Thankful

As I near the 38 week mark and I spend more time feeling uncomfortable, it is a blessing to be able to dwell on the things about this pregnancy that I am thankful for.

1) I am pregnant. 
    I will absolutely never forget how long we petitioned the Lord for a child, what we learned in the wait, and how perfect the Lord's timing was in bringing little Aaron into our lives.

2) It has been a healthy pregnancy.
    Apart from a hazy remembrance of the six weeks I spent with my arms wrapped around the toilet and a few backaches, the Lord has graciously sustained my health through this entire pregnancy. How can I not be thankful for that?

3) My weight gain has been steady and controllable.
    To date, I have gained precisely 25 pounds and, as I can still make out my ankles, I would count this as something to be thankful for. It seems like I have only gained weight in the middle; praise the Lord! I can't take any credit for this; I do try to eat fairly healthy and exercise moderately but, knowing how I cheat on those things, the weight gain has definitely not been my doing.

4) I have had eight friends go before me (in the past six months!).
    Eight friends!! Wow! I have eight resources to pull from once Aaron arrives, how sweet is that? All my friends have different strengths in parenting and I get to go to all of them for wisdom! Not to mention, I get to hold and snuggle them all while I impatiently wait for Aaron!

5) I passed my Strep B test!
    This may seem mundane to everyone else but I was actually feeling a bit anxious about the results so I was elated to hear that it was negative!

6) Aaron is looking healthy.
    What bigger praise can there be than this? While measuring small, he looks great and we have had nothing to worry about; of course, we will need to continue to trust the Lord in this department but I am thankful for the 9 months we've been able to watch him grow strong.

7) I still get a full nights sleep.
    I can't say how grateful I am for this one! So many people say the third trimester is full of sleepless nights and I have consistently been getting nine hours or so. If I happen to get less, it's because I wake up earlier, not because I get woken up in the middle of the night. The Lord has been very kind in this, as I know that won't be the case once our son gets here.

8) No "pregnancy woes."
    Here I am referring to all those "wonderful" things they say can happen to you when you're pregnant; fortunately, I have experienced next to none of them, except for the backaches, but I'll take those over the "others" any time!

9) I haven't had to work through the last half of my pregnancy.
    Such a blessing! I have been off work since June and I think it has made all the difference! I haven't had to worry about work related stuff, I have been able to rest when I want, and have enjoyed fellowship with friends.

10) I have an incredible husband.
      Seriously, this has made all.the.difference. Brandon is an amazing support to me and a wonderful encourager. He knows me so well and provides what I need (whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually) at the exact moment I need it. He has been so patient with me through all my aches and pains, ups and downs, and insane "to do" lists! He invests time into me and our preparations to be parents and has done so much to prepare himself to be the best coach possible during our labor. I absolutely could NOT be more thankful for the husband that I have and I can't wait to watch him as a daddy!

11) I have a wonderful Lord.
      I would have nothing to be thankful for apart from my Lord; He is the reason I have made it through this pregnancy; He is the reason why I have anything to be thankful for in the first place. My times with Him have sustained me through the difficult aspects of pregnancy and have given me an outlet for praise during the wonderful aspects. He is the reason we have Aaron and I know He is the only way I will make it through all the aspects of parenthood. How great is our God!