Busy Weeks and So Many Blessings

Wow! I have had two crazy weeks and I must say that it is only making me a little more weary about the lack of sleep that is inevitable with a newborn baby.

I was blessed to be able to travel back to TX and LA for a dual baby shower for me and my beautiful sister-in-law Shannon. I arrived in Houston on Thursday and the fun began right away. Shannon and I did some shopping for our little ones and ended up in their home town of College Station where we all went to college. It's very easy to feel old in a town full of college students but I made the best of it by having lunch with my cousins and buying Gracie a little Texas A&M hat and onesie...Whoop!

We headed to Natchitoches, Louisiana on Friday and spent the weekend there being showered by so many amazing women. I have to tell you that there is no place that throws a shower like Natchitches. The cake was amazing, the food was so tasty and the generosity shown by all the gifts our little girls received was overwhelming. I tear up thinking about all the amazing people that poured so much of themselves into helping us prepare for our little blessings. Gracie and MacKenzie (Shannon's baby on the way) will be well dressed, very warm and surrounded by adorable things in their nurseries. Matt couldn't believe all the clothes we got and we were both very excited to have received many items that are essential for taking care of a newborn. We are, more importantly, so grateful for the family and friends that Gracie will be able to grow up with. I want her meet every last person at that shower and know just how blessed we are to have them in our lives.

We finished up the weekend in College Station with lots of shopping and my wonderful mother-in-law, Debbie (Mama D), dropped me off in Houston to make the trek back to Indianapolis. :) My ankles swelled because of the walking and the TX heat. I was a little worried but the cool air here in Indy cured the swollen cankles in just one night.

We had our "hospital experience" child birth prep class last night and I feel a little more knowledgeable about what will happen when I actually go into labor. We only have five weeks until my due date and we are both getting so excited about it. I can't wait to feel her in my arms and see Matt hold her for the first time. I can't wait to just sit and stare at her with Matt and dwell in the fact that this little blessing from God is part me and part him. Surely this little blessing will help all those sleepless nights to just melt away. Sure we'll be exhausted but I know that God will provide exactly what we need to make it through.