so much...

I have been really thinking alot lately about things that I have learned this year...
This is what I want to make note of:
1)Faith. This has proved to be another roller coaster of a year for our family. I am beyond words grateful that I have strong rooted faith in my Father in Heaven. I am less than excited to continue some of this trek, but again, grateful that I understand some purpose in life comes from the unpleasant!
2)Family. I married ridiculously young and I got lucky. I met this goofy, loud, green eyed prince that convinced me to marry him at 19! Agh! It freaks me out to her Kenna say she wants to follow my footsteps! I got lucky...he's a gem. He's patient...loyal...hard-working...and MINE! I know now that not everyone is this lucky. And again, I'm thankful to my Father in Heaven!
Then there are my 5 beautiful...perfect in every way....happy children. Its amazing what I thought gave me joy before children. Now I could care less about traveling the world, having the big house, shiney car...or being 'fancy nancy'....sometimes an escape is hugely needed, but this is where I want to be! Each of my children is different than the others...but together are the perfect blend of pest, trick, tease, snuggle, noise, kiss, sass, weird/akwardness and sheer JOY!
3)Perspective. This one is very much tied to the first two. I have seen a real dose of ugly and heartache, but see now, much like the weather, that spring is coming. Oh...how I love spring! I love knowing that all things pass, the ugly dies, and healing is possible. I know what is important.
4)Health. So thankful to be alive and well to enjoy the sun today. Happy to watch my children skip into school, perhaps a few minutes late! Grateful for blessings of health...
And while this post is generalized...I can't resist the need to brag on my newest angel Landri. She is precious...she has completely captured our hearts! She smiles...and stares so intently. She is pleasant...so quiet we almost don't know she's here! She recognizes that mom will be happier with a little sleep, and has been happy to oblige! She eats well...and smells like heaven!
Every single one of my children has a family name for their middle name. We struggled with this for her...couldn't find one that fit. And then we did. HOPE. Her name is Landri Hope...heavy on the hope!
I'm so thankful for so much...

monkey toes

I don't think the pic does these things justice. But seriously...I joked that she was just hanging by her toes inside, refusing to come out. And everyone who sees these feet laughs (some more than others:Jen) at her toes! They are freakishly long. So, its entirely possible that this was the hang up...why I was pregnant SO long. There's like an extra joint...not really, but her toes are super long. We love to play with her monkey toes!

Round One: Fashion Fairy

So, Landri had her first run in with the fashion fairy today. She lost! Kenna is so gonna love dressing this little girl!

Landri Hope Pitcher

I'm exhausted tonight...so this is a quick one! Landri is FINALLY here. With the help of my favorite medicine in the world(and some pitocin) she decided to unhook her toes from around my ribs and made her big appearance March 8, 2010 at 10:46 am. She's got a pretty powerful scream on her and didn't sleep super well last night. I'm home and hoping for a little better night tonight. Anyways...there are tons more pics and I'll get to them later! Here's a start.

Thanks to the best friends in the world...and the best ward...we can't tell you thank you enough for all your help...visits...yummy dinners and love!

Updates

Just a quickie...I really thought I'd have been 'un-pregnant' quite some time ago...and I've been unhappy about it, but I've reconciled myself to the fact that this is my current reality. And I've been pretty pleasant if I do say so myself. But seriously, after my appointment on Tues I would have thought for sure that Tues night would have been the big night. But contractions died out...and nothing happened. Now I'm sick and Eli's coughing .....I've walked and walked the neighborhood the last 2 days so hopefully lil Miss is planning a trip soon. I'll keep you posted!

Oh, I was so excited yesterday at the doc because I asked him to tell me how much weight I'd gain...not what the big fat total added up to....just a total gained. And he said 15 lbs! I burst out laughing, which he didn't understand. And then I informed him that it was hilarious because the only things safe from me this pregnancy had been small children and my shoes! So....I'm ballooning with fluid like crazy...and my face and feet are super duper swollen....but, I'm wicked excited my REAL jeans might not take months to reacquaint with. (This isn't my first time....I'm not kidding myself that it goes back right away...just feeling hopeful)

Dear Landri

When will we see you? We are all so excited to meet you that we're getting impatient. We've decided to make a game of this. Here are our predictions for your birthday!
Kolbe: March 12th. I think you'll be 7 lbs and 21 inches. I think you'll look like mom, and have dad's nose. She'll have black hair and be a chubba-lunka! I love you and hope you come out soon...
Kenna: March 3rd. I think you'll be 8 lbs, 4 oz and 21 inches long. I think you'll look like me, my pretty nose, green changing eyes and dark black curly hair. I think you'll be kinda chubby, kinda skinny. I'll love you!
Avery: July....(at this point I interupted her) March 9th. I think you'll be 3 oz. (Crap-I've gained WAY more than that) and 5 feet long. (hmmmmmm....)I think you'll have my color of hair and that you'll look like MEEEeeeeee!And your nose will look like MINE!!!!!! Curly hair too!
Eli:March "four" . Her have my nose and my hair. My head. I think you'll be 'dis big~(his hands are pointing to the sky!)
Dad doesn't get to vote again. Because he was onery the first time we did this and voted for March 2nd, just to spite me wanting you out early. And apparently he jinxed this process. So, we're not letting him play! I don't really care when you come, or who you look like, or how big you are...just as long as you come soon, and that you're healthy~ okay, I'd lied...I do care WHEN you come.

I'm trying....

every person who has ever met me knows that patience is not my thing. Not even close. In fact, I am so used to the idea of being done with pregnancy by now that I have managed to cry myself silly multiple times over the last week. So, this must be when other people start to complain about pregnancy. I get it now. My feet are so swollen I think I've got elephantitis. Its sexy. In fact...that would definitely be the word to describe me right now. My stomach is HUGE. She is sitting super low but apparently not low enough to do anything worthwhile in the scheme of getting OUT:) My face is fatter. I'm looking good. My good husband is so tired of my constant whining that he's resolved to be super quiet! But today I woke up(well got up...because waking implies that I slept) and resolved to behave. I showered, CURLED my hair, put on my favorite shirt and went to work. I've decided that I can do this pleasantly. It is afterall, the last week I'll ever be pregnant again.
So here's what I decided to do: I want to enjoy every single movement she makes. Because this is what I love most about being preggo. I love the miracle of feeling life inside me. I love feeling her respond to me. I've been able to grab her little bum as she pushes it against my stomach. I've held a foot or leg after she kicked me silly. I've watched my husband laugh as he shook my stomach and watched her dance away from him. My children have drawn faces around my stomach, using my gross belly button as her nose. Their faces as they watch my stomach shift and the 'face' move are priceless!
I realize that everything is changing, and that this brief time is something I might actually miss. Soon my family will change forever. And I'm completely looking forward to it. I'm even ready. But perhaps my Heavenly Father thinks I need a few more days to practice being patient. So....I'll work on it. At least for another few days: because my doc said he'd induce at 39 weeks....and that's only 9 days from now!