a post with no pictures...

well, my goal for the evening was to come up with a non-pregnancy-related blog post...but i have failed. i thought of many things today...but are any of them post-worthy?? i thought about my job...i like my job just fine, but as i approach owen's birth, i find myself wanting to work less and less. what i have failed to realize in these "i-don't-wanna" moments is that there are still bills to pay and that my husband is working as hard as he possibly can to do his part...so i have decided to approach each daily schedule with a "cheerful heart" (thanks to my dear mother's advice!) i have had a very good week work-wise and am looking forward to having monday off to spend time with my husband. i'll be ready to hit it again next week! cheerfully. i thought about my upcoming trip to odessa this weekend...i am very excited to see the family...mom, dad, brother (joe), cindy, the beautiful nieces who are both growing up WAY too fast, my precious nephew who is smarter than alot of grown ups i know, and the odessa dogs! we will all be going to the odessa high football game friday night and the midland rockhounds baseball game saturday. i have been told mom is taking me shopping for a new outfit (maternity style!!) to wear to my upcoming baby shower so i am mega-pumped about that! i have also made plans to finish up baby owen's puppy quilt that was the feature of the blog post before this one. i am sure we will do lots of eating and visiting and relaxing as well...and i love all of those things a great deal. i thought about america's got talent...i love love love the act made up of 5 sisters (fab five) and hope they win it all. they are gorgeous mothers who have danced together since they were little girls. they are incredible and i find my heart racing each time they perform because of how amazing they are. they tap dance in perfect unison and it just makes my jaw drop. i thought of my to do list...and how every time i look over it to see what i can accomplish during my time off work or between clients, i think of 6 or 8 more things to do that are more pressing. so, i am in a constant state of "busy" but unable to cross ANYTHING off my list. why is that????? i thought of many things i have been praying for...and wish i was better at praying. i wish i knew new and different ways to ask, praise, and thank. i really feel that most days, my knowledge and vocabulary are inadequate. i also get frustrated because i don't really feel like i get "it" all covered each day. i get so wrapped up in my list of things to do, my schedule, my unborn child, my projects and tasks that are only halfway completed, getting the dishes and laundry done...that i forget to be thankful, i forget to be gracious and glad, i forget to count my blessings, i forget that worrying does no one any good. i just feel like i fall short when it comes to giving our Lord the credit and attention he deserves. i must strive to be better at all these things. i thought about a news story i heard yesterday...there is a family in arkansas, i believe, that has child #19 on the way. that is NOT a typo. 19 children. i know people who would give anything for just one baby to love and cherish...and these people have 19!!! i would say that is not fair, but i know all situations are handled in God's time. i thought about money, finances, budget, debt...and then i allowed those thoughts to leave my mind while gladly letting another thought take their place. i thought about my dogs...i love how much they love me. their eyes are so passionate. olive rests her head on my shoulder, my lap, my arm and just gazes at me with the most love-filled eyes known to man. shelby loves to look out the window, but when i say her name, she looks at me and i see the same love. it is a heart-warming feeling. and then most of the time, following this moment of love, she yawns. such a funny girl! i thought alot about owen...but realized i was trying to think of a non-pregnancy blog post. ahhhh!! who am i kidding, though? he is in the front of my mind at all times. i try to fast forward to the day when owen will look at me, say things to me, hug and kiss me, and hand me homemade treasures. i imagine he will look at me and love me the same way my dogs do now. i think about what kind of mom i will be and hope it matches up with the kind of mom i want to be! i think about my schedule and how i hope it meshes with his little life in a way that i can be a great mom (and wife) while still helping to provide for my family (cheerfully). i thought about what those first moments, days, weeks will be like and how my life will change in one moment...for the better...forever! i could go on and on about my pregnancy... i thought about my wonderful husband...and what a great man he is...and how proud i am of him...and how much i love him...and how excited i am that owen is his son...and how helpful he can be...and how patient he is with me during mood swings, whiny moments, crying spells, errand running, massive amounts of rambling, etc. he is such a blessing to me. i thought about all these things...and more...but could not come up with a topic to blog about. i guess i just thought i would blog about all of it!! ...little snippits from inside my mind...a bit of journaling if you will. ...i have so much to be thankful for. until next time, carianne