Hello... Third Trimester?!?!

Wow! Am I really in my third trimester already??? I am 28 weeks pregnant... wow, where did the first two trimesters go?? These past few weeks have been a whirlwind with school, finals coming up, work, and coupon classes, not to mention BEING PREGNANT! This week we had 3 coupon classes and the one Saturday was an open to the public class, which was a success! We had a great turnout and the facility was awesome for holding a class.

Saturday night, our life group drove an hour to eat at a place that is country style food, buffet of course, and we had a blast. I was a little nauseous by the time we got there because it was an hour of curving twisty roads, but by the time we got to get our dinner, I felt much better. I like country style foods, but I wouldn't say its my favorite. I guess I always question exactly what goes into it (AKA how much butter and fat) to make it taste the way it does. BUT, I will say that I ate my weight in fried popcorn shrimp (little shrimpies, I like to call them). For dessert they had blackberry cobbler that I thought would be really great with some ice cream, just one problem though, no ice cream on the buffet. However, Kate is so good to me and asked our waitress if there was-by some wild chance- any vanilla ice cream in the place and lo and behold there was!! Now, it was probably ice cream from 1970 and just a touch freezer burned, but I ate a few bites nonetheless because at this point I reaaally wanted ice cream with my cobbler. Thank you Kate =)

After we got back, I packed up my bags and headed off to Virginia for Mother's Day and to say goodbye to my house. What? Oh, my mom was only moving out of the house I spent my entire childhood in and I had to say goodbye to it and look around one last time. And what was the very first song I heard on the radio on my drive up to Virginia? The new Miranda Lambert song "The House that Built Me." Yeah, I cried. Why? Here are some of the lyrics:

I know they say you cant go home again.
I just had to come back one last time.
Ma'am I know you don't know me from Adam.
But these handprints on the front steps are mine.
And up those stairs, in that little back bedroom
is where I did my homework and I learned to play guitar.
And I bet you didn't know under that live oak
my favorite dog is buried in the yard.

I thought if I could touch this place or feel it
this brokenness inside me might start healing.
Out here its like I'm someone else,
I thought that maybe I could find myself
if I could just come in I swear I'll leave.
Won't take nothing but a memory
from the house that built me.


Ok, first of all... the line that talks about the handprints makes me cry right away because when we put in our concrete driveway, Josh and I put our handprints in the corner of the drive in the concrete. And yea, I had the back bedroom for a while... so anyways, the point of all of this is to say that this song makes me boohoo because I grew up in that house. There are a lot of memories contained under that roof... my whole life. And yes, I'm crying AGAIN as I type this because I'm female, I'm pregnant, and I am VERY hormonal.


So anyways, I went "home" for Mother's Day and ended up going through some boxes of things from my childhood and deciding what to keep and what to throw away with my Mom. We went to church Sunday morning and then out to lunch to celebrate our Mommy! Not to get sappy again on you, but I have to write a little something to my Mom so I'll try not to get to personal but hold on, because I'm already crying again...


Mom,


Happy Mother's Day! This is officially your 26th Mother's Day... can you believe it? I think you have done a fantastic job as a mother. I only hope that as I am about to become a mother to my own little munchkin, that I can be at least half as wonderful as you are. I truly mean that. You have been a constant in my life that has been invaluable. As I think about all the people who have come and gone in my life, I can only name one person who has been there since day 1... You! Of course, Josh and Brandon, are my other constants, but they haven't known me as long as you have =). You've been a pillar of strength and morality for me that hasn't wavered. Never once have I seen you move from what you believe to be right and true and even in our darkest hours, you were steadfast. In some of my hardest moments in life, you were the one holding my hand or holding me up, like at Mr. Scott's funeral. You have sought to please God and no one else and this is probably your most admirable trait. I have heard you tell me and Josh more than once, that we can hate your guts, but you are responsible to God for us so you are a parent first, then our friend. And you have been a constant source of laughter and joy. Some of my favorite memories from life involve us laughing, like the time at that seafood restaurant where we laughed so hard we cried, the time at a mall somewhere out of town that you thought something was so funny, the whole mall literally turned and looked to see where the peals of laughter were coming from and Josh and I had to walk away. The time that we tried to move a bed either from downstairs up, or vice versa and got stuck in the landing of the staircase and we both laughed so hard I almost wet my pants. Then, don't forget the time at the drive-thru at Subway when we couldn't order because we were laughing so hard we couldn't speak. Not to mention all of the fast food restaurants after that infamous day... So, Mom, even though your "angel baby girl" is grown and married and almost a mommy myself, I still look up to you and admire how you approach life. We may be different (not much, some would argue) but I still think you are the most wonderful woman in the world. You are, by far, the strongest woman I know and I will continue to try to be like you, especially as baby boy comes into the world. Here's to the most amazing Mom in the world and to another 50 years of Happy Mother's Days and now Happy Grandmother's Days too!

I love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living, my mommy you'll be.


Ok, let's dry our eyes and get to the weekly survey...


How far along? 28 weeks 3 days

Weight gain? Yeah...about that 25 pounds... I've officially gained more than that! At my doctor's appointment I had to get weighed and I've now gained 26 pounds this pregnancy! YIKES! And I still have 12 weeks to go!

maternity clothes? Mostly yes.

Sleep? Eh, some nights its ok, other nights not so much

stretch marks? Not yet...

belly button in or out? Still half in half out but a teeny bit more out than in.

Best moment this week? Going home to see my Mom and brother!

movement? feet in ribs... constantly.

food cravings? not really... most days I just have a hard time even figuring out what I want to eat...

Food aversions? coffee

what I'm looking forward to... decorating our nursery!


milestones.... BabyCenter.com says this week that he's able to make out light that filters in through my belly!! So cute! I find myself wanting to make different animals with my hands and put them against my belly so he can see the shadows... =)