17 Days. (But Who's Counting, Really?)

I feel huge. Everyone tells me I'm small and when I look in the mirror I'm small. But every time I try to put socks on or sit down in my mother's overlarge chairs that don't give me enough back support, I feel huge and my breath cuts in half. I know my little ticker has a count of 24 days, but I'm planning on being induced by the 20th. That way I can take advantage of the entire Thanksgiving week when my mother is free from work. Little Andrew is very active and I have about 20 Braxton Hick's contractions each day, but there has been little sign of the real thing. I think I'm ready to have him come.
Recently, I've become much more aware of a few things. First, that I have wonderful children. Patrick throws his tantrums and rides the emotional roller coaster more than once each day, but his wonder at learning and his sweet disposition in general toward me and Rebekah are heart-melting. He races to his Daddy each night and says with full enthusiasm, "I MISS you (pause) Daddy!" And then the adrenaline kicks in to play with Daddy for whatever time remains until bedtime. Rebekah is nearing that four-year-old stage when I tell her not to do something, but she continues on to do it while watching me with a grin. (Makes me want to swat her bum for her insolence.) On the other hand, she glows with newness every time she comes off the bus from school or while in primary. She has a real innocence about her. Last Sunday she begged to go bare her testimony, so I went to help and was scolded afterward (while trying to begin my own testimony) for not letting her do it "all by [her]self". It never occured to me that she would want to do something like that - let alone be able/want to do it by herself. She's one of the miracles in my life. She's taught me such humility and patience. I never thought that after all the physical stress of the beginning of her life that she would be as bold as she has been. That she would be as fearless, friendly, or capable as she has proved she can be. Then the excitment and joy that comes from accomplishment of something hard or new radiates from her eyes and it's hard for me not to laugh with tears of joy brimming in my eyes. Tears of gratitude and wonder at my little girl.
On a side note, I'll get a picture of myself up here sooner than later.