My little miracle.

I work with a girl who just graduated high school and is very... young. She's super awesome and I love working with her, but she isn't the most mature in some ways.

Because I'm out of shape and 29 weeks pregnant, my body is putting up with less and less, and the girls I work with see it all the time. If I stand or walk for a long time during the day (accumulatively, not consecutively), I start to waddle. My hips start hurting, and my left hip especially can't take very much weight by itself. Also, baby likes to go underneath my right ribs, and it's not as easy to bend over as it used to be.

Seeing these things every day, and then me making one comment about being uncomfortable, this girl said to me, "Why does everyone say that being pregnant is one of the most amazing experiences you'll ever have if you're just in so much pain all the time? It really doesn't sound that amazing." I responded with, "Well, if you think about it, I'm growing a human being inside my body.. he has every organ, major body part, and even a brain, just like you. It's not something your body's used to, so there's obviously going to be some side effects." She sat there and thought for a minute and said, "Yeah, I guess.."

It really made me think about this whole journey that I've been on for 29 weeks and 5 days, and how many other women have gone through this as well throughout the history of .. well, however long there have been people being born; and it really is miraculous! Our bodies can create another human being and then nourish it for 9(ish) months until it's ready to live in the world. There are many people that will never be able to have children, and others who have to try for months, years, or even decades to experience this.

Why do we so badly want to experience something that we've heard is terribly painful and disgusting at times? Because we are participating in a miracle. A MIRACLE, you guys!!! We learn and we grow and we become completely different people. I've already learned so much more about love than I ever thought possible, and my baby boy hasn't even left my body yet. I know that the feelings of love that I'm experiencing right now are going to be completely blown out of the water when he's born, and I can not wait for that day!

Being pregnant and growing a human being is an amazing experience. It's a miracle, a gift, and such a blessing to be trusted enough by God to let us carry one (or more) of his precious children. I'm grateful that I get to feel my little boy's kicks (click on that to see a video, and look at the left side of my belly) and hiccups and see his little body when I get an ultrasound. I'm even grateful for the painful and disgusting things that happen too, because it helps me appreciate what is going on in my body, as well as making me appreciate what it's going to be like to have it back to normal again. I am so grateful to have a son who will be in my arms in less than 2 and 1/2 months.