Dear Sisters in the Lord...

Dear Sisters in the Lord,
I can't believe that the end of my pregnancy is here...It has been a long and challenging journey and here is a quick summary of these past few weeks/months...In addition, I have a prayer request at the end...

Around our home, there have been a lot of activity in preparation for our Little One's coming. On my end, I prepared the interior of the house by organizing it better so that when our Little One is with us, "life" can continue on as "normal". When DearDaughter was born, it took me a long time to figure out how to handle juggling the care of child and home. In fact, DearHubby was very patient in watching the house be neglegted for many many months just so I can learn how to care for DearDaughter. In those months that the house was neglected, a lot of things just accumelated. So, I just spent the last 6 or 7 months working out a routine so that things won't get neglected when our new Little One is born and the last 3 months or so getting those neglected things organized. On DearHubby's end, he has been completing unfinished projects. I think he's anticipating having to help me out more as he did with DearDaughter in the beginning months, which means no time for the projects he's been working on. In addition, we should be starting work on the baby room in August, which also means no time for the projects he's been working on.

Well, with regards to the marital and child-rearing issues and challenges that OurFamily's faced in this pregnancy, the Lord has really worked in my heart and in DearHubby's heart to help us. I would have to say that the 2 biggest biblical principles that were being refined in my life were the concepts of trusting and obeying God. The funny thing is that God allowed me to do things my way over and over again to show me that my way is not right. He allowed me to grow impatient, unkind, and angry so that He could show me the fruits of my flesh. As I grew weary from doing it my way, which always failed, He reminded me of doing things His way, with patience, kindness, consideration of one another, and love, and showed me the fruits of His Spirit, which always worked. While I acted in the flesh, I displayed my doubt in God and His character and power. When I recognized my disobedience and began to turn from it, I realized that my obedience to God was a display of "handing over my burdens to Him" and trusting Him. So, God had to work in my heart to trust Him and to obey Him more.

You may browse my previous posts for specific examples if you'd like to read about them, but otherwise, I'll just leave you with that above summary of what God has been teaching me.

There were a lot of things "burdening" me and the one verse that would summarize the lesson God has taught me is this:
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)

Lastly, please pray for the arrival of our Little One. These past couple of weeks have really been physically challenging. We are going ahead with the plan of giving birth to our Little One vaginally. Throughout my pregnancy, there was a lot of "opposition" from my practice of OB's about doing a Vaginal Birth After Cesarian (VBAC) just because there was concern that a VBAC for me would end in failure. Through much monitoring of the baby's weight and size and by us sticking firm to a decision to do a VBAC, the doctors have finally been supportive and positive about it. I am ready and as the final days go by, I can just feel the toll that this baby is having on my body and the extreme heat and humidity here has not been helpful either. I was hoping to deliver our Little One a few weeks ago, but she wasn't ready yet.

Tomorrow morning, Tuesday, I am going in for my 39th week OB appointment and to get my membrane stripped. Only our Heavenly Father knows the perfect timing (and method) of our Little One's arrival and we do trust in His perfect plan and timing, but my biggest concern with going up to or past my due date is the size of this Little One.

DearDaughter1 was born 8pounds 7ounces. Though that's not as big as other babies, after 3 1/2 hours of trying to push her out naturally and without an epidural, I was not able to push her out and ended with a C-section. I was informed that if our new Little One is not with us by my due date, then a C-section will be needed. My C-section recovery was very difficult and my desire is not to go through that same ordeal again. Therefore, please specifically keep tomorrow's stripping of the membrane in prayer and that God would be gracious in allowing labor to start soon after. I so hope that our Little One will be with us in a few days...


Blessings,
In Pursuit of His Call