Officially Starting To Show 11-06

Officially...Starting to Show...and Half Way Through This Class

So this is an OFFICIAL post:

I am OFFICIALLY starting to show. Yes, I realize that a picture would be a great accompaniment to this particular statement, but I don't have one...and I am currently in my pajamas and NONE of you want to see a picture of me at this very moment...I promise  I went to Target in search of a maternity shirt for Thanksgiving, and they had NOTHING. So yesterday in my few hour window of feeling functional I made my way to Old Navy and found a very cute red, festive shirt. I tried on a ton of clothes and I am not sure if my body has just changed since last time or what, but I do not feel cute in maternity clothes this time around. In fact, I am finding myself dreading how large I am bound to get in the next few months. I am also having a very hard time spending any money on maternity clothes. They have some really cute stuff, but seriously, who can afford a whole new wardrobe for 5 months! Then it is useless until the next time. My maternity clothes from Landon are currently with a friend in Indiana (yes, I will be getting them back as soon as we can randesvous  ), but beyond that, they are mostly all summery. The season are exact opposite for this pregnancy. So...anyone know of a place I can get cute maternity stuff, but cheaper than $35 for a pair of pants?

I am OFFICIALLY half way through my cultural counseling class. This is the fifth week of an eight week class. It also happens to be the busiest. This is the week that they gave us the MOST reading, and a paper due by Sunday. I am a little under half way done with the paper and have yet to start the reading that is due by Thursday. Am I stressed,? A little. But unlike college (as in Cedarville), I am giving it my all to not allow school to rule my life, and thus, not allow stress to over-shadow every other part of my life. It all gets done in the end...right? Anyway, despite my frustration with having to take this class, I have to say that it has been manageable (granted the busiest part is now through the 17th of December, but still  ). I am thankful that the Lord worked it out that I stayed in...this way I am on track, I get to go do my intensives in January and March and I will have 24 credits BEFORE the baby is born. Hurray!

I am OFFICIALLY in the six week countdown to finding out what kind of baby I am carrying inside of my belly. I am so tired of referring to it as "It". I try to say "The baby", but so often I find myself saying it. I just cannot wait to say "he" or "she". This weekend Landon asked numerous times when the baby was coming out and he even asked to talk to it a few times. Precious! He told "It" that he wanted to share his toys and he wanted "it" to sleep in his car bed and even kissed my belly. He is going to be a great big brother! I do not have the ulttrasouns scheduled yet, but I am sure it will be some time in the next 6-7 weeks! Any guesses on what this little one is? Jonathan thinks it is so silly to guess bc there is no way of knowing at this point, but I love it. Even with other people, I just love to guess and then see if I am right or wrong. Maybe bc there is always a 50% chance I am right and I love being right 

I am OFFICIALLY grateful for people in my life that have filled so many needs and blessed us beyond words. For one, a lady at church whom I still have yet to meet, has made us meals twice. When I say meals, I mean the first time she made chicken noodle soup that fed us for FOUR different meals. This time she made us homemade chicken pot pie which fed us again, FOUR times AND she made us a casserole to freeze for this week. It is such a blessing bc as much as I want to, I cannot cook. Jonathan gets home too late, and so often we end up having to get food to go. I am so sick of fast food...I hate it. These homecooked meals have been so wonderful. Secondly, my mom has come once a week, cleaned my kitchen and bathrooms and FLOORS and polished my furniture. She has bought my groceries for me the past few weeks, and cared for Landon for a few hours so that I could do my grad school. I really just do not know what I would have done without her! And finally....YOU! I am so thankful for all of your encouragement through this time. Thank you for walking through this with me and putting up with my often times somewhat depressing posts. I am truly thankful for the friendships I have been able to develiop with you all!

I am OFFICIALLY banking on Christmas bringing relief to my sickenss. I will be 20 weeks around that time, and I just have to pray that it will be better by then. It kind of has to be...I have to make a 12 hour drive to Liberty the following week for a week of intensive classes 8-5pm. I HAVE to be better. Plus I just have to keep hoping, becuase if I let myself believe that it will be this way until May I will lose my mind.

And finally, I am OFFICIALLY thankful that I did not catch the colds that both Jonathan and Landon had last week. Today I am washing the sheets and cleaning out the rooms, which marks the end of the sickness for both of them, and I am going to start assuming I am not going to get it. Praise the Lord!

Oh yes, I will probably not be on here again (at least to post) before Thanksgiving due to the previously listed grad school assignments due this week...SO....I hope you all have a wonderful thanksgiving. I hope you enjoy your family and friends and that in some ways a new sense of thankfulness for all that God has blessed YOU with will wash over you this holiday season.