. (She had LONG labors, that crazy woman) So informing EVERYONE once the contractions hit/the water breaks/however my body decides to do this, is for me, my team, and my husband.

I want to post a picture of a beautiful baby and invite friends to tell her Happy Birthday. Because that's what a birthday is people, celebrating the day that YOUR mother pushed/went under/whatever to get YOU out. (Think about THAT the next time you think your birthday is all about YOU)

My plan is for my team to know. And for my closest family to know. My older brothers and their wives, a few grandparents, but honestly, as much as I love all of you, you can wait. Just like I've had to for these past few months. Be patient. This birth is not about  you, and I'm not entitled to have to tell ANYONE when I go into labor. Plus, who knows when it will ACTUALLY happen, AND there is no way to tell how fast or slow a labor will go.

Don't worry, when she's born, I'm gonna wanna tell everyone. I'm gonna wanna show everyone. I have someone taking birth pictures for us, I promise you that you won't miss much (and don't think to much about birth pictures, there will be nothing too graphic). Every mother is proud of their baby. Every mother wants to show their baby off, I'm gonna want to, really really.

Now that that is said, here, look at some pictures my best friend/godmother of my child/Auntie Ameh took of me. I look like I'm gonna have a baby and what not...weird!

 

I know that most of you have seen these, because of the good old Facebook, but I still wanted to write about it. It meant a lot to me that she took the time to take these pictures for me (and hopefully, will take some of me and Blair together..?) especially since we went to the place that she had gotten engaged at the DAY BEFORE!!!

I love that I have someone willing to help me document this time. Especially since I never thought I would want to. Ameh is amazing, and she's doing such a wonderful service for us...and I won't be able to say enough how honored I am that she is part of her Lennie's life. She doesn't love in little ways, she loves with her whole heart, and that's...that's beautiful and something worth teaching my daughter.

This is a poem that she wrote, and it's beautiful. I want to frame this and put it above my daughters bed/her little corner in our room.

Love is blooming, right here, right now, right inside of me, and that is a precious gift that I am holding close.

Shower Pictures

I wanted to share a few pictures I've taken since my Wedding Shower, hope you enjoy!

That's my crazy Grandma and my second to youngest niece Miss Molly. My sisters in law drove all the way up from Tennessee with all they crazy children (minus one Katy) just to be here for my shower. The only person missing was my sister in law from South Carolina! I know that some people have these weird relationships with their in laws, but, I don't have that. In fact I frequently refer to them as my "sisters". It makes me happy. It also makes me happy that Blair's family is like that. I'm getting another brother and two more little sisters! I can't wait! By the end of my life, I'm gonna have the big sister thing down! But hey, I learned from three of the best, so I can't complain.

My Aunt and I kinda have this squirrel thing going on. It stared YEARS ago when I was in high school, she told my mom and I some crazy day dream about drumming squirrels and dancing shrimp. So I painted her a picture of what I thought that would look like. Ever since, we've been exchanging squirrel gifts! These are the slat and pepper shakers that you will see when you come one over for dinner. :)

  Have you ever had a friend who was just amazing? Enter Andi. This girl and I go way back to Daisy Girl Scouts. We learned to knit together, bake, sold cookies, and compared books like you wouldn't believe. She shares my love of coffee, and while I didn't think any one would get this for me, she did! I couldn't have been happier. Now I have my own little machine to help me get going in the morning. She and her wonderful mother drove a ways just to come to my wedding shower and meet my Beloved. There are people in this world who just make you feel whole and happy, she is and always be one of them.

Here you see proof that people read my blog! My big sisters made me that crafty picture on the left, and gave me a HUGE basket full of things (which has become a sort of tradition in my family!) that included those M and B coffee mugs. (The J there was made by another friend, Kim, who is also a wonderful human being!) 

This is exciting to both Blair and I! Spices! Loads and loads of cooking and experimentation fun! I love seeing that cabinet so full of spices and things that I know I will use for cooking!

This is our "bedroom oasis"! It will take some getting used to for Blair and I, but we are both excited about the way this makes our room together look. It's whimsical. It just makes our bedroom more special than the rest of the house, and one day, when we have crazy things going on and a house full of kids, I think having a special place that is "ours" will help a whole lot.

This is a verse that I believe should be plastered around every house that claims to be one of Believers! The woman who gave us this is amazing. She's kind and compassionate, and sticks to what she believes (even if we don't always see eye to eye!) and I love people like that. It was amazing to me the amount of support that was generated for Blair and I. I think you can tell when people are genuinely happy for you, and on this day, that's how it felt for me. That people were just...happy for me.

Blair and I often talk about how blessed we are, because Lord forbid that we should ever forget! The more we talk about it, the more we realize that we have nothing really to worry about (I need to remember this more than he does I think!). Think about it, if God is who He says He is, then we need to Trust that.

I think the best thing my Dad has said about my wedding and what's happening right now is, "You two are making good choices and I'm proud of you." When he says this, it makes my heart more than just a little happy. Making the right choices, doing things the way I've always wanted to do them, has been hard for me at times. I didn't always make the right choices. But God has taken that and made it something so amazing. He has made me who I am today! I can't complain about that. I can only marvel. :)

And at the end of the weekend, after I've gotten things put away (yeah right, who I am kidding!? There is stuff all over my house!) THIS is how I felt!