blessed

i am still pregnant. and ready to not be. but i continue to be so blessed by all your sweet words and acts of love and encouragement. thank you.

for the wonderful meal yesterday.
for the sweet email just letting me you KNOW where i am.
for the phone call to tell me you UNDERSTAND.
for spending time with me to pass the time.

thank you.

the following is a prayer that Megan wrote for me. i've reread it so many times in the past week. i laugh. i cry. she knows my concerns, and prayers...my heart.

"My Prayer for You"
My prayer for you is a smooth and fast delivery, but enough time to get that epidural hooked in.
My prayer for you is a healthy and happy baby who takes a pacifier easily and loves to sleep as much as eat.
My prayer for you is the ability to truly soak in those first few precious days with the new one.
My prayer for you is not to pressure yourself into being "supermomwifehousekeeper" when you first get home. Or even the first few months, let's be honest.
My prayer for you is that you will be swimming a mile and running for four in no time at all after birth.
My prayer for you is that you enjoy every single moment of this little one's first few months. Even when things are hard and you are exhausted and you don't think you can go on. Look at that little baby and smile at how precious and sweet they are.
My prayer for you is that you wil remember this is just a stage that will have an end and with its end you will be wishing for it back.
My prayer for you is that you continue to pray with Pat every night, even with the demands of a newborn.
My prayer for you is the ability to eat like you are pregnant while you are nursing...maybe this will be the time that actually works!
My prayer for you is that none of your post-baby meals contains red sauce.
My prayer for you is that Bailey will easily transition into not being the tiniest anymore.
My prayer for you is that Joshua will not be too upset if you bring home a baby dressed in pink instead of blue...same for you as well.
My prayer for you is that Rebekah will not balk about going to school in the fall and being away from her new baby.
My prayer for you is that your hormones will stabilize quickly after giving birth and keep mood swings to a minimum.
My prayer for you is that you will cling to God's promise to exceedingly abundantly more than we could ever ask or imagine. Then relax and let Him do it, not you.
My prayer for you is strength in times of weakness, not your own, but that from above.
My prayer for you is that you will find at least ten minutes each day to do something you enjoy, even if that is just flipping through a magazine.
My prayer for you is that you take enough mental photos of life with a baby to last you for a lifetime of smiling reflections.
My prayer for you is not thinking evil thoughts towards me when you are overwhelmed since I really encouraged you to have this fourth baby ;-)
My prayer for you is to relish the joy of all the baby's firsts. First smile, first laugh, first wave, first roll, first tantrum, first giggle, first time they tell you "NO!" after you say it to them.
My prayer for you is that you take your most frustrating moments and learn a lesson from them.
My prayer for you is that the cost of diapers takes a dramatic fall next month. Okay, that is a prayer for me too.
My prayer for you is that each day you give thanks for how truly blessed God has made you and your children.
My prayer for you is that you see some sun before the end of summer after the little one is here.
My prayer for you is that the miracle of a new baby will be just as amazing to you as the first time and you can marvel in the work of your Creator as you stare at those tiny fingers and toes.
My prayer for you is a lot of laughter and only the therapeutic kind of tears in your household for the next six months. Any not many of those tears even of the therapeutic kind.
My prayer for you is to find moments of one-on-one contact with each of your kids weekly. Daily is best, but let's get real...there will be an infant in the house.
My prayer for you is that you never run out of wipes at a public restroom when you are changing a poopie diaper.
My prayer for you is that Pat's work hours will remain stable, especially for the next six months.
My prayer for you is not too many days of pre-labor before the real stuff starts.
My prayer for you is being confident and peaceful in the love of your heavenly Father, no matter what challenges or joys He will use to teach you over the next few months.