"The Best is Yet to Come" is a very popular saying. For some, it is encouragement to keep on keepin' on. For others, it is discouraging because it means hard work and perseverance that they aren't willing to accomplish. Regardless, it's popular. It's well known. It's something I'm sure all of us have heard at one time or another.

Baby E is due in 29 days. 29 days! Over the past 9 months, I've thought so much about how our life will change. As soon as we got that positive pregnancy test on November 16th of last year, I knew that change was coming. The encouragement I kept getting from family and friends was that we would love being a family of 3. Having a baby is such a joy and such a blessing. Although life was pretty darn good as newlyweds, life would only get better when we add this baby to our family.

After my initial excitement and joy of seeing the test say "Pregnant" and running to tell Kyle, the fear started to set in a little bit. I remember asking Kyle over and over if he was happy, if he was ready for this, if he knew what it meant. He assured me that he was excited and so happy for us to be adding a child to our family. I, however, started to worry. I started to think of all the things that would be different, everything that would change because of this little one. Going on dates would take more planning. Going on trips would mean packing for 3 people. Even things like our spontaneous 7 Eleven runs will not happen as often.

Over the past few weeks, I've thought even more seriously about all of the changes that are heading our way. In the beginning we were just decorating a nursery. Now, we've got our hospital bags packed and the car seat installed, ready to go whenever Baby E decides to make her arrival. I've felt her movements for the past few months, but they are stronger now. My stomach is growing every day and it's really sinking in that in one month or less, we will be bringing home our daughter and experiencing a whole new part of life as a family of 3.

Recently, I've decided to do a weekly quote in our home as a sort of countdown to Baby E. One quote per week tends to make the weeks pass quicker while I am pondering on the quote and applying it to our family life.

This week's quote is as follows;

"There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind."

So what will we leave behind when we leave our home as we are on our way to the hospital to meet our daughter?

Late mornings and sleeping in. Freedom to come and go as we please. Date nights out that happen as often as we want. The ability to drop everything and go on a trip. Extra money. Money spent on whatever we think we need. Selfishness.

What will we be bringing home?

A beautiful, wonderful, perfect little girl.

I've had a silly mindset of "the world is ending" as soon as I deliver this baby. I'm worrying so much about things that I think Kyle and I "can't" do after she's here when in reality, her birth will open so many doors of things we can do!

We can still have late mornings. If Baby E is sleeping in, we could sure try to sleep in too! We can still come and go, it will just take a little more planning and Baby E will get to go with us. Date nights out will not become a thing of the past, it will just become something we have to plan on and in turn, they will be more special to Kyle and I. We are looking forward to going on trips as a family! When E is young, we won't be traveling as much but you better believe that we're already planning some fun vacations we're looking forward to taking as soon as she's a little older. Extra money tends to be spent on frivolous things anyway, so we're okay will having to spend money on diapers and other needs for baby girl. Not only that, but putting away a portion of our savings into a special account we'll set up just for her. We won't be spending as much on fast food or other extra items that we haven't budgeted for or planned on, and that's okay.

Baby E has made me more selfless. I care so much about her already and making sure that she's safe and well in my womb. Kyle always asks "How are my girls?" when he's at work and will often kiss and talk to my belly, saying that he loves her. We are thinking of ourselves less and more about her as her due date rapidly approaches. It has taught us a greater love than we ever knew before.

Although life changes are coming, we will still take care of ourselves individually as well as nurture our relationship as husband and wife. By so doing, we will be stronger and more able to care for our first daughter and her siblings to come. I am so passionate about this because there have been times in my life that I put others before myself. In fact, I do it far too often. There's nothing wrong with doing service and helping others, but I can't make someone else whole if I, myself, am broken. It's like what they say in the airplane safety presentation; in the event of loss of cabin pressure, oxygen masks will drop down. Secure it on yourself before helping others around you.

Being a mom means that I'm going to want to run myself ragged making sure that the kids are alright and that Kyle is good, too. I need to put myself first. I need to make sure that I'm okay and my needs are met before I can meet the needs of others. That's not to say that I'm going to only focus on myself or put my husband and children on the back burner. Instead, it means that in order to be the best wife and mother I can be, I need to be mentally, emotionally, and physically confident and happy. Then, I can be a better partner to my husband and a better example to my children. I haven't always been very good at this concept in the past but I am planning on focusing on it more. If I start now, I know for a fact that my best self is yet to come.

Yes, having a baby means that life will never be the same again. It means that we will make adjustments and improvements where we need to. That's okay, I think we are ready.

After all, there are far better things ahead than any we leave behind.