A baby shower and "a serious case of pregnancy"

On Saturday my sister threw me a great baby shower!  A lot of my friends from my adult Bible fellowship and Bible study, along with some wonderful co-workers and my mom and mother-in-law came to the shower to show their support.  I feel so blessed.  A good childhood friend of mine, Jenn Dvorak, lead the baby shower games and brought some amazing cupcakes from Jules bakery.  (She definitely deserves kudos because not only was the shower right after a busy fair week, but my shower was her second baby shower of the day!).

I don't have any pictures of the day...yet, but I hope to add some later.  However, I did take a picture of the amazing diaper cake that my co-worker Abbi made:

Diaper cake with lots of "goodies"- pacifiers, teethers, onesies, socks, bath essentials and a cute security blanket

I am hoping to get some photos of the party itself and I will post them when i can.  But in other news:

I have gotten HUGE.  Seriously, I feel like now that I am obviously pregnant, every time I eat something my belly grows.  In fact, today I was working triage and some nice gentlemen said to me "it looks like you have a serious case of pregnancy."  Now I suppose that can sound mean, but I could tell he was being sincere and interested in my pregnancy.  Most of the patients I take care of don't comment on the fact that I am obviously pregnant...unless I get a really severe kick that makes me react.  Many patients still expect that I will pick them up, boost them in bed, and a lot of patient's family members won't give up a chair for me when I am starting a patient's IV...so I end up trying to balance on my knees on the ground...makes for a long day...

Which brings me to more news: As of Monday, I am part-time! I needed to cut back on hours because the 12 hour shifts were getting to be too much for me...I was having braxton-hicks contractions at about 10 hours  of being on my feet, and feeling lightheaded, dizzy and even short of breath just talking with my patients!  So my wonderful husband convinced me it was time to cut back on my hours.  I am so thankful that I have such a wonderful, supportive husband!  So today was my second 8 hour day shift and I feel so much better.  I am less stressed out when I am at work, I sleep better, have fewer aches and pains and I can actually get some things done (which is going to come in handy since my "to do before baby" list is very long...). I had better start tackling that list.

But before I forget: I was at the grocery store this afternoon buying a few groceries and the cashier (a sweet teenage boy named Richard) asked me if I would like to drive up to get my groceries.  I responded to him, "do you ask me that because I am fat?"  The poor guy's face got really red...he felt so bad.  But I told him I was completely joking and that I appreciated his concern.  

That makes me think: I must be getting big!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Baby classes and my supportive hubby

Wednesday was our second class in our childbirth prep classes at St. Luke's birth center and our tour of the birthcare center.  Wow...there are a lot of things I'm super excited for, like meeting our little boy for the first time (even just thinking about it is almost enough to make me cry.  In fact, I'm tearing up right now...thanks third-trimester hormones!), but there are a few things I'm not looking forward to: namely childbirth.  I think it's the unknown that's so scary.  I don't know what my pain tolerance level is.  I'd like to have a natural (or at least, semi-natural  ;) ) childbirth.  I don't really want to have an epidural, but I may just change my mind when I'm actually in labor.  We will see.

This weeks class was about breathing techniques and pain control methods.  I've started practicing my slow paced breathing and my modified breathing techniques...hopefully they will help come Delivery-day!  Austin is so wonderful and is always supportive and encouraging...he tells me that he thinks I'll do great during labor and that I have a high pain tolerance.  He is so sweet; but we will see if he is right.

Another reason I think Austin is amazing is that he is so supportive of me during this pregnancy.  The 12 hour shifts in the ER have become very difficult.  The last few hours of each shift I notice I'm having frequent braxton-hicks contractions.  They aren't painful, but my abdomen gets really tight and stays that way for about 30-60 seconds and then relaxes.  I've been drinking lots of water (being dehydrated can aggravate your uterus and cause BH), but that doesn't seem to help.  It's like clockwork: at 5pm I start having the contractions and that's about the time I'm feeling exhausted from being on my feet (and not sleeping...another wonderful part of pregnancy!), lightheaded and dizzy.  Sometimes I even feel short of breath talking with my patients (The other day I had myself convinced that I had a pulmonary embolism!).

So why do I say Austin is so supportive?  He encouraged me to cut back on my hours; to go to 8 hour shifts and part-time status at work.  We were already planning that after maternity leave I would return to work part-time, but Austin said, "why not start part-time status now?"  So, it's official...yesterday I turned in my change of status form and I am now part-time!

So, what am I going to do now that I'm part-time?  I'm going to be a part-time RN and a part-time homemaker...check out my "sister" blog Part-time homemaker (I would have just one blog if I knew how to separate posts by category...but I'm not that advanced of a blogger...yet).

Well, today is a gorgeous day and both Austin and I are off work and we have lots of things on our "to do" list.  There are lots of things to do before the baby gets here, so we better get our day started!

It's been awhile...

So, I never did explain my first post.  Why did I start this blog?  What does "the good land" have to do with my life and what I am experiencing right now?

Well...

When I started this blog, I was about 8 weeks pregnant and now I am 32 weeks (well...31 and 5/7 weeks).  A lot has changed, and a lot more is going to change in the coming weeks and months.  My "to do" list keeps getting longer and my sleep continues to get shorter (as does my memory).  These past few months have been difficult at times:  Austin was at the police academy in Des Moines for my entire first trimester and now that he has been back he has been "forced" lots of extra hours.  Our time together is short, but we make a point to cherish and protect it, especially as we look toward a big lifestyle change with the addition of a little one.

Even though things have been less-than ideal at times, we believe that the Lord is bringing us into a good land.  He desires to bless his children.  We have seen this in many ways throughout the almost four years of our marriage.  And children are a blessing from the Lord.

We anxiously await the arrival of God's latest blessing.
A son.
Name to be released at a later date.  ;)

Why "the good land"

Coming up with a blog name was challenging.  When I thought back to when Austin and I first got engaged, I was reminded of our favorite Bible passage: Deuteronomy 8.  I know it's not a common passage, but it means a lot to Austin and I.  Here is Deuteronomy 8:7-11:

 For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills. When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. 

The book of Deuteronomy was written (most likely by Moses) as a series of "speeches" to the Isrealites outlining where they came from (the wilderness where they wandered for 40 years) and looks forward to the land that was promised to them (the good land...the "promised land"). 

To me, the description of "the good land" is beautiful.  Brooks and streams, valleys and hills, and an abundant harvest.  I can close my eyes and almost taste the goodness of it all.  The beauty that I can imagine exists in this good land is what my heart longs for; what I believe my heart was made for. 

To make a long story short, this passage has meant a lot to Austin and I because we believe that the Lord is bringing us into a good land.  From our engagement and marriage, to the great home that we were blessed to rent for the first three years of our marriage, to Austin's new job and our new house.  Although things haven't always been easy -- we have dealt with money and job issues, a "failed" business and more-- but in it all we have seen the Lord at work bringing us to where we are today.  We thank the Lord for all of our blessings and are very excited for the journey the Lord has us on; for the good land He is bringing us into.