I love my husband...Let me count the ways...

My husband is a saint...no doubt.  I'm an emotional person to begin with, but this pregnancy has been like a roller coaster ride for both of us.  I can't even begin to explain how much Matthew has been my rock when I'm anxious, worried, sad, angry, hurt, or upset.  This huge change that is about to happen in our lives has made me think about EVERYTHING that could go wrong, could be bad, or could ruin what we've got.  I've had many, many great days where I am so grateful for the gift of life that God has given us, and then I have days when I'm not sure how the heck He trusted me so much to make me a mom.  Sometimes I just have a bad day when I feel fat and ugly, and sometimes I just think I'll make a terrible mother.  Through ALL of the ups and downs of the pregnancy, Matthew has encouraged me, coached me, made me feel comfortable, and worked tirelessly to make me feel better.

In many ways, I think that the 9 months of pregnancy is like Lent or Advent...it's a preparation for the "big event".  I'm so grateful we've had this time to prepare mentally and emotionally for Liam's arrival and to solidify our relationship and our marriage.  I've been reading the book "Babywise", and I really like the message it gives at the beginning...the relationship between the parents is paramount and we put our children at risk when we don't make our marriage and our relationship a priority, we are not setting an example for our children or giving them a safe place to belong.  I LOVE that idea and find it so important when we (and by WE, I mean I) get wrapped up in how much our lives will change and how our relationship will change.  I know that our relationship and our lives will changes...for the better!!  But we must always make a commitment to each other for the benefit of Liam and the other 19 children we are planning on having!!

Matthew does such a wonderful job of making our relationship, our marriage, and our bond a priority.  I'm trying hard not to let the emotions of pregnancy take over my desire to do the same!  So I'm using this blog writing time to let you ALL know what a wonderful, amazing, Godly man I have as a husband...

Here are the ways I know that Matthew loves me everyday:

-He kisses me goodbye every morning, even when I'm passed out...he's even gotten out of the driveway, realized he didn't kiss me, drive back home, take off his work boots, come into the house, and give me a kiss...even if I'm still dead asleep!!
-He doesn't "expect" anything of me...when I don't want to cook, do laundry, go get groceries, or when I want to sit on the couch all day, he doesn't make me feel bad!
-He's ALWAYS grateful - when I do the laundry, the cooking, the cleaning, the organizing
-He makes me feel special and beautiful because he tells me so!
-He's VERY excited about having this baby with me and he makes me feel like we're a team in this
-He goes to breastfeeding classes with me without me even asking :-)
-When he has had a LONG day at work, and I've been at home all day, he's falling asleep in bed, he turns to me and asks "Do you need anything?  Are you doing ok?" even when I haven't prompted it
-He thinks of me before he thinks of himself
-He prays for me, for us, and for Liam every night  (and the rest of you as well!!)
-He makes me smile when I'm having a terrible day
-He is a great listener and he will listen to me whine about anything and then knows exactly what to say to make me feel better
-He accepts my apologies
-He's quick to apologize
-When I'm cooking, folding laundry, doing the dishes, etc.  he comes up and gives me a hug and tells me he loves me

There are MANY out ways that I feel loved by my husband, but it helps to remember what a priority he makes me in his life because I realize that we'll be just fine as parents and maybe one day, Liam will make a list of the ways he knows that we love him!

On another note:  We've had a slow week!  Matthew worked all weekend and I spent the weekend cleaning and organizing baby things.  It's been cold here the past few days, but it should warm up soon!  We're headed to Temple tomorrow for Caleb's 1st birthday...can't believe how time flies...next thing we know it will be Liam's 1st birthday!  Everything's still going great with Liam...I feel like I'm slowing down quite a bit.  I can barely even walk for 30 minutes on the treadmill and I take lots of naps.  I think I'm storing up for when we're sleeping 2 hours a night!!  I've also been working on "lists"...lists of things we still need before he comes, lists of what to pack for labor, lists of what to bring for Liam, lists of what to do before he arrives...My life is full of lists anyway, but these are "baby specific" lists :-)

Life is good here...and we're GRATEFUL for the blessings we have!!  Here are the lyrics from a song that has helped me with all the "stuff" that's been piling up for me.  Hope you enjoy them!

Love,
Courtney


This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
It might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use

So break me of impatience
Conquer my frustrations
I've got a new appreciation
It's not the end of the world

35 weeks!