10 - Less Than

1) We have less than four days until we head out for our annual Colorado/Arizona trip. The kids have been counting down for the last week. It has been a year since we've seen Jay's brother & his family. Way too long. So much has changed in the last year.

2) Less than 80 days until my due date. Sometimes 80 seems like a big number. But when I think that I had 280 days to go when I started, it seems like a drop in the bucket.

3) Less than 10 weeks until we are finished with the school year. I feel a big sigh of relief coming on. Mainly because I do not plan on having a baby next spring so there won't be quite the push to get it done early.

4) I have been less than consistent with my eating habits this week and it is taking it's toll. I don't eat anyting for hours and then I binge on whatever's handy for 20 minutes and then start over. Well, my stomach has released an angry beast in the last few weeks and if I find out what's causing it I am going to avoid it like the plague. The downside is: I am pretty sure it's sugar. I also have not been walking regularly which is something I am going to remedy on my vacation. Lucky for me, my sister-in-law loves walking too.

5) Less than two weeks I have been doing the new Bible study and I have to say it is already drastically changing my thinking. God knew exactly what I needed. I think it has been a long time coming.

6) My last appointment revealed that my platelets are less than they've ever been. 101,000. Normal is 150,000-450,000. The specialist said that they won't do anything unless they drop a bit below 100,000. The biggest reason this is a concern is if I wish to have an epidural during delivery. I do. But the anisthesiologists don't like giving you one if your platelet count is below 100. You know, something about blood not clotting properly and bleeding on the spine and so forth. And obviously, if they drop too low my blood won't clot properly which can cause complications in other areas of the delivery as well.

7) My hair is about 3-4 inches less than it was this morning. I got it cut and highlighted today and it feels nice. I love the feeling of freshly cut hair. It feels clean and more bouncy.

8) With this pregnancy I am grumpy less than I was with the other three. It may be hormones, it may be that so far I haven't gained as much weight, it may be that I feel better, it may be that I am not to the really incomfortable stage yet, or it may be a combination of all of these things. I believe it's that I am doing regular Bible study and prayer time in the mornings. God is so refreshing when we let Him be.

9) Although I feel better this time around, this pregnancy is less than perfect. And I am starting to feel it. The fatigue is setting in again. And I have days that I am quite edgy. Of course, going to bed after midnight and getting up at six o'clock can't be helping.

10) And since our vacation is less than 4 days away that means I have less than 4 days to complete the following:

              1. wash & iron all laundry
              2. pack clothes for trip
              3. pack toiletries for trip
              4. finish cooking & baking for trip
              5. pack food for trip
              6. clean floor of 5th wheel
              7. clean entire house
                 -not just normal cleaning, people are staying here while we're gone.
              8. one more quick grocery trip

I think that generally covers everything. Of course each step has many more details and will probably take every waking second that I have left, so I had better get on it!