Off the couch...and greeted with Kankles! :)

Today is a big day. Today I'm 36 weeks along and I get to go off bed rest! (I have to take it easy still until next week, but then I'll be considered full term.) I've been on bed rest since Oct 22nd and I'm really excited to start moving around again and using my muscles. I actually threw caution to the wind a day early and was up and about and noticed that my ankles disappeared. Hmmm.... lovely. :)

The past several weeks have turned out to be quite a blessing in disguise and a neat season of life for me. It was challenging and humbling to sit on my fanny and let others do everything for me, but also amazing to see the love of others and their gifts of serving, and I found myself seeing life from a different perspective. I've referred to many things lately as "my view from the couch". I watched family and friends enter my house on a daily basis and love on my kids, do my dishes, make food, sweep floors, fold our laundry, bring me tea, clean my closet (oh horrors!), take Jude to preschool and pick him up... and bless our family to no end! Very humbling, and also so inspiring. To have such a servant's heart really says a lot about a person. And there are many people in my life that I want to be more like. {heart}

I haven't been very present in the cyber world since I went on bed rest. Why? Mostly because I felt consumed by all that's been going on here, and my main focus has been to keep this baby boy from arriving early. So forgive my serious lack of blogging, emailing, etc. I definitely needed to just withdraw for a bit. :) It was kind of my way of coping too.

I took a lot of camera phone photos from my spot on the couch over the last several weeks. Terrible quality, but sweet memories.... like my little couch buddy, Everly, hanging out with me while my friend Mauria zoomed around my house cleaning things, Grandma Janet taking the kids outside to run off lots of energy (I wish I had a photo of that), Granddad playing the game memory with Jude, Grandma Jill baking with the kids & re-organizing their toy closet every single week (thank you!), Grandma Chris reading them stories, Jessica making the kids laugh at the lunch table, etc... it wasn't until about Thanksgiving that I switched to having my regular camera handy. haha. Much better!

Speaking of Thanksgiving, we had a great time! Food, card games, watching funny videos, dessert, & laughter. My dad and step-mom Janet, siblings and step-brothers came up and we had a lot of fun together. Janet and Dad made an incredible gluten free dinner that was just amazing! Thank you for making the day so special and for doing SO much to bring it all here!! Love you guys!

As soon as Thanksgiving was over I switched into Christmas mode. I was so excited to have a beautiful tree to look at each day and for the kids to get into the Christmas season!

They made ornaments and set up our little nativity scene.

And we got a tree... from Lamb's Thriftway down the street. :)

And Jude & Selah did a great job decorating it!



Here's the ornament Jude painted (on the left below)...

Why am I wearing shoes in this picture? Because I snuck out to ride along to pick out our tree. It was just down the street. It doesn't count. :)

Last week when my friend Mauria was here, her daughter Everly was looking extra cute and I had to snap a photo of her. She and I share the same birthday and she's been my couch buddy for weeks. Selah just adores her, and loves to be near her. Jude does too. They both refer to most babies they see as "Baby Everly" and she's gotten them even more excited to meet baby brother.

Lastly I have some photo shoots that I haven't blogged, from back in October! I just love the families and clients I get to photograph. And I love developing friendships over the years with them! I LOVE what I do!

I adore this family and always look forward to seeing them!







Our good friends Aaron & Val & this is their new baby girl, Lily! Isn't she sweet?!

Phew! Now, I'm caught up on my blogging. :) I hope you're all having an amazing Christmas season!