10 Days and Counting...

So, my due date is in 10 days...but I'm hanging in there!

Although it's hard to roll over in bed at night and it takes me longer than usual to get up off the floor, I'm not completely miserable! I truly enjoy being pregnant. Today while Olivia was taking a bath, I decided to use the step ladder to touch up the paint where the ceiling and the walls meet in the bathroom. Why not kill two birds with one stone, right? Well, I carefully climbed up on the ladder, was enjoying painting, and Olivia said to me, "careful Mommy, don't break the ladder!" My feelings weren't too hurt because I know she wasn't implying that I'm a behemoth! Later when we were reading stories together she pointed to the mommy elephant in the zoo book and said, "this is you, Mommy!" I know deep down that she wasn't insulting me - but it seems like I can't catch a break. Even last night when I put on a regular/non-maternity t-shirt and climbed into bed, Chris said, "careful, don't rip the shirt!" Despite all of these silly and crazy comments from the two people I love most in the world...I still enjoy being pregnant!

This thought has been on my heart and mind a lot lately, and I'm feeling the need to get it out by writing about it. Being pregnant truly is a blessing. I've always wanted to be pregnant and always wanted to be a Mommy. I truly feel blessed that God has allowed me both of those gifts. My heart truly goes out to those women who won't be able to experience the miracle of being pregnant and/or won't get the chance to be a mother...especially if these are things they truly desire.

In fact, I have a good friend whom I used with joke with about being the carrier of her baby for her if it ever turned out that she wouldn't be able to do this herself. See, she has a health condition that may cause her body to fail at carrying a pregnancy to full-term. So, we always said, "don't worry...Michelle will be pregnant for you." Although we half-way said this in a joking manner in the past...I now know that I truly was serious about this. I haven't talked to this friend about this particular topic in quite a while and this thought was weighing so heavily on my heart last week, so I decided to send her a message. I wanted her to know that I truly am serious about this offer and that if she can conceive but not carry her own children, I'm willing to do it for her. Does that sound crazy? Me carrying around my friend's fertilized egg inside my womb? Kind of!

But, maybe that means I'm crazy! (My husband says it means I'm 'sick and twisted.') I want this friend to be able to experience motherhood if she can, even though her body wouldn't be able to handle the pregnancy. If it turns out she is healthy enough to do this, then I guess I'm off the hook! (Either that or I open up the offer to some other friend!)

For me, being pregnant is a blessing - and despite the aches and pains, painful kicks from within and the frequent trips to the bathroom...I would love to do it again! I'm giving all the glory to God in this situation and praising him for allowing me to be pregnant.

Which brings me to a reality that will definitely be happening soon....not being pregnant anymore! I'm 10 days away from my due date, so technically this little guy could come at any time. I'm not anxious or nervous about giving birth or having a second child in the home - I'm just curious to meet him! And, I'm curious about the process. Some second labors go quicker than the first, some take longer. Will my labor start in the middle of the night like it did with Olivia, or will it happen while Chris is at work? What will he look like? Will he be healthy? Is Olivia ready for this? Is Chris ready for this? So many questions are swirling through my mind...and the only word I have to describe myself is curious.

Well...I'm off to go be curious some more now...