These days

I've been battling a bug this week; hence, an absence on this space (although Instagram is a different story). What has been making a frequent appearance instead is cups of warm honey lemon water. Accompanied by hanging out in our pajamas all day long, even when we have company. Coloring at the new creation station (which is still in the works). Letting the messes pile up because my tiredness has overwhelmed my inclination to clean. Sleeping fitfully because the littler love kicks with ferocity throughout the day and night in my belly. Which makes me wonder how he shall be ever stronger the next three months.

I'm six months along, so I've been thinking about labor and delivery - preparing for it (as much as I can, that is). I wasn't very prepared the first time around, but I hope it's different this May. I'd love to be able to get an epidural with our littler love, but in case it doesn't happen again, I'm going to attempt listening to a hypnobirthing track a dear friend sent me for these next three months. The goal is to holler less during the contractions in May. After all, how boring if Alex were to tell everyone that my giving birth was like the exorcism again ;)

I am getting more excited by the day to meet the little lad though. Alex and I took a baby care class this week with a fake infant doll and everything. It was hilarious (the doll) and helpful (the class), especially since we didn't end up taking any classes when we were pregnant with Serene. We'll be giving birth at a different hospital with baby boy, so I'm thankful for these opportunities. We have another class later this month and I'm looking forward to it. I've also been in intense nesting mode, with grand schemes to redecorate our little home. Which actually translates to transitioning Serene's nursery into a shared room for our two babies, even though that's not going to need to happen until we sleep train her little brother when he's six months. But the planner in me wants to check projects off the list; time is limited because, after all -

We're going to have two babies, Lord willing. That still confounds me! We can't really imagine what going from one to two kiddos will be like yet, but we are taking this time before baby boy arrives to enjoy our little family of three. We're cherishing this time with just Serene Joy for now. At sixteen months, she is at such a fun, sweet, and increasingly sassy stage. Alex and I are daily learning how to be united in loving her with discipline. So thankful for wisdom from God's word, friends, and resources like the BCDA. I've been blessed to attend the BCDA training conference on biblical counseling, which runs from January through March. It's a thing just for myself for one full weekend each of first three months of 2015, a refreshing respite from the daily mama and baby routine. I've been so encouraged and edified from the first sessions in January in thinking about the ministry to which God has called me as a follower of Christ, a wife, a mama, a member of a local body of believers, a neighbor in my community, and a messenger of the good news to others. So thankful for the gospel, as I was reminded recently by Alex's most recent sermon. God is so good.