A Summer Respite {Choosing Life: Chapter 4}

July 7 - September 6, 2010

Facebook status, July 12, 2010: “tent-check, sleeping bags-check, tub-o-camping stuff-check, bag of sunscreen, insect repellant, bear spray and first aid kit-check, fear of having to pee in the middle of the night in bear country-check…”

Facebook status, July 19: “dang. my loosest pair of shorts are starting to feel tight. at least my tennis skorts stretch and my skirts can ride high on my waist. i have one pair of jeans I can still wear...putting off buying maternity clothes!”

Facebook status, July 30: “I was giving directions to Patrick and Michael on moving the furniture around in the basement, and Patrick leans over to Michael and whispers 'Nesting...,' all-knowingly.”

Facebook status, August 10: “Happy 19th!!! 19 years of marriage and still barefoot and pregnant! You are amazing…” (posted by Patrick)

Facebook status, August 18: “Wearing my first pair of maternity cropped jeans in 8 years today.”

Facebook status, August 24: “on a pregant emotional rollercoaster today...Weeeeee!”

Facebook status, September 4: "Already had get up to pee and it s only 3 minutes into the game."

That summer she spent her third pregnancy doing all the things she would normally do with her family with the added bonus of anticipating a new member.

They tent camped twice, once to Yellowstone National Park and once locally to Salmon Lake. They hiked and played a little tennis. She did some gardening amongst snakes and yellow jackets and got her fried okra "fix" at Cracker Barrel. By September, they'd even attended the first Grizzly home game for the season, one of the few with perfect football weather, aqua skies, a few clouds, and crisp air.

Although occasionally emotional from hormones, life that summer appeared all rainbows and butterflies. Sunsets glowed sunset-ier, roses smelled rosier, and blue skies reflected, of course, blue-ier.

{Choosing Life: Chapter 5}