Wednesday Morning Coffee #2

 

 Photo credit: alfstorm

Since it's been quiet around here lately, I decided Wednesday Morning Coffee was the best way to play catch up, because there's a lot on my mind but my thoughts are so jumbled lately. 

First of all, if you missed my last post, yes, we are expecting number 3!  It was a little bit of a surprise...but, then again, when you use natural family planning a surprise is not really a surprise after all.  Ha! 

I feel like all I do is sleep lately.  I have no energy and the nausea is only getting worse.  Don't get me wrong - I love knowing that I am carrying a little one in my belly and I love watching my belly grow and feeling the baby move as they grow...but those first few months of pregnancy are always so hard for me.  I have to remind myself constantly that it is worth it.  So, when the nausea, fatigue, dizziness hit me in full force, I spend my days praying and thinking about who this little one will be and how our family will be blessed to welcome him or her. 

I honestly was not convinced I was pregnant this time around until I saw a positive pregnancy test.  My husband started teasing me before I had even missed my period that I was probably pregnancy when I started complaining of nausea and was already feeling so tired.  I had one pregnancy test leftover from a couple years ago and when I tried it, the line that says the test was complete didn't show up. 

I was about to head to the store for a new one when I decided to check it one more time.  My daughter followed me to the bathroom and as I held it up to look, I gasped as I saw a very clear positive.  "Valerie, we're going to have another baby!" I shrieked and she grinned and started talking about the baby in my belly. 

Valerie has already declared there is a baby girl in my belly.  When I tried to explain that it could be a boy too, she said, "NO! Baby girl!"  We could have some tears to deal with if this little one is a boy. 

The best part about this pregnancy is that my sister is also expecting, so we get to watch our bellies grow together.  She is due August 28th and I'm due October 11th.  I hope our little ones grow up to be close friends. 

Monday night, my hubby and I planned a Valentine's date night.  We ate dinner here and then he picked up a babysitter so we could enjoy some quiet time alone at a coffee shop nearby.  We spent the time talking about our family mission statement and wrote our rough draft.  It was so refreshing to talk about it and know that we are on the same page as a couple and as parents. 

He even showed me his personal mission statement and I told him how proud I am of the work He has allowed God to do in making him a leader of our home.  Now I just have to find the time and energy to write out my own personal mission statement.  There's really something so freeing in knowing your purpose, because it helps make those day to day decisions more focused and helps put things into perspective. 

We also had a very serious discussion about creating our will.  Now that we have little ones, it's really been on our minds to write up our will, because we never know what tomorrow or the next day will bring.  If something happens to us, we want to make sure our children are well taken care of. 

My parents encouraged us to do the same, because they explained that without putting in a legal document who the guardians would be for our children, they would end up in foster care until it could be sorted out among our family members.  As hard as I know it would be for both of them if something happened to both of us, it would be so much harder and scarier if they had to go to a strangers' home.  I think, as parents, it's part of our responsibility to talk about these hard things, because the future really is so uncertain. 

I still haven't found the time or energy to finish our home management binder.  I bought a really cute binder at Target along with some index dividers, clear plastic page protectors, and an even cuter notebook.  I wanted it to be cheery and fun so I would be more willing to use it on a daily basis.  I love the idea of having a central location for all those important papers and being able to have an organized and well thought out schedule from day to day. 

I've also continued working on purging unnecessary clutter in our home.  I finished organizing all the totes in our basement storage.  I labeled them each with a letter of the alphabet and made a master list of what is in each tote.  I've heard of this system before but never got around to actually putting it into practice in our home.  My husband was even impressed with how well organized it makes our basement storage.  And I love seeing the growing pile of clutter that is going to be leaving our home.  It is so freeing!

Well, I should probably sign off now and take some time to do my daily devotions, because I've been slacking so badly in that area again.  I know that my attitude towards my family improves so much when I am spending time daily in His word.  And our pastor's series of sermons on the book of James has been so convicting to me lately.  I told my husband I find myself squirming in my seat on Sunday mornings, because I know God is trying to get my attention and I don't always want to listen.  Discipline is so hard, but I know it is for His glory to grow and mold me into the woman He created me to be. 

I'd love to hear from YOU too.  Share with me what's been on your heart lately or how I can be praying for you.  I am so grateful for each and every one of you who read my blog and take the time to leave your words of encouragement and love in this space.