Just Joking!

1. My due date is this Thursday and no, nothing significant has happened. (see me very pregnant still and very swollen still to the right) I am mostly effaced, little Michael David has dropped about 1 inch (not all the way), I am in no way dilated, and the doctor seems to think that there is about a 30% chance he will arrive before I see him this coming Monday again. We have tentatively talked about induction for a week from Thur. (or the following weekend) I would really rather not be induced (but also don't want a 10 pound baby!) Well, fortunately, life is good, and I can think of all other sorts of things I can do in the meantime. Speaking of which...

2. The nursery somehow just wasn't done and complete! I decided Fri. night to paint the nursery so promptly on Sat. morning, my mom and I pulled out the brushes and paint and went at it! You may wonder, "Why all the effort to only paint it tan?" But the result is far more pleasing and after reframing a few pictures, rearranging etc...I am much happier with the result! (plus, I still have that nagging fear we could end up with a girl~ who wants to redo a boyish room after labor?) Today or tomorrow my mom and I will tackle the adjoining Jack and Jill bathroom (currently sporting HIDEOUS wallpaper! I have simply forgotten about the rooms since I spend so little time in them...) We will be doing our famous trick of painting over the wallpaper. Check back here for the results...hopefully good.

Complete at last?

Here are the pictures of the highly undecorated nursery... The pictures on the wall (by the way) were handpainted additions using fingers, hands, and qtips--done expressly for little Michael David by his loving Mom and very artistic Dad.

Ready to be less than 90% water

From Wikipedia--

In medicine, body water is all of the water content of the human body. A significant fraction of the human body is water. Lean muscle tissue contains about 75% water. Blood contains 95% water, body fat contains 14% water and bone has 22% water.

If according to Wikipedia, my muscle contains 75% water and my fat 14%, I am probably at 90% and 50%. I know many of you pregnant/past pregnant mammas can relate to the discomfort of swelling, but honestly! I am not sure you could ever have gotten as bad as I am! Take the combination of the heat and humidity of the summer, the end of my pregnancy (when you are far more susceptible to swelling), the over 30 age factor (which apparently is a factor in edema--swelling), the first time mom thing (another factor), and you have a dangerous situation...

The only good thing I just learned is that (also according to Wikipedia) "The percentage of body weight that is water therefore varies inversely with body fat." That must mean that I have very little fat on my body! :) Ha!

Now, I took a picture of my ankles to prove this but then thought better of posting it publicly so...here is the view of my feet when I look straight down instead. :)

Happy Belated Anniversary to Us!

It really does seem like just yesterday...except that we are more in love than we ever were 8 years ago!

Thinking back...MY! How we both have changed! God has used our marriage to refine and mold us, to lessen our selfishness and purify us. Not that we have obtained the desired final result, but it is a treat to look back and see how God has used this marriage to whittle away at the rough areas and to know that He will continue this work!

It was with new feelings as I approached this anniversary. It was a mixture of great joy tinged with sorrow. Joy over the soon-coming birth of our first son, but a tinge of sorrow that our time of "just us" is over. It really has been a most incredible 8 years of "Just Us!" The last 5 years of trial (in longing for a child) did not serve to make the time bitter. In fact, they only drew us closer together--especially as I saw my sweet husband's heart and felt his many warm, comforting hugs! I really am married to a most incredible, Godly man!!!

What a fitting end to the pregnancy to get to spend our 8th anniversary together together, just me and my best friend!

Saturday early evening we dined sumptiously at Perry's Steakhouse, probably my favorite local restaurant. I, of course, ordered the same thing I always order...Steak Diane (a savory, tenderer cut of beef has never been experienced). Michael partook of his favorite--the seven finger pork chop (and yes, it really is large enough he had lunch for the next 2 days as well) and the potatoes au gratin. Then, they surprised us with their white chocolate cheesecake for dessert! (Yum!) The whole experience was very relaxing and special--down to the rose petals scattered on the table.

We came home and changed clothes and went back out to get Michael a grill for our anniversary. (more pictures of him proudly bbqing later)

What a sweet time!

Getting "clean" yet again

I did indeed have a second shower last Sunday. (I know; you must imagine what I smell like after only 2 showers in 2 weeks! :) )

This one was hosted by my incredible Sunday school class!!! --specifically from left to right: Laura, Rebecca, Stephanie, Suzi, Katie, Rachel, and Kim M. (at home w/Caroline :) )

Like the first, this shower was full of great food (even radishes--Thanks, Sean), a fun game (how many words can be made out of the letters "Michael David Weyler"), sweet presents, and even sweeter fellowship!

Rachel (the word champ) graciously receives her prize I now have the task to find a home for all the generous gifts! Once I do, I will try to post pictures of the nursery in "all its glory!" (the glory part is the wonderful pictures that Michael painted for the wall and the less wonderful pictures that I attempted) I have not packed my bag yet, but I know we are getting to that point...at least the car seat is in the car now as of Friday. (the scare of a possible induction prompted this at least--and no, nothing was wrong, just some VERY swollen days and concerns of high blood pressure, which in fact, was not high)

In the meantime...

While you wait for the pictures of the Sunday School shower... I told you we will have three babies~ :)

Can't Believe It is already Time...

...for MY baby shower!

I don't think I can count the number of showers I have attended over the last 5 years, but now there is one more to add to the list. Only this time it was different...It was my shower! I cannot believe it is almost time for "Baby" to come, let alone the fact that I am pregnant at all and being "showered" in the first place!

My sweet sister-in-law Susan (Michael's sister), her mother-in-law Omalu, a long-time family friend Alicia, and her mom Janet threw me a beautiful shower last Saturday!

The food was fantastic!!! (chicken salad on toastlets or crackers, apple salsa with cinnamon sugar chips, veggies and dips, nuts, an extraordinary lime punch, and angel food cake with glaze and fruit for dessert. Yum!)

The bouquet was gorgeous (and designed by the ladies)!

The games were great! We played my favorite baby animal naming game (I still did not get them all no matter how many times I have done this), draw a baby face on a paper plate on top of your head game, baby bingo as I opened my gifts, and a new one (which I intend to use again for someone else sometime) where you guess the baby item in a brown lunch bag simply by feeling the item (there were 12 different items).

The gifts were oh so generous! (and will be much loved and used!) ...and the company? Couldn't have been sweeter! I was so blessed to have so many ladies come celebrate God's Faithfulness in answer to a long-awaited prayer. There were friends there from BSF Bible study, Church friends (and neighbors), Carenet friends, and relatives.