Dearest Jani...........

A little over five years ago a babe was about to be born. It was a babe right from God, in God's perfect timing. For she came the year of a shortened school year, a longer summer. It was a time her teacher mama was to remember because she was given an entire month before her girl's arrival to..............

REST. And rest she did........

She took long walks with her brother about to be married. She watched movies when it was light out and there were more productive, more active things to do but a baby was coming and the belly was big and it seemed the right thing to do. There were games of Scrabble on the porch of her parent's house, eating chips and drinking Pepsi. There were whole afternoons of reading on the couch, oh how wonderful that 1000 page Edward Rutherford book was, more often than not followed by a lengthy nap. Her husband marveled at her ability to sleep at all times, any time, anywhere. He might also have wondered how on earth his lovely wife was to survive the coming months after that precious babe was born.

Those days were lovely. They were perfect. Not always are we to be productive and performing and doing, doing, doing. There are times of rest and relaxation and just being. There are times to store up the energy and the momentum for what is to come.

For one day soon you will be called upon to be up and to be giving of yourself to another. This nine months, I feel, was given not only for nesting but for resting. This time is to give your energy, your productivity, your time for the little one inside. You are growing a little baby boy. He needs you now. He needs you to kick back and relax, to read lengthy books, to watch multiple episodes of a tv series, to spend mornings on the deck drinking tea or sipping coffee, going out to dinner with your husband. He needs you to laze about, wondering who he is, what is to become of your life with this new life about to be born.

Sweet Jani, don't waste time thinking about things to do, what HAS to be done. For nothing HAS to be done. This time in your life comes but only once. For the next time you find your belly big, your feet all swelled up you will have a little Perrin to chase about and meals to be on the table and a boy to put to bed and a million other things that come with a small one about. You will think about him first and yourself second. You will want to squeeze out every second with him while waiting for the second for you will know that your time with him and him alone is coming to an end.

This time is for you. Take it and rest with it, not run with it. You will not regret it. Your life is about change in a BIG way and in the best way. Yet, it is an ending of sorts. An ending of endless time for you. Take advantage of the time you have now. Everything you might concern yourself with now will be there next year.................