Life lately, late April 2019

It feels like spring in our new home in Northwest Indiana. It is the beginning of a lot of things for us.

I anticipate that it will take some time to get settled in our new home, physically, but also mentally and emotionally. Thank you for everyone who has been checking in on us and our family during this time, as well as for so many prayers!

A huge to-do item was to decide where we wanted to live when we arrived. Ultimately, we want to buy or build a home, but in the interest of pacing ourselves with big life changes* in the areas we are able to, we opted to get a two-bedroom apartment for the time being.  We can move in, settle, and feel like it's our own space before the baby arrives. I thought I might be disappointed about renting again, but when all is said and done, I'm very excited to be able to take our time with baby's arrival and to not rush into a home. I'll share much more about our new space, once we've moved in next month! In the meanwhile, we are staying with Nicholas' generous family, which worked out to be perfect timing as well.

Nicholas started his new job downtown Chicago, which includes a commute and a whole new routine for us, but we're adjusting and learning the ins and outs of a new schedule.

Apart from all of that, here is a little of what life looks like for us right now:

• snuggles with three(!) dogs, one of whom is an adorable Cavipoo puppy
• meal planning and preparing meals that are healthy, efficient to prepare, tasty, and that require minimal clean up (think sheet pan meals, roasted and grilled foods, pulled pork in the Instant-Pot, breakfast for dinner, etc.)
• baking my godmother's recipe for orange poppyseed muffins (baking always makes me feel normal when routine is minimal or absent)
• transferring our insurance coverage from Texas to Indiana
• meeting the team at my new OB practice. I am already so excited about their practices and the team they have
• perusing all the local grocery stores to determine where I'll predominantly shop
• errands and walks and coffee dates with my sister-in-law, Katelyn
• trips back and forth to Chicago, and seeing family from Ohio and Illinois
• packing lunches for Nicholas and making baked PB oatmeal for him to have on workdays. As much as I loved it pre-pregnancy, I'm not loving it right now, but it's a great, healthy, quick breakfast for him! I'm hopeful I'll regain my taste for it in the future.
• going to Easter service at church, coming home and having a "kids" brunch with Nicholas and Katelyn and I on the deck, in the sun
• and the beginning of back deck season(!)
• long talks on the phone with my mom about life and motherhood
• morning trips to a local bakery for donuts
• finishing some baby socks, and after running out of orange yarn, opting to do contrasting toes, which I love even more
• living (somewhat) out of boxes. After wearing a very small subset of my already pregnancy-limited wardrobe for the past month, I retrieved a few extra clothing items from a box in the basement. It made a huge difference to have a little variety in what I'm wearing.
• alternating between sandals and boots, since the weather has been 30's-70's and all manner of precipitation, even some snow on April 14(!)
• working my way through the She Reads Truth study of Hebrews (I love a more structured Bible study when life is less structured)
• taking photos of pink skies (my sister-in-law is always good at noticing them!)
• feeling physically bigger and a bit slower, but overall very good. I'm 32 weeks as of yesterday, although there is some talk of making a minor change to my due date. Baby boy is moving like nobody's business, and an expert wiggler, especially after meals and at bedtime (and as I'm trying to fall asleep ;)
• ordering the occasional decaf iced latte, when the weather permits
• looking forward to catching up on several knitting video podcasts
• walks with friends on a sunny afternoon around our new city!

I've had some really good heart talks with a friend about processing and allowing myself to feel my way through all these life changes and transitions. Having a baby, and leaving a full-time job, and moving across the country, and finding a new apartment, and...there are a lot of things happening at once, many of which are good! At the same time, I don't want to numb myself to all that needs to be processed for the sake of a more completed to-do list. I'm looking forward to journaling through some questions about my fears, my expectations, verses to encourage me and to remind me to put my hope in Jesus, especially as a new mama.

I'm thankful for all the ways He's revealing beauty to me in this season, as well. Amidst all the life changes and intermittent feelings of overwhelm, there is so much beauty around us. Trees are budding, tulips and pansies blooming in planters, green, velvety grass growing, and sunny, breezy, cool, sweatshirt-weather days off and on. Pink sunsets and tiny puppies who nap in your lap and who are still learning to walk on a leash. And answered prayers and the confidence we can have in His promises for us.