36 weeks

So in a nutshell, what's going on in our house is NESTING!  For the most part, we are ready for baby's arrival.  I'm about as organized as I need to be, and things are ready, well, that is, except for our health. 

These past couple weeks, Jason has been plagued with a nasty cough.  Despite my encouragement to see the doctor that first week, (especially after he had a fever one day), he worked long hours and even got into the dunk tank again on a cold night during Homecoming week.  After a second fever a few days later, and what sounded like wheezing, he finally went in & was diagnosed with walking pneumonia.  My weekly doctor visit was normal, other than my coughing, but my doctor put me on the same antibiotics as Jason just to prevent mine from turning to pneumonia as well.

This was all diagnosed last week, and during that time, both AJ & Laney came down with mild head colds and Faith was hit hard with a virus that has her home from school for another day with a fever, a nasty sore throat, headache and even a bit of nausea.  Fearing she caught the strep throat that's going around, we brought her to the doctor as well, but that came out negative, so we're just trying to make her comfortable until it passes.  She's going on day 4 of feeling yucky.

Yesterday, someone asked me when baby is due & I said any time is OK now, but we would prefer to have everyone a bit healthier before bringing a newborn home.  I would also like to kick my cough that keeps me up before I am deprived of sleep even more, otherwise I will be sick even longer! 

But otherwise, we are excitedly awaiting baby's arrival and wondering how things will go with a new little one.  Noah is still not fully accepting of being at school without Mom there, so if we can't get it to work this week, we might end up trying preschool at home.  Not really what I had planned for with a baby, but I also hadn't planned on spending weeks sitting in a preschool classroom so he could adjust the way that Noah adjusts...slowly and on his own time.  I have a last resort of "tricks" up my sleeve, so hopefully we feel a little better to give it a try this week.  I guess if it doesn't work, we will save lots of money on tuition this year and we don't have to worry about getting him to and from school everyday.

"Can't stop the feeling"

Here's a video TCU put together to welcome the students and staff back to school.  

Jason's in a couple of spots.  

Titans!

 The school year officially began for us last week & I am happy to say the kids have adjusted well.  I wasn't worried about them making friends, but after going to the open house at the middle school, I realized how much bigger the school was than what we were all used to.  When searching for AJ's locker, after going up and down 2 sets of stairs, I finally told them, you just go up there & if you find it, let me know and I will come to you.  Let's just say I was in the middle of a contraction & tired of walking during it.

The three older have adjusted to having lockers with combination locks, something I didn't even think of that they've never used before.  AJ's managed to get stuck on day 2 and they had to order him another lock because even the teacher couldn't get it open.  Him and Laney also have a gym locker with a lock, so they have 2 combinations to remember and they haven't mentioned it being a problem...other than locker room lockers smell bad, so they asked for air fresheners, LOL.

Ian and Noah are at the Catholic School and Ian has been much more calm when he is home.  His social cup is now filled when he gets home because he has a class with 5 other boys whom he seems to get along well with and who also have his amount of energy.

Mr. Noah's first day of preschool did not go as well.  Jason dropped all the kids off that morning while I enjoyed a nice cup of coffee in a comfy chair while praying.  "I could get used to this!" I thought.  I slowly moved about our quiet house and planned out my time for grocery shopping before I would pick up Noah just before lunch.  I even called the school for some details, but there was strangely no answer. 

While I was at the store, I left my phone in the car, which turned out to be a mistake.  I returned to my vehicle to discover that the school and Jason had left messages for me to come for Noah...he was not doing well and they had given up trying to settle him down.  (I'm guessing that's why the secretary didn't answer the phone...she had a screaming 4 year-old in her lap.)  Jason had already gone to the rescue & had him at home, so I got there to find a teary-eyed little boy snuggled deep into his Daddy's lap.  I didn't get much else done that day but holding him & assuring him about the next day.

I spent the next 3 mornings camped out in the classroom to gain his trust while he adapted to his new surroundings.  On the 3rd morning, I had to leave for about an hour for an appointment I had scheduled for over a month.  He was screaming when I left and they had to call Daddy again within an hour to come for him when they couldn't settle him down & couldn't reach me. 

So, here I am, week 2, on Wednesday, still sitting through about 4 hours of preschool.  He is doing great, participating, socializing, all the things he should be doing, as long as he can glance over and see me somewhere in the room.  If he doesn't, he gets a look of panic on his face until he sees me.  We have a few things planned to try for tomorrow and Friday to work on getting this 8-1/2 month pregnant mommy out of the classroom so I can: 1) be comfortable, 2) work on getting baby stuff ready & do more unpacking, and 3) get into a morning routine that involves a warm cup of joe and some prayer time, or something like that before I have another little one crying and needing my attention.

On the plus side, it has been fun watching him participate and learning his classmate's names.  And even though I am lacking in my quiet morning prayer time, the short moments I get in prayer, I hear God speak to my heart, "I will ALWAYS be here...he needs you now and so be at peace, because I will be here, ALWAYS."  And that puts a patience in my heart for this little boy, who needs me now, to be by his side when he is afraid and unsure, and to know that it will have to move forward on his time...just as he has done from his very birth.  He is a reminder that I prayed for patience and he gives me opportunities for just that.  So for now, I will enjoy those moments with him, because I know all too well how quickly these years are moving by.