25 Weeks

It's strange, I've been pregnant for over five months now but just suddenly feel very pregnant. Physically. Ryan is very amused at how tight and round my stomach is getting and how powerful and more frequent Hannah Kate's movements are becoming.
It's a precious thing that I am so grateful for, feeling her inside, knowing that she's growing and developing on track; falling more and more in love with her every day.
Yesterday Ryan told me he loves her so much already and just can't wait to meet her, to hold her, to see her. His excitement and brimming love for her already brings me so much joy. I always knew he would love her but as husbands aren't the one carrying the baby I had been prepared for it to take him a little longer to be as excited as I am. Or maybe even to have to see her to fall head over heels. Not my husband. And I'm so glad!

We finished reading The Magician's Nephew last night and I never realized how many parallels there were between the children's story and the Christian life. Hannah Kate loves family reading time. She gets to hear both of her parents read aloud to her even before she is born.
We start The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe tonight and at this rate we will be through the whole series before she is even born! Then I think we will move to baby board books.

I do feel very pregnant now... I think I just noticed that I walk differently, sit differently, lay differently... I'm now to the point where I have to change things to accommodate my growing mid section. It makes me smile.

We have about 15 weeks left before we meet our precious little girl. (I'm guessing closer to 16 weeks but we will be full term in 15 so that's what I'll count to.)

At Thanksgiving we will have about 12 weeks left.
At Christmas we will only have about 8 weeks left.
And on Ryan's and mine birthdays only about 4 weeks left.
Somewhere between Valentine's Day and our 3rd Anniversary our sweet girl will be born. Which I think is sweet because with Valentine's day before her birthday and her parent's anniversary after, her special days is surrounded by love. :)
Her official due date is February 18th, but based on measurements and more informed calculations it's closer to February 20th. Neither of which really matter because babies are hardly ever born on their due date.

I am excited to meet her but am not really rushing it. I want her to be healthy and that's all that really matters.

I think I am more anxious to get home. Once I'm back in my home town where our real doctor is, the one who's been there from the PCOS diagnosis and all the fertility challenges, the one who doesn't hide his faith in Jesus and has the best Nurse Practitioner ever who just happened to be a foster mom when I was and became a very sweet friend to me, then I will feel even more at ease. I trust those people and feel taken care of. Once we are back home my favorite NP will take us through our birthing class and I will feel more prepared.
Beyond that, once we are home I'll be near my family again! I'll have my beautiful mother just a short drive away with her bountiful wisdom, experience and sweet encouragement. I'll have my wonderful father with His loving insight, spiritual direction, strong prayers, and special "Daddy Comfort" that got me through so much growing up.
I'll have my awesome siblings who will be great aunts and uncles and some of which already have little cousins waiting to meet Hannah Kate for play dates and mommy get togethers.
I'll have what's been a  huge support group to me all my life and I can't wait. Neither can Ryan! He is so excited to get back home to family too! I know he's looking forward to Christmas and more Mom and Dad Brown talk time about homeschooling and the future of our nation.
And I know he will feel more at ease about his wife and his daughter not only doing okay but thriving at home while he does his part os provider and dutifully goes to work and school.

Getting home in time to have everything ready for Hannah's arrival means peace for both of us. Well, all three of us really! With my daughter inside of me I'm sure she senses a more relaxed mama.

So that is what I am thankful for today. Peace from God through the gift of family and home. And in the meantime, I'm also thankful for the patience to be able to look forward to going home while still living out the rest of our time here. And I'm thankful for how quickly time is passing and the holidays to keep as busy and happy and GRATEFUL!