Why sleep when you can...

...stay awake and time contractions, or shower are 2am before you head out in the freezing cold to go to the hospital, or awaken your family members in the middle of the night to go out in the freezing cold and come to your house (thanks Mom T.), or lay on a really hard stretcher with monitors strapped to your huge belly (while your husband sits in a hard plastic chair). I know all these are interesting alternatives to sleeping through the night, but I don't recommend any of them! We spent another night at hotel Spectrum and had some IV fluids. God was so good to us again and the contractions slowed way down and we got to come home early in the morning. Michael was feisty and kicking the whole time at the hospital, so we know it didn't phase him one bit. Mom is resting at home and has decided to stop complaining about bed rest because the alternatives (to be in the hospital, or deliver a 33 week baby and watch my child go to Neo) aren't nearly as attractive. We just want to say thank you over and over again to our family and friends for all the support and prayers, we could not do this alone. God only gives us what we can handle and he knew we would need help with this so he sent all of you!! Please keep us in your prayers, we would love to stay pregnant for 3 more weeks at least, every day means a lot in lung development and feeding ability. I really want to bring a baby home in my arms when I leave the hospital. God has been faithful so far and whatever is in store for us we know He is in control.

Dance Dance Revolution (nah-nah-nah Pete and Julie: KT)

My brother James, for all who know him, is the only Telman male that has rhythm. For the past few weeks he's been coming over on the weekends to hang out. I thought it was to hang out with me. Little did I know he was teaching Natalie how to dance.

Tough day

Do you all remember when Kara was talking about baby boot camp? Well, take a look at Natalie after just the morning session. Don't worry Natalie, I did this from time to time especially on those long lecture days. Remember those days Jeff at Western? Oh wait you'd just stay asleep and miss class never mind.

Big girl beds, hospital beds, and the couch!

We've had an eventful couple weeks. Natalie has moved to a big girl bed and has done amazingly well. She hasn't put it together that she can crawl off the end of the bed, she thinks she has to wait for the siderail to come down! I really hope she doesn't figure that out any time soon. She looks so tiny in that bed. I finally stopped tearing up every night when I check on her before I turn in. My baby has gotten so big in a blink of an eye! Then we had a nice time with the viral stomach flu. It hit like a mac truck and ended me in the hospital with some hard contractions. Once they got my stomach to stop trying to turn inside-out and got some IV fluids in me things slowed down and I was able to go home early that morning. Mommy and baby are fine. Ryan got a touch of it and Natalie didn't get any for which I am so thankful!

I'm on the homestrech as far as bedrest goes, 5 1/2 weeks, and that made me realize that we have nothing ready for this baby to come home. The nursery is crowded with everything that just get's thrown in there to sort out later and every possible baby toy/item that Natalie has outgrown. We have very little newborn clothing and I'm not even really sure where all the bottles are. For those of you who know me, I bet you are a little surprised that I didn't have everything set to go around our 12th week of pregnancy. I must say, I'm a little surprised myself, thus the ensuing panic!

So, how fitting that this weeks sermon was on worry! It really struck a chord for me. We are still studying the Sermon on the Mount and this weeks text was Matt. 6v25-27, 6v33-34. The part of that scripture that has always stuck out for me is verse 27 "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" That pretty much sums it up doesn't it? No matter how much I think, plan, exert my will over the future it does not one bit of good. Our pastor made this comment..."Worry is an attempt to gain control over too many things at once. All you have is this moment." All we have is the breath we take right now. The past is done and can not be changed and the future has to take care of itself. Since we aren't conscious of our breathing it was quite enlightening to just sit still and breath for a minute, to take a deep breath and let it go and feel the almost cleansing quality of it. The thought occurs to me that a newborn baby actually requires very little to come home to...shelter, food and a family that loves him. Our little man will be just fine and the nursery will come together. I still have my overwhelmed moments thinking of bringing another child into this world and caring for it and Natalie. Then I remember, I don't have a choice! What's done is done, God chose us to be the parents of Michael, he will provide all that we need to do our job. Afterall, to reference our pastor one more time, worry is a faith issue, can I trust God to provide for me? The answer is yes, and the past displays that fact over and over. What will our future hold? I don't know, but I know that I'm pretty good at taking just that next breath!