Expecting

What are you up to right now? I am sitting on the couch eating the last of my butterscotch haystacks from Christmas. I thought they were all gone, but I found some in the fridge. I don't know about you, but I like them cold. I also like to eat chocolate when it's cold. When Melissa and I were kids, we used to buy frozen candy bars at the swimming pool. I would bang mine on something hard and make it break in half. Then I would marvel at the smooth, clearly defined layers of the Milky Way bar. Those were the days - eating candy bars in our bathing suits with no worry and no shame.

Another thing I've been doing tonight is eating lots of crushed ice. I'm craving it so bad. Hopefully I won't have cracked teeth in my first pictures with the baby. I'm not sure where this craving is coming from. I read that it could be an iron deficiency, but maybe it's coming from my deep desire to be in labor and enjoying crushed ice at the hospital. Baylor Grapevine had some good ice and they put it in an enormous cup for you. I hope my hospital here has that. Tomorrow I go for my 36 week appointment. Maybe I'll ask.

For all of you ice crunchers, pickle munchers, ice cream-craving when you're not throwing up your toenails people, there's a new book I want to tell you about. Remember when I wrote about Marla Taviano and her book, Changing Your World One Diaper at a Time? (Go here to read that post.) I enjoyed reading it so much late last spring as we were getting ready to start trying for a new baby. At that time I knew Marla was working on a new book especially for Pregnant Girls. It was just released and it's called Expecting: Praying for Your Child's Development - Body and Soul.


Expecting is one of the neatest book ideas I've ever seen. It's divided into - you guessed it - 40 weeks. Each week has a corresponding Scripture, an inspirational quote, a prayer for Baby's body and soul according to his or her development that week, a description of Baby's development, and a description of what Mom's body is going through. Marla includes some spiritual encouragement for Mom in there too. Each week ends with a question and space to journal the answer. Isn't that the coolest idea ever? I am so bummed that I can't be one of the first people to do this book all the way through! I'm just going to order a few and have them on hand for friends who become pregnant. The cool thing is that Second (Third and Fourth) Time Pregnant Girls will enjoy this just as much as First Time Pregnant Girls because you always want a way to mark the weeks going by. Plus, your prayers for each child are unique.

If you're interested in getting your hands on Expecting, you can order it here on Marla's web site. If you don't already have her other books, be sure and read my old post about those. They are Changing Your World One Diaper at a Time, From Blushing Bride to Wedded Wife, and Is That All He Thinks About? The older three are offered in a bundle for $20 (or of course you can get them separately).

As I said in that other post, Marla is a really neat, really fun, really godly lady with a great Big Sister voice. I've enjoyed getting to know her through her blog for the last year or more. I can't remember how long it's been now. She's a fantastic writer and an authentic person who doesn't shy away from sharing her own struggles, which I appreciate very much. Marla, I think you're awesome! Thank you for pouring into those of us who are just a few steps behind you.