Easter Weekend

On to the rest of the weekend!

I hope to come back and post pics when I can---for today though, I am writing this from my hospital room as we await the baby's arrival!

Friday Matthew and I spent 7 hours looking for a new car for our family.  Matt had already spent countless hours researching cars and checking out things both on the internet and in person this week.  Friday was my first day to be able to help him though.  After a long day in Houston humidity (for this 9 mo. pregnant gal, 88 degrees was ridiculous!) we finally agreed upon and put money down on a 2008 Saturn Aura.  Which is kind of a strange pick for us, since it is the only Saturn we looked at and a bit out of our normal style, but we both love it!  It has a real pretty brownish exterior--it's called Golden Cashmere---and black leather interior.  It's a mid-sized sedan.  We really like it for the space it seems to have in the back seat and the classy console/doors inside.  Gas mileage will be a bit higher than some others we looked at, but hopefully not too bad.--it is a V6 and has tons of pep.  I'm so excited to get a car that Matt likes so much!  He says it will be mostly MY car, but that just means that he'll most likely drive the other car to and from work most days and that we will try to not put as much mileage on this one.  I don't see myself driving around town a whole bunch during the summer.  We are getting great financing on it, which I am hoping will balance out the fact that we are having to purchase a new car at probably the most stressful financial time for our family!

Friday night we were also supposed to be going to a brown-bag concert at Chick-Fil-A for Gungor, but after the looooong day I had to pass on it.  Matt skipped it too, but went to his two softball games and Carrie kept Noah at the house while I took an unexpected nap of 2 hours.  I was disappointed to not go to the concert, because we had both been looking forward to it for a while, but I was thankful to have Carrie and the rest, which apparently I really needed.

Saturday was the kids egg hunt at church.  Noah was so excited about Easter this year!  I really think it is his favorite holiday.  He loves, loves, loves to hide Easter eggs.  The KidStuf program happens first, which Matt actually participated in this time again--doing the teaching portion (and as several people mentioned to me, he does so well at it.).  Then the 3 minute frenzy where all the little ones run out and grab all the eggs that are scattered on the playground.  Noah is a little disappointed that they are not hidden better----but then he remembers they have candy in them and he's just fine.  I bought him a big basket this year, and with out thinking about it, the kid really cleaned up and I had to suggest that we stop early and start emptying out his candy, so there would be eggs left for the slower 4-5 year olds.  He was good with this, but totally hyper all day.  Carrie took him home after this and let me have a quick alone trip to BabiesRUs, so that I could finally purchase our car seat for the baby.  I had registered for two, and Bev and Wendi got me the other one I registered for, but when I got it home I realized that it doesn't have an adjustment on the front of the seat at all....that's a huge deal breaker!  So I picked up the one we liked from BRU.  We spent most of the day cleaning house--Matt worked on the yard and the small things in the baby's room that needed done.  I finished up laundry and kitchen and bathrooms.  Carrie was a big help with all of the above and with letting us keep Noah at home again so that we could get our shopping done.

Mom flew in Saturday night, and Carrie picked her up at the airport.  They got back about 11:30 p to the house, so we got to talk just a bit.  Yesterday, Easter was a good day--about as I expected it to be.  I tried really hard to focus on the whole meaning for the weekend, but admittedly, it was really hard to focus on it when I had so many questions and comments about our baby-to-be-born soon.  At least it was a nice family day.  Noah woke up the whole house early and had grandma make him his "eggs and toast".  We went to church early so Carrie could help with greeting, and this gave me lots of time to be visible to people from both services---not exactly what I would have preferred--looking VERY pregnant and answering the same questions over and over---Yes, my due date is 2-3 weeks away, but we're going into tonight---YES, I said tonight!  Yes, we are mostly ready, yes we are getting excited.  No, it's not a boy.  Yes, I know I haven't really dropped yet...it just goes on and on.  People are really sweet and caring and I know that they only mean the best, but they just have no idea how redundant their questions and comments are!  Even close friends say the same thing over and over!  I hope this gets engrained in my head, the things not to say to pregnant friends in the future!  We came home from church and mom helped me finish our home cooked lunch---mighty yummy, I must say!  Pork Roast, potatoes, carrots, corn, fresh fruit salad, and crescent rolls.  Not bad for the busy day/weekend!  We spent the afternoon doing our last minute things---me, putting final grades in the gradebook!  Everyone else took turns hunting/hiding eggs with Noah and watching him play in the new sprinkler set he got for a Big Brother gift.  I laid down for his nap with him and got to spend a few special moments with him.  We read the Easter Story out of his new little Bible and we talked about mommy and daddy going to the hospital.  He seemed fine with it all and really wanted to go to Michelle's house last night.   No big deal for a 4 year old!

'About 6:30p we starting getting ready for leaving.  I made a few phone calls and packed up our last minute stuff, took a shower, and then talked with mom and Carrie for a few minutes about our plans for the next couple days.  I don't want to talk about my feelings and emotions a whole lot on here---this isn't a private forum if someone's out there reading this right now---but I gotta say it's a pretty weird feeling knowing when you're going to the hospital to hopefully/expectfully have your baby.  One minute I am so excited about it and yet quite nervous all at the same time.   It has been so long-time coming, and then in other ways it feels like I'm not at all ready or prepared for this new stage of our lives to actually be beginning soon.  I'm practically anxious out of my skin for this delivery process.  In some ways I feel like I should know what to expect, and in other ways I don't want to expect that it will be anything like it was before.  If it IS similar, can I handle it again!?!?!  It is easily the most difficult thing to endure I've ever been through.  Then, there's the whole anxiety about family dynamics.  Having one child was scary enough---i'm nervous to see how adding our second will change our lives forever!  I'm not nervous for how Noah will do in the long run--I know he is sooo sweet and will be a great big brother...but I'm nervous for the transition time.  I'm hoping that knowing how to care for a newborn will come back to me, because 4 years feels like soooooo long!

So here we are, waiting it out. It is now 9 a.m.  I slept off and on through the night--every 20]5 minutes you wake up for the nurse checking on you or the constant beeping.  Matt is quietly asleep beside me on the pathetic little pullout chair.  I hope he's getting better rest.  I'm a little restless at this point.  My doctor should be in any moment to check me for the first time.  The nurses checked me last night but I wasn't dialated yet.  (Not at all?!?  Are you kidding Me?!  a little disappointing)  I've been having some increased contractions, and discomfort, but nothing active labor type.  So I got started on a cervix softening med and may need another one for another 12 hours.  I'm okay with this slow start as long as that doesn't set the stage for the whole process.  I am really, really trying to avoid C-section unless it becomes apparent that this is the very best or only option.  That's the whole reason why we are inducing 2+wks early.  I pray that this is the best decision for baby and for my body as well.  I guess there's some excitement to come!