It’s a perfect fall day in West MI, and we had to take advantage of 68º F and sunshine by taking a family walk up a nearby dune. The hike is 239 steps, which I was eager to tackle in an effort to help encourage baby to join us soon. The last time I navigated a dune staircase this far along in pregnancy, I was in labor about an hour later (great job, Hank!). We’ll see if the bean gets excited over the same kind of activity, but either way, it really felt great to get the exercise, and I’m thankful for more time together today on such a beautiful Saturday afternoon.

There’s not a whole lot else to report…fit in some extra cleaning this morning that was kind of on the back burner of things to do to pass the time. The pieces to baby’s mobile arrived today, so now I can work on the finishing touch for the nursery, too.

Each morning, I wake up a little bummed that baby hasn’t decided to make an appearance yet. At the same time, I’m really not trying to wish time away, and each day has little (or big) moments of beauty in it that we would have missed if we were already in the hospital. Once I push past some of the emotion that comes with waiting for babe and being so pregnant, I’m glad I can find reasons why it’s just not time yet to meet our littlest bundle.

Last night I was up with contractions on and off for a long time. I sat in the living room and rocked in the rocker, bounced on the exercise ball, re-read my go-to book on encouragement for labor and delivery, talked to the bean, and prayed. Although I was hopeful that the contractions would lead to active labor, there was a sweetness about that time alone with our babe in the middle of the night. I know it was a sneak preview of many nights to come, where we rock together or I pray over our little one while nursing and resting in the quietest hours.

Discovering the marrow in these days is doing another heart work in me that I couldn’t see coming, just as it always is with God and blessings and unexpected time. While we’re waiting, there is much to be soaked up in the minutes and hours when I have the privilege of loving baby on the inside. Soon enough, he or she will be beautifully present in our world in a different way, and no doubt, another heart work will begin to take place in me as I find new marrow in the change of seasons, the shrinking of my belly as a sacred space, and the growing of our wee one in our lives.

practicing my ability to enjoy the view, from wherever I am.

mm