Baby Hunt's Imminent Arrival

I've got just a week and 5 days until I'm due with Baby Hunt. The last two doctor's appts have been encouraging for a first timer since my body is already more than halfway ready to deliver. Unfortunately, this baby loves the womb and doesn't seem to have any plans of coming out until he/she is good and ready. So here's the scoop: last Thursday I was dilated to between 4 and 5 cm, 70% effaced and at +1 station, which is the position of Baby's head in my pelvis with +5 being crowning I'm pretty sure. Birthing class made all that information so much more understandable. Monte and I feel much more confident in our labor and delivery knowledge now that we took the class. All those who are expecting - take the class! Of course, you don't have to until much later in your pregnancy. Take it too early and you might forget some valuable info.

Of course, with this kind of progression already taking place in my body might indicate a much shorter labor. So I was advised to be very aware of when contractions start becoming regular and 5 minutes apart to make our way to the hospital since I'm not nearly as far from transition as most first timers. I definitely don't want to deliver in the car! Monte would flip out!

Be sure and check out pictures of the nursery and my belly pics with Allyson Neely on my Facebook. I'll announce the news when it comes!

Patriotism

It's becoming more and more apparent that many, if not most, young adults have a serious lack or void of patriotism towards the USA. I totally understand not loving what our country has become or what our country sometimes portrays to the rest of the world. However, patriotism has nothing to do with the current status of our country. It has everything to do with believing in your country's deepest core values and what your country has accomplished. Supporting and loving your country doesn't mean that you have to condone what your country has done or else no one on the whole world would be patriotic towards their country. Every country has it's black marks on history and many bad choices that have caused many hurts. We are privy to know about all of ours since we live here and have news at our fingertips, as well as living experience. Other countries have long lists of things to not be proud of too, and I bet their citizens are well aware of those things.

I've heard a few people express distaste with American flags being in their churches. How? Without what this country was founded on and the freedom that was fought for we wouldn't have church buildings that were publicly known at all, much less put a flag up in them. I get the idea that our faith is not based in America but in Christ. Agree. However, the separation of church and state is misrepresented in our society as being a strict standard that nothing church related whatsoever can be a part of government. If you check your history and the amendment that discusses the matter, you'll see that it's strictly to prevent a theocracy, which is a church run government. We're no where close to that. And groups like the ACLU have misrepresented and manipulated people's ignorance of our constitution in order to take suits against groups who happen to be patriotic and faith based. I heard a great line that says, "Our constitution allows for freedom of religion, not freedom from religion." And somehow some of our officials, who are supposed to be public servants, are more apologetic to religious groups that aren't Christian and hostile towards those that are. How is that fair?

So fewer American Christians who believe in the principles of our great nation only weaken our ability to continue to practice freely. The next generations will become less and less passionate about what our flag and founding documents stand for as young adults today become more apathetic in their conviction to stand up for our being a nation reverent to God in our origins. Not every Christian needs to sing patriotic songs in church in order to be considered patriotic. But the idea of church being a place unfit for our expression of patriotism is ludicrous. It's just a token of appreciation. Allegiance first and foremost to God and then to country.

And then there's the flip side. Many of these unpatriotic young adult Christians that I've met don't allow their moral convictions brought about by their faith in God to bleed over into politics. It seems that while trying to be more loyal to Christ by leaving patriotism out of church they are less loyal to Christ and His teachings when going to vote. Am I the only one who finds this to be an oxymoron? I personally don't see a better way to reflect your faith in God being an American than voting based on your moral convictions in every election. Allegiance first and foremost to God then to country. Sometimes it seems that while having good intentions many young adults who are Christians start seeing things through a social worldview instead of a Godly worldview. Partly to blame is probably ignorance of both the Bible and our founding documents. Another part might be the reaction to our issues with strictly emotion. I can understand getting pretty ticked off and wanting things to change. But many time being ticked off only leads us to staying ticked off without any results.

Due to bringing a child into the world soon, many of these issues have wandered into my mind. I've been thinking about how we'll someday be influencing this child on how to serve God and be the best Christian by serving our community. Having a kid kinda slaps you in the face with self evaluation and criticism. Whew! Okay, I'm done. Hope I made some sort of sense.

Life is good.

So I have some more kudos to send out for my shower. Rachel Brown and Sarah Neldeberg - thanks a ton! I know that these 4 ladies doing the planning will make it a great experience. I'm blessed.

Plus, I have two very close friends who are also expecting now. What a joy! I still have a couple people who are hoping for the blessing of children very soon. They are constantly in my prayers.

Be sure to enjoy everyday as a gift. You never know what the next day may hold. Key word right now - cherish. Makes me think of the Madonna song. Ha!

Baby Shower On the Way

Thanks to my good friend, Allyson Neely, Baby Hunt will be showered with gifts pre-birth! And I hope that most of the necessities and extremely helpful items will show up. Thanks also to my other good friend, Sara Hill. She is also helping. It's good to know they are willing to put forth the effort. Thanks, ladies! You're great and I'm so grateful.

Baby Shower Etiquette

Okay, so I'm at a loss for the etiquette behind baby showers. I know that I was expected to throw a shower for my sister in law before she and my brother got married and that was fine. I was the closer sister, Sarah living in TX at the time, and my mom shouldn't have to throw a shower when she was already paying for a bunch of wedding stuff. I'm cool with that, and I understood my duty and privilege to throw that party. She got some great kitchen stuff! Pampered Bride parties are awesome. I'm a bit jealous since the idea wasn't hot when I got married. I'm not bitter.

But on to this baby shower thing. I'm almost 30 weeks pregnant. I got 10 to go and most of these "experts" in the magazines and baby books all suggest having showers about 2 months before Baby is due. Okay, well that's easy to type, but how do I get it done? I'm a total doer, and I have no shame asking someone if they'd be willing to help me throw my own shower. But apparently, that's not proper etiquette. So with a mom in Little Rock and a sister in Hot Springs, both 4-5 hours away, how am I supposed to have a shower? I've already had people asking me when I am having a shower and I have nothing to offer them other than where I've registered.

So the other day I was talking with a friend without the intent to sucker someone into it, but good ol' Allyson Neely overheard and offered to throw me a shower! So maybe I should just ask? What are your thoughts? I know of a couple others who would be happy to throw me a shower if they were close enough for it to be possible - Jani and Sara S. and probably Sara C. So let me know what you would do in my shoes. I'm curious. Thanks!

Week 28

So pregnancy for me is now in the home stretch. I still feel pretty great. I'm sure I will be tilting ever closer to the uncomfortable mark day after day. But you can always pray with me that it doesn't happen that way. I wouldn't mind the extra boost.

So many things to think about and plan and wonder. Luckily, since I'm in a state of peace about motherhood and the whole labor and delivery scenario, I don't have any wild fears or apprehensions to deal with at the moment. I was speaking to a group of high risk teens at a camp close by last Friday. One gal asked me, "Are you going to push that baby out?" I just smiled and told her, "Not right now. But whenever Baby decides to come I'll have to or else have a C-section." She had a look of fear mixed with awe on her face. I bet she is 13 or so. I hope that idea of pushing out a baby will help her to make wise and healthy choices during her teens and young adult years.

I also went to a breastfeeding workshop last night. That was good. A doula was there to explain her services if any of us ladies would like to employ her. I was pretty impressed. And her rates weren't bad at all for all that she commits to doing. She had this interesting "dilation chart" visual aid that she uses to help women progress in labor mentally to employ their bodies to progress as well. It was simple squares of thin, colored foam (the flexible kind) that had different sizes of dilation - 1cm all the way to 10 cm - cut out. I told her I needed one for my sex ed classes. That would be quite the visual aid.

We still have no idea on a girl name though. I thought about Gracie. Any thoughts? I don't know. Edie sounds good too. We'll see, I guess. And Monte and I will be getting photographed, thanks to Allyson Neely, here in 3.5 weeks or so to have some visual memories of later pregnancy. I am blessed so far not to have any stretch marks yet and hope that it will not happen at all, especially before the pictures are taken.

We've also been very blessed to get baby furniture passed down to us, as well as quite a bit of gender neutral clothing - onesies, sleepers, etc. We will not have to purchase quite a few of the big items either - stroller, swing, bouncer, etc. Yay! I'm tellin' ya. The less ridiculous you are about getting everything just perfect long before baby arrives the more God has an opportunity to bless you. He definitely will provide. In every way. Stay faithful and take a deep breath. Life is good with God in control.