Another week has passed, another weekend here. Time is going so slow and so fast all at once. Went to the doctor's again on Friday, nothing again. I was starting to get really worried for a while until I found out Gammer says mom didn't drop until a couple hours before she was born. Maybe that's how this will go? I don't know. Everything that I can think of for the most part is ready. I just need to go to Babies R Us and buy some last minute things since I finally got the 10% off certificate for our registry stuff. I'm anxious to get this over with, and I hope I can push through without pain meds.

Lately I've just been really lazy for the most part. I sit around all day and read or take naps. I should try spending more time outside, but I can't be on my feet for very long before things get painful. Last weekend I found out Mike is scheduled to deploy for 2 months to West Point this summer. Needless to say, neither of us is happy about it at all. No sooner do I get the chance to move down with him and the Army has him off on some other assignment that would be better suited to someone who is single and doesn't have a newborn baby. Well, such is our life. Originally it was supposed to be for 3 weeks, and now it's up to 2 months so it went from sucky to bullshit real quick. However, now they may be putting him back down to 3 weeks again, and I'm trying not to get my hopes up but it's kind of hard not to. I have a love-hate relationship with the Army...and lately a lot of it has been hate. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping the love comes back before I raise my right hand in December. Mike does get a promotion to Captain on June 1st though, I am very proud of him.

Our crib got send down to Kentucky and Mike has it all put together and in the baby's room. We are just waiting for the dresser and the conversion rails that go with it. Then we need to get a mattress to put in it and a bedding set. Yikes, more money heh. Babies are so expensive! This initial cost though should be something of a one time thing because when we have more we won't have to keep buying a new crib.

Not sure what is in store for today, but I think I may go down and visit with Gammer and Gaffer along with mom. Probably should be sticking close to the hospital, but meh. I've started packing up some of my stuff for the move, but I hate packing and I never know where to begin. I always end up packing something that I need in between now and when I move and then I have to kick myself and ask myself why I packed it. I am also reluctant to have that look about the place that comes with moving. It always makes things look so bare and out of place and very un-homey. Oh well, I guess I have to at some point. Well I think it's shower time for me.

What a week! I got all my thank you's written and sent out by Tuesday. I was having a panic attack when I looked at my online transcript because the way I read it (which was wrong) made it look like I was short several credits for graduation purposes and I almost flipped out. But I was reading it wrong and turns out I'm just where I thought I would be. Wednesday was a tough day, dad called and informed me that Grandma Peterson passed away. I will miss her very much and I have been thinking a lot about Grandpa and the rest of the family. The funeral was this weekend and because I am due in 2 weeks I couldn't go down to North Carolina for it. That's been pretty hard for me cause I really want to be with the family right now and celebrate Grandma's life. But, little baby Nathan is important too, and I couldn't very well be going into labor en route or away from my doctors or hospital. It makes me really sad that I couldn't be at her funeral though.

Yesterday I went to the doctor's again (which I'm getting really sick of) and the baby is just not ready to come out yet I guess. No dropping or dilation going on and the doctor says he's headed to the 9 pound mark which makes me really nervous. I would prefer to be in one piece after labor and delivery, and 9 lbs is a really BIG baby. He'll probably wait till the 22nd, which I guess I should be happy about because I want Mike to be here...but at the same time I'm just ready for him to come out! Like right now!

Today was crazy. I hosted Sarah's bridal shower out at Presque Isle and today of all days of the week just happened to be one of the windiest days we've had for a long time. So it was tough to hang on to paper plates and eat food and such. On top of that, only half the people who rsvp'd a yes showed up, and only half the people who were invited rsvp'd a yes so I guess only about a quarter of the people invited showed. I was really kind of disappointed about that...I think it's kind of rude to say you are going to be somewhere and then not show up. We had a time opening the gifts with all the wind, but it worked out and I think mostly we had fun. Unfortunately one of Sarah's friends had a seizure towards the end so we had to call in an ambulance and we were all a bit upset after that. Thankfully she is doing alright though! I came home and was simply exhausted! I don't know if it was the wind or what, but I was just ready to drop when we got home so I took a nap. This evening Mike and I finally decided on a crib set, so we bought that and it should be on its way sometime early June. It's exciting to have that taken care of, but it is expensive too. It is a very nice crib though, and it converts to a full size bed for later on in life so it's like buying a crib and a bed all at once I guess. When you look at it that way it's a good deal. We will have to get a matress now, and a bedding set. Bedding sets can be very expensive too, but maybe I will see if I can find one on sale. I think I will go to Babies R Us tomorrow and check out some of the stuff that's on sale this weekend. I'm waiting for a certificate in the mail that's supposed to give us 10% off everything that's left on our registry and I haven't gotten it yet, but there are some things on sale this weekend that are more than 10% off so I will probably take advantage of that.

Nothing much planned for next week, just more waiting around to see what baby's going to do. I'm hoping something will be happening by next Friday which is when I have my next appointment. I'm kind of anxious though, and I'm afraid I will wimp out and take the epidural with him being so big. I really want to go natural, though. Well, I guess I will think about going to bed...

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23

Rest in Peace, Grandma
11-17-19?? - 5-6-2009

Finals week was a little bit stressful, but now it's all over and I'm officially a college graduate! I feel like I should be ecstatic, and in a way I guess I am but at the same time it's a little bittersweet. Four years going to one place and making so many memories, not necessarily all good, but some really great...it's finally time to move on in my life in so many huge ways and I am a little sad, but I am also soooooo happy. I know this doesn't make any sense.

After my last final on Friday, Mike flew into the airport and I picked him up and we spent the day together. We went to a Japanese steakhouse for a hibachi dinner and I had chicken and shrimp and he had steak and shrimp. It was so delicious but then that night my ankles swelled up like balloons! It was crazy cause they've never swelled so much before. We went to see Taken at the dollar theater after dinner and it was just a really nice night! On Saturday, we all went down to Edinboro for my graduation. It was long but I didn't stay for the whole thing or it could have been a lot longer. Eric, mom, dad and Mike were all there to cheer me on so it was pretty cool. After graduation we headed down to Sharpsville for a cookout. Jonathan and Jess, Sarah, Joel and Eric were all there and a bunch of other people and it was really wonderful to see everyone and have a fire in the old fire ring! Everyone was so generous with gifts for the baby too (THANKS!!!!) and I just had a really great time! Today, the guys started tinkering around with mom's old motorcycle. We all got to visit more and eat more yummy food. The weekend flew by way too fast, though, and now already I am sitting here alone again wondering what I am going to occupy myself with for the next 3 weeks until the baby is due. I took Mike to the airport and we had to say goodbye again. This time it won't be too long though, and then we will finally live in the same house! I hate saying goodbye :(

So, this week is...unplanned. I guess I can start packing up my possessions and getting ready to move. Friday I have a doctor's appt again. Saturday is Sarah's bridal shower which I need to finalize plans for this week. I need to write thank you notes to all the people who were so generous to Mike and I this weekend! It kind of sounds like a lot, but in reality, I find myself with almost nothing to do and it is very strange as opposed to the rush of the last weeks of college. I already miss Mike terribly. SIGH