changes

I am now at 29 weeks. It is so crazy and exciting that we get to meet Coranelle in 11 weeks or so. I went to the doctor on Friday. The results of my blood work came back and my glucose levels are good and my blood pressure and everything else seems healthy. I feel so blessed! We have heard about some friends who have had their babies really early and premature, and that makes me want to keep Coranelle baking and growing inside for as long as possible. We are not quite ready for her to enter the world, yet.
As my tummy grows bigger, it is interesting to hear peoples' responses. I have learned to ignore the "You're getting HUGE" comments, or when people tell me that I am looking like a snowman. How funny is it that when a woman is pregnant, all of a sudden, commenting about her body in whatever manner you feel like- seems appropriate. I mean, come on here people, no woman is so confident with her body, that even after she puts on almost 20 pounds, she feels totally self confident. But, I have had many lovely people tell me how cute, or glowing I look- and that is so nice to hear. So- thanks to you guys out there who have been supportive.
The other new things in life... I learned on Sunday that I cannot play soccer the way I used to. (And I was bad before!). Ryan and I went out to enjoy the gorgeous sunny weather and were running around kicking the ball. Nothing competitive. But, the running- I must have looked ridiculous! And something about the way my hips are stretching and shifting- I still feel a bit sore from my kicking attempts. How crazy is pregnancy! Your body changes so much and what you used to do effortlessly seems really hard! But, I think little Cora will be a soccer player. Everytime we are around soccer balls and players, she gets really active!
Sleeping has become a bit more difficult and my body finally "feels" pregnant. I am getting some backaches and hip soreness. But, Ryan got me the prenatal massage for Valentines Day and I got to use it on Saturday. It felt amazing! What a wonderful and thoughtful husband I have.
The only other news I have is a bit sad. In the last few weeks, my Grandpa Lew- who lives in Boulder, has become very ill. He has advanced pancreatic cancer, lung cancer and a skin disease and all of this is taking its toll on him. Despite the sad circumstances, it has allowed for us to visit with my Uncle Tom, Aunt Pam and have my dad come out more frequently. Sad how we all get together under such hard circumstances, yet it has been a treat to see the Mullen family. But, I really hoped Coranelle could meet her great-grandpa- as he is the only "blood" grandparent left on my side. But, the odds of that are looking slim and that makes me sad. Grandpa Lew is one character that everyone should have a chance to meet in their lifetime. His view on life- although often a bit strange- is one that Stefan and I have come to know and love. So, keep Grandpa in your prayers. Hospice says he only has a few days left.
My students are in the middle of taking the dreaded CSAP tests, so life is full of stress and ridiculous expectations at school. They are working so hard, but the task at hand is so crucial and yet so impossible for these kiddos who have only been learning in english for the last 7 months. Hopefully, our class scores come out okay. Coranelle is getting accustomed to pacing the room with me as my students test.
That's all for now. I am going to go make some treats for my students as a little token of motivation for them tomorrow as they tackle another day of testing!