exhaustion.

The past few weeks have felt like such a blur...with going to Minneapolis, driving to Atlanta for a day, being on duty two weekends in a row, driving the bus, jury duty, going to the doctor, running the clock at two basketball tournaments in addition to the regular season games, and you know, that little thing called teaching...I'm pooped. Luckily Poppy has kept up and not slowed me down too much, although she's made it very clear when it is that I need to eat something and what she wants me to eat. I had a dizzy/faint feeling in Barnes & Noble last weekend with James when he was looking at books and I just demanded his credit card so I could get something to eat and drink at Starbucks--a cookie never tasted so good.

It's hard to believe this weekend I'll hit the 24 week mark...only 16 more left! Every week I tell myself "If I can just get through this week....", but looking ahead it seems as though each week is going to be more stressful than the last. We leave for France in just 2 weeks which is really tough for me to wrap my head around. I think I'm going to have to wait until April to feel like I can relax a little, but I'm sure by that point I'll be so pregnant and uncomfortable relaxing will seem nearly impossible.

James signed his contract to be Dean of Students and Res Life Director for next year, and we were informed that we're getting the Whiteside House once Mr. Rice moves out, which is the BEST house on campus, and the price is still right ;). I'm excited to move into it, although I know it will be stressful trying to move right around the time of baby girl's arrival.

What's in a name?

Well, obviously a lot, since everyone wants to know! I'm glad we're keeping it hush hush though, because I want there to be some element of surprise to our little girl's birth announcement. Although originally I wavered about whether I wanted to find out the gender, I'm really glad that we chose to--it's nice to be able to call her my daughter instead of "the baby" all the time, and to call her by name when it's just James and me around.

The past week has been a whirlwind of activity...between our exciting doctor's visit, serving jury duty for the first time, traveling to Minnesota for the weekend, and now having to drive to Atlanta on Monday to get a visa for a Chinese student, as well as little girl's first "girl's day" shopping at Green Hills...I'm wondering how I'll be able to get everything done that I need to. I know that everything always "works out", but thinking about everything that needs to happen and will happen in the next few weeks has me stressed.

I do feel fortunate to have been able to run the past two days--45 min. on Thursday and 30 min. on Friday. My friend Megan loaned me her Gabriella belt to help stabilize little Poppy while I run, and it definitely makes it easier.