Good Month

May has been a fantastic month, and I'm a little sad to see it go. I celebrated my first mother's day and my 30th birthday, went on a fun mini-vacation with my hubby, heard my baby's heartbeat for the first time, visited with an old friend (who I hadn't seen in over 2 years), and finally embraced my growing waistline when I got to put on my new maternity swimsuit and head to the pool!
I have to say, 30 hasn't been nearly as bad as everyone makes it out to be. Rob threw me a "surprise" party (that he told me about a few days in advance)- complete with the best guacamole ever and a sombrero cake! It was a ton of fun, and the perfect way to enter a new decade of my life. I'm looking forward to my 30s!!
As for the baby, he/she is doing great! I had gotten sort of spoiled-- between my doctor's high-risk check-ups and a research study that I'm part of at Vanderbilt, I had an ultrasound every two weeks last month. It's so cool to look back at them now and see the incredible changes that took place from March 27 to April 27. That meant that this, however, was the first time I had to go 4 weeks between glimpses of our little one. By the day of my appointment, I was chomping at the bit to know that everything was ok in there. My doctor is pleased with our progression, and that strong heartbeat was sweeter than any song I've ever heard. I know that everyone says to enjoy every minute of pregnancy because it's over before you know it, but November 15 cannot get here soon enough.
And the mini-vacation? Rob and I spent Memorial Day weekend in Alexandria, VA, and Washington DC. Crowded as it was, it was a great time to be in DC. We saw a lot of the usual stuff, as well as the National Memorial Day concert on the lawn of the Capitol, the Memorial Day parade, and the American flags on all the grave markers at Arlington Cemetery. As dorky as it my sound, it made me proud to be an American. We're actually going back there in July for the Servpro convention, and I'm looking forward to seeing more.

This summer is going to be a busy one. It's a little overwhelming when I look at the calendar, but there are a lot of good things ahead and I can't wait!

The Day After Mother's Day

Dear Mom,
Mother’s Day was different this year. I knew it would be, but somehow, it still caught me by surprise. I’m sorry I couldn’t be home this year. Do you remember the last time we spent Mother’s Day together? It was 2006- you and Dad came to Birmingham to help me move into my new apartment… and meet my new boyfriend, Rob.
Rob is my husband now, and I’m going to be a mom soon. So yesterday meant a little more to me. I found myself more excited than usual, more nostalgic, and more thankful. I thought a lot about the kind of mom I want to be.
Thanks for setting a good example for me, beginning with your marriage. Tomorrow, you & Dad will celebrate 36 years since you said, “I do.” Congratulations! Thanks for keeping that commitment a priority. And thank you for retiring 33 years ago, to stay at home and raise your children. I know that isn’t an option for everyone, and I’m grateful for the sacrifices you and Dad made for our benefit.
You told me one time that you “didn’t raise your kids to be independent, you raised them to need [you].” And I’m afraid that may have backfired on you! There may have been a lot of tears and guilt trips, but you let us go. Realize it or not, whether I lived in another city or state or country, I’ve always needed you. Thank you for pushing me in school (I probably wouldn’t have been an honor student on my own), for making me earn money to pay for the expensive things I wanted (like class trips), and for putting our family first (we’ve all tried to forget those years you were in school). I may be more independent than anyone ever expected, but it’s only because you gave me strength, courage, and wings to fly.
Probably the most important thing you ever gave me, though, was Jesus. I know I caught you off guard when I knocked on your bedroom door in the middle of the night so many years ago. I’m pretty sure you were scared, and praying was all you knew to do. Thank you for leading me to the Lord that night. Thank you for giving me to Him all over again at camp when we both knew at the same moment that God was calling me to missions, and again when I was in college and making myself ill with stress, and again not long after that when I got on a plane by myself headed to a country I’d never been.
I’m not going to say that I want to do everything just like you did, but then again, I hope my own children don’t act just like I did either! I appreciate you, Mom, and all you’ve done for me and taught me over the years. This isn’t super creative, or the most eloquent letter I’ve ever written; I just wanted to tell you I love you, and thank you for helping prepare me for motherhood.
Love, jess

This picture is just for you, Mom... 13.5 weeks (taken this morning)