[Soaking up the Morning]

The kids and I met with a dear friend and mentor this morning, and it was such a refreshing visit. Everything about this friend’s home and space is inviting and lovely and peaceful, and she is the same. It was the most perfect way to spend some time at the end of this long and busy week. God is always so gracious to give us infusions of calm when our hearts need it most, and so faithful to plant people in our lives who love us through every season and lift us up.

Henry and Eloise played with “new to them” toys while we all sat in the lingering summer air on the patio and talked over coffee and homemade cookies. I could have stayed all day. These moments are the things in life we cannot earn but are so fortunate to experience anyway. As I watched Henry and Eloise together and soaked in every bit of their bond in this treasured space before baby, I could have burst. Love is the very, very best thing.

[Adulting in the Afternoon]

We came home at lunchtime to be here whenever our new deep freezer would arrive. Our delivery window was 12p-4p, and you just never know, so it gave us a good excuse to have a fairly quiet afternoon. The freezer came around 3:15p, along with the most pessimistic delivery person on the planet. He was convinced the freezer would not fit down the stairs to the basement and grumbled the whole way. I tried to help, but you know…bellies and things. So I just kept up my attempt at being perky and optimistic, and said delivery dude finally quieted down once the freezer was in fact in its new home and fitting perfectly well.

Such an odd experience. The two delivery men left and I went downstairs to admire our beauty, which, admittedly, makes me feel like I’ve arrived at some new level of adulthood. Apparently appliances have that effect on me. Who knew?

At the same time, we’re waiting on some new furniture to arrive here, so there are lots of moving parts. It was supposed to come last week or this week at the latest, so yesterday, I sold one of our two couches and the main piece of furniture in our living room. This is taking minimalism to a whole new level, really. Thirty eight plus weeks pregnant and we’re down to a chair and a small sofa, which feels incredibly impractical (never mind the hilarity that was me trying to help a nice young couple out the front door with our gigantic couch yesterday).

I have done everything in my very pregnant power to convince the furniture company that I’d really like to have somewhere to sit when baby comes, but in spite of my efforts, next week is now the best they can do. Let’s see if baby will wait for the furniture to be delivered, because that’s a fun game, I think. If we’re creative, we can kind of get the whole family on the one couch for now, but if anyone comes to visit, I’ll be offering a folding chair. *Note to self to save big deliveries and the sale of major items for another time and place than the end of pregnancy, should we grow in number again someday.*

[Running in the Rain]

We headed downtown tonight for dinner and to wander as local businesses participated in a live mannequin night. The kids always love going, and Henry had his heart set on it in particular. We all enjoyed sushi and were just about to start walking around when the rain rolled in. It was a drizzle, then a good steady rain, and within a minute or so, a torrential downpour. I couldn’t help but feel delight as I ran hand in hand with Henry and this big belly while Jason made a mad dash with Eloise down the next block to our car. People were running and ducking for cover everywhere.

We were all completely soaked through when we got into the car, the rain pooling in inch-plus deep streams everywhere in the street. I hope I never forget the way it felt to run in the rain tonight with my buddy. I laughed and laughed as we went–it just felt so good to be alive in that few minutes, drenched and chilly and refreshed and in love with these people I am privileged to call my own.

The night went from humid and sticky to cool and breezy in a flash, not unlike these fleeting moments I’m feeling as baby gets close. Everything feels slow and a little heavy, and then in an instant, there is joy flowing in and my heart feels deep gratitude for the waiting. I can only hope that this weekend is filled with moments like tonight’s, when we’re all together and loving each other well.

An ordinary Friday turned into such a sweet, sweet day around here, and I feel both underserving and overly fortunate. I will sleepily fall into bed tonight, thanking God for one more day.

little one, if only you knew how much love there is waiting for you out here. i can’t wait to show you!

mm