it's the final countdown

since i've was up at 4am, i thought i'd really give y'all some updates!
think http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_IKcMl_a9A (proceed to jam for 5 min)

okay so this really has nothing to do with the band Europe or their song, but as I approached the 30 weeks mark, it kept coming to mind. really, just the line: "it's the final countdown!"
for me there have been a few places in time of this pregnancy that really mark it for me. the beginning when we found out. of course. 12 weeks...when we told others our news. 20 weeks...b/c that's halfway. and now 30 weeks. i mean--this is the home stretch. in a distance event it's that last few laps or meters or whatever. i can't necessarily get to this finish line any sooner or with more effort, nor do i desire to. i have to admit that this pregnancy has been amazing. what a journey it's been for me. i'm entering motherhood. (that's a whole other blog post) i am so thankful for the journey God has brought me on as he prepares me for something bigger than myself. spiritually, it's drawn me closer to God as I am constantly amazed that He designed and created us this way--to have another human growing inside my belly. those words alone are crazy. but, when i'm lying in bed and this little girl is doing all sorts of crazy kicks, rolls, and punches i am in AWE with a God who loves me, who created me to be who I am just as he knits together our baby girl in my belly. i love it. it's definitly been emotional and not because of the hormones. it just is...things become clearer, relationships already begin to change, you think more about stuff (like another person), you encounter things that are new. physically, it's been great. the beginning not as much fun as now. i was waiting with anticipation for my belly to expand...i couldn't wait to be bigger. now, it's a joke with me and adam about how huge i thought i'd get. pregnancy has done a reversal on my self-image...i love my body more now than i ever have. (not sure i will be able to say that in November, but hey) my body is doing something it was created to do...carry this little one. yeah, it's strange and strange things happen, but i have really been feeling great. and for that i am so thankful. i would like to thank swimming and pre-natal yoga for this too. i hope my final 10 weeks continue to be as great has the first 30 have been.
we've taken a picture each week sinc 20 (mainly b/c i wanted to make a flip book). so enjoy the growing belly! (i'm missing weeks 21 & 22)

20 weeks 23 weeks


24 weeks 25 weeks


26 weeks 27 weeks

28 weeks 29 weeks

30 weeks!!