32 Weeks

Was anyone else disappointed last night when you went to sit down and watch House and instead found yourself looking at a Carrie Underwood special?

Nothing against Carrie Underwood. She is lovely and talented. I just prefer House, that's all.

I think you will be relieved to know that at 32 weeks pregnant, we are finally starting to feel quite connected to this new little baby. Many mommies have told me that the more pregnancies you have, the more quickly they fly by. I agree and disagree. I agree as I mull over the fabric swatches I have purchased to make fun baby things. I disagree as I step off the scale, weeping, realizing that I still have 8 more weeks to gain- I mean, go.

It is about this time in my pregnancies where I resolve that I shall be fitter than before I got pregnant. This of course, is not reality, for who has time to exercise for two hours a day with three smallish children, but it certainly makes me feel better. I did waste an entire half hour last night, waiting for Beau to get home, watching an infomercial about the Insanity Workout. I believe I will order it, with the best intentions.

Thanks a lot, Carrie Underwood.

We have, we believe, settled on a name for this sweet child. It starts with a "B" and I will not tell you what it is, but my husband will. We are still searching for a middle name. I like Samuel, but this will not work in the initial department for obvious reasons. So we will search on. I know the Lord has already named him, as He formed him in my womb, fearfully and wonderfully, so I am not too worried about it.

We set up his crib and put in his bedding. I will be working on his blanket in the coming weeks, thinking and praying for this new life. With each new child, I am almost overwhelmed with the task that lies ahead. Training up a child for the Lord is humbling. I can nurse him and bathe him and play with him and cuddle him, but I am also responsible for his soul. Of course, only the Lord can save his soul, but I must diligently, patiently, lovingly train him daily. I must teach Scripture, I must work on character, I must instill a fear and love of his Lord. Beau and I always pray that our children would see Christ in their parents, even through the obvious sin and fault. I desire to always be open and honest, but discerning, about my own sin and shortcomings. I want them to know that Mommy and Daddy need Jesus just as much as they do.

Regarding the crib, it is a new source of intrigue and entertainment in our home. The children spent an entire morning being "helpful and useful" ( a favorite phrase from Piglet's Big Movie), assisting me in cleaning and building the crib. Rebecca sterilized it and Jackson wiped it down and helped tighten the screws. Now they are attached to their creation, and yesterday morning, I took a break from housecleaning to walk into B's room and find his older siblings lying side by side in the crib. Jackson was reading Snug House, Bug House to Rebecca, and they were as happy as could be. I took a 3-minute video of this sweet moment and quietly left them to themselves. The baby is almost 4 pounds and could be between 15 and 19 inches long. I had always assumed that since I am nearly 6 feet tall, my babies would be in the 9-10 pound range, but neither Jackson nor Rebecca weighed more than 7.5 pounds. That is kind of nice as one is laboring with a child. Let us hope that the trend continues.