24 Weeks

24 weeks is a significant mile marker. We are 3/5 of the way there. The belly is getting bigger and bigger all the time, and she is moving more and more! I can pretty much count on her doing some stretching and kicking a couple times every day. Its wonderfully distracting. When movement starts, all productivity dies cause I just sit there and enjoy it.

Once upon a time, quite a few years ago, I weighed 25lbs more than my pre-pregnant weight. I knew that thanks to Munchkin, I would inevitably regain all those pounds. When I lost all those pounds, I kind of hoped never to see them again; well, most of them are back....

...and I love them.

Oh, and she officially has a blog name: Papillon Rouge
Meaning Red Butterfly.
(We chose it more because of the appropriate initials than the meaning - we are not actually going for a Butterfly theme...)

Randomness

Still busy with life around here. Perhaps blogging shall resume in earnest after Easter.

In the meantime, two little updates.

First, a snapshot of the thing that is keeping me so busy these days. One day, perhaps within the next week, this will be mine:

And secondly, courtesy of my sister, a hilarious tale about marge.
Marge is having the hardest time adjusting to all of these changes; the poor thing is on the verge of a mental collapse. Being put in a mailbox probably didn't help.

Blessings

I have finally found a moment to post a quick update. But just a very quick one, cause its time to leave for work.

Things are going well. We have almost entirely left the farm (we are not there, but our stuff still is). We are moved in with my parents. Mon Amour has started, and loves, his new job. I am back in the office, which has been an adventure. The house buying process is coming along swimmingly (I think...I just keep doing what the realtor tells me to do, so who knows).

There is lots left to be done (and so it will be a while longer before blogging officially resumes) but for now, a few pictures and thoughts.

Cute Pink Cupcakes from a work-friend who is also expecting a little girl.

Me at 22 weeks (and some odd days).

At just 22 weeks exactly I finally started really feeling her. She likes to move around a lot while I am at work, which is pretty much the highlight of my day. I can feel her from the outside sometimes, hopefully soon someone else will get to feel her too.

I expected this busy season would be one of much learning, and so far it has been. I have been learning lots of things, about myself, my relationships, and just life in general. The one thing in particular that I have been thinking about a lot lately, is that life is crazy stressful right now, but that is because of all our recent blessings in our life.

Moving is stressful, but we are moving because God gave Mon Amour a new job.

Buying a house is stressful, but God is giving us a house that we love and can afford.

Growing a baby is exhausting, but she is (my favorite) blessing and I love her so much already.

Moving away from friends is frightfully sad, but that is because we have been blessed with such amazing friends!

And the list goes on.

In moments when I am overwhelmed I try and remember that these things are blessings. It doesn't mean they can't stress me out, but it does mean I can't just write them off as unpleasant things to be endured. Life can be stressful and busy for many much worse reasons. Praise God for all these wonderful stresses.