On Tuesday, we had some great victories at the doctor's appointments. I thought it was starting out badly when during our BPP (biophysical profile of the babies), Rachel was asleep and wouldn't wake up to be profiled. And since she is the smaller one, I thought there would be trouble. But nope, the sono tech kept poking at her through my tummy to get her to wake up. Then I decided to try. I started talking to her to get her to wake up and she did! Crazy. The babies passed the BPP and then my amniotic fluid levels went from an 11 two weeks ago to a 16.5.

When I got in to see the doctor, my blood pressure was up because I didn't want to be scolded by him. So the nurse let me lay down and calm down for 5 minutes. When she came back my blood pressure had gone from 140/90 to 120/70. We all cheered! My doctor was very happy with my numbers and even smiled at me! Crazy. It might have helped that I reminded him that he would be on vacation next week.

Jeff and I felt like we had won a great battle by not being checked into Labor and Devliery like our last two appointments. We have another sonogram on Friday to track Rachel's growth. Let's hope that goes just as well.

Then on Tuesday night, one of my best friends in the world gave me a call. And I mean, *in the world!*. Eileen called me from Chile! So exciting. I hadn't "talked" to her via voice in over a year and it was so nice to hear her voice. She was my number one cheerleader during the early parts of my weight loss journey and I can never repay her for that. I remember weighing 300 pounds and feeling so bad about myself on those first summer days of living in the city. And there was this fit girl walking her bike slowly home from work with me as I struggled. At first I tried to hide my struggling from her. But then she taught me that I didn't have to. It was the beginning of embracing my journey. Not hating myself anymore. She did so many other things for me during our friendship. I learned a lot from her about being a giving and supportive friend. I found out that she will likely be in DC during my late July window of tiny girl arrival. She won't be here for the best reasons for her, but secretly I am thrilled. I want her to see what her wonderful friendship has helped me to do. I want her to see my passengers.

Thinking of my friendship with Eileen reminds me how every interaction that you have with people can take you in new directions and spark new ways of thinking and dreaming and living. A million little things started me on my journey to lose the weight and a million little things kept me on it. But would those things have worked without that specific friendship? Or a dozon other things? It makes you think about how you walk through life. Should you smile or talk to that person today? Do you have the energy to encourage someone? I am not saying that we can or should try to save everyone. I am just saying that sometimes little connections can make a huge difference in someone else's life. They can become long paths to other things and you may never know it.