almost 7 months

Friends, family (who will soon take us out if we don't get back to our regularly scheduled blogging), and random passer-by's hello and sorry it has been a while since we last posted.

Things have been pretty crazy for us lately. Shey's had a good deal of back pain (sciatica) that has made it pretty difficult for her to get around, but thankfully after our visit to the doctor yesterday, she is going to the physical therapist on Monday. Yesterday, we found out that Shey is perfectly on track, the baby is growing exactly on schedule which is great. We will start going to dr. appointments every two weeks from now on. We also had a visit to the hospital this week after Shey couldn't stop throwing up for about five hours on Monday afternoon...our little guy is well, Shey's bloodwork came back with positive signs, and so after two bags of IV fluid, some more throwing up, we made it home shortly before midnight on Monday. Things have settled down for her the rest of this week as she has been able to keep food down, get some rest, and take a day off.

We have our birthing class at the hospital this weekend. It will be from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. This will make for a long weekend, but we are looking forward to the tour of the birthing center, and I'm thinking that the reality of all this is going to set in some new ways. But enough with the details.

To be honest, life hasn't been this crazy for us in a long time. Shey is trying to get everything together to finish up school a few weeks early; I'm wrapping up my final semester of seminary and getting whipped up in the process; after some great work by Shey's dad to build the nursery, I will be starting to prime and paint this week (hopefully to get done before the carpet folks come to lay it down); the garden is slowly not coming along, but hopefully next week I'll be able to finish getting it ready.

In all this though, there has still been something amazing to feel the little guy kick his little legs and punch with his little fists with Shey. It has been really hard to figure out how to manage the business of life, Shey's pain, and still find time for us, and to process our time together and the time of change coming. I can't imagine anyone better to go through all of this with, and I can't even begin to say how tough Shey is. There is no way I'd even talk to people with all the pain she has been going through...but she has been wonderful, a trooper, and has worked hard to make things manageable despite the difficult pregnancy.

Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers from folks...we've needed them. We are excited as we head into the home stretch here, and I hope that things will run smoothly for Shey. I know Shey is excited to see many of you at one of the showers, and it will be fun for my mom and Maw-Maw to be able to see Shey and experience some of the pregnancy fun! Much love to all...