"How are you feeling?"

I can't tell you how many times A DAY I have this exact conversation.

Stranger: "When are you due?"
Me: "Three weeks!"
Stranger: "Wow! Do you know what you are having?"
Me: "It's a boy."
Stranger: "Awe! Do you have a name picked out?"
Me: "Yes, we are going to name him ________."
Stranger: "Awe..."

Usually the convo usually ends w/ "good luck" (thanks) or continues down some other path.

The other question I get from everyone, stranger or not is, "How are you feeling?" I usually just say, "Good," but I will answer in more detail here!

I feel great! Seriously, I have had THE easiest pregnancy on the planet. I mean it. The worst part about my first trimester was that I was tired and hungry all the time. The worst part of my second trimester is that I had gained weight sort of fast (but that has leveled out). And the worst part of my third trimester was the severe back pain and the severe (I'm talking "fall to the floor" severe) sciatic and femoral nerve pain, but BOTH of those have pretty much subsided. I even slept ALL the way through the night 5 out of 7 nights last week. I am not bragging.

I have pretty much concluded that God knew it wouldn't take much to get me to a place of discomfort - to a place where I was really in a position where I could listen and learn. Because even though my discomfort is so minor compared to what many women experience, this last 37 weeks of pregnancy has been extremely humbling and refining. Not only has pregnancy presented countless opportunities for me to learn more than I ever cared to know about my own sin and shortcomings (which is a blessing if you belong to Christ); it also continues to teach me more about God - his unconditional love, why he would give us pain, and so much more. I've also learned quite a bit about waiting and been challenged in that- Do I wait for Christ's reappearance the same way I have waited for my baby's appearance?

I could write a book... countless lessons to show that my discomfort and "suffering" (if I can dare call it that) are not without a purpose. And suffering is NEVER without a purpose for those who belong to Jesus.

So, as much as you guys KNOW that I do NOT love being pregnant (yes, mine has been easy, but NO, I have not loved it), I must say that even without the end reward (baby), it is still all worth it.

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P.S. We went to the doctor yesterday! Last week I was 1 cm dilated. Yesterday I went BACKWARDS... no progress, not even 1 cm dilated. If you are wondering how that is possible, I am too. Oh well. Doc also seemed to think the baby was more of the heavy side of average as far as weight goes (not a ton of bricks), which I consider good news. So, 37 weeks down, hopefully less than 3 to go!