.. from mel ..: the trip

28 October 2011

the trip

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We've arrived home from our trip to Michigan with a bad case of the croup. I've been kind of dreading the flu season to return, because every time is does, Jack finds it. Of course he's an active, hand-to-mouth sort of kid anyway, but here we are. Last year on his first birthday he got a bad cold + an ear infection so when we got home from our travels with a slightly runny nose and mild fever, my first thought was an ear infection. I took him to the doctor to find out his ears look lovely (praise Jesus!) but he just has a nasty cold. After 50+ times of waking up last night (ok, maybe not fifty) he was his active self by 9am this morn. At one point John brought him in bed with him and I got booted out (me and my belly need a little more room.) and within about 45 minutes I hear Jack ready to start the day...at 3am. Needless to say, the night was long and eventful and around 4am I couldn't fall back to sleep for the life of me. I thought, I planned, I made lists, I wrote emails in my head and replied to text messages. I finally had to tell myself to 'let it go and go to sleep. Or you'll regret it.' I'm not really looking forward to those last few weeks of pregnancy where everything is so uncomfortable that all you can do is pray that the night goes quickly. Then a newborn comes and sleep is a far, distant and forgotten dream. Oh, I'm ready people. A years worth of full night's sleep will that do that to a young woman.

I'm officially at 26 weeks and feeling a little large. The belly is lovely and the kicks are a delight, but the chubby cheeks and thick thighs can bring a girl down. I know it's a season, but it still doesn't keep me from looking at the scale with slight shock and dread. I'm already planning how to lose this baby weight though, and praying for grace to allow myself time. After Jack I felt such a rush to get back into my old cloths and feel my old self again. But if I'm honest with myself, I wish I would have just let it be for a few weeks while I settle into nursing and admiring this precious little being. I long to embrace each season (even the chunky ones) and know that this too shall pass, and how we look, though a choice, isn't everything. One of my favorite people and mentors often reminds me that we only get to be pregnant in life so many times, so enjoy it and live it up, girl.

Amen to that. And to the yummy goodies that this season holds. (Just kidding. I'm trying to refrain, I really am.)

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I have so many reflections on our time in Michigan, but if I think/process them all I won't write this until Thanksgiving. So here's a quick low down on the trip. 

I so love being back in the Midwest. Waking with the late morning sun, watching clouds fill the sky for an entire day (a rarity here in AZ) seeing green grass, leaves at the end of driveways and pumpkins in front of every home (They aren't eaten/fried like here.) My heart soared at the smell of bonfires, fresh apple cider and family laughter with a bowl of popcorn. It's so good to be with John's family and hear their family stories and chat with John's mom about What Not To Wear and other favorite shows. 

Going back to where John grew up is like seeing a new piece of him each time. When we went to the church he grew up in there were countless ladies doting on how they saw him grow and he was their little one. He really is so lucky to have grown up in the same place and for his family to still live there. Having moved around a lot when I was younger I had the awesome advantage of meeting so many people and seeing life in different parts of the U.S., but I do sometimes long for that strange feeling of coming back to where you grew up and seeing people you grew up with. 