7 Quick Takes, Vol. 58

It's Friday, so you know what that means . . . 7QT with Jen (author extraordinaire), of course!! Book tour? Yes please. I'm so there if you are anywhere near wherever we are when you're there.

1. Last weekend was so amazing -- busy, fun, full of friends and family and love and life! Once I get some more pictures tracked down (I am so terrible at taking my own pictures at these things!), I will put together a longer post. Suffice to say I am terribly, terribly blessed.

Clare and her Auntie at Auntie's shower

2. I would like to say that we've spent this week recovering, and we have, but I've also been doing my fair share of keeping busy, catching up on chores, getting baby stuff in order, and stocking up on odds and ends. Hopefully, the last of it will get done this weekend and the beginning of next week so that I can rest.

3. Ha! The day I went into labor with Clare, I was in desperate need of a grocery store run, and had big plans to run some errands before things got going. None of it ever happened, but now I feel a (somewhat) paranoid need to keep up with laundry and keep basics in the kitchen (cereal, milk, dry goods, etc.), so that I don't put myself through that again when this one arrives, especially since the time is ticking away on this pregnancy. (See also, #7.)

4. On top of that, there is some pesky pollen out there that has hit every single member of this household (all 3 of us ex utero people!), so we're collectively a sneezy, sniffly, allergic mess. The whole thing has left me exhausted. I even took a long nap Tuesday afternoon, and if you know me, you know that that just doesn't happen. It's a real testament to my exhaustion.

5. Meanwhile, we're gearing up for Match Week. And by "gearing up" I mean "anxiously, nerve wrackingly chomping at the bit." There is a preliminary Big News email that will come out on Monday. It tells residency candidates whether they matched or whether they have to pray super extra hard and work their butts off finding an unfilled position, which no one wants to do. Then comes the Big, Big News on Friday, which is the identity of the program where you matched. One piece of information that will disclose our fate for the next 3 years (and more for many residencies): where we'll live, what Charles will do, etc. Gah! The anticipation is crazy and mounting. Some schools have a big to-do on Match Day (Friday), but because of the spread out nature of everyone in Charles' school, they don't do anything special, so we'll have to have our own little celebration. :)

6. This is how Clare played for a good chunk of Tuesday morning after discovering her hat in the sock drawer. Crazy kid. You can't quite tell in the picture, but those are, indeed, ruffle socks.

7. I am now 37 weeks pregnant. People, that puts me in the "any time now" club. *deep breath* I don't think anything is imminent, but then, no one ever really knows. I have told Mr. Man that he needs to stay put through the end of Match Week, and if I were a betting person, I'd guess he'll come at the end of week 38 or beginning of week 39 (Clare was born at 39 weeks), but again, you never know. I'm trying not to get too caught up in the idea of going early, just in case it doesn't happen. But, oh!, how happy my hips would be!! I had my first weekly appointment on Monday, and everything is still good. Just a matter of letting him cook cook cook.

I have also joined the gigantic belly club.

Have a lovely weekend!

7 Quick Takes, Vol. 50

What's up, Friday peeps?!? Linking up with Jen.

1. I think, hope, pray that this is Charles' last trip for awhile. Like the foreseeable future awhile. He took off for what should be his last interview event this morning and will get back tomorrow evening. Poor guy was is all traveled and interviewed and small talked out, so he was not too eager to get on the plane. I was feeling so giddy about the last one (and a short one at that!) that I was feeling pretty good about the early morning airport run. Just hoping no last minute musts pop up.

2. The end of interview season means that we're on to the next stage of the never-ending residency application process: putting together a rank order list. We have an idea of what it will look like, but we're still praying over things, and would appreciate any and all additional prayers for God's guidance. I trust that we will end up in the right place for us, but I know that, often, doing God's will is not as simple as sitting back and letting it happen. We often have to take steps and be proactive in our own lives. Putting this list together is one of those moments.

3. The first half of this week felt super, crazy busy. Thankfully, the second half of the week slowed to normal, so I was able to escape the feeling that life would never, ever slow down or ever, ever find a normal equilibrium-type balance.

4. Too much blathering . . . . skip.

Random pic instead.

5. Someone (Mr. Man) is extraordinarily wiggly. He is kicking or rolling or twisting or doing some impossibly weird contorting seemingly constantly. It is definitely getting to the point where it is now less and less fun, and more and more . . . weird. And occasionally keeping me up at night. I'm trying hard to not wish pregnancy away, but when the ol' body quits at 7pm . . . well . . . I might be looking forward to holding a wiggly baby in my arms and giving him 1 million kisses. Then I remember how little sleep I'll be enjoying come April, and am content with my in utero wiggle worm for a little longer.

Kicking -- quite possibly another repeat

6. Meanwhile, my crazy mama brain has been obsessively turning, and I've gotten started on my pre-baby to do list. I have some basics coming together, ideas and plans in place, and overall feel like I'm doing a much better job than I did for Clare, and that all worked out just fine. Blah. Stupid nesting instinct.

Finally painting the nursery ready for Clare Bear at like 35 weeks.

7. Just realized that I haven't made an official prideful statement about how my basketball 'Cats are undefeated and sitting pretty in that elusive #1 spot. Bear Down!

Have a lovely weekend!!