Three Thought Thursday: Episode 8

1. Reagan has entered the "poor, unfortunate soul" phase of life. Ugh. Kolbe went through the same phase around the same age. Call it teething, call it the inability to communicate, call it lack of understanding of the way the world works...whatever you call it, I have to admit, it's utterly annoying at some times. (usually like around 7:00pm when I've heard it all day...) Don't get me wrong, I love my little baby, but man o' man, he has just been pouring on the drama lately! I set him down; he cries. I pick him up; he cries. I put him in his booster chair; he cries. I get up to get a napkin; he cries. We get to the bottom of his carton of yogurt; he cries. I put him in his car seat; he arches his back and cries. And we're not talking about a small little pout. We're talking full on, throw his head back, crocodile tears, so-hard-that-no-sound-comes-out cries. It's ridiculous. And the second he gets his way, he stops. When Kolbe went through this phase, Mark and I would bust out our best rendition of the Ursula song "poor, unfortunate soul!!!...in pain....in need..." from The Little Mermaid. Come on, you know what song I'm talking about! Needless to say, we've reprised our role a little over a year later for Mr. Reagan. Can't wait for this phase to pass! Really, son! Life is not that bad!!!

2. Mark and I are expecting! ...A godchild, that is. I'm sure a few people just fell out of their chairs. (though I'm sure some of you probably wouldn't be surprise, considering our previous track record...) Abby and Andy came over a few nights ago (in the gushing snow) to drop off some of my borrowed maternity clothes and asked if Mark and I would be willing to be their little baby John's godparents. We, of course, were ecstatic and happy to take on such an important responsibility. (I think I actually gasped when they asked...) Mark and I have always viewed the roll of godparents to be something so vital and important. As Mark always says, his job as a father and husband is to help get the boys and me to heaven. And should we ever leave our children behind on this earth (God forbid...) we would certainly hope that someone else would seek this same goal for our boys. Not to mention the fact that godparents can join in the journey with the parents through prayer and example. We're still about eleven weeks away from meeting our little nephew and godson, John, but we're so excited to serve in this special way in his life and hope that we can be all that Andy and Abby would expect us to be! Thanks again, A & A, for such an honor!!!

3. I guess I'll just stick with the baby theme this week...

I spent two solid years either being the pregnant lady or the lady with a new baby for all our friends and family. It's been so interesting over the past several months to actually be on the outside and see what it's like for other friends and family members either trying to get pregnant or experiencing their first pregnancies. In some cases, I've seen so many similarities to Mark and my journey. In others, it's been so different. It just makes me realize that life is precious and beautiful to all who endeavor to join with God and create it. It's exciting, it's heart-breaking, it's time consuming and pride-reducing. It's sacrificial, it's all-encompassing, it's exhausting and exhilarating. It's the journey of falling in love!

I have four friends or family members who are due literally within days of each other, the first being my sister-in-law, Casey, who is due March 31st. A friend of mine, who was due a few days after Casey, ended up having her baby on Tuesday in a manner similar to my experience with Kolbe. I have yet to go see her at the hospital, but just hearing about it from an outsider's perspective has been somewhat poignant for me. When I had Kolb, I felt like I was somewhat alone. Like I was the only one who had ever gone through such an experience. But something about just hearing of how this precious little guy arrived so early to such a beautiful, deserving mama has made me re-recognize the beauty of each woman's own journey. We may not all be meant to have the perfect conception, pregnancy, or delivery we dream of as little girls, but if God calls us to be mothers, we are all meant to experience the beauty of celebrating each new life. And I have completely enjoyed witnessing all my soon to be mama friends thus far. I can't wait for their babies' births! And I look forward with hope for my friends who are destined to be mothers in the future!