The Changing Lights and Shadows

Hard to believe, but summer and my pregnancy are soon coming to an end. There have been a few days that were uncomfortably hot for me, but for the most part we've been enjoying this season of sun, no matter how late it came.
I even got to swim a little, down at Wayfarer's Park (a site that is famous among Mallerys for marriage proposals, I have been enjoying the lake there since I was a little girl). Swimming when you are eight months pregnant is very different than at three or four months. At that point, no one could even tell; I hardly could myself. But now... well, let's just say I had to improvise a bit with the swimwear. A stretchy top, and a skirt I usually only wear to church became my ticket to the water. I may have looked like a runaway funeral attendant, but I got to get wet, and that's all that mattered. Some gals may be happy with wearing a bikini while pregnant, but, issues of modesty aside, the sight of my white, never-seen-the-sticky-side-of-a-wax-strip thighs is something I think all of humanity would gladly be spared of.
It goes without saying that I am looking forward to unpregnant swimwear next summer. In fact, I'm getting all giddy over unpregnant clothes, period. I can't wait to wear a pair of jeans that actually fit my rear end, not to mention dresses with a waistline!
Yesterday, I put away stacks of tiny diapers, and began filling out Sean's baby book, starting with the very first image we saw of him, at sixteen weeks. I hardly felt different at that point, but I'll never forget that overwhelming feeling, seeing a real human being, wiggling his arms and legs in there. Fearfully and wonderfully is what the king David described our fabrication as being, and to experience it first hand has made that truth so much more real to me. And if cravings suggest "what baby needs," it's good thing we confirmed the fact that our child is human, otherwise, I might have begun to think that we were baking a fruit cake in there, with all the fruit I've been eating.
Well, that's about all for now. I know I said there would be more pictures, but the one above is one that Ridge took, while we were out on one of our evening walks. If you haven't taken a walk at sunset lately, you really should.

A Tube and a Hot Summer Day

After church yesterday, we decided to spend our afternoon floating the Swan River on our inner tubes. We did it in akind of a twosome/threesome style, with Ridge, Megan, and I hanging on to each other's tubes for most of the way.

Our Internet connection isn't loading pictures well. Maybe I'll post more, but I'll be at Grandma's for the next three days. Have a nice week!

Just Beachy

Well, Spring is getting hotter, and Summer is knocking at the door. Of course, Summer means swimming, and swimming means wearing a bathing suit of one kind or another. (just a warning to any guys, this whole thing is going to be pretty non-applicable to you) As the rest of the nation gears up to don their -ahem- less than decent swimwear, conservative people (especially women and girls) are faced with the quandary of how to enjoy the hot weather and still retain a modicum of modesty.
I wore the generic "one-piece" until I was about 11, and around that time we (my parents & I) decided that standard bathing suits did not incorporate enough material into their construction. So, we began our search. First, we got one of those stretchy little skirt things to go over my current suit. That was far from satisfactory. Then, in 2004, we discovered the bathing suits offered by the Hopkins family: http://swimmodest.com/ They are Mormons, and I consider their suit to be agreeably modest, and though the price is a bit steep for my liking, it is a good option for those who do not sew.
There are several other companies who make fine suits, but my favorite is Simply Modest Swimwear: http://www.modestswimwearsolutions.com/ Crystal Huyben has made a lovely, easy to follow pattern in multiple sizes, and that is how I make my own suit. Lycra fabric can be obtained at relative inexpense on Ebay, and it is such fun to choose your own materials!
Here is a picture from last year (when I still had long hair!)

These suits offer great ease of movement, and depending on the weight of fabric you choose, they aren't heavy, confining "bags." The length of sleeves, skirt, and leggings are all variable according to your taste. With that, I wish you all a happy, modest summer.
P.S. another benefit of more coverage is you don't get so much sunburn! :-)