nine months

Thirty-eight and a half weeks ago:



Thirty-nine weeks ago:



Now:



Nine months is a big milestone in my mind. It's exactly the length of time that Jude was alive *inside* of me, and today he's been breathing air *outside* of me for exactly nine months. It's just a special date to me. To celebrate, he got his first tooth a few days ago! The funny thing is, it's not a bottom center tooth, not a top center tooth, but a top *side* tooth. Yep, little Mr. Snaggletooth! It's really cute and quirky... I'd share a picture IF he would let me take one. But every time he shows it off when he's laughing, I reach for the camera and his lips clamp together in an airtight -and mama's fingers tight- seal. So, no dice. I'll have to tag-team it with Rob so one of us can make him giggle and the other can stealthily snap the photo. I can see the corresponding tooth on the other side about to come in, too... AND it looks like the center two are not far behind. Overachiever.

In other news, Rob is deep in the midst of writing his last papers, sermons, outlines, summaries, and book reviews for BCS. Today he had his last class (YAY!) and tonight at the stroke of midnight his last paper is due. It's been rough around here; he was at the resource center at the BBC downtown campus until 3:30am a few nights ago, then last night he pulled a serious all-nighter, I came out at 8am and he was still in the same spot that I had left him 8 hours before. (yes, I sleep in late. So does Jude. Most of the time) Currently, Rob is at the resource center finishing one of his 20-page papers on Edwards, or worship, or the book of Acts. I hope to see him before I go to bed. That man has been so hard-working, I can't believe it. BCS has been harder on him than we imagined; he started the first year off by being late to the kick-off picnic because we had just rolled into town after driving all night and day back from Oklahoma for his grandma's funeral. The first day of class this year was August 27th. Yes, the day of Jude's big debut. So Rob has always felt a day late and a dollar short. But he has absolutely made the best of it, despite working three jobs equalling 35+ hours a week on top of his full load of classes. Shew! And all I did was grow, birth, and have 24/7 care of a helpless human being. To say we've had a busy few years would be an understatement. :)

I was talking to my Dad tonight, and he and my Mom have been doing some "inventory" of their own. He told me that in the last 10 years they have been to Africa to preach/teach five times, buried all four of their parents, married off their daughter (who moved half-way across the country), saw all their sons leave the proverbial nest (and also move far away), and remodeled two houses from top to bottom. While pastoring a church. Good grief, my parents NEVER slow down. And I love them for it.

I'm really excited about the next phase of life, not only for us, but also for my parents and my brothers. We're all in places of transition right now, and it's a little scary, a lot risky, and- since Jesus is our anchor- very exciting.

Even though Rob is done with all the official BCS work, he does have 4 more classes that he will be taking; he is in the Worship Concentration, and these four classes weren't offered earlier. The standard schedule for these classes is one per semester for another two years, but Rob is talking with the professors to see if there's any way we can consolidate that into just one more calendar year. So, if all goes well, we will be totally and completely DONE and graduated at this time next year. Which means... well, it means a lot of things. All along we have been asking God to show us just enough "light" for each step as we take it, and right now, the step after BCS graduation isn't lit up. But we're fairly sure a move from Minneapolis is most likely in the works. Where to? No idea. haha, I love this risk thing! Until then, this summer is going to full of relaxation, day trips (dangit, we are GOING to Duluth!), family visits, and plenty of BBQ's and late-night stargazing. Starting tomorrow.

Bring it.