Two More Weeks

As of yesterday, we have fourteen days left.... or so! Because we all (!) have a feeling that this little baby is making it's entry a bit earlier than 'expected by the calendar'. So fourteen more days.....

... or much less!

Baby Center said this about week 38: "The baby has really plumped up. He or She weighs about 6.8 pounds and he or she is over 19 1/2 inches long. He or She has a firm grasp, which I'll soon be able to test when I hold his or her hand for the first time! (*me having a big grin on my face now!*)  His or Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb." 

Above picture is from week 36, but I think it shows so well, how cramped it is getting for baby inside the uterus. It's amazing that it has any room left to move around at all. (And believe me, that Baby is mooooving!)

Last week has been crazy. Being back from vacation, I had to put the house into order, doing tons of loads of laundry, washing floors, even dusting, and of course, throwing away lots of stuff. All things that I had no time for during the school year. You can call it a small case of nesting.....

Then I got sick, then the hubby got sick..... all the while, I am thinking: 'the baby can't come now!' Gladly, God heard our prayers, and at least for me, I am on the road of recovery. And miraculously, the kids never got it! So that is good.


Tomorrow, Mema, my MIL, is flying in.... so baby has another 24 hours to wait! Then.... only God knows.... Baby could be here any day now..... It is very exciting. I can not wait to hold that baby close to my heart, rock it to sleep and sing lullabies to it at night. I can not wait to introduce it to the kids. They have been so excited all along, some weeks more, and some less. They know what is coming.......

Here is my little girl, putting her life-size baby into our new swing, rocking the baby and just pouring her love over that doll. Everyone who knows her knows that she is my little dare-devil..... and to see such gentleness in her is amazing to me and melts my heart. She keeps saying that she will help me to take care of Baby and I believe her......

I think we are ready..... and I am blessed with an amazing family that I love to pieces!

Back from Vacation

We were only gone for a week, but it seems my brain has been turned off for much longer than that and it is really hard to get back to 'normal' life.
It was so nice not to have to think about school! It has been a big part of our daily life and it is so nice not to have to prepare anything, or get Coqui to sit down every day to do his work. It gives my brain a much needed breather. Also, it was nice to spend time as a family, before the baby come and before our lives will be turned upside down once again.

So here are a few pictures from our week.
We went to Medieval Times, and didn't tell the kids. So the entire way, they were wondering where we are going. Once there, they were so excited. I mean, Peanut thinks she is actually a princess and Coqui remembered our knights' week, so he could impress all of us when naming all the parts of the castle. Medieval Times is a restaurant, where people sit in the arena, eating while the knights are performing. It's a meat eating place - oh yes, it is! So I kind of knew that I won't get much between my teeth, after soup and bread. So when the girl put that half chicken on my plate, I told her that she can take it away because I won't eat it. She was surprised, but asked right away if I wanted a vegetarian plate. I was super surprised and said: "Absolutely yes!" People, I can tell you that: it was delicious! They really know how to cook there. It was quiet an experience. So I can highly recommend it for the none-meat-eating population.

I was very impressed by the kids' good behavior. I mean, Coqui was just mesmerized and ate and watched. But even Peanut just sat and watched and occasionally asked a question - mostly related to the princess on scene. She even caught a flower by our knight.  This outing was the absolute highlight of the vacation by everyone.

We went swimming almost every day. We ate ice cream almost every day. And we ate out almost every day (which was nice for me not to have to cook!). We had the most beautiful weather all week, including a thunderstorm that was so refreshing. We went on walks - something that we usually don't do as a family. We played lots of board games and watched very little TV.
It was so relaxing.

It was nice being away from home - you know, change of scenery to refresh our minds - but it was also weird, knowing that our baby was not with us. Not being around the belly constantly, the kids actually almost forgot about the baby. And for me, after being around Beth all the time, it was hard not to see the belly, not to feel the baby kick, not the talk to it, and not to have my daily dose of Beth. I am glad to be back, I am glad to have been missed and to have felt that baby kick right away when I touched the belly.

National Cancer Survivor Day

In late 2008, I wrote down my cancer story..... I would not write it like that today, but back then, I did and you can read it again here.

Apparently, yesterday, June 3rd, was the 25th National Cancer Survivor Day. I had never heard of it but nonetheless, I feel like it's a day to celebrate. So many things that come with this disease.

Survival. Life. Hope. Victory. Strength. Perseverance. Love. Support. Faith. Family. Honesty. Advocacy. Fighting. Determination. Purpose. Confidence. Forgiveness. Prayer. Adaptability. Resilience. Compassion. Knowledge.

So to anyone who is out there and who survived - happy Survivor Day to you.

I am celebrating 4 years, 7 months, and 5 days (more or less). Doesn't sound like much? I can tell you, walking it every day, it has been a journey that felt at times like years. Much has happened since that fateful day of my diagnosis. MANY good things. Healing, physically, emotionally, spiritually. I can truly say that I walked through some major personal growth. And I like what I see in the mirror today. And at last the two beautiful children that I didn't think I could have after the cancer-resulting infertility. That is alot for five years!

This cancer did not get the best of me, but it gave me the best things in life, things that I truly appreciate! It gave me a husband that walked with me every step of the way, right by my side. It gave me hope and encouragement. It gave me a best friend. It gave me a family of five. And it gave me the comfort of never having to be alone ever! Besides my family and friends, I've got many sisters-in-crime..... that know and understand where I have been, and that I CAN support today, feeling their pain because I was there once and I am a witness that God can turn it all around.