Days, Pictures, Nooks, and Praise

The count is finally down to under 100 days! In 99 days, I will reach my estimated due date. When we were engaged, everything got more exciting and real after we reached the "100 day" mark. Right now, it's no different.

On Saturday, we will go and have a 3D/4D ultrasound done. While I am very excited about it, I think that it is Patrick who really, really, really can't wait. For the past several weeks, he has asked me continuously, "Have you set it up yet?" Since the 3D/4D ultrasounds give the best, clearest head shots after 26 weeks, I have had to tell him to be patient. By the time we go, I will be almost 27 weeks pregnant.

Although it seems as if there is still a long way to go, the days steadily keep going down, Natalie is becoming increasingly more active, and the ultrasound this weekend will show us almost exactly what our little girl will look like when she arrives.

I ordered a clock for the nursery with a $10 coupon for Amazon.com, and it should be arriving on Tuesday. It is sooo cute! If only we could get rid of the two televisions and the hideous hair drying chair that now occupy what is soon to be Natalie's room, I could get everything in order (hint, hint, Patrick).

More exciting than a clock is the fact that my Nook is scheduled to be delivered on Thursday. Yes, it is taking a lot longer than I originally thought when I ordered (had I gone with the Kindle it would have taken two days instead of 7 to ship!), but still. I have an ever expanding library of free books awaiting its arrival. Cookbooks, inspirational fiction, pop-fiction (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies for free?! I've wanted to see what it was all about since Dr. Wilkotz's class!), Star Wars (Patrick is currently dying of embarrassment), classic fiction, fairy-tales, and more call my name as they wait to be downloaded on my new favorite thing. To top it off, I have the ESV Bible and a prayer book by Matthew Henry that I found for free as well!

Since ordering the Nook, I have been like a little kid waiting for Christmas. I honestly haven't been this excited about a "thing" in a LONG time! When I graduated from college, I received some money . . . and I talked Patrick into letting me spend said graduation money on something that I really wanted (instead of on groceries or something equally . . . not fun). Because, I argued, I would only be graduating from college once and since the money was a gift and something extra, I should be able to buy something to commemorate that time Besides. I'm going to be nursing at all hours of the day and night soon--my time will be much better spent reading good books than sitting in front of the television! I really, really, REALLY can't wait. Hurry up, Thursday!

I have a feeling that God is up to something huge right now, but I don't want to write about it until I know for certain. If things continue as they seem, then God has once again provided us with something that we do not deserve and something more amazing than I ever could have imagined. Even if He chooses not to bestow this gift, He has still given me more than I could have ever asked or thought. What an amazing God I serve. Yes, He gives and takes away . . . but I really think that, to His people, He just gives. It all depends on your mindset.