29 weeks!

How far along: 29 weeks and 1 day

Baby Size: 15 inches, 2.5 pounds

Maternity clothes: yup

Sleep: Other than having to go to the bathroom ALL the dang time, it's pretty good.

Best moment this week: We picked out the nursery fabric. We actually decided not to go with that blue chevron print because, as Bech said, "it didn't play well with others." Basically, we couldn't find any coordinating fabrics that we like! So my sweet mom went to Premier Fabrics in Jackson and sent us lots of fun choices. We picked out one set that we just loved, figured out what we wanted where, and now my mom is getting someone in Brookhaven to make it!

Food cravings: Anything cold.

What I miss: Shaved ice, margaritas (although I did have a virgin one a couple of weeks ago)

What I'm looking forward to: Our stroller still isn't in, but it should be in by today. So hopefully I can spend tonight putting it together and playing with it! And making sure the car seat fits in it...the reviews said it would!

Milestones: Not sure...I did realize that in less than 8 weeks, Jack will be full term! But I don't know if that counts as a milestone.

Pregnancy symptoms: Heartburn. All.The.Time. It's like I'm an old lady or something. I don't go anywhere without my Tums. Also, I am clumsier than usual, which is really saying something.

Favorite Books...

I thought I'd share my top 6 favorite books. I know, 6 is a weird number. But I absolutely love to read, and have a ridiculous amount of books that I love. So narrowing this list down to 6 is an accomplishment.

Troubling a Star by Madeleine L'Engle

I'll start the list off with a children's/young adult novel. Really I should have just said anything by Madeleine L'Engle. She was an incredible writer. This book might be my favorite of her's though. Antarctica, Shakespeare, penguins, Vicky Austin...what's not to love?

Davita's Harp by Chaim Potok

Again, I could have just said anything by Chaim Potok. But if I have to chose a favorite of all his books, it's this one. He was a Jewish author, and he writes so beautifully. Other good ones are The Chosen and My Name is Asher Lev. This one, though, is the only one written from a girls perspective. I highly suggest this book--incredible!

Orthodoxy by G. K. Chesterton

Wow, I love this book. I read it for the first time my freshman year. If you've never read any non-fiction by Chesterton, his style is somewhat similar to Lewis' (think Mere Christianity). Even if you don't ever read this whole book, you should at least read the chapter entitled "The Ethics of Elfland."

A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken

This is the most beautiful love story I have ever read. And it's true! This is about a Sheldon and Davy, who fall in love, and later become Christians. They have an incredible and beautiful story. It is actually written after Davy has died (which Sheldon tells you on the 2nd page, so I didn't ruin anything, although you will still probably sob and be heartbroken when she does die!). Read this story. Seriously. It's incredible.

The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis

Seeing as I'm naming my first child after this author, I think it would be a little silly for me to go and on about these books. Obviously I love them. Obviously they're incredible. Obviously you should read them all.

Although, I do have one thing to add. See the picture. This is the old school version. You should look for this set on ebay. If you can't find it, read the newer ones, but read them in the order listed above. That is the right order. I promise.

The Anne of Green Gables series by Lucy Maud Montgomery

True story--I made my mother call me Anne for about a year of my life. Also, a couple of weeks ago someone told me I reminded them of Anne. It may have been the highest compliment I have ever been paid. I have read these books over and over. I actually would really like to name a child Rilla (Anne's youngest child) but Bech says people will call her Go-Rilla. I love these books. If you are a boy, you probably won't like them/get them. But if you are a girl, they are delicious!

Well there you go! I think Courtney may be the only person who finds this list fun to look over. So I am not offended if you are totally bored. But really, you should all read all of these books...sooo good!

pictures and thoughts...

First of all, here are week 28 pics. Can I just say, I look HUGE in the pictures (at least to me). But I have had a few family members ask me to put pics on here, so I am complying. Plus, I know I will want to be able to look back on this.

One very important part of the above pictures is that I am not wearing snow boots! A lot of the snow has melted here and we have had some warm (and by warm I mean in the low 40's) days here. It actually did snow Monday (the first day of spring) and Tuesday, but it was in the 30's, so the snow melted pretty quickly. Next week is supposed to have a few more days in the 40's, so maybe the rest of the snow will melt, and mud season/Vermont spring will be here!

Here are some homemade spring rolls with hoisin/garlic/peanut butter sauce...sooo good! Plus, I am not great about eating veggies, so this is a good way for me to eat them! Spring rolls are super easy to make, and I love the texture of the crisp veggies in the wrapper.

Here is a happy Aunt Katy got made for Jack...how cute is it? We now have a few things with his name on them, and they are all so fun! I might have to get some more onesies with Jack's name made...I love them!

Less than 6 weeks left of school!!! While that is exiting, it is also stressful. I still have a large final project due in my Greek class, on top of regular work and tests for my other classes. But I am excited for summer to be here (and for Jack to be here!).

Jack will be here in less than 3 months, so we have kinda been kicking it in gear. My grandparents gave us money to use on Jack, so I bought his car seat and stroller this past weekend. The car seat is here (in fact, we already put it in the car! We probably won't leave it in there until June, but I just wanted to see it in there!) and hopefully the stroller will be here soon. I also ordered the rocker. Currently, Jack's nursery is set up as a photo studio so Bech can take pictures of his pottery. But hopefully that will be remedied by this weekend, and I can start setting everything up. We still need to get on the bedding, and also I need to find a dresser! But I finally feel like we are actually getting things done!

I'll end with something funny (although if you're my facebook friend, you've already seen this!):

Bech: I dreamed about Jack last night.

Me: What'd he look like?

Bech: Kinda like a cabbage patch doll...Wait, I think he was a cabbage patch doll!

28 weeks

How far along: 28 weeks and 2 days

Baby Size: 14.8 inches, 2.25 pounds

Maternity clothes: yup

Sleep: I have to get up to go the bathroom a lot! But I think that's fairly normal for this point.

Best moment this week: Our car seat came in yesterday! I played with it a little last night, figuring out how to adjust it and snap it in the base. Then I made Bech play with it when he got home. I don't think he enjoyed it as much as I did, but he still humored me!

Food cravings: Fruit and chicken wings. I know...what a great mix.

What I miss: Shaved ice--they don't have that here :(

What I'm looking forward to: Our stroller and rocker come in sometime this week...I can't wait to put those together and play with them too!

Milestones: I am now in the 3rd trimester...whooo!

Pregnancy symptoms: Heartburn. All.The.Time. It's like I'm an old lady or something. I don't go anywhere without my Tums.

Sorry no picture this week. I really was going to try, but oh well! But Bech's parents would like so see some pictures, so I'm going to work on that!

DC trip...

I have been a bad blogger lately. I got back at 11:30 p.m. on Monday from DC, and had to be at work at 8 on Tuesday morning. Plus, I had a Latin test on Tuesday and regular homework. But now I finally have a little bit of a rest before I start back up on next weeks homework.

DC was great. One of my favorite things was getting to go into the senate on Friday. They were in recess, but we were able to go onto the floor and see everything. Ansley showed us around the Capitol, and we ate in the Senate cafeteria.

Speaking of eating, we did that, a lot. My favorite place we ate (well actually it was on Sunday night, so it was just my mom and me) was Ping Pong Dim Sum. Sooo good! We also ate some Tangy Sweet, some cupcakes, and a Krispy Kreme doughnut (okay, so only I ate one!).

(Ping Pong Dim Sum)

We mostly just shopped, but I did get to do a little sightseeing on Monday. My mom left to head home about noon, so I headed over to the Museum of American History. My favorites: Dorothy's ruby red slippers (no matter how many times I see them, I still love them), a huge dollhouse, the First Lady's inauguration gowns, and (of course) Julia Child's kitchen.

Then I headed over to the Holocaust Museum. I went when I was in 8th grade (it had opened not long before then), and haven't been back since then. I actually only spent about 2 or 2 1/2 hours in the museum. It's a tough museum to go to, and you could honestly spend about 6 hours in here to see and take it all in. I wanted to move through quickly for two reasons: first, I wanted to leave for the airport around 5ish (because I had a Latin test to study for!), and second, because I am pregnant and emotional, and I don't think the other people in the museum would like to see a 6 month pregnant woman crying in the middle of the museum.

If you have never been to the Holocaust museum, you really, really need to. Like I said, it is really hard, but I think it is a necessary hard. Kurt Vonnegut said that "those who forget the lessons of the past are condemned to repeat them." And, as seen in Rwanda and Darfur, genocides have not ended.

A few things stuck out to me this time, that maybe didn't my first time. The first was, while watching a video of concentration camp survivors, one survivor talked about a fellow prisoner. He saw the prisoner praying, and asked him why, when it was too late for morning prayers and too early for night prayers. The man said he was thanking God that he was not like the murderers around him. From the man''s tone, I don't think this was similar to the pharisee's prayer. I was touched by how even surrounded by so much death and horror, this man still was praising God.

I was also struck by the stories of how other countries responded. I was reminded again about how other countries (including the U.S.) ignored and refused to help when they knew (maybe not to the full extent, but at least partly) what the Nazis were doing. But one country did help, Denmark. And that makes me so happy to know that Jack will have Danish blood running through him.

All these pictures are from offline--you aren't allowed to take pictures in the Museum. This is a remake of a sign above one of the concentration camps.

This is from the Hall of Remembrance, where an eternal flame burns in memory of the 6 million Jews killed by the Nazis.

This quote is (I think) in the Hall of Remembrance.

There was another quote up in the museum that was really powerful:

‎"Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into

one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed. Never shall I forget that

smoke. Never shall I forget the little faces of the children, whose bodies I saw turned

into wreaths of smoke beneath a silent blue sky. ‎"Never shall I forget those flames

which consumed my faith forever. Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which

deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live. Never shall I forget those moments

which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I

forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never."

Elie Wiesel

A few thoughts...

1) I will be in DC by this time tomorrow!!! I can NOT wait!

2) Bech and I already have lot's of nicknames for Jack. I call him Jack-Attack. Bech likes to call him Jackie Wackie (no idea?). We both call him Jackie and Jack Jack. Last night, we met a couple who has a 2 year old named Jack. They call him "Jackers." How cute is that? I might have to steal it!

3) Monday night, I got to hear the traveling team speak. Y'all should definitely check out their website...what a cool ministry! Basically, they send groups around to speak on various campuses (and churches and youth groups, but they mostly focus on college age kids) about missions--why it's important to Christians (and how often God speaks about it and calls us to it in the Bible!) and what we can do. I liked their 5 application points:

Pray

Give

Welcome Internationals

Go

Get Educated

I think we focus alot on give and go, and sometimes on pray. But I didn't ever think about how welcoming internationals was part of missions, too! Also, I think get educated is a great one.

26 weeks

How far along: 26 weeks and 2 days

Baby Size: 14 inches, 1.7 pounds

Maternity clothes: yup

Sleep: I have been so tired lately! But that's great, because it means I sleep really well at night.

Best moment this week: We had a doctor's appointment yesterday, and I had to take my glucose test. I have been terrified about this for a couple of months now. I have no idea why--I guess I think that I'm such a sweet tooth, of course I would have gestational diabetes. But my doctor called me yesterday afternoon, and I passed! Whooo! No 3 hour test for me!

Food cravings: Yesterday, all I wanted were chicken wings. Really? I mean, I'm not a 20 year old college guy! Plus, I've only had chicken wings about 4 times in my life. But we got some and I loved it. But I don't want anymore anytime soon. The craving is completely fulfilled.

What I miss: Shaved ice--they don't have that here :(

What I'm looking forward to: Our tax rebate being put in our account so that I can buy the rocker!!!

Milestones: I passed the glucose test!!! Also, I have one more appointment at 30 weeks, and then I start my twice a month appointments.

Pregnancy symptoms: Heartburn. Plus, Jack likes to position his foot right on my bladder, and he kicks it ALOT! So I constantly feel like I need to go to the bathroom (sorry if that's TMI). Not fun...

Stretch marks: So far, nope!

To Do list...

It's officially Spring Break!!!

I just got out of my Greek class, so it has begun. 1 week off of classes! But...I do have a lot of things I need/want to get done this week. So I'm making a list to help me:

1) Get at least Monday and Wednesday's Greek translations done (for the week after spring break).

2) Work on/Finish 3rd short paper for Greek. Of course, this requires me actually figuring out what I want to right my paper on!

3) Begin working on final project in Greek.

4) Study for my Latin midterm (the day after I get back from DC).

5) Finish my Prose Composition homework.

6) Take clothes to goodwill/consignment shop.

7) Do laundry/clean the house...it's gotten bad!

8) Get a massage. Bech gave me the money for a massage for Valentines Day, and I STILL haven't scheduled it! But I'm going to this week!

9) Do our taxes! We should be getting a good amount back this year, and Bech said I can use some of that money to buy this:

Seriously, how great is this rocker? I absolutely love it!

10) Go to DC (next Thursday) and spend a wonderful 5 days with my mom and sisters!!! Obviously, this is the most important thing on the list!

Things I love right now...

1. Top Chef All-Stars

Bech and I both absolutely love this show. And it's almost over! But, good news, Top Chef Masters will start this spring. And John Currence (owner of City Grocery) will be in it!

We are BIG Richard Blais fans. I like to imagine that I am distantly related to him (my mom's maiden name is Blaise). He is an incredible chef and is really kind in the kitchen. If he doesn't win, I'm going to be pretty sad. Especially if Mike Isabella wins over him!

2. America's Next Top Model just started back up! I am such a sucker for this show!!! I like Jaclyn the best so far, but just cause she's from the South.

3. Tums are my new best friend. The heartburn has started and it is NOT fun! But Tums are wonderful!

4. I love that tomorrow is my last day before spring break!!! I just have Greek in the morning, and then I work at the library for 6 hours. But then a week off of class!!!

5. 1 week from today I will be in D.C.! I am so ready to see my mom and my sisters. Plus I plan on eating tons of frozen yogurt. Plus, maybe a cupcake?

This is not something I'm necessarily loving, but I just realized today that Jack will be here in a little over 3 months...AH!!!! That's sooo soon! Bech talks to Jack some, and he always says, "We are ready for you to be here!" And I always think, "Um...no we are not! I still need to get this, this, and this, and do this, this, and this..." But I am excited for him to be here...I just want him to wait at least 3 months!