Where Have We Been?

I looked back at the dates of my last blog posts and realized I've become a once-a-monther. Probably nobody even checks now, because I'm that girl with a blog who doesn't really write anything. Well, that's not about to change, but here's an update on us for September:

I'm now officially a licensed in-home daycare provider. Right now, our friend Josiah is our only daily visitor, and I plan to keep it that way until I feel fully adjusted to having two of my own children!

It's been great having Josiah with us so far. Ellie's learning a lot about sharing and taking turns, and I'm discovering the bossy side of her that was bound to come out eventually (where does she get that from?) They look forward to seeing each other every day, and wear each other out so that I can look forward to solid afternoon naps! For them, not for me. I take solid afternoon rests, mixed in with solid afternoon cleaning sessions, when I feel motivated enough...

Yes, the third trimester fatigue is setting in. I'm just about 31 weeks now, and while "6-11 weeks left" doesn't sound like much, I know I have a long way to go as far as swollen feet and restless nights are concerned. I had my first middle-of-the-night-wake-up-for-no-reason the other night at 3:30 am. I guess it's preparation for the middle-of-the-night-wake-up-to-feed-Baby that is to come. At least with this pregnancy, instead of calling the nurse line in a panic whenever something wierd happens, I think, "oh, yeah. I remember this now."

Adding to the fatigue is Luke's travel schedule. Other than a week of illness and a week of much-needed catching up at his desk, he's been out of town Tuesday-Thursday every week for a few months now, and will continue through the end of October. It doesn't seem like much until we actually live through it. By Thursday night when he gets home, we're both exhausted. It's helping me realize and appreciate how much he takes care of Ellie and me when he's here, that's for sure!

As much as I'll be glad to have him home more often, I don't want to rush through the next two months. Time's flying by fast enough as it is. Even though I'm not in school anymore, September still feels like the beginning of a new year to me, and as the days get shorter and cooler and we bring out the sweatshirts for mornings outside, I thank God for giving me the opportunity to be a mother to Ellie and to this baby yet to be born, and pray that He will give me strength, wisdom, patience, and grace to glorify Him and enjoy Him in the work He's called me to in this season.

So I'll leave with some words from a song by Nichole Nordeman called "Every Season" that I've always thought of at this time of year:

Still I notice You when change begins
And I am braced for colder winds
I will offer thanks for what has been and was to come