32 Weeks and a Quote on God's Sovereignty

I hardly know where to start. It's been a very different week with only half of my children here! They should actually be back within moments, after a long day's drive with their Gramma.

I'm so thankful to have gotten some biggish tasks finished this week - getting fall and winter clothes completely purged from all the children's drawers and closets, sorting them, deciding what to give away (a bulging trash bag full, hooray!), then packing the clothes in tubs. It's done, in record time. The other job to do was getting the girls' books ordered for the coming school year. It's not hard work, per se, but a bit tedious and time consuming - but, like the clothes, it's behind me now. Thank you, Lord, for being my Help!

It was a treat to spend some special time with just the younger two this week. Gave me a chance to observe their little habits and personalities a bit more closely - always a good thing.

Change is in the air around here...obviously, a baby is coming soon, but I believe God is preparing our hearts for even bigger changes than that. We shall see.

I leave you with a quote from A Sweet and Bitter Providence and some photos from a night at the park this week:

"The painful things that come into our lives are not described by God as accidental or out of His control. This would be no comfort. That God cannot stop a germ or a car or a bullet or a demon is not good news; it is not the news of the Bible. God can. And ten thousand times He does. But when He doesn't, he has His reasons. And in Christ Jesus they are all loving. We are taught this sovereignty so that we will drink it in till it saturates our bones. He is getting us ready to suffer without feeling unloved." - John Piper

 We took the girls (only two of them - how strange!) to the park the other night. BB manned the camera most of the night, and he captured this lovely reflection on the creek.

My typical headless belly shot. I tell you, I just don't love having my picture taken! I tense up...and either end up looking, well, tense, or the other extreme: the fake smile. Oh well! Point is to have a record of the baby growing!

 LC makes sure that swinging never becomes boring...being fully upside down helps with that...

Look, Mama does have a head! Walking with CA - again, I just don't love looking into the camera, so I'm good with the "snap it while I'm not really paying attention" strategy here.

My arm looks a bit contortionist here, but I love the way CA was hanging on to me. You can see the almost-always-there ponytail holder....for those who will suddenly need one and because some pull them out of their hair and give them to me

Okay one more: with a head and a smile. 32 weeks and counting!

189 violet stalks, vivid golden stalks of Swiss chard, tied with twine

190 the way that (still!) having a fruit fly problem makes me work (usually) a little harder to keep the kitchen cleaner

191 that our little fledgling garden did not die while we were out of town

192 Baby seems to be getting big!

193 prayers of other believers, seeing God move His mighty Hand

194 that my back continues to hold out and be strong this late in pregnancy

195 found a rocking chair for soothing a certain newcomer due to arrive in our home soon!

196 time to think, pray, and to not think while on our long drive back here last weekend

197 foggy sunrise the color of a Creamsicle, behind me as I drove us west in the quiet

198 LC's giddy, impatient anticipation for her sisters' return tonight