35 weeks...

35 weeks and let's just be honest, my body hurts. I have reached the point where I am purely uncomfortable. Fun stuff. My skin feels like it's going to rip apart. My little man is still very active and is so big. He pushes his little bottom up on my left side while stretching what I think is his legs out to the right. He likes to do this at the same time. He likes to use my stomach as a punching/kicking bag. It's incredible how his movements have changed. He used to be everywhere but now he's pretty settled and moves in the same spots. I know that not all babies are this active and I'm so grateful that my Asher is. I love his every little kick, hiccup and squirm even if it does feel like he's breaking a rib.

Tomorrow we are exactly one month away from our due date. I know most babies are not born on their due date but it makes me super excited to think about how close we are getting. Everyday that I'm uncomfortable is completely worth it.

Happy 35 weeks!!

Here is what Asher looks like today:

About 5 1/4 pounds and over 18 inches

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." 1 Chronicles 16:34

school shower

I've been so blessed to work at such an amazing school the past three and a half years. My school is truly one huge family. Last week they threw me a baby shower and it was perfect. We had a Pot Luck lunch and everyone brought in a dish. There was so much food and it was all delicious!! (I wish I would've taken a picture but I didn't. I actually forgot my camera and borrowed these pictures from Mrs. Maxwell.) They completely spoiled my little family with food, gifts and love.

Diaper cake and cupcakes!

My first grade friends!! I love these three ladies.

My amazing principals. They are the best women to work for!

Mrs. Mabry and I sticking out our bellies! =)

Thank you Harrold Family for a wonderful day and showering my little family with so much love!

34 weeks....

34 weeks down and we are currently 5 weeks from our due date! Holy moly is all I can say. We are so excited to be so close to meeting Asher.

I had a great week. My weekend was spent with some of my favorite people in the world. Jim and Jan aka Mom and Dad. They arrived in Memphis Thursday afternoon and stayed until Sunday. Travis went to Missouri on a hunting trip with his Dad so my parents came to town to hang out with me. I absolutely love it when they are in Memphis. I was off on Friday for Veteran's Day so it was great to have two full days of just Mom and Dad time. It was great!! Friday we spent most of our day shopping around and just hanging out. We stopped by the Puryear's house for a minute so they could meet sweet Kate.

Saturday we headed to Oxford to visit my cousin Chris, Molly and their little boy, Shivers. Chris and Molly moved to Oxford this summer and I've seen them about once a month or so since then. I have loved them being so close. It's been great to get to see Shivers grow over these past few months. He is the happiest baby I've ever been around. He loves to smile and when he does it's with his entire body! I cannot wait for he and Asher to meet.

Mom and Dad headed back East on Sunday and of course Mom cried. Ok, ok.... I cried, too! I love it when they are here but it breaks my heart when they leave. I cannot wait until we live much closer to each other.

Needless to say, week 34 was great!!

Happy 34 weeks!!

This is what Asher looks like today:

About 4 3/4 pounds and is about 18 inches

He's a growing boy!!

Mom and Shivers. See his sweet smiling face?!

(He's 5 months)

My sister sent me an email the other day of her daily verse that she receives via email. It is so perfect for me right now. I so badly want to fast forward time but I know that I need to trust in God and know that his timing is the right timing.

"Blessed are all those who wait for Him." Isaiah 30:18

baby bump

About a month ago, when we headed home for a shower, we also had some maternity pictures taken. Thanks to Ashley Wade, we now have some amazing pictures to keep forever and share with Asher one day.

No one else will ever know the strength of my LOVE for You. After all, you're the ONLY ONE who knows what my heart sounds like from the inside.

east tennessee shower

About a month ago some of our sweetest friends threw us a shower. It was perfect and you could feel the love for Asher all throughout the room. We are truly blessed to have so many friends, who feel like family, that love our little Man so much.

The invitation was the cutest thing I'd ever seen. I was so excited when I got it in the mail. The girls wouldn't give me any hints about the invitation, shower, anything. Everything was a surprise. It was wonderful.

I cropped some of the information off of the invitation... isn't it perfect? So boyish but stylish!

All of the decorations were either made by the girls or presents for Asher from the girls.

Julia, who has been one of my best friends since the 1st grade, made me 1-12 month onesies!

They made super cute thank you cards and had them out on the table with envelopes. They asked the guest to go ahead and address the envelope so that I wouldn't have to later. Great idea.

Wishes for Baby.

The guests were asked to fill out a little wish list for Asher. Reading the sweet words from so many brought tears to my eyes.

Asher Riley banner. I'm hoping to hang this in his nursery or do something special with it. Haven't decided yet. Suggestions welcomed.

Onesies and stuffed animals, all gifts for Asher.

Some oh so yummy cupcakes made by Carly Harrison. Check out her blog and have her make you something delicious!

Some of the snacks...

My wonderful hostesses. I've known all of these girls for 20 plus years.

You've gotta have a sassy picture.

My Chicken Butt. We've been friends since the 1st grade! We literally went to school together our entire lives. We lived together in college and then both taught at the same school when we graduated. Moving to Memphis was the first time we were apart. I don't think that I need to tell you how much I love this girl!

Josie B thinks that her GJ is crazy.

My 2 best girlfriends.

I'm sure Sum was saying something mean about my big belly! She has every right though, I totally laughed at her both times she was pregnant!! I had it coming.

My Mamaw Hatfield. I cannot wait to introduce Asher to her. I will tell him stories about going camping with her, the slumber parties I had at her house where we watched Jerry Springer and stayed up late laughing in her water bed, and so many other fun memories. She's a beautiful lady inside and out.

Fancy Nancy, that's what we call her. If you have seen Steel Magnolias then you know who Weezer is, well, that's our Mamaw. Seriously, I swear that character is her to a tee. She has a firecracker personality and is an amazing woman. Asher will love her the moment he meets her.

My Mother-In-Law loving on her first grandson!

My pretty Momma enjoying the shower.

I love it when people show Asher love by rubbing on my belly. Strangers rubbing my belly, no thanks! Friends are welcome..

Travis' Mom and her Mom, Little Granny.

Little Granny made Asher a blanket. It is precious and I cannot wait to take a sweet picture of him all wrapped up in it.

My two Mamaws.

I love this picture.

My aunt Arnetta (we share the same middle name), my Mamaws and my aunt Brenda,

Opening some of the gifts. We received wonderful things.

Josie B wanted to help with a few. She especially liked the monkey blanket. I like to take credit for her love of monkeys. Monkeys are my favorite and I have a ton of stuffed monkeys from my childhood. She plays with them while at GJ and Papaw's house and I gave her her very first monkey.

Mary, Josie's Aunt Mae Mae, playing with the kiddos.

Precious little Lily!

Love this picture of Lauren and I. We are always laughing when we are together. Please move home from the Nation's Capital. I don't like us being so far apart.

Amy, my sister's bff, who I've known for all my life is my preggo friend. She is pregnant with her third baby. She is due about a week or so after us. It's been fun to share this time with her. She and Summer were pregnant together with Josie and Reed. Now she's pregnant with me.

Pretty eyes.

Annie and Eva (Amy's first child)

We cannot say thank you enough to everyone who was involved with the shower or came to the shower. It was a wonderful day filled with love. Definitely a day we will never forget.

A special thanks to Ashley Wade! She came by the shower and snapped these pictures for me. If you are in the East Tennessee area and are in need of an amazing photographer, give her a call.

"Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Ephesians 5:20