As of Wednesday, fall is officially here! Though to celebrate, I did wear my favorite sundress and sandals to work, because it topped 80 degrees that day. Cooler air, please come for me soon!

This week was one of just adulting. Some moments were a little mundane, such as when Dan and I both snapped over the clutter on our kitchen table and cleaned it all up. Some moments were thrilling, like when our brand-new Nikon camera arrived and my eyes turned into little hearts. Some moments were warm, like when we had an unexpectedly small small-group gathering and enjoyed some two-on-two time with friends.

And some moments were just mind-blowing, like when we got to see our little girl on the ultrasound screen again at 32 weeks yesterday. I simply cannot believe that tiny human body with its tiny human face is living inside me right now. I feel her all the time, but still, the whole pregnancy thing is just baffling.

So in this week of weird ups, downs, and in-betweens, these are the points of gratitude that keep me grounded and balanced.

Cultivating Gratitude

A healthy ultrasound. I had this one to check on a small issue the doctor found at 20 weeks. That issue is totally resolved, but now we found out she’s measuring small. The doctor is going to keep monitoring her weight, but instead of worrying, I’m saying a silent prayer of thanks that I won’t be birthing a nine-pound baby. Also, we verified that she is definitely a girl—no delivery-room surprises!

Time with Erin. You guys know her by now as my best friend of ten years. Even though she lives in Virginia and I’m in Illinois, we had the special treat of both being in Indianapolis at the same time last weekend (she for MomCon and I for Influence). We met for breakfast and were not at all surprised that we both showed up with messy hair, no makeup, and though not in yoga pants, wearing remarkably similar outfits. (This picture turned out unexpectedly blurry—sorry!)

Therapy. I firmly believe that everyone can benefit from therapy, even if you’re not currently facing a crisis and even if you don’t have deep emotional issues from your past. A good therapist will help you see things in a new way and learn to take healthy, positive steps, and I’m so glad to have found one I connect with.

Upcoming baby showers. My family and friends and coworkers have already put so much love and work into organizing baby showers for me, and I really do feel honored. I know it’s a sacrifice, and I also know they’re doing it joyfully, and it means the world to me that people want to help me celebrate and get started with what I’ll need to keep baby safe, healthy, and fed.

Sharing Love

I’m a huge advocate of buying a smaller home than you think you need and less expensive home than you can afford. I couldn’t agree more with Daisy’s 8 reasons for doing exactly that!

Do you ever feel like a fake grown-up? My answer: YES, all the time. Lauren’s thoughts on “fake it till you make it” as an adult made me laugh and really made me think.

I’m a big fan of StumbleUpon, but it can be a difficult system to demystify. Erin shared her tips for boosting your blog traffic with this fabulous site.

Comparison is a natural thing, but when does it cross the line and become negative? Lindsay’s post really caused me to stop and think about when my comparing is healthy and not.

I always want to remember Dan’s huge, boyish smile as I walked down the aisle. What small things do you want to remember?