Still Waiting....

I am only at 38 weeks and 5 days, and will be 6 days in the next 40 minutes.... but it's 11 21 pm and I can't sleep. Josie is moving around like a ..... a..... I'm not sure what... a baby? One that's eager to stretch her arms and legs out, waaaayy out and not be confined to the womb much longer. I'm having simliar sentiments at the moment. Baby status... all is good, the doctor thinks she's coming within these 2 weeks (I hope so!! It is my due date and we want to see her!) And besides this pesky umbilical cord that is wrapped 1.5 times around her neck (which the doctor isn't too concerned about) things all seem to be aok. When they put me on a moniter to see her movements and heartbeat however, both nurses and doctor were surprised at just how active she was. "Zenma lihigh!" they say "so active" is the loose translation... Yeah, I know. Definitely can feel it and can feel it still. While watching the ultrasound it was fun to feel her move so dramatically and see it on the screen. When we were focused on her head she blinked her eyes, opened her mouth a couple times and then put her hand right over her face like she was hiding from the camera. It was cute.

Dave taught his final class today, and has finals left to give either this Thursday and Friday or if we need to go up to the hospital, next Thursday and Friday so really, we are ready to go. It would be nice to have my mother be here for the birth, and she will be arriving this Sunday night. Of course there are other things I'd like to do, farewell dinners and art shows all happening before Sunday, but at the same time, I'd like to be able to walk like a normal person again. At the moment, I hobble. Not that bad all the time, but there are moments when I feel like a knife has been driven into my right butt cheek and pain radiates down from that. It guess it's what they call the siatic nerve. Ouch!

So, after waking up at 6 with Dave, and then taking a nap from 7:30-9:30 this morning and going to school and taking another nap from 3:30-5:30 I guess I serve myself right for being wide awake in the middle of the night! Oh well.

So, it's been a good week though... overall. Dave did an awesome job celebrating mybirthday last Friday by inviting lots of special people in my life for a dinner at this really neat newsly restored Italian part of town at a real Italian restaurant. Fun because we could all eat outside on a summer evening. Of course I was spoiled throughout the day too, and thankful that we only had a half day of school which made it even better. Dave even learned to make my favorite cake- Angel Food- and made it himself with the help of my excellent gormet cook friends next door (and surprised me with it!) Lovely husband!

We've also had some down time this week, a blessed relief. And of course the weekly trip to BJ by train. Here's a picture of what a trek to BJ looks like. I should someday (like this Sunday) show the whole thing. This past Sunday we brought up all our stuff and left it at my friend Tamara's apartment who so conveniently lives a couple of minutes from the hospital. What an awesome provision that is!! So, if we must go up before next Sunday, we merely have to hop in a cab and go... and not worry about packing anything.

This is such a time of transition, and really kind of strange... hard to believe that this are really my last couple of days at TIS, last couple of meetings with students, last times of walking the halls as a teacher. A lot has happened in my life there, more than I can even say. So many times of wonderful things and heartache, so many lessons that I've learned. I must say that I'm glad to pass along the things that I've built up and started to people I know can take them the next step and go beyond what I've done or ever dreamed of. I'm thankful that I've been a part of such a community and place that has a heart of following Christ in teaching others and loving students and seeking to grow. It's been a blessing. Of course, we aren't leaving for another month, but I really only have 3 more days of school time before we say goodbye and wait for this daughter of ours to arrive.

I can't imagine it being long now... she's lodged down quite low, I have Braxton Hicks contractions often (especially when I walk stairs which there are plenty of here!) I walked up 12 flights of stairs on Saturday to visit some friends in the hospital... I certainly felt that!! And living on the 5th floor mean stairs every time I go home... Honestly, I don't think that any normal pregnant woman in the US could possibly walk this many stairs unless they just did the step machine every day. The sheer amount of steps for everything was a big shock when I got to China, and though I thought I was used to it, my calves of steel have wained and each and every step is felt nowadays (probably because it's like walking up steps carrying a 25 lb. pack strapped to your front!) I did run a marathon once while living on the 6th floor... I ended up having to belay myself down on the railing for a week after running because my quads couldn't handle the strain of walking down or up those concrete steps! Now I just haul myself up on the railing or on Dave's arm when he's there. I'm a little nervous though because this nerve in my leg renders me unable to put any weight on it, and concrete steps along with unexpected numb legs can't be the best combination.

Oh, I must also announce that Beth Hubbard had Emily Kate this past Sunday May 24th and Julene Barder right after her early Monday morning with Naomi Rose... So, now that my friends who were due just before me have had their little sweet girls, I would love to join in!! :) Mom, I'll try and wait for you but this last week definitely feels the longest ever!!!

So, now I'm at 38 weeks and 6 days, Dave is fast asleep (and so should I be but my little squirmer is not about to stop doing what feels like somersaults!) I can try though! Goodnight everyone.