Life These Days

Some things I'm loving right now, in no particular order:
--Actually being able to see the little bodies moving around in my very big belly. It's the coolest thing ever, and Jeremy was finally able to catch them in action this weekend. In the evenings, I just sit on the couch with my shirt pulled up over my belly and watch them moving under my skin.
--Six and a half weeks until I meet my girls for real!!
--About five more weeks of work until maternity leave...assuming there's no bed rest or complications between now and then.
--Lime green paint in the nursery (actually "gecko green," by Valspar). I love bright colors...hopefully Addison and Mackenzie will too! The furniture is hopefully on its way and should be here this weekend or next week.
--Sonic ice, Sonic Diet Dr. Pepper, Sonic unsweet tea...get the idea? My current favorite is a large water with lime slices in it. It lasts me a couple of hours, by the time I eat the ice and limes! You can't beat it for 53 cents, and that's not even during happy hour.
--60 degree weather the rest of the week. I have a feeling the flip-flops will make an appearance before the week is over.
--Jeremy's weekends off. This is something we have not been able to enjoy in years, and it's been really nice. We can run errands, work on projects at home, and be lazy together. What a concept! We've watched more movies together (at home, of course...who has the energy to stand in line at the theater? certainly not me!) in the past month than we have in probably the last six months combined.

Okay, so those are a few of the good things (and I promise there are many, many more). Now, for a little balance, I will get out a few of my complaints:
--Feeling like my midsection weighs 40 pounds. I am just beginning to experience the true and constant physical discomfort of carrying two babies, but man, getting up after sitting down for an hour or so is no pleasant experience!
--Tossing and turning at night...lay on right side, right hip goes numb...switch and repeat.
--Getting up approximately 4-5 times per night to go to the bathroom. I have never been one to get up in the night, not even when I was little. I wake up, go to the bathroom, realize I'm extremely thirsty and take a long drink of the ice water that's constantly within reach, then go back to sleep. Two hours or so later, the process begins again. It's a vicious cycle. (In the interest of full disclosure, sometimes I have to have a midnight snack before falling back asleep also!)
--Not being able to eat what I want. I don't have true gestational diabetes, but I do have a slight glucose intolerance. I had to go to a class at the Diabetes Control Center to learn how to balance my meals to keep my glucose level from rising. Truthfully, it has not been that bad...the most important thing I had to do was cut out the Dr. Pepper and fruit juice to make a big difference (and I always thought all the fruit was supposed to be good for you!). That being said, I did have myself a pity party last night because I really wanted to make a pan of brownies. When else besides pregnancy can I give in to those cravings without feeling like a big pig?? I ate a small chocolate marshmallow bunny instead, but it just wasn't the same.
--Swollen ankles...how am I supposed to wear the cute dress I bought for my March shower when my ankles are roughly the size of softballs?!

I will stop the complaints there, and say a prayer of thanks for the blissfully healthy and uncomplicated pregnancy I have had. I am incredibly lucky to be carrying two healthy babies, and as long as they continue to stay that way, and to stay where they are for the next six weeks, all the complaints will be worth it a million times over.

Here's to a life full of blessings that far outweigh the complaints!!

25 Things

The "25 Things About Me" list has been making the rounds on Facebook, and although I haven't posted mine on there yet, I thought I would do it here on my blog. Here goes:

1. I am a bit of a grammar freak. I automatically correct everything I read, particularly books and newspaper or magazine articles. If there is a pen close by, I might even make the correction marks.
2. Partly because of #1, I think the perfect job for me is probably as some type of editor. I think I would love to work for a major publishing company.
3. I might eventually start a serious search for a job in that field.
4. I could have been happy with a major in many, many fields in college. Obviously English was a front-runner, but I chose political science.
5. I absolutely loved most of my college courses, and it always felt like class consisted of a big discussion or debate, rather than a lecture. Graduate school was full of even more intense and involved debates.
6. I still like to debate on almost any subject, especially political or ethical issues. I often find myself unintentionally playing devil's advocate and making arguments against the other person's case, even if I actually agree with what they're saying. I think I picked this habit up from a favorite college professor, and it's fun to now use it on my own students.
7. I love tv marathons (see my New Year's recap for a recent example). I also get sucked into tv on dvd very easily, and I have been known to watch almost an entire season in one sitting. I am sure this habit will be one of the first to go when the babies get here!
8. I would much rather eat fruit than most other sweets or desserts.
9. I love Slush Puppies-the original gas-station slushies. They are replacing most of these machines with a new kind, and it's becoming very hard to find the original anymore. The icees from the Icee Truck in Scottsboro are pretty close, and make a good substitute in summer. They also remind me of hot summer days at band camp.
10. I hate to clean, and I am a terrible housekeeper. We are about to hire someone to come in once or twice a month and do the floors, bathrooms, and dusting. Those seem to be my biggest problem areas. Hey, I ought to get something fun out of the extra money from teaching, right?
11. I do not like when people just "drop by" my house. Certain people I don't mind, as they know me and know what to expect when they do come by to visit(see #10!). Generally, though, I don't like surprise visitors.
12. I have very little tolerance for stereotypes, or judgmental people who refuse to try and understand anyone else's point of view.
13. Our dogs are our first "babies," and no, they will not automatically be banished to the backyard when the girls arrive. We made a commitment when we brought them home, and we will try to make the transition to life with babies as easy as possible for them (and for us!).
14. I never, ever thought I would have kids at this age. I planned to wait until I was at least 29-30. Plans change!
15. I am pretty much amazed by my body every single day during this pregnancy. I am proud of how strong it has been and well it has provided for these girls.
16. I love to travel, and I will go pretty much anywhere at anytime, particularly if I've never been there.
17. I might be slightly obsessive-compulsive. I count things, most notably my steps, without even meaning to do it.
18. I used to be a major perfectionist, and would stress about the smallest things.
19. Working as an event planner at Talk of the Town was the best thing in the world to cure me of some of those perfectionist tendencies. I've learned to let the small things go, and that everything will all work out just fine in the end, even if it's not as originally planned.
20. I am also a wonderful procrastinator (goes well with the perfectionist tendencies, right?).
21. I work best under pressure with a tight deadline to meet. Perhaps because it doesn't allow me the time to worry if it's done just right? Hmmm...
22. I never wanted to be a teacher, even when I was little. I still don't believe I could teach anything other than college.
23. Working with the youth at our church and teaching Sunday school have been a huge challenge for me. It has definitely caused me to step out of my comfort zone. (Teenage girls are alternately wonderful and extremely trying!)
24. I have an excellent memory, and I can remember some of the smallest details of events that others quickly forget. Phone numbers are my specialty...I am virtually a walking phone book.
25. I truly believe that God has worked miracles with our baby girls. First, there was the finding of the membrane that meant our monoamniotic diagnosis was incorrect. Then, despite the increased risk, there has been no sign of TTTS. We have had an amazingly healthy and problem-free pregnancy up to this point. I have felt God's hand in every step of this pregnancy, and I will forever rejoice in these blessings He has poured out on us!

A little random, and a little harder than I thought, but those are my 25 random facts! Aren't you glad you know? : )