Overwhelmed Again...

I've written several times about being overwhelmed-- most recently I've been overwhelmed with the idea of bringing home a new baby when we already have a baby at home.  I do realize that I'm pregnant, really I do, trust me, and I do know that we wanted this and planned this.  But now it is really real- like 6 weeks away real.  And I'm overwhelmed all over again- but this time, it's totally different.

First of all, remember last week when I mentioned the potential pre-term labor?  Well there has been so much love and concern bestowed on me and my family that I've gotten weepy, several times!  That happened on Tuesday, and that night my friend Anna made me dinner and brought it to us for Wednesday-- it was delicious!  Katie from our small group brought dinner to me for tonight, and another Katie from our church is doing dinner for us tomorrow night.  And that doesn't include Danielle and Lisa from our small group who plan on serving us this way next week.  Now really, dinner is a little thing, you might be thinking, but that's also the hour that Max melts down and hangs on my legs flailing about because he MUST be held.  And cooking dinner (which usually I love doing) leads to needing to clean up dinner, not to mention actually feeding my people, so the whole ordeal takes several hours- and for someone who needs to "cut activity in half" these dinners are HUGE blessings!!

What love and what service from these people who just saw a need and are meeting it-- and honestly, I didn't even know it was a need until it happened and then I got to see how much it helped!

THEN, as if that isn't enough to overwhelm me with gratefulness, a group of sweet friends had a baby shower for me this weekend.  I will have to follow this post with some pictures later, because it was a Kentucky Derby themed shower, complete with big hats, but for now I just need to explain the love that was there.  All of these people are my friends- and have been my friends since before I had Max- and obviously showered us and loved on us when we had him.  (This includes my parents and my in-laws who are out of state but mailed us very wonderful things to the shower!) And now we're having another "him" and needing very little, but the gifts we received were so snuggly, so precious, and sweet and thoughtful, that once I got home to Chad, I was overwhelmed all over again.  I am so blessed by friends who showered us with gifts of blue, and diapers, and gift cards just because they love me and my family.  Seriously, my chest is tight thinking through this.  And I had a hard time falling asleep on Saturday night because of it!

Then in case you didn't know, yesterday was Mother's Day- but Chad declared it Mother's weekend at our house.  So I don't think I fixed a meal all day Saturday or Sunday, I got my hair did, and my feet rubbed, I took naps, I sat on the couch, I carried Max very little, and I got lots and lots of time with Chad and Max.  (Gabe was with his mom this weekend, but before he left, he gave me a flower pot he painted and a book that was precious and hilarious at the same time!)  I did help fold a load of laundry but that was just because Chad was folding laundry when I walked into the room to talk to him and my hands just naturally went to work.  And I only had 2 contractions all day Saturday.  I was loved on and spoiled all weekend, and now I feel rested and ready to conquer the week!

But I'm not done!  Today at work, they had a baby shower lunch for me.  And again, my co-workers are among the people that spoiled me the last time we did this-- less than 21 months ago-- but yet they set up lunch and strawberry cake from Gabriel's (my favorite) AND got me a very generous gift card.

So remember that "Before Jack Arrives" list?  Well I just used several gifts cards and bought everything that was left on my wish list... it should be to us next week.  And let me just say that we don't deserve this- I don't deserve this- I don't need this-- but this is just the way God works. He puts all this love in people's hearts and then it spills out on His children- on me and my children!  So yes, once again I am overwhelmed, but this time I am overwhelmed by kindness. It makes my heart so full to be able to sit back and see just how blessed we are and to revel in such wonderful friendships and relationships.

Thank you God!