What's been happening?

We have been busy these last few months...prepping for baby and preparing for Christmas. Literally, we have been anticipating Christmas since October.




Needless to say, blogging has taken a back seat. I have either been too tired to blog, to annoyed with the new way to upload pictures, or too busy searching for Christmas ideas. I am trying to get back on the bandwagon. I have literally written 5 or 6 different posts in the last few weeks. Unfortunately for all of you, they have been written in my head at 2am. Sadly, they have not been typed out. And when I go to type them up, my brain goes blank. Nothing. Not even an idea of what I should be sharing. Such is life.




An update (of sorts): We are currently 36 weeks pregnant. Anywhere from 4-6 weeks left in this pregnancy. (Please Lord sooner!) This pregnancy has been physically fairly easy (aside from the morning sickness), but emotionally very difficult. We have had a few "complications" that so far have turned into nothing. We were measuring about a week ahead for most of my pregnancy. Suddenly, at 32 weeks, I was measuring 3 weeks ahead. They did something called a "ripple test." Basically, they tap your stomach and watch it ripple. If it ripples, there is a risk of extra amniotic fluid, which can be dangerous. Some complications involve cord prolapse or the placenta separating from the uterus during labour. Or genetic defects including kidney problems or cleft palate. The fear of these things sat with us for almost 3 weeks. We were sent for an ultrasound to check for those types of abnormalities. When we had our ultrasound, the amniotic fluid level came back normal, as did the size of our baby. But they did a test with the cord, and the test came back inconclusive. Basically, we've been told not to worry (haha...very funny). I go back at 37 weeks for another ultrasound. If it comes back fine, we'll go ahead and wait for baby to arrive on its own. If it comes back with a problem, I will have my care transferred to an OB, with the possibility of induction (if things are really bad).




All this to day, these "complications" have brought a lot of fear into our pregnancy. We already have felt so much fear, after our miscarriage. We felt fear during the first 12 weeks, worrying about another miscarriage. We felt fear when the baby didn't start moving until almost 24 weeks (Joel moved at 14, Micah at 16). We felt fear when I started feeling lightheaded and dizzy, almost to the point of passing out, especially when sitting for long periods of time (driving became dangerous, and we had to stop travelling for long periods of time, which was anything over 40 minutes). We felt fear when I injured my tailbone by accidentally sitting on a garbage can, worried that I broke my tailbone. And then we worried about amniotic fluid levels and now problems with the cord. This pregnancy has FEAR  written all over it. But oddly enough, its also had the word PEACE plastered over it. Its a both/and situation. We feel anxious about things, but also filled with Peace. We know that we have friends and family all over the world praying for this little baby's safe arrival.  We trust that God's perfect plan will come to fruition. We pray for this little baby, for its delivery and for our hearts. That whatever happens, our hearts will be prepared for it and be filled with Gods immeasureable peace.


For this entire pregnancy, I have never been able to picture myself having another home birth. My imagination always took me to a hospital--most often Abbotsford. Which, unless there was a serious complication during our homebirth, is not the hospital we will deliver at. We are registered at Langley, since that is where my midwives have privileges. It has bothered me the entire pregnancy. Then yesterday, I had a regular midwife appointment. We talked about the "complications" we were having. My midwife reassured me that they aren't concerned at all. She even handed over our homebirth kit. Something about that simple act, gave me confidence and peace. Suddenly, my imagination was able to picture a homebirth. In fact, I got quite excited about the possibility. I took my list home of what to have on hand and got straight to organizing it (hello type A!!!). I headed out to the store that afternoon to purchase my waterproof mat for the bed. Here I am, the following day and I sense my excitement building. I am ready to  have a baby.


This. THIS is the peace that only comes from God. That a simple act of handing over a homebirth kit could put my mind at ease. That my fears have disappeared. That I am excitedly anticipating the birth of our next child.


"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests." Luke 2:14