Week 37

**PIC OF MATT'S BIBLE UP**

So I'm 37 weeks pregnant today. My hip bones are pretty painful, especially when trying to get out of bed or turn over. I have a burst of energy for about an hour in the early morning when I wake up and then am tired for the rest of the day. Judah is still pretty active and protests his boundaries quite forcefully in the evenings. It's increasingly hard to do simple tasks, especially getting in and out of the car or even putting my own pants on! I've got 3 more weeks until my due date.

But, come on. There's so much GOOD in all of this! I've been pondering it lately:

~God is teaching me balance, to be wise with the energy resource He allows me right now. To realize it is OKAY for me to rest and relax most of the day...because He put a kid inside me!
~God is also teaching me to release control of a clean home and accept help from others (Matt). I am much more comfortable and humbled to ask Matt to switch the load from the washer to the dryer, to vacuum, etc. than I used to be. I always felt like I HAD to be the one to do it because he does all the work of providing for us. I also felt it was the best way I could show him I love him, by doing everything around the house so he didn't have to. Praise God for the freedom that continues to come as I learn to "let go and let Matt." :-)
~Judah moves. That means his little body is in working order. His movements are STRONG. That means he is strong. He responds to our pushes and jiggles. That means he has touch. He reacts to noises we make or to various voices. That means he can hear. It may not always be comfortable to have my rib cage pushed on or my bladder rolled over, but if I stay right-minded I remember to praise God for it! Because He has fearfully and wonderfully made our little Judah!
~The pain in my hips, the extra weight on my body, and the roller coaster of my mood has actually allowed opportunity for me to see a different aspect of Matt's love. The caring kind a husband has for his wife. He now helps me sit up in bed every morning because it hurts so badly if I try it myself. He offers himself as a push-off when I need to get off the couch. He tells me how beautiful my pregnant body is to him whether I agree or not. He puts lotion on my legs for me when I ask him to, though he's not fond of the feel of lotion. His patience, oh his patience, when I am having a hard day emotionally whether by way of crying or being irritable. There is nothing like beginning to truly understand what it looks like for a husband to CHERISH his wife...and to be that wife who is cherished!

So, though I do have "complaints," by God's grace I've been able to see the flip side -- that my complaints are really blessings as they mold me, teach me, and show that God has given me a normal pregnancy and healthy baby. A much more blessed side to look at and focus on!

Every blessing You pour out I'll turn back to praise.
When the darkness closes in, Lord, still I will say,
"Blessed be the Name of the Lord, blessed be Your Name!"

Here's the picture of Autumn's card since she got it...and Matt's AWESOME Bible! I am more impressed with it than I thought I would be...we both love it!