The Lord is good. I am so thankful for how far He has brought us and the blessing this experience has been. I am reminded of my complete weakness and humility as we are trying to patiently await and pray for her arrival. We are totally reliant on the Lord for a healthy baby and to even get a baby.
Around 35 weeks or so the doctor usually wants pregnant women to do daily kick counts. Riley is so active though throughout the day that I hadn't been counting. You should feel 10 movements within 1 hour everyday. This morning I was running around doing different things, got home and realized that I hadn't really felt Riley at all. I started getting concerned, so I downed a bunch of water and ate some watermelon. Thankfully she started moving a little bit, but I definitely had a moment where I was really scared and totally humbled. I mean I would be utterly crushed and grieved if something happened to her, or something was wrong with her. My heart really starting hurting for those Moms who have lost little ones before they could ever meet them. I am so thankful for being able to carry this little blessing from the Lord, but we are not promised all of our hopes and dreams here on earth. This reality made me take a backseat and realize how utterly helpless we are in the reality of our existence. (I know this is a deep one ;) ) I am just so thankful to the Lord for the great things He has done in my life so far, and I am thankful for the chance I have been given to give baby Riley a temporary home while she grows into a full functioning human being. I am beyond excited to meet her and I am thankful to God for all He has given us so far.
8/28/13
Anticipation
This morning I went on a little walk with my beagle to kick of the day before it becomes unbearably HOT. It is supposed to get up to 99 degrees today. Yuck! On my little walk I of course was thinking of our little girl and wondering when she will be making her debut. Thinking of what time of day it will be when I go into labor, how long will I be laboring, will she have alot of hair, and many other wonderful thoughts. What struck me was the correlation that happened in the middle of those thoughts. As I was pondering all of the possibilites of her arrival, the word anticipation came into play. Since 37 weeks we have been considered 'full term' and definitely the anticipation of it all has really set in. I have been having dreams it seems every night about her, she is constantly on my mind and heart, and I cannot help but daydream about who she is going to be, and the relationship I cannot wait to see unfold.
This is how I want to feel about Jesus...
I want to be daydreaming about seeing Him face to face, learning more about Him, and having Him constantly on my mind. It was a really great reality check to see where my heart has been. Our little one is always on my mind, but am I praying for her? Am I lifting her up and seeking the Lord on her little new life? I found myself really moved by the spirit with this correlation that arose. Anticipation is such a useful tool. I want to use it to its full potential as we are waiting. I want to grow closer to the Lord and pray diligently for her before she comes. There is SO much to pray for too. My hope is that my prayer life will continue on even after she is born, that I can seek and pray over her as we are so priveleged to be able to be parents of a little life. What joy she has already brought us, and I never want to take her for granted or get of course with the battle that is always at hand. I want my perspective to stay close to Lord and that my little girl will grow in the love and strength of our Lord the moment she breathes her first gasp of air. I want to hold on to this anticpatory feeling and use it to fuel my own relationship with Lord.
"Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord!"
Blessings.
This is how I want to feel about Jesus...
I want to be daydreaming about seeing Him face to face, learning more about Him, and having Him constantly on my mind. It was a really great reality check to see where my heart has been. Our little one is always on my mind, but am I praying for her? Am I lifting her up and seeking the Lord on her little new life? I found myself really moved by the spirit with this correlation that arose. Anticipation is such a useful tool. I want to use it to its full potential as we are waiting. I want to grow closer to the Lord and pray diligently for her before she comes. There is SO much to pray for too. My hope is that my prayer life will continue on even after she is born, that I can seek and pray over her as we are so priveleged to be able to be parents of a little life. What joy she has already brought us, and I never want to take her for granted or get of course with the battle that is always at hand. I want my perspective to stay close to Lord and that my little girl will grow in the love and strength of our Lord the moment she breathes her first gasp of air. I want to hold on to this anticpatory feeling and use it to fuel my own relationship with Lord.
"Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord!"
Psalm 27:14 esv
"...but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thess 5:15-18
8/24/13
Saturday=T minus Two Weeks
Our little girl is estimated to arrive on September 7, 2013 and we could not be more excited! It is hard to believe that this all became a reality earlier in January. To some that may seem like such a long time ago, but to see all the changes that have taken place up until this point have gone so quickly and have completely humbled me.
To think about all of the intricate details that must come together in just a short 40 weeks is just astounding and points directly to an incredible God. Sites like, babycenter.com and bump.com allowed me to see the development of our little one week by week and see that God is truly a creator of practicality and beauty.
It is encouraging that everything is ready for our little girl, Riley. Her room is done, clothes are hung and washed and we are eagerly waiting her arrival. I feel we are as prepared as we will be. I think if I research anymore on diaper changes, crying soothing techniques, or pain management videos I am going to lose all of the useful information I already have crammed in my head. I have learned through it all that reading and researching is a good thing, but too much of a good thing can be bad. There is a point in the learning process that you have to stop and just wait. THAT is where I am right now. At this point my husband and I just have to wait until she gets here and hope and pray that what we have learned and the people that surround us will be enough to get us through. It is key though that we have that support group and to those people I thank you in advance for the time and energy you will use to help these helpless parents.
If you would have asked me 3 months ago if I was ready or if I was scared, I would have answered with a big fat No and a big fat YES! The Bradley Method helped immensely to prepare my mind for what is to come. 10 classes with very helpful information allowed me to pass from a nervous wreck of a pregnant women to a calm, patient, excited almost new mom. (More to come on the Bradley Method in a later post.)
So as for the next post, I may or may not have a baby to give updates on! Ahhhhh!
To think about all of the intricate details that must come together in just a short 40 weeks is just astounding and points directly to an incredible God. Sites like, babycenter.com and bump.com allowed me to see the development of our little one week by week and see that God is truly a creator of practicality and beauty.
It is encouraging that everything is ready for our little girl, Riley. Her room is done, clothes are hung and washed and we are eagerly waiting her arrival. I feel we are as prepared as we will be. I think if I research anymore on diaper changes, crying soothing techniques, or pain management videos I am going to lose all of the useful information I already have crammed in my head. I have learned through it all that reading and researching is a good thing, but too much of a good thing can be bad. There is a point in the learning process that you have to stop and just wait. THAT is where I am right now. At this point my husband and I just have to wait until she gets here and hope and pray that what we have learned and the people that surround us will be enough to get us through. It is key though that we have that support group and to those people I thank you in advance for the time and energy you will use to help these helpless parents.
If you would have asked me 3 months ago if I was ready or if I was scared, I would have answered with a big fat No and a big fat YES! The Bradley Method helped immensely to prepare my mind for what is to come. 10 classes with very helpful information allowed me to pass from a nervous wreck of a pregnant women to a calm, patient, excited almost new mom. (More to come on the Bradley Method in a later post.)
So as for the next post, I may or may not have a baby to give updates on! Ahhhhh!
My husband and I at a Welcome Home party for his brother Nate
