The Noerenbergs: Nameless Update (because sometime you just can't think of a title)

Sometimes writing about life comes easily, but sometimes life feels like such a whirlwind that writing about it feels, well, a little overwhelming and confusing. That's kind of how life has felt recently, like a whirlwind.

We've had lots going on for starters- lots of tangible life events stacked one right after the other- birth classes, cookouts, my sister's graduation and moving her to a new state for a new job, high school graduation, visits from out of state siblings, baby showers-for me and for others, Mother's Day, and etc. And then there has just been a lot to physically done- at home, for the baby, with my husband and our families, for other people who are having babies, at work in prep for maternity leave, at Ryan's work because for some reason his work decided to be really busy right now, and etc.

And then finally, my head just sometimes feels like a scary, messy, tornado of a place. Sure some of it can certainly be blamed on pregnancy and hormones but I think my thoughts tend toward the messy anyway- maybe that's why I feel so much need for organization in other areas of my life! It's like all of the practical thoughts start swirling with all of the emotional thoughts and sometimes the result is that I don't even know how I feel or how I should feel or how I should want to feel. Does anyone else ever feel like that or am I on an island of crazy? It's like my own thoughts start to overwhelm me and I feel like I am in agisnt game of tug of war that's taking place in the middle of a tornado, AND I'm the rope! One minute I feel steady and stable and equipped and excited about life and changes and friendships that God has given me and the next I feel utterly overwhelmed and anxious and weird about relationships like I'm failing or disappointing people and I just feel sad (sometimes I'm not even sure why). I know that much of this is because my hormones are throwing a crazy, all-out rave in my head and my emotions are taking the brunt of the abuse, but I'm learning too how much I still wrongly need the approval of others in my life. I thought if worked through a lot of thst, and (by Gods grace) I have, but it's still there-that striving to be enough, to measure up. It leads to a lot of pointless striving in my life and then usually to a lot of bitterness. Bitterness that people would expect so much of me and be disappointed with me even when I've done my best (and yes I realize that most of the time I perceive these expectations and disappointed and that they don't actually exist).

So anyway, that's how life has been- good, exciting, fun, encouraging, emotional, confusing, overwhelming, and hormonal. Haha! For all of you moms and expecting moms out there feel free to chime in and tell me I'm normal:)

I guess I will end this post with a few pictures (maternity pictures taken by my little sister Lyndi):