What can I say? Since my last post, my life has been completely turned upside down and rearranged (in the best possible way), and now I can hardly recognize where I stood last October. Nine months ago, I was dreaming of our late June wedding, picking out a white dress and drifting into the cold yet cozy days of winter. I was drinking raspberry beer in Spokane taverns, enjoying nights out with family and friends, and “living it up” as any twenty-something girl would do. I was settling into a new work environment, toying with the idea of signing up for another ironman, and starting to plan a tropical adventure honeymoon (location yet to be determined). Life was good, no it was great, and seemed to be heading down a path that at some point in my childhood I imagined I would follow. Maybe it was predictable, but I also found it to be surprisingly exciting and new and just what I wanted at 27 years old.

Now fast forward to present day and the incredibly unpredictable turn of events that my life has taken. I find myself spending my (very limited) free time sorting through pictures from our cold but amazingly sunny early March wedding, folding laundry consisting mostly of newborn sleepers and receiving blankets, assembling cribs and infant swings, and trying desperately to read up on everything baby, new mommy, and “What to Expect When You’re Expecting”. That’s right, I am due any day now. I am counting down my last four shifts before I start maternity leave, and trying to determine whether I will ever feel “ready” for this next chapter. On the flip side, I can’t wait to meet this little person growing inside of me. I look at Keith, and revel at the thought of him becoming a father. Four years ago, when I first met Keith, I imagined that he would make an amazing dad, which allowed me to check off that box on my “top five most attractive qualities in men” list. It was one of the many reasons that I fell in love with him and (especially now that it is more relevant to our current situation) one of the many reasons I am so happy to now call him my husband.

I find myself day dreaming, no longer about potential honeymoon locations (now indefinitely postponed), but about whether our baby will take after him or myself. Whose nose will they have? Will they be bald or have a head full of hair? Will they have green or brown eyes? Will they be stubborn, funny, smart, athletic, artistic, musical, free-spirited, or independent? Or any combination of the above? I am so ready to be a mom, yet I feel so unprepared at the same time. This wasn’t in our plans, at least not yet, but it is probably the best unexpected gift we could have ever asked for. It made me realize that life has it’s own set of plans, and sometimes you just have to hop on board and enjoy the ride. I hope my baby will understand that I will try my best, make many mistakes, but no matter what, I will love him/her unconditionally until the day I die. I hope they are ready to guide me on this journey, and help me figure out this new purpose in my life. I hope they have patience when mine is tested, strength when I am running low, and forgiveness when I am short-tempered. I hope they will never leave me as they grow old. I hope one day, my children will look to me as I look to my parents- with a deep sense of respect, love, and friendship. I hope that I don’t take a single moment for granted. And most of all, for now, I hope for a smooth, easy, and relatively painless (ha!) arrival of the greatest gift we’ll ever know.