Sunshine in the Haze

11am: I groggily wake from my night’s slumber, a fan blowing in my face. I reach toward my plastic nightstand and grab my phone to send a good morning message to my husband.

I see he has beat me to it, already heading home from his early morning on a neighbor’s farm.

After letting him know I’m awake and excited for his return, I roll up and sit on the edge of the bed for a moment, leaning side to side to stretch my sore ligaments. My stomach feels heavier on one side, probably attributed to baby Sunshine curled up there.

A few sleepy steps lead me into the living room. I immediately pull out my new study on Ecclesiastes from Daily Grace Co. I notice a tight sensation in my chest. Anxiety is already present for the day.

Instead of cracking open the Bible study, God reminds me of the song Peace Be Still by Hope Darst. I meditate on it, singing the only lyrics I know. I type it into Spotify’s search bar to listen to the whole thing. As I’m listening, my husband pulls into the driveway.

Before I can get any further into my devotions, Connor enters the threshold and kisses me good morning. As he makes breakfast for us, I chat about an interesting article I read yesterday, and then I scroll through the Facebook marketplace for new vehicle tires.

Noon-1pm: I down my breakfast before Connor can even sit down to his—pregnancy has taken away my ability to survive—but we sip our coffee together and watch an episode of The Middle. Baby Sunshine starts kicking halfway through the first episode, so I put Connor’s hand on my stomach. We both shriek a little from the weird rippling sensations.

Halfway through the next episode, or maybe it was still the first, I remind my husband that we have to call the doctor’s office about an appointment, ending our “morning” routine.

2pm-3pm: I edit a blog post and catch up on notifications.

Afterwards, I plug my phone into the charger and pull out my devotional again. This time I actually read it.

3pm-5:30pm: We have to leave soon to pick up a grocery order. I’m tempted to leave right away, but I know my body needs intentional rest, so I hop in bed and set a 20 minute timer.

Too soon, the timer starts ringing.

I splash my face with cold water to cool off and rub on a thin layer of grapeseed oil, hoping to avoid the after-wash dryness.

I lotion my itchy belly with Dionis Goat Milk Lotion (affiliate link; read my disclaimer). When I first started experiencing the itch from pregnancy, I tried Cerave because I’d heard it was the best… It did not work. I even tried a different goat milk lotion before Dionis, and it didn’t do nearly as well.

Even though I’m already a little overheated, I eat a bowl of beef stew before heading out to town. I can’t help what baby Sunshine wants. 😅

6pm-7pm: After returning a car fan that didn’t work and picking up our grocery order, I put in a McDonald’s order for a mini Oreo McFlurry for myself and a caramel frappe for Connor.

If you ask me, ice cream is always the answer to a gloomy, humid day.

8pm-9:30pm: Whenever baby Sunshine goes through a big growth spurt, I crave seafood. I don’t know if it’s because she’s zapping me of all my DHA, or if it’s a coincidence, but I make sure to prioritize some low-mercury fish or shrimp to help boost my nutrients.

Tonight, I sit in front of a plastic cutting board that has seen its better days, chopping lemon slices, garlic bulbs, and brussel sprouts. Next, I make a Dijon mustard sauce and line a sheet pan with fillets of tilapia and slices of Parmesan & Mozzarella jumbo sausage.

I coat the fish & veggies in the sauce and slide them into the oven.

This is my first time making supper since mid-to-late March. Creating delicious meals for my husband is one of my favorite ways to serve him (and get compliments 😉), so my heart swells with gratitude for a body that can finally hold up to some time in the kitchen.

To return the favor to my body, I lay down in bed with a fan blowing in my face for a few minutes to reset before supper. Connor makes rice while I rest.

10pm-11pm: Supper took longer than expected, so we’re sitting down to it late. It’s a bit richer of a flavor than we’re used to, but the fish hits the spot.

After eating, I put away leftovers and take a gentle, slow-paced walk for blood sugar regulation and to alleviate acid reflux.

After brushing my teeth, I hop in bed for much-needed sleep, but first, I do a 10-minute ligament stretch to loosen any soreness in my sides and back. I’ve tried a few different video tutorials, but the one linked is my favorite for its easier modifications—and the fact that I can do it in bed.

This was a very productive day for me—the most productive I’ve been since getting pregnant. It’s hard to accept that my body can’t do all the things I did before and grow a baby, but I’m so thankful for productivity when I can get it and the ability to have rest days in between…

And I’m learning what intentional rest looks like. It’s not just staring at my phone screen with my feet propped up on the ottoman, although that’s what it typically looks like, but it’s also taking 20 minutes of quiet rest in bed (even if I can’t fall asleep).

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