Moments of Meghan

This morning my husband and I were talking about how 2018 is right around the corner. While 2017 has gone by fast overall, we both commented that it feels like I’ve been pregnant a very long time. We found out I was pregnant shortly after returning from Europe in February. John was there for work, and I flew over for a weekend trip in the middle of his work trip. It’s funny because when I returned to the states after that trip, I felt like the effects of jet lag were taking a significant toll on me. A few months prior to going to Europe, we had gone to Taiwan. When we returned from Asia, I felt like I bounced back pretty fast to my “normal self.” I was surprised how hard it was for me to return to “normal” after my trip to Switzerland. In hindsight, I don’t think it was necessarily jet lag I was feeling but the early effects of pregnancy (likely exacerbated by jet lag).

Now here we are on October 1, the month we’ve been waiting for since February; the month our baby will be born. I hit 37 weeks on Tuesday, and now we’re just waiting to see when this little guy decides to make his debut. The nursery is set, and the last thing we need to do is install the car seat that is currently sitting in an empty bedroom.

My heart has been so full over the last few months due to the generosity of others. The phrase “It takes a village…” has gone through my mind again and again as we’ve prepared for our little guy. We have received so many thoughtful and generous gifts. As I’ve washed baby clothes, boiled pacifiers, and organized cases of diapers, my heart has overflowed with gratitude. I have had four baby showers – one in Iowa hosted by my mother-in-law and sister-in-law, one at work, one here in West Virginia with women from my church congregation, and one in Virginia hosted by my mom and aunt. Unfortunately, I only got a group picture at the very last one, but below are some pictures from all of them (except for the West Virginia baby shower, where I totally forgot to take any pictures at all).

We are very excited to meet our little guy, and I am excited to no longer be pregnant. I made a goal to go on a 30-minute walk every day, and for the most part I’ve been able to meet that goal. Just last night my mom and I went on a 45-minute walk in the brisk fall air and it felt great. But I will be happy to have my “normal” body back. I took this picture this morning. It’s funny because there were a number of maternity clothes I bought early on in pregnancy that I looked at and thought, “I can’t imagine getting that big.” And now some of those clothes fit quite snuggly haha.