40 Weeks and Feelin' Fine

Here I am! I made it to the blessed due date--12/17/12. I can be done now right? In all seriousness it is a blessing that we made it to this point. Both Trevor and I were up to our eye balls in finals--he just finished his 1st semester of second year Podiatry school and I FINALLY GRADUATED!!!

Let's talk about that. I now have a Bachelor's Degree in University Studies with minors in Biology, English, and Marriage and Family studies. So the big question is--what do you do plan on doing with that? Ummm good question. I will let you know when I figure that out. I have all of these grand plans about graduate school but honestly with a husband in graduate school and a baby on the way those plans are not in the forefront of my mind. Which I am TOTALLY fine with. I am going to enjoy not being in school for a while. I am going to enjoy being a stay at home mom. I have been offered some jobs with the school district but at this time those opportunities just don't compare to raising our (hopefully soon) arrival. It has taken me way to long to get this degree but to say that I have it feels pretty good. I feel pretty assured that this is not the end to my educational pursuits and I look forward to learning more and more as I come across new experiences and opportunities.

To celebrate the much anticipated arrival of Baby Ella I decided to make her a birthday cake (from scratch even!). It was delicious and chocolaty and rich. I am speaking about it in past tense because it is pretty much down to the last few pieces. I was HOPING this kid would get the hint and show up for her own birthday cake but she is pretty content to stay inside. I feel great. I think this is the only time in my life I wish I were in intense pain (labor).

So the biggest challenge at this point is overcoming boredom. I am done with school, Trevor is on break, the house is clean, the nursery is ALMOST finished and now we wait. To say that we are impatient is an understatement. We went to the zoo and walked over 2 miles to see if things would start to happen. Nope, but it was nice to enjoy one of the last few days we will have without snow.

Here are a few pictures of me with the elephants. I thought in comparison I would look tiny--false. I look huge but that is okay. My nephew keeps referring to Baby Ella as "baby elephant". It is funny until I think about birthing a baby elephant--haha.

We have an appointment tomorrow to see if Ella is any closer to coming. My mom will fly out in 10 days and  Trevor goes back to school a week after that.

We have felt very blessed. I have had a wonderful pregnancy and have not experienced any complications. I know that right now the world is questioning if there is a God and if he really loves us at all. I know that He is aware of us--even in our darkest moments. My life is not perfect and I do not have a perfect relationship with Him--but that is a further witness to me that we can find hope through the blessings of the gospel. I pray that we may focus on the truly important things this time of year and not get so overwhelmed with the material aspects of the holidays. I hope that we all can find someone that we love to spend this Christmas season with and reflect on the blessings God has given us. That is what we plan on doing here in Cleveland.

Love,
Amy