I'm a fan

I've been really uncomfortable for almost this entire pregnancy.  It's been a rough one.  The first two weren't always walks in the park, but there were moments of reprieve.  And I never really got to the point where I was telling people that I was ready to be done.  But let me tell you all now: I am ready to be DONE!  Get this Little Man out! :) 

You can see by the ticker at the top of the page, I'm a little over 35 weeks along.  Praise the Lord for that.  37 weeks, I read, is considered full-term, so let's hope the little guy is just as ready to be out and about as I am. 

Granted, it's not like life really gets easier with a newborn, but at least I'll be able to bend over to put socks on and paint my toenails then, right? ;)

Anyway, the whole point of telling you that is to tell you this: it's just about time to sit down and record a few of the things that I'm super grateful for because, after all, God is so so good.  And the girls are still sleeping, so now is the time!

Let's start there...  I'm grateful for sleeping girls!  They both have been really great in this area, for the most part.  They've made the transition to a girls' room really easy.  I truly thought it had the potential for disaster and many sleepless nights.  However, they have proven me wrong and have slept great, even though they're just separated by a few yards.  And, like they're doing today, they even sleep in sometimes! 

I'm grateful for dear friends.  My morning started off pretty wonderfully.  Not only are the kiddos still sleeping, but I got to eat a couple pieces of toast, in peace, enjoy a homemade cinnamon mocha, and get an email from a sweet and amazing friend, Clare.  She lives in Wisconsin, and we don't get to see her all that often (even though the Cheesehead state isn't all that far away).  She sent out an email to all the old "roommates," and it warmed my heart, just hearing her voice, updating us on life in the Cook house.  And I naturally have to mention that all the email recipients happen to live in our area.  How much of a blessing is that?  Nearly all of my closest college friends still live right here.  Wow.  And on top of that, as evidenced by many recent posts, I have some new "college friends" who I didn't know all that well at Wheaton but who are a blast and a blessing.  Celeste, that would be you. :)  Even Erin, who is now at business school at Notre Dame, has been traveling to Wheaton so much that the girls and I don't have to miss her too much.  And holy freaking cow, most of the tennis team is still in Illinois, too.  I mean, seriously, how do I have it so good? 

I'm grateful for comic relief.  The girls are now awake, but I hear them doing some kind of Jersey Shore-esque chanting and possibly fist-pumping (who knows?!).  They are funny, those two.  Really, Noelle is a an absolute crack-up with her expressiveness, and Riley is hilarious in what she says.  But more than their humor, I'm grateful for how deeply they love each other.  And I'm even more grateful for how I see a love of Christ developing in them, especially Riley, who is able to express it more clearly.

Sigh... that'll have to be it for the moment because the chatter won't last forever.  Soon there will be yells for MOMMY!!!!  And goodness, I didn't even get to mention our recent weather.  How incredible has that been, eh?  More later, but have a lovely day!