Movin' and Groovin'

About the size of a plum...that's how big he or she is growing inside this belly of mine. I'm just about 11 weeks and just earlier this week I felt him or her movin' and groovin'. It was a swoosh-flip-flop kind of feeling and thinking about it again just makes me smile.

Before I found out I was pregnant I wrote Psalm 84:1 on my bathroom mirror and I haven't erased it yet!

How I long and cherish for the moments in my day where I am able to get away and be at home with my Lord...in His dwelling place. (His dwelling place, I know is anywhere and anytime; thanks to my sweet friend Jesus). In the same way I am looking forward to the moments I will have with this precious child. What a joy and privilege it is to walk this 9 month journey once again. And it always help to embrace this journey when the haze of nausea and exhaustion begins to lift.

Hands and Feet

WOW! It’s not even lunch time and I just woke from a little morning nap. I’m baffled by this incessant need to rest and sleep that has overcome me this week. I’m thankful that I am sleeping so wonderfully at night; but this 8-10 hours just doesn’t seem to be enough. I was in my comfy jammies and ready for bed before the sun went down last night and I could not wait for my nightly motherly duties to be complete so that my head could hit the pillow.
This morning I asked God for energy to get some things done that I have put off this week because of my sleepiness. His answer in the moment was no as I couldn’t fight the urge to rest this morning after breakfast and my workout.

I exercised a bit thinking that would get me going and while I was riding my exercise bike I felt the Spirit nudge me to notice these finger paintings on the wall…they are quite a few years old…at least 5 or 7 years ago when my boys hands were much tinier and much more fascinated with finger paints and I was into the delight on their faces as they got their fingers in the gooey paints.

The finger paints reminded me what I read earlier this week about this growing baby inside of me. God is developing his or her hands and feet in my womb this week. As I try to wrap my mind around this marvelous wonderful act, tears fill up my eyes.

To fully realize that God is doing a miracle inside of me right now is both humbling and inspiring. God knows exactly what these hands and feet will soon be getting in to and I pray that they become vessels of His love and Kingdom work.

Oh, Lord, may the light of your face shine upon us—specifically this precious new life you are weaving inside of me. I surrender to your work yet again, laying down my desires. The chores of this day will wait for Your proper timing. “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.” (Psalm 4:8) Obviously, you desire for me to rest while you do your wonders creating some precious hands and feet!

Surprising Expectations

Oh, I can’t believe I missed a whole month of not posting on my blog.

April was a busy month full of lots of writing and preparation. I was able to complete quite a few chapters from my book and now I only have 5 more to piece together (praying May will be the month to finish these up so I can edit over the summer). This month I also prepared for a conference with MTS (Mending the Soul Ministries); not to mention I started up an aerobics class 4 days a week…all of that led up to me being able to say… “I’m expecting!”

Expecting specifically baby #3 this coming December. The big news was found out first on Saturday, April 17th and I just had my first OB appointment this week; and so amazing to see this little tiny seed already have a heartbeat of 120bpm. I got teary eyed and filled with such joy as this little light shown right from the center of the sweet pea in my belly…thumping away exemplifying every bit of life
I’ve embraced a whirlwind of emotions since first realizing I’m pregnant, and I admit the least glamorous mood that reared its ugly head and tipped me off first to take a pregnancy test was a heightened awareness of my irritability. I tried to keep this ‘ugly head’ under wraps between God and I…and laugh about it whenever I could…hormones are really strange and unpredictable and if I could escape them right now I wouldJ
With God’s help, exercise, eating right and enough rest I know I can keep these mood swings at bay.
The same way I am keeping these moods under control by surrendering them to God—I am surrendering my fears. I am a bit older this time around than I was when I was pregnant with my boys. The risks of the baby having chromosomal problems increased when I skipped over that age of 35. As I listened to the doctor rattle off all the ‘could happens’ and all the tests to verify the chances and all the risks…the verses from Philippians 4 came to my mind….and as I’m typing this up right now; I got on www. Crosswalk.com and typed in the chapter and had to chuckle because 2 verses were highlighted in pink and 1 verse was highlighted in baby blue. (I’M NOT LYING!)
When I clicked to copy and paste it HERE in my writing, it would not carry over the highlighted part…so weird and I just have to think that God is speaking these verses over me and this precious baby: First highlighted in pink was this: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” (Phil 4:8-9) Then highlighted in baby blue was the following scripture “I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (Phil 4:13)
I’m clinging to God’s truth again and again; as baby and I rest in His loving arms. Pink-blue-boy- girl…I entrust these emotions and the health of this baby to God…He will meet all of our needs. (Phil 4:19)