2012 Lent Praise #2.

This year I chose to observe Lent in a creative way, find out how here.

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This morning I woke up to an email from my brother-in-law's girlfriend offering to take the girls this afternoon.

Have I formally introduced her yet? Logan is Ryan's youngest brother, and him and Meg have been a huge help with the girls during this pregnancy.

This past fall, the happy couple invited the girls (and us) to go to a local pumpkin patch. The girls still talk about the pumpkin patch with Uncle Logan and Miss Meg. 

Something that is impressive to me is how much it is on Meg's radar to help with the girls. Because I can assure you as a non-mom, non-married girl, it was not on my radar. Even with having a full-time job, her own business on the side, a busy social life and tending to a dating relationship, she still makes the time and has the patience to initiate taking the girls. For a couple months, when I was really sick, she was picking up the girls once a week and getting them away from the tv and outside! They refer to a park we have downtown as "Miss Meg's park". 

You have been such a blessing and special friend Meg!

2012 Lent Praise #1

This year I chose to observe Lent in a creative way, find out how here.
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We have had a couple from China, Wudan (woo-dawn) & David, staying with us in our basement for this past month. They are friends of our neighbor, who do a golf ministry in China, and will be in the States for a couple years while David goes to school.

We have often opened our home to people, driven mostly by my husband's heart to do so, and if I'm honest, my initial concerns are always, "how is this living arrangement going to effect my comfort level?" Needless to say, my heart and mind went to that exact place after agreeing to this couple staying with us, especially because I'm pregnant and about to have a baby.

But I have been humbled and blessed. They are such a sweet couple, very engaging, feel like friends already. We've shared meals with them, they cooked us a gourmet Chinese dinner (David was a professional chef for four years!), and there is no language barrier in communicating with them, even with deep, meaningful things.

The unexpected blessing is that Wudan has offered to come EVERY day for 30 minutes to an hour to tidy up our main living space: dishes, kitchen, dining room, sitting room and living room. Basically the rooms that get used and abused by us. I can hardly stand that this is my reality sometimes!

In China, pregnant women and moms either have their mom living with them to take care of the house and/or kids, or they put their kids in daycare so they can work and have a housekeeper. Wudan is amazed that I am alone every day with the kids, without a helper, especially being pregnant. What I can't laugh about is, I am pretty low on the totem pole with energy and all that I accomplish throughout the average day, AND I have a lot of help from my mom-in-law. She should see some of my Type-A friends, or friends that don't have either set of family nearby, they would blow her mind!

We are so blessed to have this gift of friendship and help with the house, especially because I am pregnant and about to have a baby. {oh, the irony.}

2012 Lent Challenge of 40 Praises.

Today is the first day of Lent. How do I know this? Not because I am a diligent observer of Lent, but because I have a friend, Mel, who sacrifices one thing for 40 days in order to practice discipline and dependance on our great God. And it's got me thinking of how I can sacrifice and allow Jesus to change me through that sacrifice during this Lent Season.

I think I've given something up a few years, like caffeinated coffee or sweets, but I thought I would coincide this year's observance with something I'm trying to work on in my personal life.

Having a more positive spirit. One that is quick to praise and communicate things that I'm thankful of throughout my day, rather than be quick to spew out the frustrations of my day-to-day experiences.

I am a cynic at heart. It comes natural to me. My mind actually forms funny, but cynical, thoughts all too quickly. I am a firm believer of keepin' it real, and I enjoy making people laugh, but there is a point where I transform myself into a negative person and effect those around me. And I don't want to be that person. I don't want my daughters to become that either.

So I am committing to recording 40 things I am thankful for this Lent Season. With a baby coming soon, I know it won't be realistic to commit to jotting down something each day, but I desire to keep a log of 40 things where I see the hand of God giving me little or big gifts in my life. I pray it blesses my husband, my kids, my extended family, my friends, and that God would use it in my life to realize just how big of an impact I can have by having a thankful and positive spirit.

Who knows, maybe it will even become natural for me!

As of 37 Weeks.

Feeling more huge than last week. And my feelings have been confirmed by most people I see out in public. Apparently I'm a spectacle, I had a store clerk say she was watching me walk up to the store (and yeah, I'll go ahead and name drop, Fresh Market) and felt sorry for me and wondering how much longer I have to go. I will admit that I find it slightly encouraging (only if it ends up being true) that when I tell people my due date (2.5 weeks out), they respond with, "Oh, you'll go before then".

At my 37 week appointment, I was 3 cm dilated, but was assured that women can stay at this for weeks. I found it strange though, because with Alexia I was in full blown labor and when we got to the hospital I was only 1 cm dilated (but got to 4 cm within an hour).

So now it's just the waiting game. If I go early like I did both pregnancies (exactly 14 days early for both), we could have a baby this coming Saturday. I have maintained my jaw line up until this last week, much longer than my past pregnancies. But my face is officially swollen. And an additional awesome surprise is I caught some sinus cold that is something serious. I don't remember being this sick (with a head cold) since I was a working woman (5 years ago). I'm praying my body will kick it, before the endless sleepless nights begin, and it turns into something more serious. But then on the flip side, I would like to have a baby sooner than later. Ugh.

My 38 week appointment is on Friday, should be interesting to see what has developed in a week!

Getting Newborn Ready.

Only because I know I have to, I forced myself to get all the newborn stuff prepared. This is typically an organizational project that is right up my alley, but this pregnancy I have been completely unmotivated to do anything past what is absolutely necessary. Which is: wash burp cloths (this is the first time I haven't used baby laundry detergent, because I got the look of "is that really necessary?" from Ryan when he saw Dreft in my amazon cart), wash bottles and breast pump accessories, get carseat out, buy newborn diapers, get out newborn clothes and blankets from the attic, pack a boy/girl outfit for the hospital, and get the pack n play ready (I don't even care to have Ryan get the crib down from the attic, because it just seems like too much work), and finally, buy my "recovery toiletries". I was so thankful that my sister-in-law shipped clean newborn clothes (returning my girl's stuff she borrowed, and a few boy clothes thrown in), because it eliminated me having to do any laundry! Hallelujah. And that's it folks. Ryan seems to be relieved by what he calls my practical approach. 

For a few days, the girls took turns playing mommy/baby. 

In these pictures you'll also notice Alexia wearing her newest obsession: ballet leotards, tights and shoes. Not kidding, the girl changes leotards 3-4 times a day. She even slept in her tap shoes. She's in a ballet class with a couple of her friends, and there is even a recital in May. I cannot wait for that. 

And I'll leave you with one disturbing picture of another member of our family prepping for a newborn:

I'm trying to pretend that he doesn't have a look on his face that says everything's normal, just another night at the Grossman household. 

36 Weeks. Baby Numero 3.

Four more weeks to go as of February 11th. So close, but still seems so far away. I love that I can start saying in weeks (rather than months) how many more to go. I actually started counting down in weeks at 8 weeks, and felt good about it too, until the buzz-kill stranger at Rite Aid responded with, "Oh, still two more months?" No lady, 8 weeks, thank you very much.

On a more positive note (because I've been trying to work on having a more positive attitude lately), it is amazing to reflect on all the time that has passed already for this pregnancy. And it's even more amazing that I'm still alive. And Ryan too. And our girls for that matter. Okay, I know I don't have to be that dramatic, but it is so nice to think that I'm almost done with being pregnant. I have so many people to thank that helped us literally survive the past 8 months, and a shot out to Dora, Mickey Mouse Club and a new one I just tried out, Jake and the Never Land Pirates.

And without further adieu, here are the 8 months glamour shots. Watch out Olan Mills, don't hate because we don't have a full-length mirror in our house, so I'm standing on our tub to get a full-body shot.

{And just a heads up from a friend to a friend, please don't tell me how huge I am, I have lower back pain, stretch marks and cankles to inform me of that already.}

Here are pictures to compare from my last two pregnancies with one more month to go:

Pregnant with Alexia, April 2008:

Pregnant with Naiya, May 2009: