Blessed

One theme the past month or so that I've noticed is that I am blessed.  incredibly.
Blessed by my friends and family at a baby shower.
Blessed by the home I grew up in and the parents who raised me.
Blessed by my small district school and the teachers who influenced me.
Blessed by this baby and this season of life!
...and that's just naming a few.

Some of this was spurred on by a week I spent subbing at a high school for an at-risk study hall/extra help room.  I learned what a "snap back" was and how cool it is to have one.  (FYI, it's a cap with the adjustable snaps on the back. and don't bend the bill. Like the ones I grew up with in the '90's.)  But I also learned how fortunate I am to have been raised the way I was.

At this high school, I met a few other mothers and a brand new father.  All 17 and under. I tried to help a new dad catch up on some homework because he took the past week off when his girlfriend had their baby girl.  There was one girl who I always had to sign a pass so she could go pump.  One girl had a crazy story that she didn't know she was pregnant until the week before she had her baby.  Stomach pains on a Sunday to learn that they were actually labor contractions-- and then a baby on a Thursday.  It was straight from that TLC show... though her story isn't on that show.  That is when I started considering how blessed this baby is/will be by all the "stuff" from baby showers and the resources from our doctor and hospital.  Here I am like a nesting monster some days trying to feel completely prepared in all ways-- and I have around 4 more weeks-- not days.

Then I spent a week working with one elementary student who struggled behaviorally and I saw first hand the importance of  good parenting.  And I was reminded that the early years of parenting are so important.

My consistent after school job always brings home funny stories.  I spent a few minutes the other day answering questions about maternity clothes.  I was wearing a more "belly hugging" shirt and apparently it spurred on a lot of questions and comments:  "Did you have to get new clothes?" "Would that look weird without a big stomach?" "Is that one like an extra extra large size?" "So they make clothes for pregnant people?"

And then the usual comments about the baby in general... "Is it still in there?"  "He's going to come out crazy listening to us crazy kids!" "When you have the baby will you leave us?"

I've also had lots of kids ask me about my boyfriend... and I tell them he's my husband.  Then I realize that these kids probably see more babies and pregnancies than they do weddings and marriages.

It's the things like that that have stacked up every week and bring me to a sense that I am so blessed. ...And so thankful!