Before we start our update, I have to give a little shout out to Adam for our fun “countdown til due date” ticker in the right column. Although very few babies actually make their grand debut on their due date, we thought the countdown would be a fun reminder of how close we’re getting to July 23rd. What do you think? Will Baby Eberle be early, on time, or late? (Adam and I were both two weeks late — sorry moms!!!)

We had a very special delivery this week from Grandpa Bob, who took the time to clean, strip, and paint the wooden changing table from little Adam’s nursery! A new coat of white, plus lots of fun accessories, and this sentimental piece will certainly help make the “dirty work” a little sweeter. Thanks Grandpa!

Here’s how we’re doing at Week 26:

Baby’s size: At the end of month six, Baby is ranging from 13 to 15 inches and about 1.5 to 2.5 pounds…the size of a head of cabbage!

What’s keeping Baby busy: His or her eyelids are separating this week and the eyes are starting to open. We’ve even read that shining a flashlight on my belly will cause a kick or two! Baby is also beginning to sleep for longer, more regular periods (often when I do — thank goodness).

What’s keeping Mom and Dad busy: Last night we had a fun dinner with two folks from our Wednesday night Bible study. Catherine and Ryan are expecting a little girl on July 27 — yes, just four days after us! We’re excited to have friends to share the ups and downs and “what do we do’s” of Baby’s first few months with.

Cravings: We’ve made it to the last week of second trimester without any strange pickles-and-ice-cream cravings. Adam hasn’t even had the chance to run to the store in the middle of the night for a random gotta-have snack! Strawberries, Earth Fare honey-roasted peanut butter, avocados, and semi-sweet chocolate chips are keeping me quite satisfied.

Struggles: This week has been humbling. One of the blogs I read had a poignant post Monday evening: “Some days in this world are almost impossible to understand. One minute, we are stressing over a deadline we might be able to make at work, the lack of sleep we have been getting lately, or the workout we missed that morning. And the next minute, something tragic happens.”

I find it almost impossible to complain about lower back pain…about shorts that won’t button over my baby bump…about the inconvenience of sleeping on my side…when in truth, I’m experiencing one of the most blessed seasons of my life amid a week of tragedy across our country.

My precious Nana and Poppa Burton always said they lived in the best of times…and I have no doubt they did. It breaks my heart to be bringing our sweet kiddo into a world where terrorism no longer shocks us. And yet, Adam and I are also choosing to take this as a challenge — to raise our kids in a home where we count our blessings. Where we know our God is still in control. And where we can celebrate the beauty of family and life, no matter what we may face ahead of us.

Joys: This…

Have a wonderful weekend!