Well I am almost done with bedrest and I can’t believe it. Three weeks ago yesterday I went into the hospital for early labor and began this journey. I remember thinking discontentedly, “if I could just fast forward my life 3 weeks I would be happy,” knowing in my head that life is already too short and at the end I would probably give anything for 3 weeks. Now I see that the time has flown by but I have learned a few things along the way like,

1. how to ask for and receive help gracefully (sort of). Special thanks to my mom, dad, sister, aunt, grandma and grandpa and Angela next door for all your help and encouragement.
2. how to accept my physical limitations. It’s not easy seeing my hard earned cleanliness spiral downward, again special thanks to mom and grandma for the occasionaly tune up in orderliness.
3. Chaos is OK sometimes. When the children have been in the house with me for the better part of 3 weeks things can get really crazy sometimes. Sometimes I just have to let them run around the house screaming and chasing each other.
4. Relaxation is wonderful.

I am actually really thankful for this opportunity to wind down and refocus before the appearance of baby #4. Perhaps the Lord knew that it would just be too difficult for me to say no and slow down on my own so He encouraged me by necessity. Going into next week I eagerly anticipate the arrival or our baby with a rejuvenated spirit.

Plus I have had plenty of time to read, here are just a few of my favorites

1.Cheaper by the Dozen, Frank B. Gilbreth
2. Playful Parenting, Lawrence Cohen
3. Table for Eight:Raising a large family in a small-family world Meagan Francis
4. A Biblical Home Education Ruth Beechick
5. The Little Boy Down the Road Doug Phillips
6. Teach a child to Read with Children’s Books, Mark B. Thogmartine, Mary Gallagher
7. Already Gone Ken Hamm and Britt Beamer

I haven’t completed all of them but have made good starts on all of them, still waiting is a biography of John Calvin and A Handbook for Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock. Oh and to ensure that I keep reading I ordered Honey for a Women’s Heart by Gladys Hunt to go with her book of almost he same title for children to ensure that there will continue to be plenty of quality reading for everyone. I feel like I don’t have the time to reasearch very many books and it is so disappointing to spend time with a book that wasn’t worth it. All in all I would have to say bedrest has been a good experience–for the most part.