Is it really March?!?

It's March. Holy smokes. Eliaya could come any day!

Jarrod had a new-found appreciation for this fact this morning. Before a 'good morning', a sigh, or a big stretch to move the dog off his legs, he said "Megan, we're gonna be parents this month, like for real!"
I think that pretty well sums up our past few weeks, we've been trying to get as much ready as we can, stocking up on diapers and other essentials, doing a LOT of reading, and most importantly basking in time with the Lord.

I was let off bed rest, praise the Lord! Last appointment showed that Eliaya was doing great, and while I'm still contracting any time I try to do anything, they're not doing much in terms of bringing her here too early :) So with the doc's approval, I went back to work this past Sunday. 12 hrs later I was still pregnant, a victory if you ask Jarrod and I.

This week we hit the 36 week mark. I'm still feeling great, noticing fatigue sets in quicker and I'm sure I resemble a duck when I first get started walking... but so glad to still be preggers! Jarrod has installed the carseat (only took two attempts!), our hospital bag is packed.... Now we wait. Hopefully she wont change her mind and decide not to come out at all and we have to be induced at 41 weeks.... haha.

Jarrod is a reading machine these days: his classes will have a significantly lower workload come April, but that comes at the price of having a heavy load right now. He's been reading a book by Dempster called Dominion and Dynasty, from what he's talked to me about, it sounds like a great book. One of his big papers if going to be on how the "image of God" changes from pre- to post-fall, then following the redemptive work of Christ, and finally the culmination of His work when we are perfected in heaven. You should ask him about it! I'm so proud of him, he's juggling a million to-dos and the stress levels average a little less than sky-high, and through it all he has realized how desperately we need the Word and remains passionate about his classes.

We have one last childbirth class to attend this Saturday. Despite the frequent giggles and joking (he is a Reed after all), Jarrod has found the class helpful, as have I. Please pray for us as the delivery is looming ever closer: that it would be smooth and without hiccups, that I would cope with contraction discomfort and not give in to fear, that Jarrod would remain strong and not faint (a big deal if you know him...), and that most importantly Eliaya would be healthy. We are so stinkin' excited!!!!!

We've also been blessed by our friends up here, they threw us a baby shower; it was so fun! I consider it a huge blessing to be going through this transition into motherhood with a great group of godly women, both moms and not-moms-yet, to encourage me. Thank you friends! I came home with the spoils and Jarrod decided to put the carrier to use. Since there's no baby to put in it yet, what did he do? As you probably guessed, Simba was volunteered. Poor dog, he's probably most excited for Eliaya to come so that we stop torturing him!

Other than baby-stuff, we are enjoying helping with the Cubbies ministry (Awana) at Ninth & O, I've been able to join a women's Bible study on Thursday mornings going through James, and Jarrod has become the coupon king! If given a list, he can do quite well at the grocery store :)

I'm sure there's more to share... but my bladder has a 5 ounce maximum capacity and well, I've been sitting here too long already. Promise to keep everyone updated as to when Eliaya makes her big debut, until then - thanks for reading and especially thanks for praying for us!

We pray the Lord draws you nearer to Him today-
the Reeds