Preparation

Motherhood has grown on me.

Or rather, more accurately, helped me grow.

It's the daily interactions with these little people for sure,

but it is also the idea of pregnancy, and the actual pregnancy that has changed me so completely.

I always hate to admit this, but I bawled my eyes out when I discovered I was pregnant for the first time.

My life plan needed some readjustment.

Apparently I didn't learn much that go-round because my lesson was the same the second time that little test was (surprise!) positive.

Instead of crying, I laughed out loud and looked across the room at my 10 month old.

Oh, this would be fun.

And it was. I was getting the hang of it.

I thought I had the lesson down pat...it's important to be flexible, humble, and live with gratitude.

So finally, we planned the third. It was going to be perfect.

Three days after we confirmed the pregnancy, everything changed with employment, and life as we knew it.

Same lesson, just packaged in a different box.

I'm a slow learner.

After Roman was born, I was walking on the treadmill in our basement.

I alternated between looking at my peaceful little newborn who was swinging softly,

and glancing at the trees and grass that were really beginning the transformation to green.

An undeniable, and powerful thought entered my mind.

We were going to have another baby. And it would be a little girl.

Honestly, I felt ridiculous.

Must be the crazy hormones.

I had a newborn, how preposterous to think about another!

A few weeks passed.

But eventually I told David.

He smiled and said he felt the same thing.

The fourth pregnancy has been more difficult for me physically.

This past Sunday was spent trying to ignore contractions that were 2-3 minutes apart.

(I am nothing if not stubborn)

I wore high heels to church, I fed the missionaries, I kept going until finally,

Sunday night we headed to the hospital.

Pre-term labor.

The shot didn't work, but finally, and thankfully, the pills did.

More than once this gestational year I've been brought to tears.

Tired, in pain, fearful, and frustrated.

I try to remember that providently, I knew about this little girl.

And that brings peace, and hope, and makes me pretty darn excited to finally meet her.

Also, I think whatever growth that might have occurred,

has only just prepared me a bit better to be her mother.

And just maybe, that is the point.

(ps. if you've asked... my due date is Sept. 29th...

When I left the hospital Monday morning I was 2 1/2 and 70%...and just trying to make it to 37 weeks.

We shall see!)

Zachary Cannon - 1st Grade

Zachary started school on August 17th.

He was ready and so dang excited to get there.

We had our back to school dinner - he selected the same menu as last year :)

Then all the children got father's blessings...and they begged me to get one too!

I was glad I did.

Zach is loving Mrs. Pickett's first grade class.

He has homework every night...and weekly spelling tests too!

But all he could talk about this morning was the class pet (a chinchilla),

that was going to be making it's debut today.

I am so happy for him.

So relieved that he loves his teacher and everything about school.

But I miss him, and miss the lazy summer days.

Football is back again.

And this time around he has bigger cleats,

a mouthguard that cracks me up

(because it is molded to his missing two front bottom teeth),

is on the Orange Sharks team,

and is really loving pushing kids to the ground this year.

I say this a lot, but I will say it again...

Zach is a good and smart little boy.

He is an absolute blessing and truly easy to love to pieces.

Sometimes though, I realize he is growing up, transitioning from little boy.

Zachary had his first bike wreck last week, and split his chin open.

(if only there was a video of my 9-month pregnant self sprinting down the cul-de-sac)

I was doing the mom thing and trying my hardest to come up with a clever

way to prevent his football chin strap from reopening his wound.

But after I told him about my bandaid/cottonball contraption,

he politely told me that it would embarrass him, and he was fine without.

Oh boy, sometimes, you just have to learn to step back.

I am trying to learn to step back.

Just a little.

:)

(Zachary - this past weekend - at his first Chiefs game with his dad!!)

BHG

While in Des Moines for the State Fair, we toured the Better Homes and Gardens office and test kitchens.

Thanks to Kelly, my (second) cousin, who is the editor for Diabetic Living Magazine, we showed up late Saturday afternoon and peeked around an empty building.

My favorite parts...

*the big and luxurious kitchen all ready for a photoshoot

*the test kitchens, full of ingredients and recipes and looking like a fun place to be

*catching a glimpse into people's offices and seeing evidence of creativity

*those gardening goodies all disheveled in boxes but looking beautiful nonetheless

*listening to all the details...from the grocery buyer, to the recipe testers, stylists, photographers and editors...I couldn't decide which job might be my favorite!

*loved seeing each Meredith corp magazine, and the room where the magazine layouts were being worked on...so so cool.

Pretty, pretty, pretty around every corner.

Iowa State Fair

I have been wanting to attend the Iowa State Fair for years now.

Their motto is, "Nothing Compares"...and as far as state fairs go, I'd agree.

Huge pigs, pumpkins, cows of butter, and over 60 food items on a stick.

(Yes, there are apps for the Iowa state fair food)

We saw all kinds of new-to-us things.

Including Sarah Palin and her husband. :)

Roman is giving it a go at the Marine's pull-up bar.

And Zachary won a football for doing 20 pull-ups. (assisted :)

The official Budweiser Clydesdale Clan.

I think my favorite part was the Hands on the Farm exhibit for the kids.

Basically it took them through the process of farming, in a kid-friendly way.

(Seriously the cutest farmer I've ever seen)

They planted, and harvested produce.

Milled Corn and Soybeans.

Turned their Soybeans into Soy Diesel.

Which they used to fill up their tractors.

Sheared wool from the sheep.

(and on and on)

At the very end, they sold their goods to the farmers market and received money for their hard work.

Then they could take that money into the store and purchase a snack.

There were an overwhelming number of snacks to choose from.

Of course no kid in his right mind chose something like the raisin boxes...

my kids went for the bomb pops!

Zach was so excited for the official lego tent.

Aerodynamics be darned, it was Lily's over-accessorized creation that ended up beating out all the boys who had put so much thought into their lego car designs.

Although, the boys followed the 20-piece rule, and Miss Lily, ummm, didn't.

They loved the bungee trampoline.

Lily figured out how to do backflips and spend her time flipping through the air.

Of course she did.

My dad was a judge for the Iowa's Best Corn Casserole Contest.

It was serious business folks.

Honestly, one of the most fun things I've watched in a long time.

Each judge had an assistant.

(That sweet little lady sitting next to my daddio -who is in the white hat-was his assistant)

Typically they are former home-ec teachers or something of the sort...and they give instructions and help the judges record their opinions.

See that big smile in the periwinkle outfit? She was the 1st prize winner.

Can you even imagine the bragging rights she owns now? :)

***
We were in Iowa for 3 days, but I think you could go to the fair for the entire 2-weeks (for years and years) and still not see and do all there is to see and do. What a great time. We were totally spoiled by my parents, and we were so glad to come along. There was a break in the stifling heat that has been hanging around the Midwest, and my pregnant self really (really) appreciated that! Until next time Iowa State Fair!

A Summer Afternoon

There were a few magical hours in between our busy morning and our hectic evening.

Everyone was home together and content.

Roman demolished a bowl of grapes.

David played Monopoly with the kids.

I made (and photographed) peach jam.

It sounds so simple, but afternoons like this are hard to come by lately.

And they feel so so great.