If you were to check in on my daily schedule, you would find me periodically staring at this picture I carry around with me. I can't help it. She is so adorable... I love her little turned up nose!!! :) I feel now like she is real - she really does exist, and is a little human being developing in her birth mother's womb. I dream about what she will look like, feel like, smile like. And to think that we are only 2 1/2 weeks away from having her in our arms. April 14 is coming up quickly!

I wondered how similar sonogram pictures at 4 months are - do all babies look generally the same at that age? After checking out other pics online, I now know that, no, babies have their own distinct looks. This is her! And I'm amazed at how clear her little profile is - rather rare, I think, to see her features so distinctly. It's as though she was posing quietly for this shot. Will she be just as cooperative once she arrives in the world?

It's been over a month since I wrote. A month of whirlwinds, of ups and downs, of being sick in bed, of being so overwhelmed at times I've wondered when sanity would return. But, here we are a mere 5 1/2 weeks away from being parents, and I'm beginning to believe that it really will happen after all!

I've started the meds to be able to breastfeed, and met this morning for a pre-consult with the recommended pediatrician. We have books on newborn care all over the house, and some of the gizmos and gadgets associated with babies have started to accumulate around the house.

Speaking of which, I actually found bedding this morning!!! I've been on the hunt for weeks, and today very inadvertently stumbled (almost literally) across what I think will be the perfect set at Ross. Inexpensive but just what I wanted - ladybugs, butterflies, and daisies. Yay.

I wonder sometimes if, as I was cautioned regarding wedding preparations, it's easy to get so caught up in the physical preparation that the mental and spiritual preparation get left behind somewhat. When I really stop and think about the solemnity of raising a child, I wonder how prepared I am. Last night we were able to see our good friends whose baby is 4 months. So quickly she is learning and growing and assimilating the world around her. Right from the very first, our baby must be surrounded with the best influences possible to shape her life.

So, my contemplation tonight is what can be done in our home to best promote peace and love and a sense of security for this new little life that is joining our lives....

Tonight we feel like our dream is going to truly become reality - we will be parents within a few months!

It's an intriguing thing to be going to the baby sections in the stores, trying out strollers and checking all the pockets of diaper bags, and not have a tummy. I feel like saying to everyone "I AM going to be a mommy, I just don't look like it..." I'm dreaming of baby gurgles and frilly dresses and curly hair and all the snuggles that come with a baby. And constantly thinking what a miracle it is that we are here, weeks away from parenthood, when just 4 weeks behind us we would never have dreamed a family could come so quickly.

I still think it's very intriguing that it was while at GYC in 2006 that David expressed to me that he was interested in us going beyond a friendship, and that at GYC 2009 we were asked to be parents to our first child. Marriage to David has been the most incredible thing in the world, not only because he is the most caring and thoughtful husband I could possibly imagine, but because I know God put us together. And I have full confidence going into this parenting stage that God has also orchestrated us being the parents to this little girl. If being a mommy is half the blessing that being a wife has already been, then I am one incredibly blessed woman.

And so, for the next few weeks, we will be busy with many things not previously on our schedules. Baby registries, researching car seats and strollers, Craigslisting for baby bargains (Craigslisting isn't new, but the baby bargain part is), scrubbing the car top to bottom, making room in the bedroom for a bassinet...lots of physical aspects to baby prep. But that's not all - we just bought ourselves new copies of "Child Guidance" and "Adventist Home", and are committed to reading together every single day and learning all we can from God's perspective about parenting. After all, we haven't done this before, and we need every single bit of heavenly help we can get.