Today is a day full of jokes and crazy antics and from the beginning of this pregnancy I’ve felt like April First would be the day he was born. I’m not sure he will come today, however I really hope he does. With the other three I never made it to thirty-nine weeks, and today I’m thirty-nine week and one day. This baby boy has been doing things his own way from the beginning and he continues to do things his way.
Last week my oldest two were on spring break. Obviously, we were not able to take them anywhere for spring break because I needed to be close to home just in case. We are fortunate enough to have amazing family who made their spring break great. They spent the first part of the week in Lake Geneva with my Aunt Ann and Uncle Kevin and then the second part of the week in Milwaukee with my Aunt Tammy and Uncle Jeff. I am so thankful they were able to take the kids for the week and give them a really great spring break, because I couldn’t.
As a side effect of the kids being gone for the week, I was able to get some rest. I took a minute to breath and take care of myself. Although the week was very strange and I had no idea what to do with myself most of the time, I certainly prefer to be busy all the time rather than have nothing to do. I am so used to taking care of someone else all the time and I went from that to no one. I really was lonely and missed the kids like crazy. I know things are about to get even crazier, yet this week gave me a moment to reset and make sure we are ready for our next addition.
In the hopes of giving this baby an eviction notice I went for a “walk” every morning. By walk, I really mean, I ran a half mile and then walked until the song I was listening to ended and then ran again. For the most part this last week the weather has been amazing and it was nice to be outside and still running. As a side effect of my daily run / walks my March overall mileage was higher than it had been since December. I can’t tell you how much being able to run has helped me with this pregnancy. I struggled accepting what pregnancy was doing to my body, but I was still able to keep part of myself by running all the way until the end. 
Since baby is still cooking on April 1st, I started the month with my run / walk combo. Two years ago on April 1st I ran a marathon. Last year I ran with my friends in Afghanistan for our weekly themed run and this year I made it through four miles running trying to get this baby out of me. 
This last year has been full of huge life changes. Our lives have moved in many directions and we’ve pivoted in ways we never thought we would. The thing is I wouldn’t change any of it and I am so thankful for everything we have. As a small side note, and probably why I’m writing this blog post in the first place is, I still feel like I just came back from Afghanistan and I’m not sure when I won’t. Nine months is certainly not enough time and I don’t know how much time will. I thought when I finished the Ironman that would be the moment, the pinnacle, the time when I could say I’m back and not “just back”. As a matter of fact, I have a bracelet a boy scout gave me as I was leaving North Carolina to go to Afghanistan that I’m still wearing. I said I would take it off once I finished the Ironman. When I crossed that finish line I could leave Afghanistan behind and remove the bracelet. I’ve said it so many times, Timyra and Timothy even talk about it. The thing is I don’t know when I’ll be ready to take off the bracelet and be able to say I didn’t just leave Afghanistan. I certainly don’t know when the Ironman will part of my life again, so that is probably not the time. But when you see the bracelet, don’t ask, I tell the kids not to. Just let me have it there and I promise I’ll take it off when I’m ready. 
Maybe I’ll be ready when little man number four arrives and maybe not. What I do know is I’m super excited to meet him. I would be even happier if he showed his face today. Come out little man, I think April Fool’s Day would be the perfect birthday for you, I hope you agree! I guess we’ll just have to wait and see!
Darchelle's Vacation with Uncle Sam 