Fall Family Shoot and Life Lately

I met Claire and her now-husband Kevin during their engagement a few years ago, when Andrew and I taught them NFP.  The friend crush was mutual, but we didn't really get in touch again until about 2 months ago, when we did a postpartum NFP class with them after the birth of their sweet little girl.  In exchange for the teaching, Claire, who just started her beautiful photography business, offered to meet up for some family photos, and I'm so grateful to her and excited to share them with you!

  

In other news…

...I am 38 weeks and feeling every second of it!  Braxton-Hicks all day long, and though this is more of an emotional intuition than a physical one, I've gotten a strong feeling lately that this little girl isn't going to stay put for a full 40 weeks.  We are getting more excited than ever to meet her, and now that she has clothes and dipes and a cosleeper ready to go, I am more than ready for her arrival!  For now I'm just enjoying one-on-one time with Aaron, filling our freezer with meals for later, and trying to enjoy the surprising amount of sleep I've been able to manage!

…I just read this article revealing letters exchanged between St. Gianna and her husband, Pietro, from before they started dating.  She actually said 'I love you' first, and his response is beautiful.  Call me untraditional, but I think in the right circumstances, there is a holy boldness to that sort of spirit of truth and directness.  If you missed it a while back, here's my take on when and how a woman can pursue a man while still honoring each person's femininity and masculinity.

…I'm pretty sure Christmas shopping isn't going to happen unless I get it all done in the next few weeks, which is fine by my giving-happy self.  I love picking out presents for people!  For me, we've been saving up for this all year, and despite the permanent trauma inflicted on me by my Southern-born 8th grade Social Studies teacher, who thought bringing in her collection of furs--with animal faces and feet still attached--was a good way to teach us about the French and Indian War and the fur trade, I've recently gotten over my aversion and have really been wanting one of these.  What's at the top of your wish list?  

…Did you catch the cover reveal for Invited two weeks ago?  Check it out here, and be on the lookout for more news about the release soon.

…I've been trying to venture beyond the baked goods realm as pumpkin goes--having to go back to the blood lab for the 3-hour gestational diabetes test was enough to scare me, at least temporarily, into cutting down on all the muffins we'd been making.  I made this mac and cheese for Aarons's birthday and it's definitely getting added to our rotation.  Tell me your favorite not-sweet pumpkiny recipe!

I'm out for now.  Oh sweet anticipation.

34 Week Bumpdate

Less attention for the second child, even in the womb, syndrome: it's totally real, you guys.  I suppose the difference in my life from two years ago, namely, that I spend my days playing Hot Wheels and feeding peanut butter spoons to a toddler instead of sitting at a desk with lots of downtime to read about my pregnancy, has made this round of gestation feel much faster than the last.  I've even had to count on a calendar a few times to figure out how far along I am!

Anyway, Aaron's photographically neglected little sis got some time in front of the camera this weekend, and that, along with my being full term (what) approaching so soon, made now feel like a good time to take stock of everything that's going on right now, plus catch up on the things I want to remember about this pregnancy in general.

Weight Gain: Man, you bumpdate inventors don't beat around the bush.  Around 20 pounds, I think.  My weight has been weird this time around.  I actually gained only about 2 pounds in the first four months, probably thanks to throwing up around the clock, and once my morning alllll day sickness subsided, I gained 6 pounds in a month, two months in a row, and have continued on that path of bigger gains at each of my appointments.  Steady on.

Maternity clothes:  Dislike.  But yes, I'm wearing them, at least in places where pants are socially required.  I was able to get away with a belly band, a ratty pair of gym shorts from college that were still comfy, and with pushing down the waists of stretchy bottoms until about a month ago, which I was grateful for since I have neither the space nor budget for a big maternity wardrobe, but it's on to full-fledged elastic and panels now.  So I cling to three pairs of jeans, wear one of these most days, and layer a regular (unbuttoned) button-up or cardigan over top, though I do have a few T-shirts that still fit over everything without getting ridiculously stretched.

Stretch marks? None until about two weeks ago, but my belly is starting to get the tigress look.  Last time I also had some on the bell, as well as my thighs and sides, but to my surprise, they faded pretty quickly after Aaron's birth and aren't really visible anymore.  I like to think these new ones wouldn't bother me if they become permanent, but I also remember how fragile my sense of beauty and worth was in that postpartum haze, so while I'm hoping these marks also go away, I'm also hoping I can be at peace with them should they decide to stick around.

Sleep: Mercifully, pretty good, and definitely better than I recall compared to last time (Two years ago I quite literally wrestled this horrible-to-me pillow to the ground in a 1 a.m. rage...).  About once a week I wake up and can't go back to sleep for about two hours at a time, which I spend peeing, tossing the blankets around, reading, and attempting to pray, but other than that I'm so thankful to sleep through most of the night, most of the time.  I'm trying to soak it up while it lasts!

Miss anything? I enjoy alcohol, but rarely have it, mostly due to my inner cheapskate.  So it's been such a surprise to find myself consistently craving a beer!  As far as dietary pregnancy rebels go, I think I fall about halfway left of moderate and have had things like sushi a few times without really worrying about it.  With the booze though, I have the sense that if I don't often have it while not pregnant, pregnancy maybe isn't the best time to start habitually (moderately!) drinking some, so I've mostly avoided it.  Oh, and basic flexibility…I'm starting to miss the ease of doing seemingly simple stuff like rolling over in bed without crushing my baby honeydew, painting my toenails without also painting my actual toes, and squatting to pick things up without my knees running into my belly!

Movement: I'm 34 weeks.  Let's keep this simple and just call it a resounding yes.

Food Cravings: Well, beer.  Beverage-wise, I've also been guzzling seltzer water with lemon juice as often as I can, thanks to the SodaStream my sister gifted us last Christmas.  Maybe it's a general carbonation craving.  And tart craving.   In keeping with the tart I've joined Aaron in his frozen berries with yogurt habit and almost always want strawberries or an apple first thing in the morning.

Anything making you sick? Not anymore, praise the Lord.

Gender: Still a lady baby, so far as we know.

Labor signs: Lots of Braxton-Hicks, but nothing terribly uncomfortable or frequent enough to make me think I'm in actual labor yet.

Symptoms: Some round ligament pain, which is also more manageable than I recall from my last pregnancy.  I've been taking calcium supplements this time, which evidently are helpful, and have also wondered if being more active this time has helped.

Belly button in or out? Super out.  It wasn't until I saw my reflection when I wore under-belly maternity pants, instead of over-belly ones or my belly band, that I realized how prominent it's gotten!

Rings on or off? On, and I'm hoping with the cooler weather, they'll stay that way.  Also, both my wedding and engagement rings have always been a tiny bit loose, not so much as to to come off or slide up and down my fingers, but enough that the stones sort of fall off-center to the side rather than staying snug in one spot, which has turned out to be handy (accidental hand pun…) for pregnancy.

Looking forward to: meeting this little girl face-to-face, of course, but I think even more so, I can't wait for hers and Aaron's first meeting!  Although I don't expect perfect behavior from Aaron as three become four, I've loved watching his sweetness of spirit be drawn out in this way of him becoming a big brother. He insists his sister read books with us by pulling up my shirt, runs over with toys to show her, and rocks his stuffed animals in the baby swing.  I know for sure I'm going to lose it the first time he sees her…

Baby girl was breech at my doctors' appointment 2 weeks ago, and to see if she'd flipped by the most recent one, my midwife did an ultrasound to check on her position.  I hadn't expected one at all, and the difference in her size and development compared to the one I had at 20 weeks, even at the slightly fuzzy level, was amazing when I saw her on the screen.  Even as she's felt more and more a part of our family over the past 8 months, something about seeing her sweet little face made her coming arrival feel even more real.

Speaking of transitions (of the figurative, not labor-related variety), any wisdom from veteran mamas on helping your first child adjust to your second? And helping you adjust to your second, for that matter?  I love hearing about your experiences!

7 Quick Takes, Vol. 34

{story of a soul, condensed}

Unknown to them until now, if they're reading, Emily and Elise inspired this post with their roundups of things they're lately immersed in, pondering, and in love with.  Inspired, I'm shamelessly bandwagoning and linking up with Kelly.

{1} Creating: It's around this time of year that this eager beav starts making lists of what to give for Christmas.  I mean even the store-bought stuff, not just the homemade things that take longer.  I just really like picking out presents.  Anyway, since I'll have a one-month-old this Christmas, I figured I'd enjoy this chance to get a head head start on holiday knitting projects.  I'll never tell what this will be or who it's for.  Well, until they get it at Christmas.  I should be using Andrew's and my when-we-have-time Netflixing to keep at it, but instead I'm content to just cuddle while...

{2} Watching: The Office.  It will never not be my favorite comedy.  I loved the show while it was still on TV, but for some reason (probably college and its unpredictability) never actually watched it on TV--always DVDs or online.  It's our first time watching the last two seasons, which I'm nervous about because everyone said the show falls apart after Steve Carell's departure…maybe our standards are lower than we thought, but so far so funny.  Fingers crossed.  Or maybe it's not that bad?  Someone reassure me?!

{3} Testing the waters: Even though I've been wearing makeup since my mom first let me in 8th grade, I'm not sure I'd say I actually know how to use it well (the proof's in the sparkly lipgloss of my high school years and my eternal failure to ever, ever keep mascara on my lashes where it belongs), beyond the basics of knowing how to line my eyes and put on blush and chapstick.  I stumbled onto this via Pinterest and mentioned to my sister my fear-yet-curiosity about venturing into very, very subtle contouring.  She let me borrow this little number and to my surprise, my skin didn't look too orange, too fake, too Kardashian, or anything, just…like my skin.  Or my skin if it were naturally a little smoother and brighter.  I like.

{4} Listening: Jon Foreman, every single time I open up Spotify.  Since college, I've actually preferred his solo music to his recordings with Switchfoot, and his new EP, Sunlight, is so poetic and beautiful.  Because I love the Theology of the Body so much, I tend to see it everywhere and attribute everything artistic to it, even if I'm aware the artist was unaware (to me it's just proof that the human heart is full of universal longings!).  But honestly, it seems impossible not to see TOB in lyrics like "the feeling comes to me again / the feeling to give up and to give in / the feeling that I've already lost the war / but a pure heart is worth waiting for" and "we're not destined for this pain / we hide ourselves and put the fig leaves on / but a mask can never cover up this shame."  So, so, so so beautiful.

Clutching the belly band for dear life.

{5} Wearing: I am desperately trying to make my regular shorts last the summer with the help of a belly band, but mercy, mercy, I'm not sure I'm going to make it.  I'm fairly certain this pregnancy's 25-week belly looks more like last time's 30-weeks-or-more belly!  I also realized that since I'm not working now like I was during Aaron's pregnancy, the shorts I wear to chase a toddler are a lot less forgiving, comfort-wise, than the skirts and dresses I was wearing to the office most days two years ago.  But it's not so bad; it's as amazing as I remember, in fact.  I've loved finally getting to share our little girl's kicks with Andrew, who can feel her from the outside now!  And pants are for chumps.  Or for being seen in public only.

{6} Wishing for: It's not maternity friendly, and even less bank account-friendly, a.k.a. between those two things it'll never be mine, but is this maxi not one of the prettiest skirts you've ever seen?  I love the silhouette, the wide waistband, and love, love, love the leaf print.  The rest of the pieces in this collection are gorgeous, too.  A pregnant girl on a budget can dream.

{7} Praying: We spent about 14 hours' worth of last Saturday and Sunday afternoons laying in bed with Aaron as he slept and cried his way through the third ear infection of his little life.  He's on the mend this week, and I feel guilty that I secretly enjoy the sick snuggles, since they come at the expense of his comfort!  More and more, I'm aware that having one baby who can play and do some things indecently, who sleeps well, and who we more or less have figured out (oh my pride…it's definitely less, but I like to think I am much calmer and more knowledgeable than when he was first born) has given us such a sacred time to enjoy him solo before his sister arrives in a few months, and also a pretty easy time.  My prayer lately has been that I can embrace what's sure to be far less free time and complete abandonment of a schedule for a while when the time comes for our family to adjust to two babies.  Now that Aaron's more capable of doing things on his own when I need a few minutes to get a chore finished or to make a phone call, I struggle at times to be present with him when I don't need to be doing anything besides talking to him or playing with him.  Not in a helicopter way, just in a quality time way.  Joy flows from sacrifice and service, and I want my children to know that through my example.

Anything exciting going on this weekend?  Mine's got an outdoor Zumba class and my niece's third birthday on the calendar.  Have a wonderful one.

7 Quick Takes, Vol. 33…Catching you up on the past YEAR!

{story of a soul, condensed}

Hi friends!  Welcome to my humble attempted blogsurrection.  There have been a few other projects, as well as my own laziness, that have kept me away from writing here, but I've been feeling called to blog again and am excited to start posting more frequently.  Linking up with Kelly, bombarding you with photos, and sharing with you what I've been up to…

{1} Aaron is just a few months away from turning 2 in October!  He has turned into the most curious, chatty, imaginative toddler.  Obviously, I'm biased, but I can't help feeling I have never seen a more adorably hilarious kid!  His current loves include trucks of any kind, drawing (which also involves Mommy drawing all those trucks), peanut butter toast, sitting on our laps to read book after book, and chasing after balls.  I catch him talking and singing to himself all the time…the other night after bath time, Andrew and I couldn't stop laughing as we watched him run around in a penguin bathrobe, singing this song, adapted into, "Boom, clap, sound in my heart.  Pizza na na na na na na."  It's amazing to see who he's becoming!

{2}  You might remember that for the past two and a half years, I've been working on a Catholic wedding planner with Pauline Books and Media.  I'm happy to say that after hours of rewriting and editing, my book is getting closer and closer to a final draft and is tentatively scheduled for a January release!  Now if only I could settle on a title…patron saint of naming, anyone?!

{3} We just got home from a beach vacation with Andrew's family, which…with a toddler in tow, didn't feel 100% like a vacation, but was great all the same.  We cooked together every night, stayed up playing board games, and watched the young folk swim and run around for hours straight, then collapse every night.  I've been discovering over the past few months that Aaron is not a natural water baby--poor thing screamed when we took him to the edge of the ocean for the first time, and he insisted on planting himself at the playground of our neighborhood pool.  Finally, by our second-to-last day, he borrowed his cousin's floatie and let us pull him around in the pool, and his running from the waves turned into a game, ending with him sprinting over and over back into the ocean!  Some tears ensued on my part…motherhood, ya'll.

From there we traveled straight on to my cousin's wedding 9 1/2 hours from the beach.  I'd been praying all week for a peaceful, if not necessarily easy, trip, and felt such a spiritual kick in the pants at God's faithfulness.   Aaron slept well in the car and was in a good mood by himself in the backseat for longer stretches than I expected, and to my deep happiness, even during stretches of traffic and 20-month-old crankiness, Andrew and I were given the grace to be patient with each other (literally, my prayer had been, "Please don't let us fight the whole trip!") and the endurance to take turns entertaining the little dude.

{4} Back in May, Andrew finished his last graduate classes ever.  He's continuing on in his English Ph.D program for about the next three years and will spend this year studying for comps while teaching at the school where he's studying, as well as teaching two classes at our alma mater!  It's been a longtime dream of his to go back there to teach one day, and I am so proud of my hubs!  Please pray for us this summer as Andrew attempts to work, prepare for the semester, and study for his exams!

{5} Thanks to carpooling and the train, we've been able to get by pretty easily with one car for the past four years, but Andrew's adjunct position means we'll finally have to become a two-car family in the fall.  We are looking to buy one used, but..help!  The price of a used SUV or minivan alone came as a surprise to us, but the actual process of researching and purchasing one is just as crazy.  So, any advice?  I feel like we've gotten a handle on the basics of what and what not to look for, but other than that we are total newbies at this.  I'd love to hear any of your experiences!

{6} A minivan?  Well.  That's because I'm so excited to share with you that we are expecting our second sweet baby around Thanksgiving!  Tomorrow I am 20 weeks along, and it feels much faster than last time that I'm already halfway to meeting this little one.  It's been a pretty different pregnancy--much less fatigue, but way more morning sickness…and, um, afternoon and evening sickness.  But thanks be to God, the nauseous stage has fully passed and now I'm on to the perpetual hangry!  I'm wondering if the experience has been so different because...

{7} It's a GIRL!

If you're still reading, I'm looking forward to diving back into this community over the next few months and I thank you for clicking this open.  Have a beautiful weekend!

An Introduction

At the time my last post, full of pregnancy updates, went up (I'd scheduled it ahead of time), I was in labor!  Baby Aaron Tobias was born last Wednesday morning after, unbeknownst to me, I arrived at the hospital fully dilated and ready to push!

It's love, you guys.  Amongst the difficulties of adjusting to nursing and an entirely different sleeping schedule, there've been more incredibly sweet moments that I can count.  We are so blissfully undeserving of this blessing.  Please pray to St. Gianna for our new little family!

Pregnancy Updates

I'm 39 weeks now!  My little one, who is seriously not feeling little at all these days (hello there, tiny, cute foot lodged in my rib cage), weighs over 7.5 pounds now, according to my books (Andrew's family has a history of 10+ pound babies, and I was 8 myself, so I'm trying to avoid the anxiety of actually knowing my baby's size right now). He's behaving pretty much like he will as a newborn--sucking his thumb, spending longer times sleeping, and practicing inhaling and exhaling like a champ.  We are getting more and more excited to meet him and I've been amazed with how my heart just continues to grow and be pierced with love for someone I haven't even laid eyes on yet!  

A few friends had been asking me if I'd had any Braxton-Hicks contractions yet, and since I didn't know what to expect (ha), I could honestly say I wasn't sure if I'd experienced them or not.  A few weeks ago, my doubts were put to rest when I stood up at work and got a really strong, menstrual cramp-ish feeling that lasted about a minute.  I was convinced, for a moment, I was going into labor!  

Then, a few nights ago on the home front, I started having a few actual contractions that came and went for most of the night, around the same time all the mucus and fluids decided to show themselves (thanks, NFP, for letting me actually get excited about mucus).  I stayed home from work yesterday, but did make it to my already scheduled appointment with the midwife.  According to her, the hormones that cause labor are at their highest levels between midnight and 5:00 a.m.--that definitely sounded like my case!  She recommended just keeping up with my routine until things seem to progress or intensify, so who knows what could happen in the next few days or so! 

Although I don't have any expectations or preconceptions of how Andrew and I will be together while I'm giving birth, I've had a strong sense lately that it's going to feel like the most major thing we've ever done.  Stating the obvious, maybe, but it's just some sort of feeling on a deeper level than I've had before now.  My husband is such a great dad already, talking constantly to our son and taking care of me (and by extension, him) so wonderfully.  I know I'm about to fall way deeper in love in a completely new way.  Here are a few photo updates!

This picture is from 32 weeks, I think.  Which is to say, my belly is even bigger now...

...See?  37 weeks.

 I've loved getting all of the sweet little baby clothes and things ready!

Apple picking with Andrew's family, as my husband teaches his son how to flex.

My friend Beth is 6 weeks behind me, and it's been so wonderful sharing our pregnancies!  Here we are with our friend Teresa at my baby shower...

...and at hers!

And now my bag is packed and all that feels left to do is wait to hold this sweet baby in my arms!  Pray for me, please!

7 Quick Takes, Volume 29

{story of a soul, condensed}

Visit Jen at Conversion Diary for more Quick Takes!

{1} Please say some prayers for my grandfather, who had a stroke about a week ago.  Thanks be to God, he is recovering very well and doesn't seem to have been affected too much physically or mentally, but there are still questions to be decided about a future surgery and some other measures.  Thank you so much!

{2} I'm so looking forward to a weekend of nesting!  I feel like we've been so busy lately, but I can't ignore this sneaking feeling that our baby is going to come a little early before we even have a place for him to sleep or any tiny clothes washed for him.  Andrew and I went shopping for a few things this week, and after two incredibly generous baby showers, we are close to having all of the basics covered, but everything's still in boxes and I still need to order a few of the big things like diapers and whatnot.  We are so anxious to meet our sweet little guy!  Preparedly, of course...

Very anxious indeed.

{3} We're also going apple picking, a family tradition, this weekend!  You know those two showers?  The setup for one of them was that we were going on our orchard trip, only, Andrew and his brothers kept giving me wayyy more details than normal about where to pick everyone up and when to get there and I have to admit I was a little suspish.  But, surprise-revealed or not, it was still such a wonderful afternoon with both of our families, and I've been so amazed at the love and generosity people have for a little baby who's not even born yet.  The other shower was thrown by my friends and sisters-in-law, and it really was a huge surprise--I'd thought Andrew and I were going on a double date with my siblings-in-law for Mediterranean food, which is always enough to get this homebody out of the house and on a date, only to be surprised at the door!  So, so thankful.

{4}  I can't stop with the baby fever takes (I'm wracking my brain for a Bieber joke and am coming up short)...on the subject of preparedness, any advice from you mamas on unexpected items to make sure I bring to the hospital?  I've been reading things here and there and making a list, but I'd love to know if there's anything you found extra comfy or anything you wished you'd brought along, beyond the typical PJ's-camera-birth plan-Gatorade front.

{5} Blog posts telling Robin Thicke to man up are kind of old news now, I realize, but my friend Angie shared this article recently, in which the language from "Blurred Lines" is compared to the language of sexual violence, that really struck at my heart.  Read it.  

{6} Clearly I have my priorities straight...if my baby were to be born tomorrow, he'd have bare buns and no bed, but at least I could record all of it--we've been saving up for a DSLR camera for almost a year, and I pulled the trigger a few weeks ago.  I love it so far and have been trying to read as much as I can.   It was really important to me (and to my ever thrifty husband) that if we splurged on a fancier camera, we learned over time how to use it to its full capabilities beyond the Automatic modes; it didn't make sense to us to get something expensive and very adaptable and then use it the same way we would a regular point and shoot.  That said, I'm a very eager student right now!  This site has been an awesome resource, but I've been a little overwhelmed trying to find other tutorials or books.  Any recommendations?

{7} Also in the interesting articles category, did you read this one about why parents shouldn't send their daughters to college?  All due respect to the Catholic family ministry that published it, but I found the article incredibly presumptuous, negative, and full of logical fallacies.  A few days afterwards, I found myself really enjoying Haley's response, as well as this post from the National Catholic Register, by a stay at home mom who went to Princeton.  Thoughts? 

Off I go to pick apples and feather our nest.  Have a wonderful weekend; let me know what you're up to!

Inspired: Maternity Bridesmaids Wear

{delights}

As a girl who's officially 9 months pregnant as of today (!), I feel like I have a new appreciation for my wardrobe, as in, all the things that used to fit.  Dressing a baby bump has definitely taken some creativity with items I already own, which is fun if limiting, but for a few special occasions (baptisms, interviews, and parties) I did have to go hunting for new dresses.  For a while I was able to get away with bigger sizes of regular items, but at 36 weeks, there's pretty much no getting around the maternity wear right now.

My guess is that if you're having a Catholic wedding, there's a good chance at least one pregnant girl is involved.  Out of solidarity, I offer you today some of the cutest belly-friendly bridesmaids' dresses I've stumbled across:

Dresses, Left to Right: Ruche, David's Bridal, Ruche, Ruche, Topshop

What do you think?  If you've had expectant friends in your wedding or one that you've been in, I'd love for you to share any extra advice!

7 Quick Takes, Volume 26

{story of a soul, condensed}

Visit Jen at Conversion Diary for more Quick Takes!

{1} I've been dying to say this, and now I finally can...last Winter, I got a huge, blessed surprise when I was asked to write a book for Catholic brides!  I just signed a publishing contract a few weeks ago and am actively working on a manuscript.  With all that stuffs going on, plus our baby arriving in what feels like so soon, things might get a little quieter here and there in blogland, but I can promise you I'm not going anywhere!

{2} Speaking of our baby, Andrew and I are about 95% settled on a name for our little peanut!  He's had a nickname for months now, and it's been surprisingly easy to switch over to calling him by his future name.  I didn't think I could be more excited to meet him, but this makes things feel even more real!

{3} Beth, one of my best friends, is having a baby boy, too, and our little ones will be born just a few months apart!  I love these photos we took last weekend and keep wishing wombs came with windows--I'm imagining the babies waving to each other from in there!

{4} I read this article recently about tattoos and the Theology of the Body--if the body expresses the person, asks the author, are tattoos consistent with what our bodies are meant to communicate?  I was intrigued because it's a subject I've had a few conversations about here and there (and one that I don't have a super strong opinion on because I've never heard an entirely logical, sound argument either for or against tattoos), but, all due respect, the good points Emily makes still didn't seem to directly answer the question of whether or not tattoos on the body do or do not express the person.  My thinking says a tattoo that's impulsively chosen isn't really a reflection of the person (though I also don't think it's really a moral issue), but that if words or images are chosen with the desire to sincerely express a truth one feels in his or her soul, then it really could be a reflection of who he or she is.  Side note: there's currently no ink, and there probably won't ever be, on this girl, though, like I said, I don't find it a big deal or a defilement of the gift or anything.  But, I'd be curious to hear your thoughts!  Read the post and tell me what you think!

{5} Other recent internet finds...a recipe I'm hoping will recreate the most delicious toasted marshmallow milkshake a friend treated me to, a free Matisyahu album, and (this isn't recent, I guess) the classic pair of boots I've debated buying every Fall for probably the last 3 years.

{6} Your input, please: any good prenatal yoga or stretching routines you recommend?  I have to admit I haven't been exercising nearly as much as I'd like or as is good for me (read: I haven't really been exercising, period since we moved), and I think the ol' muscles, especially the ones in my back, could use some TLC.  My workouts, when they happen, mainly consist of the P90X kickboxing and arm and leg DVDs and clips from those Just Dance games on YouTube, but I want to start giving some of the gentler stuff a try, too.  Suggest away.

{7} We're hosting a little college reunion dinner party tomorrow and I can't wait!  During the two years Andrew and I lived out of state, we were always guests and never hosts, and I'm so excited to finally have friends over myself.  Enjoy your weekend, too; I'd love to know what you're up to!

7 Quick Takes, Volume 25

{story of a soul, condensed}

Visit Jen at Conversion Diary for more Quick Takes!  You know how it's done.

{1} After a few weeks of feeling pretty displaced and dealing with a lot of temptation to despair, I'm grateful to report that in the space of the last week, I was offered and accepted a new job as a secretary at Andrew's soon-to-be university!  We'll be in different departments on campus during the day, but I'm excited at the prospect of being near each other most days of the week, and so thankful for the peace of mind that this opportunity has brought so far.  I've had somewhat of a bumpy history with job searching, though the Father has always provided for us so well, so it can be a struggle for me not to define myself by work.  With moving to a more expensive area, though, and with the lower pay that Andrew will be receiving as a grad student, it's been a good lesson to me in the last month or so to learn to value money without freaking out about it all the time.  Being overly concerned about not enough, I've realized, can be just as draining and prideful as I imagine being overly concerned with excess can be.  God is so good to us!

{2} With me being gone now for most of the day, with Andrew having a few more weeks before classes start, and with how much we love living near our close friends again and hosting them, my husband has been cooking up a storm, and doing it so well!  Gone are his frozen burrito days (remember when he hijacked my blog and wrote about his malnourished bachelor days?).  He made our favorite chicken soup and some carrot cake cupcakes for a game night with two of our friends this week!

{3} Here's my 29-week belly...as I approach 30 weeks on Monday, it suddenly feels like our baby's arrival is so much closer.  There's something that feels so big and so soon about being in the 30s weeks, and not the 20s, timewise.  I took my gestational diabetes test a few days ago; it was as nasty as everyone told me it would be, but I'm happy to report that all in the land of my blood sugar is well.

{4} In other baby news, Stephanie from I Found Him Whom My Soul Loves gave birth to her son Gabriel a few days ago!  She's become a wonderful spiritual friend to me in the blogging world, and I couldn't be happier for her and her husband Michael!  Head to her blog for pictures and to show them some love!  P.S. Did you catch Steph's guest post on Captive the Heart this week?

{5} One last pregnancy matter: I've read some things here and there about this thing called belly binding, a method of helping to heal and strengthen your back and ab muscles postpartum.  There are bands like this one that I have to say I'm intrigued by, not so much for the promises of shedding the baby weight faster (or, in their words, my "pre-pregnancy hotness...?"), but for the chance of a slightly easier, quicker recovery.  Evidently it's a longtime practice in non-Western countries (and evidently, non-Western countries seem to perceive that we Americans make things way complicated for ourselves when it comes to babies and childbirth.  But that's another matter).  Which brings me to asking if any of you have experience with this: have you mamas ever done a belly wrap after giving birth?  Did it help?  And by all means, if there's a particular item you recommend, lay it on me.

{6} Confession time: I love writing about books on marriage, sexuality, and love on this blog, but I haven't read a new spiritual book on any of these topics in the last few months!  The well is dry right now.  I'd love your suggestions, but to give this another spin, I've been thinking about tossing in a movie here and there in place of a book.  I have to say that I'm kind of a hard sell for most romances (I generally find them too cute, too unrealistic, or too focused on lust instead of love), but I do have a few in mind that I'd love to share with you.  That said, enlighten me!  Would you like to see movie selections now and then on the blog?  And, tell me your favorite love story!

{7} We're lucky enough to live just over 2 hours from the beach in our new home and are off to spend the weekend at the shore with Andrew's family!  I'd love to know what you're up to, too!