I have now completed six weeks on complete bedrest and I have five more to go!  (The doctor says I can get up and walk, do light activity and even go to church at 35 weeks!)  Today I am 30 weeks along in the pregnancy and it couldn't be a nicer day to celebrate that accomplishment!  The weather is wonderful!  I have my window open, listening to the birds in the bushes, the dogs barking and the kids' voices as they walk home from school.  I even got to sit outside for around 30 minutes to enjoy the sun and read my book.  I can sit up for 3-4 hours each day, which I usually coincide with when I eat my meals.  We are so thankful to have made it out of the 20's and into the 30's for number of weeks pregnant!  Now when I tell people how far along I am, they say "Not long now!"  That's good to hear!

This week I have been dealing more with the physical pain of bedrest.  My head, neck, back, shoulders, hips and legs are SO sore!  I'm getting more uncomfortable.  I can only lay on my left and right side, so that makes for some pretty sore muscles and some pretty interesting bed-head!  In no time at all, I will be back to walking, doing laundry, cooking, standing up, exercising and being outside.  I'm sure bedrest will be a distant memory as soon as we bring our baby boy home from the hospital.  Right now it is an unpleasant reality, however, so I seek to know the Lord's will for me right now.  Today I heard a woman say on Christian radio that God develops our character based on how He wants to use us down the road.  I know He has set certain situations and instances in my life in order to mold me into someone to be better used by Him.  This experience of bedrest is maybe just another situation in which to learn more about God, about myself or about high-risk pregnancies, in order to be better used by Him in the future.

Here's a fun little list I've been making in my head over the last six weeks. 
Things I've learned to do while laying down:
--Brush my teeth
--Comb my hair
--Write a letter
--Type an email
--Read the newspaper
--Clip my toenails
--Wash my face
--Organize tax information
--Swallow a pill
--Change my clothes
--Take a shower
--Put on makeup
--Pick up things with my feet (They don't call me "Monkey Toes" for nothing!)
--Take my blood sugar
--Shop! (online)

One of the biggest things I think about right now is getting ready for the baby to live with us.  There is so much we need--and so much I can't do to help get ready!  Andy is planning an outing to do some shopping for the baby's arrival.  I am sad that I can't go with him, but he plans on getting just the essentials, and then whenever I can, we will go back and get some more things that I can help pick out.  That's one area where the internet has been great while I'm laying in bed!  I can shop online and make a registry, or list, for Andy and then when he goes to shop, he knows what to get. 

I'm doing well, I think, with the gestational diabetes.  I haven't been able to meet with a diabetic educator or dietitian yet, but my oldest sister has experience with this and she took Andy grocery shopping last night in order to find good foods for me to eat.  My blood sugar readings look good as far as I can tell.  Monday, March 2nd, I will meet with an educator who can help me be more knowledgable about all of this! 

Thank you again for your prayers!  Another week is done!