just write: merely skin and bones.

she wasn't just a person,
to him she was much more.
she wasn't merely skin and bones,
but a universe to explore.

and so he put his faith in her,
though somewhat undeserved.
he just knew that she would save him,
for she knew he needed her.

but she couldn't save him,
nor did she even try,
because she wasn't quite aware
of the way he felt inside.

and as his view of her grew dim
and quickly changed back to bones and skin,
he learned a person is merely a person
no matter how much you hope in them.

Little Things You Should Do Every Day.

During a time when giant resolutions are being made and you're formulating a New Year's plan to basically overhaul your entire life, it can be nice to take a step back and look at the basics. Big goals and resolutions are great, but there are also some smaller things that you can do to make big changes.

Drink water. Lots of it. I will probably talk about this forever, because it amazes me that such a small thing that takes such little effort can make such a big change. When I make sure I drink a ton of water every day I have less headaches, better skin, more energy...all by just drinking something that is free. Seriously, if there was a crazy popular supplement you could buy that did all those things, you know you'd be tempted to buy it...so drink yourself some water!

Make something better. How many times do we stop when something is done enough? A work project, a blog post, a dinner...our everyday lives are full of things that we could keep making better and better and never be finished with. Obviously, that's not feasible. But every day, you can choose to make something better. Read over that email one extra time, or mop the floor instead of just sweeping it. Choose something and make it a little bit better.

Be thankful. If last year taught me anything, it's this: Thankfulness may not have the power to change circumstances, but it has the power to change me. Being thankful is a powerful thing. Switching your mindset to one of gratitude is life-changing. Focusing on the good instead of the bad is a mood-altering magic. Just taking the time to be thankful for one single thing each day can really determine the type of day you have.

Leave someone better than when you found them. When I was younger and would babysit at someone's house, my mom would always tell me, "Make sure you leave the house better than you found it." I think the same logic can be applied to people. You really do have the power to make someone's day better, and you can do that so simply, without taking anything away from your day. Throw away someone's trash for them, compliment their outfit, bring them a coffee, smile at them. Don't you have a better day when someone shows you love?

Choose silence over stupidity. I am not confrontational at all, but when it comes to people I know and things I feel passionate about, I am also not timid. So when someone is talking about something I disagree with, or have strong feelings about, my first reaction is to pipe up and give my opinion and let them know why they're wrong. I would venture to say that 90% of the time, I later (if not immediately!) realize that my words made no difference, and I wasted my time and maybe even dignity just to make myself feel better. You can't take your words back...that goes for words that are hurtful and words that just make you feel stupid later. So sometimes, it's best to just choose silence.

What's something you think you should do every day?

39 Weeks: Things I Want to Remember.

Gatsby doesn't hate all this lounging and waiting on Jack to arrive. 

Remember how I said my pregnancy was both flying by and lasting forever? I take it back. It's definitely lasting forever. I didn't know time could move this slowly. It's only been 2016 for 7 days? Lies. Surely this year has already last four months, right? And I've been 39 weeks pregnant for about 12 weeks now? 

• All joking aside, I'm reminding myself that it's a privilege to get to carry a baby to full term, and that many people have had to give birth early and spend a long time in the hospital instead of at home with their little love. I may be extremely uncomfortable, but I'm also extremely thankful that my little guy seems to be doing good...he's just nice and cozy and doesn't want to face the real world yet. On that, we can understand each other. 

• At my baby shower, people brought me books instead of cards. Because we live in a studio, they had to go into storage until I could clear some space for them. I finally got around to clearing off my bookshelf (no easy task for any book-lover), and put all the baby books up on the shelf. I am so excited to get to read all of these stories to him.

• We're at this weird place where everything that is going to get done is already done. Meaning that we've done everything we know of to do...everything is set up, the clothes and sheets are all washed, the hospital bags packed, freezer meals ready...we're no longer racing the clock on a to-do list, we're just waiting on Jack. 

• Chris said to me, "I feel like we're just running out the clock at this point." He didn't mean it in a bad way, but I hate the idea of not taking advantage of time we have together, so I made him play cards with me. And about twenty minutes into that, cried because my back hurt, so we just went to bed instead. I'm learning that the advice you get for the end of pregnancy just isn't realistic for everyone. Things like, "Go on as many date nights as you can during those last few weeks!" (I love a good date night, but the thought of having to sit at a table for an hour and a half right now makes me want to cry) Or, "Stock up on sleep now, you're going to need it!" (HA. HA. HA. 39 week pregnant me would love nothing more than to stock up on sleep. 39 week pregnant me also happens to be incapable of sleeping more than a few hours at a time, since I'm housing an entire human at the moment.) So I'm letting go of the picture other people had painted for me--a relaxing, honeymoon-type phase with my babe before our littlest gets here--and instead embracing lots of Netflix and movie nights where we have to pause the show every twenty minutes so I can get a snack/go to the bathroom/switch positions/ask for a massage/make Chris switch seats with me because his seat looks more comfortable/pause again  because it wasn't more comfortable and I want my seat back. But hey, if running out the clock is what we're doing, there's no one in the entire world I'd rather be doing it with. 

39 weeks down, 1(ish) to go. ONE. WEEK. SEVEN. DAYS. Hopefully this is the last one of these posts I'll be writing, and next time I write anything about Jack, it will be accompanied by a picture of his sweet little face! 

Whenever you're ready, little man. 

just write: a helping hand.

he simply handed her his coat, 

and just like that, she was warm again. 

sometimes the answer isn't some grand solution,

but rather, just a helping hand.

38 Weeks: Things I Want to Remember.

When you're 38 weeks pregnant on your anniversary, you may not get mimosas with brunch, but you do get double servings of pancakes...so really, it all works out. 

I've come to the conclusion that the last bit of pregnancy is so uncomfortable in order to balance out all of the terrified feelings. Last week, the thought of actually having the baby was terrifying to me-we're talking sobbing hysterically, almost fainting in the parking lot of the hospital before the tour because I was so anxious-that kind of terrified.

Fast forward to this week, and I am so freaking uncomfortable that when it comes time to actually go to the hospital, I'm going to be so relieved to not feel like this anymore (and to actually get to meet him instead of just feeling him kick my ribcage!) that I think it will balance out my sheer terror of actually having a baby. 

New Year's Eve marked 38 weeks for little baby Jack!

• Christmas morning was so special, waking up for the first (and only) time to a morning where it was still just me and Christopher, but at the same time, our little family had already grown to more than just the two of us, as made evident by the little gymnast in my stomach who tumbled all around while we read the Christmas story out loud. I then had contractions all day and then puked a lot that night, so, merry Christmas, buddy. Here's hoping his first one here is much healthier! 

• We celebrated our anniversary! 3 years! I've always heard people say that they never knew how much they loved their spouse until they were having a kid together. While that's true--I've never loved Christopher more than I have now--I will say that more than that, I've never felt how much of a team two people could be until now. The last few weeks have been a little rough, and it has blown me away how much easier everything automatically is because I know Chris is on my team. So guys, if you're going to get married, make sure you pick a good teammate. It makes all the difference.

• Last Monday, we went on a tour of the hospital. As I mentioned above, for some reason this made me super anxious, but I am SO glad we did this! The nurse who gave us our tour was amazing, and I'm praying she's on schedule when I have the baby. It was very reassuring to see the actual rooms where everything will take place, and she went over every birth scenario and what those would look like, which made me feel prepared. Some highlights: They have 24-7 visiting hours, and there's no restrictions on bringing in outside food. This means that my family can come see me whenever, and that they can bring me Chick-Fil-A when they come. I'm feeling good about this already! 

38 weeks down, 2(ish) to go. But since I'm late in writing this, only 9(ish) more days to go! SINGLE DIGITS, PEOPLE! 

Spending Your January: A To-Do List for Adventuring Through the Month.

1. Celebrate the fact that it's a new year! We make such a big deal over Christmas that we sometimes gloss over the fact that we finished a whole year, and we're starting a brand new one. That's an exciting thing! Celebrate it!

2. Set some time aside to make some resolutions and goals. If you need some help, try answering these questions.

3. Pick a word for your year. Here's mine!

4. Take one step towards each of your goals.

5. Cook something new!

6. Buy a 2016 journal.

7. Make one of those holiday desserts you never got around to trying. 

8. Do something kind for someone. Start 2016 off on the right foot by paying it forward.

9. Make an effort to be positive about your job. Spend an entire day looking for the good things about your job, and don't complain about it for 24 hours.

10. Do one thing that makes waking up more pleasant. Whether this is going to bed earlier or making the coffee before you go to bed, finding a way to enjoy mornings is a game-changer.

11. Send someone a card. Since the holidays are over, it will be a surprise!

12. Go bowling.

13. Research your city like you would if you were going on a vacation there. See what new places you can discover!

14. Make a new music playlist. 

15. Journal about what you hope 2016 will look like for you. If you could decide how this year was going to turn out, what would you want?

16. Look up cheap, healthy recipes. Cheers to cooking more and eating out less this year!

17. Go on a coffee date.

18. Buy a board game. 

19. Have a movie night at home.

20. Pick a few complicated drinks or dishes you want to learn to make this year. If you give yourself a year, you can learn to cook anything!

21. Buy a planner.

22. Keep a running list of movies you want to see. That way you don't end up staring blankly at the red box machine come Friday night.

23. Read a book that relates to a goal you have. 

24. Pull out that holiday cocktail dress and go on one more fancy date. 

25. Go out of your way to show someone you love them.

26. Have breakfast in bed. 

27. Find a cheap bottle of wine you like. It makes grocery runs a lot easier!

28. Take a day off and relax. 

29. Plan a staycation. Don't just request days off of work, actually plan it like you would a vacation!

30. Look up smoothie recipes. Detox from the holiday food with some fruits and veggies!

31. Practice giving yourself grace. Remember that each day can be a fresh start, no matter what the day before looked like or how much you feel like you failed. It's never too late to start new!

How will you be spending your January?

Happy 2016! Setting Goals: 5 Questions to Ask Yourself First.

Happy 2016! Can you believe it?! Today is a fresh start, the first step in a brand new year that can be anything you want it to be. So what do you want it to be?

I always spend January first making goals, and I love it. I curl up with a cup of coffee and make lists and dream big dreams and make binders and love ever second of it. By the time the day is over, I feel ready to take on the year and am sure I can do anything.

This year is different-baby Jack is due in LESS THAN TWO WEEKS, hello-so I'm sure my goals will change as my life does, that I'll discover new goals I need as the year goes on, etc.

Whatever boat you're in, whether you're wanting to make major changes with giant goals or minor adjustments with small goals, these questions are a good place to start. Your answers to these questions can really help guide you in your goal setting.

1. What is one way I want to be different by this time next year? Don't think about circumstances or things you want to be different, think about how you want to be different.

My answer: I want to be less of a worrier. I want to stop being so anxious about things I have no control over. This has been a crazy year when it comes to uncontrollable things, and I want to keep working on worrying less. You can't enjoy life if you're too busy worrying over it!

2. What is one thing I want to accomplish this year? 

My answer: I want to create a happy, full life no matter where we end up living. Like I said, I'll have to be flexible with all the unknowns this year, but one thing I do know is that I want to give my family the best life possible and I want to be the happiest possible-whether that means decorating a new house or finding fun things to do in a new town, or just being willing to be open-minded about my location. I want to create the best life possible this year.

3. What is a quality I find myself admiring in others? 

My answer: Openness. Is that a quality? You know those people who just roll with the punches and go right along with life's twists and turns? I admire them. I'm never going to be someone who doesn't get stressed when plans change, but I do want to be someone who is able to make the best of the unexpected and still enjoy life to the fullest, even when it's not going according to plan...even when there's no plan at all.

4. What will make me proud of myself a year from now? 

My answer: Continuing to do the things that I love, even though this year will be full of changes. I want to keep writing and keep blogging. 2015 was a great year for my blog, and I know that if I keep working at it, I'll be proud of myself at the end of 2016.

5. What is a word that embodies what I want out of this year?

My answer: Cherish. This year is going to be the biggest yet-Jack will be joining the party any day now, we'll be submitting our rank list next month, we'll find out where we match in March, and Chris will officially be a doctor in May. What. A. Year. I just want to cherish every single day, every moment, every change.

Hopefully your answers to these questions point you in the direction of the goals you need to make for the year! Whatever goals you have, cheers to 2016 being the absolute best year ever.