Full of Grace

Well, I realize that I have slacked a lot on posting. 2 reasons can justify my tardiness: 1) things have been crazy with the end of school and 2) nothing exciting has been happening! Both of us continue to grow at an astronomical rate. My bellybutton is starting to pop out and is 3/4 of the way flat with the rest of my stomach. She kicks what seems like nonstop and has the hiccups at least twice a day.

The nursery construction is fully underway. Lee is spending today framing in a new closet for her and my diaper stacker (that matches the pattern) is in and I am so excited to see the finished product (Check Lee's facebook for nursery progress pictues).

This week is graduation week. The seniors have taken their finals and the teachers are all getting ready for the graduation ceremony tomorrow. My job has been to stuff the diplomas (put the actual diploma in the fancy leather case and put the plastic sheet over it and put into an envelope with their name on it). As I sat there and read each diploma, I was struck with the realization that every student who is graduating, that has their name written on that diploma, spelled a certain way, is that way because when their mom's were pregnant with them, they loved that name. As we are in the final stages of selecting a name for our daughter, I have realized why so many of my friends have chosen to not say the name they have chosen until he/she arrives. It has amazed me how opinionated people can be about a name (especially a name that the mom and dad think is perfect). Lee is also afraid of meeting her for the first time and deciding that she doesn't look at all like that name. Maybe we'll have one solidified by then and maybe not. But I have decided that, from now on, to not criticize anyone's selection for a name for their child (whether publically or privately) because those parents adored that name. My current favorite name, in Russian, means "full of grace". That is our prayer for this little one; that as she approaches a life outside of my belly, that whatever life hands her, she will be full of God's grace.