Dear Jenson,

We are so ready for you, sweet girl. Doctor said it would be any day now. You keep psyching us out with all of those annoying contractions. Dad gets a full week off of work whenever you get here! He doesn't seem nearly as stressed out about your arrival as I do. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins are all anxiously awaiting you. We all love you so much. (But I love you the most.)

Love,
Mom

36 weeks, oh my word.

Bumblebee is growing like a weed. We had our 3rd and final ultrasound yesterday. Ben couldn't come because of stupid doctor stuff, so my mom and Sally both accompanied me. Here's what we found out:

She's still a girl! 

It looks like the girl has some hair!

We think we might have a major thumb sucker on our hands. 

Little girl is not so "little", already weighing in at about 6lb 12oz, with still about 4 more weeks to go!

It's becoming more real everyday. Her nursery is still a disaster zone, minus the few things my mom has accomplished (adorable curtains, newly painted bookcase, and painted walls) and the few things her Dad and Aunt Meag have done (put together crib and swing) - but we're working on it. 

My sweet work friend, Tara Trenary, took a few maternity pictures of us last week. I apologize for the kissing picture, but being pregnant makes me feel really mushy gushy. 

Oh yeah, also since the last time I posted - Kritz Family Vacation. All of Ben's aunts, cousins, uncles, nephews, etc (minus Mary and Thomas - which we were all really sad about), went to stay for a week at Table Rock Lake. There were 34 of us; it was great. 

We caught fish,

jumped off docks,

went down slides, 

(pictures courtesy of Aunt Shelley's facebook)

and of course played lots of cards and ate lots of food. 

Ben officially starts his career as an otorhinolaryngologist intern on Monday. How are we spending out last weekend of freedom? Well, he's playing golf with his dad and brother, and I'm going to make a chocolate chip cookie dough recipe (sans raw eggs) that I found on pinterest and eat the whole thing. And then tomorrow, we head to Henryetta for our last shower. Have I ever mentioned on here how glad I am that we're staying in OK? I would die without my short hour and a half drive to my parents. 

Ahhhhhh SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED.

First, I had to say goodbye to these little guys forever, and to teaching for awhile. 

Then, the next day we went out and bought a house! 

Then later that day, we decided to have a party - at the house that we had owned for approximately 6 hours. 

The next day, Ben graduated from medical school. Proudest Wife Ever. 

Later that day, my wonderful sisters and cousins-in-law, threw us a shower. 

Girl cousins (minus Abbie and Mary)

Best Friends Forever (minus Kerri)

It was such a crazy, wonderful weekend. 

The last few weeks have been spent mostly with Ben, working on the house, going to estate sales, watching my belly, and trying to soak up every single minute with him before he starts residency in a few days. As excited as we are for Jenson to be here, I will forever cherish this past month with him, and am so thankful that we've had this time together before she blesses us with her presence. 

We spent last week with my parents and brother at a beach house in Galveston. I was way too relaxed to take any pictures. It was so great - the boys did some fishing, and the girls did lots of reading and laying in the sun. 

Jensie Girl is just moving right along. She's the size of a pineapple, and we've got roughly 6 weeks to go! My precious mom came earlier this week to paint her room, so we're very slowly but surely getting ready for her big debut. We love her more than we can stand it. 

Jenson is one lucky lady. We've had two showers so far, and they have both been so sweet and thoughtful. My kindergarten/pre-k team had one at school a couple of weeks ago.

My pretty mom and her pretty mom were both there. 

I've decided to not teach next year, and I will miss these girls so much. 

Our sweet Bible study group gave us a shower last weekend. It was perfect. It included great food, too many generous gifts, Jensie's very first Bible, lots of sweet prayers that, of course made me cry, and good friends. I have no doubt that Jenson will be so blessed by these girls and their husbands. 

Jenson is the size of a head of lettuce, and we'll possibly meet her in 9 short weeks. 

Sold!

Ben and I put a contract down on a house, and when we drove by it the other day (not that we're stalking the poor people who still live there) we saw this: 

Sold! Now, it's not really ours until May 25th at 9:00 am, but things are looking pretty good! 

28 weeks. Jenson weighs about 3 pounds, and is roughly the size of a small head of cabbage. 

I LOVE cabbage - and it's so good for you!  While living in Africa, you have to come up with some pretty creative ways to cook the same thing over and over again. In honor of Jens, here's our favorite cabbage salad. 

7 Day Salad 

Ingredients: 

1 head of cabbage- chopped

1/2 C chopped onion

1/2 C chopped green pepper

1 tsp. salt

1/2 C sugar

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour. Drain off the liquid then add: 

1/4 C oil

1/4 C vinegar

So easy. So good. 

so blessed

Sometimes it just hits me, and I am completely overwhelmed and amazed with the ways God has decided to bless me. I am so undeserving. I forget to stop everyday and take inventory of all the blessing He has so graciously given. 

1 Chronicles 16:8
Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.

I am so thankful for my patient, loving husband.

I am so thankful for both of our families - people that we both genuinely enjoy being around.

I am already so unbelievably thankful for Jenson. She makes me want to be a better person. 

I am so thankful for our Q-group.

And I am so thankful for this wedge pillow - that makes sleeping just a little bit better these days.

I start a new week tomorrow; but as of today, Jensie is cauliflower.

She's still middle nameless, but...

I love when my students rub my belly. The ownership they've taken over this baby is so sweet. Almost all of them have a pretty adamant opinion about what her name should be: 

Lilly

Charlotte

Lucy

Mrs. Hawley Junior

Minnie

etc...

But today, I finally decided to break it to them that she already has a name...and it's 

Jenson

They all thought it was weird. 

25 weeks

I started out this pregnancy keeping a journal, and writing about every little thing blah blah...

But now I guess this blog is the closest thing to a journal that I've got. So a few dates I might want to remember someday: 

January 26 - Movement! I was so excited, and of course called my mom right away so she could convince me that, yes, you really did feel her! (like she even knew)

February 10 - "unofficial ultrasound" Mostly like a boy!

February 22 - "official ultrasound" No, definitely a girl! 

February 27 - Ben felt her kick - making this baby a little (but not completely) more real for him

March 1 - EVERYBODY seemed to notice I was pregnant today - at least 15 people commented on my belly at work

March 15 - Saw her move from the outside! Watching my belly is now our favorite pastime. (Or it is mine at least, and Ben humors me)

April 14 - Felt the first round of hiccups