I hate good-byes

It's been a busy weekend as we helped some of our dearest friends here in Nashville pack up for their big move. I don't know how many times I thought to myself how strange it is to help friends move - enabling them to do the very thing you so wish wasn't going to happen. But I guess it's just what friends do, huh?

Megan & Alan were some of the first people we met when we moved here -Alan was in Dan's PA class, and they hit it off right away. Megan was pregnant with their first (Abby) at the time, and I was able to get to know her during the later part of her pregnancy when she was on bed rest and I had no friends - so we hung out (she couldn't get away from me basically). There was even an incident where she & I went to the local flea market so she could get out for a bit & after several bouts of contractions, I became convinced she was going to have that baby right then and there (she didn't).

We were able to be there for Abby's birth in 2006, and I fell in love with that sweet baby girl. We have spent countless evenings at their place enjoying Megan's fine cooking and laughing together over lots of games. Last summer we did a short vacation together down to Florida when Megan was pregnant with Sam (#2) and had a blast together as they showed us around some of their old stomping grounds. Dan was among the first to hold baby Sam after he was born at the end of July 2008 just after I left for Estes Park, Colorado for 2 weeks for work. Needless to say, I was dying to see that little boy when I got home!

The Lord has blessed us with many dear friends in Nashville, but there is something about saying good-bye to these guys that have been here from the beginning that is such a lonely feeling. They're only moving 2 hours away, so we know we'll still be seeing each other - but there were still tears as we hugged good-bye one last time this morning before they pulled out.

Megan & Alan - thank you for your loyal friendship and all of the many memories you've given us these past 3 1/2 years. You are the type of friends we have known we could always count on, and that is worth it's weight in gold. And Abby & Sam - please don't grow too fast between the times we get to see you! We love you and will miss you so very much - Nashville just isn't the same without you.



P.S. This is entirely unrelated, but it's too exciting not to post today. You may remember I mentioned awhile back that my Grandma was making some bedding for the crib...and it's finished!! She got it in the mail last week and it arrived on Friday - certainly the most exciting morning I had all week! Here's a sneak peak, and I'll post more nursery pictures as it comes together in the next few days:

I just love it!!

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The weekend came and went with little fanfare here at the Johnstons. Dan came home feeling a bit under the weather on Friday and promptly went to sleep (a rare occurrence if you know Dan). While there are many great things about working in the medical field, one of the downsides is being exposed to lots and lots of sick people. As I mentioned briefly before, Dan switched jobs about 3 weeks ago and now works at an Ear Nose & Throat clinic. So...new job = new bugs.

I immediately started pumping us both full of extra vitamin C and fluids (as if I'm not drinking enough water already), hoping to get Dan better quickly and to avoid the bug myself. But no such luck. By Saturday evening, my throat had that scratch that lets you know you're in for it, and yesterday we were both pretty puny. Fortunately it just seems like a cold, so hopefully it will be short lived!

Dan headed off to work this morning feeling a little more perky but still not 100%, and I've spent most of the day on the couch just trying to rest. If anyone has any tips for a puny pregnant girl, please let me know!

35 Weeks & a couple new developments

**Wow - thanks for all the responses on my hair dilemma! It really helped me think through it, and I think I'm going to go with the suggestions to keep it long, and then I'll have something to look forward to by cutting it off when I need a change a bit later. I should ask for your advice more often :)

I can't believe I have less than 5 weeks to go until my due date! I've had plenty of people say to me, "You must be SO ready to have that baby!" and while this is partially true, I don't know that I'm quite at that point yet. I still have things I'd like to get done before she makes her debut (like finish the nursery). I'd still like to have a little more time with just Dan before we wander into the great unknown of parenthood. And...I'm not SO pregnant yet that I'm not still freaked out about labor! Do you ever get there, really? I know I'll be able to do what needs to be done when the time comes, but for now...I'm okay with that time being a few weeks away yet.

I might be regretting this post in another couple of weeks, huh?

Anyway, a couple of pictures at 35 weeks:

Whatcha doing in there baby girl?

There she is folks - oh my.

In other news, the last couple of weeks have produced a few new developments that I thought might be blog worthy. First, there's the fact that it's about 500 degrees outside right now PLUS the humidity. I've been very lucky to have a pretty mild Tennessee summer, and coupled with the fact that I'm typically always cold, I think I've just been at a normal person's temperature for most of my pregnancy. But the last couple of weeks - wow. This little furnace I carry around has made the heat and humidity feel hotter than ever. My Grandma just reminded me yesterday that she had an August baby...before air conditioning. Bless you Grandma. You are a stronger woman than I!

Along with the heat has come some swelling and the dreaded cankles. Aren't they lovely?

Maybe if I just scoot forward a bit, he'll want to give me a foot rub...

No luck.

Also, I've somehow managed to develop carpal tunnel. Apparently it is fairly common in pregnancy (I missed that one in my books) and is due to the swelling, not repetitive motions. I'm told it will go away after I deliver, so I can manage for a few weeks. Here's my pretty new brace:

Oh the joys of pregnancy :-) Strange how your whole body seems to simply revolt at times! All in all though, I'm very thankful to have had a rather uncomplicated pregnancy to this point. Here's praying the next few weeks don't bring too many big surprises!

Decisions, Decisions

So here's something really deep for my faithful readers to ponder on this hot Friday afternoon. I really need your help and am hoping that you'll really put some thought into this for me, as I certainly don' want to make a rash decision that I'll regret later on. Please...I need your help.

So here's the life-altering decision I'm contemplating today: Should I cut my hair or leave it long? I mean really people - I'm sort of hung up on this. Here are my thoughts:

Short hair has lots of benefits. It's quicker to wash, WAY quicker to dry, and easy to style. I've had my hair short before and like the way it looks on me, so that's not too big of a gamble. The down sides are not being able to pull it back and out of my face as easily, and the fact that you pretty much have to wash & style it every day. Then there's the fact that you have to cut it more frequently to keep it looking decent. Also I feel like short hair makes me look younger...not sure if that's a pro or con at this point.

Demonstrating some short hair awhile back with a couple coworkers at Music in the Rockies

On the other hand, there's my long hair I have now. It also has it's benefits, the biggest of which is that I don't have to fix it and can simply pull it back and be done. That doesn't always look the greatest, but for days at home and running errands, I'm pretty ok with a pony tail. If I do take the time to fix it, I can usually make that last at least a couple days if not three (sorry if that grosses you out...my sister is worse. I just said that to make me feel better. And please keep in mind that curly hair is a different breed). The down sides: WAY more time involved when I actually do fix it, which equals me rarely fixing my hair.

When I actually fix it...most of the time, it's in a ponytail.

Also, there's the fact that Dan likes my hair long. I'm kind of leaving that out of the equation right now - too many other practical issues to think about here, folks.

So there's my dilemma. I'm just trying to think about what would be easiest once baby arrives...spend a long time one day and get a few days "wear" or quick and easy but every day?? Those of you that are moms, please, help me think through this. I need you.

Let me just end this by saying that I feel really shallow right now that I was able to write an entire post just on the thoughts rolling through my head about a silly haircut. No wonder I never get anything done.

Another Day...Another Appointment

It feels like I'm spending an awful lot of time in the Doctor's office these days. It's been every two weeks for about the past month, and I'll get to jump up to every week after my next appointment. Today was my 34-week check-up...how did I get here?! It seems like I was just there with butterflies (and a teeny-tiny embryo) in my stomach for my first appointment at 8 weeks:


And somehow months have whizzed by and this happened:

33 weeks (1 week ago)

I've been receiving weekly e-mail updates from a website called BabyCenter (I highly recommend it for any of you mothers or soon-to-be moms out there!), and part of this always includes a size comparison of my growing baby and some sort of produce. For example, here was the 8 week comparison (the quarter is just for a point of reference):

And 34 weeks:

And yes, I do feel like I'm carrying something the size of a melon around in my mid-section! I absolutely cannot WAIT to sleep on my stomach again.

Anyway, the appointment went well, the baby is measuring just right, her heart beat is strong, and she is already head-down. Now we just have to hope she stays that way for the next couple of weeks while she still has room to turn! Only about 6 more weeks to go (give or take of course) before we get to meet this baby girl...I can't hardly believe it.

Childbirth Education Class

Dan modeling the sympathy belly and demonstrating "football hold" we were taught this weekend. I think he's got this thing - perhaps I'll let him take it from here.

7 more weeks...and some catching up

It's hard to believe, but my due date is only 7 weeks away! Obviously our little Miss probably won't come on September 23 (unless she's like her momma), but it certainly gives us something to think about. I'm starting to feel like the end is in sight - which is both exciting and terrifying at the same time. I'm beginning to understand the whole "nesting" thing as I make my lists of things to do before baby. Why is it that list grows instead of shrinks? I just hope I have everything in place before she decides to make her grand appearance!

I'm also beginning to understand what it means to be in the final months & weeks of pregnancy. While I would NOT go back to the first trimester quesies, I am growing (literally) a bit more uncomfortable with each passing day. Things that were once so easy - like getting myself off the floor or even tying my shoes - are gradually becoming chores I avoid. I find myself grunting when I stoop to pick up the laundry or the innumerous objects seem to drop all the time, and 7 weeks sounds like forever away. It's a very strange phase as I feel that the time will never come and yet that it could come far too quickly.

Anyway, a few updates as I have been neglecting the blog lately -- I'll try and do this with pictures to keep it interesting :)

When I was home back in July, Grandpa AJ took me out to his workshop so I could see the progress on my glider rocker! Here's Uncle Kirby & Grandpa displaying their handiwork - I can't wait to see the finished product! How special to have such a keepsake built by these hands.

After Dad's graduation, I was able to make a trip up to Iowa with Mom, Dad, Kelsey & Brent (Dan had to get back to work). We had planned to spend a day or two at Lake Okaboji, but after landing at Aunt Linda's in Orange City, we just couldn't pull ourselves away and decided to spend our time there. I can't believe I didn't get a single picture with Aunt Linda & Uncle Alan, but it was so nice to get to spend some time with them. Their house will always be a sort of second home to me, especially after they saw me through 4 years of college! Thanks for still making it feel like home, Aunt Linda!

I also got to spend some long-awaited time with Grandma Schoon. It had been well over a year since I had been able to get up to Iowa to see her, once of the things that breaks my heart the most about living far away. I love these photos my sister took of Grandma with her 30th great-grandchild (I think...depending on when my cousin Jenny delivers!).

When I got home, Dan had planned a whole weekend for just the two of us, including a trip to the movies, some Coldstone icecream (just like one of our first dates!), and wonderful dinner at the Cheesecake Factory (thanks to a fabulous gift card), and a day at the zoo! We know our days as just "Dan & Kali" are dwindling quickly, so we are trying to take advantage of the time we do have now. What a wonderful weekend!

Dan's co-workers also surprised me with a baby shower last week! They were so very generous to do this for us, especially since Dan's last day there was on Friday (he started a new job on Monday! I'll write more about that soon). They had a whole lunch spread and this adorable cake topped with pink booties, and they showered us with many wonderful gifts for our baby girl - including some fabulous samples of baby sunscreen :-)

This past weekend, we were thrilled to have an old friend from Northwestern spend a couple days with us. Heather and Dan got to know each other their first couple years of college through several different ministries they were involved in, and now she is a full-time missionary in Afghanistan. We so admire the work she is doing there with women & children, and we were blessed just to hear some of her stories of what God is doing there. She also brought along some of her Afghan wardrobe - it even fits pregnant women!

I'll try and do better this month keeping up with the blog...as long as you all don't mind reading a lot of pregnancy updates as I have a feeling they might become more frequent!