Preparations for the Big Day

Our prenatal visit this week confirmed that Abby now weighs 5 lbs and is ready to come at any time. Even though her due date is still a little ways away, the ultrasound is dating her as being older and all of her organs and bones look well developed. During the ultrasound, she was practicing how to breathe and waved at us on the monitor as if she knew we were peeking in. The ultrasound even revealed that our little girl will have a full head of hair (which our hair stylist predicted). As I watch her grow every day and stretch my belly more and more, I'm more and more aware of how much my love for her is growing. It's an amazing thing... God created this miracle within me, and I will get to love and care for her for the rest of her life- as long as I am alive. God is not only helping her grow and develop... He's preparing me for a huge transition and is developing within me a love that I cannot describe or even measure. What a wonderful God we serve! What a good Father He is!

For a quick laugh

Little Scare

I had woken up yesterday morning a little concerned because Abby wasn't moving, but in the business of the morning and early afternoon, I decided not to worry until I had time to do my kick count later during the day. For all of you who do not know what a kick count is, I am supposed to rest for 30 minutes each day and make sure I feel Abby move at least 6 times during that period of time. Since I have a very active and feisty little girl, I have never had a problem... she usually kicks 20 times within 5 minutes while I am going about my usual routine. So, when I didn't feel her move much at all during the day or after laying down for an hour, I began to get concerned. I ate a piece of pound cake and drank a glass of water then laid down for another hour. Since she only kicked four times, I ate a sandwich and laid down for another hour and only counted her 6 times. I called my doctor, and he wanted me to try to eat something sweet again as a last resort before going to the ER. I ate an apple dipped in caramel and only counted her 5 times within 30 minutes... not the 6 times that would have saved us an ER trip. Bryan and I went to the ER where I had a non-stress test and a cervical exam (definitely not fun). Thankfully, Abby was completely fine... she was just not as active as normal. I was surprised to find out that I am already dilated 1 cm. Dr. Sams is going to follow-up with me this Thursday to repeat the non-stress test to just make sure everything is still ok and to monitor my dilation. I have to say- last night was stressful. Praise God that everything turned out well.

Love & Respect

I watched this video clip this afternoon out of curiosity because so much media attention has been placed on Christie Brinkley and her husband's affair. It was sad to hear his side of the story. I can't help but wish that they both had read the book, "Love and Respect," before their marriage disintegrated. It would've helped them both so much. So sad! If you're married, I highly recommend your spouse and you checking this book out to help you learn to relate to each other in the ways that God intended.

Click below to watch a clip of the interview with Barbara Walters and Peter Cook.
http://television.aol.com/tvtop5/fried-cook-20-20/2277056

Reflections

(This is a photo of a chandelier that was given to us yesterday as a birthday gift for me. Isn't it beautiful? It was a WONDERFUL surprise. I have always wanted a dining room with a romantic chandelier. Now I have it!)

Choosing to stay home with our little girl once she is born this December was one of the most difficult decisions God has asked me to make. I've always been career-minded and independent as long as I can remember, and for once, God was tugging strongly at my heart to trust Him to provide for us during this period in our life. Bryan and I prayed about this for months before we finally agreed that God was directing us to do this, and honestly, I have been surprised by how many people have disagreed adamantly with this decision. In our culture, staying at home is ridiculous, especially if you have a degree that enables you to make good money. Being a natural people pleaser (not that I am proud of this fact), I have really struggled with this decision at times. God keeps speaking into my heart over and over again... "Who do you really want to serve Anna? Money or me? I will provide for you. Trust in me." As I sit here in our living room this morning, I am humbled by how strongly and carefully God has provided for us so far. He has provided for our needs and even wants. While I am not writing this to condemn any woman who works outside of the home, I just wanted to say that for one who decided not to for right now... God is sufficient to meet our needs, even on a modest, single income. God is enough, because He is abundantly good and loving to His children. He is faithful to take care of us when He asks us to step out in faith and to walk a different path than the one we had imagined for ourselves.

What I have found out so far... His path is more beautiful and more satisfying than the one I had mapped out for myself. To God be the glory.

My Ever Logical Husband =c)

The conversation we had recently about how big my pregnant belly was growing...

Me: I'm starting to feel huge... like a white whale.

Bryan: Anna, you have a person growing inside of you.

Me: Good point. When you say it that way, it makes me feel better. I guess this isn't too bad.

Abby's 3d at 30 weeks

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Once again, Abby was more interested in napping than cooperating with the 3d ultrasound. Because she had her face buried into the placenta and had her arms and legs bundled up close, some of the pictures were a little distorted. This was our last time to get a 3d before she is born, since she is getting too big for a clear image from this point on. Hope you enjoy!

God's Goodness in Life's Little Details

Yesterday, I began prepping the seasonings for a roast that I was planning on cooking for supper last night. When I took it out of the fridge, it had spoiled, and I was upset. I had really wanted to make a nice supper for Bryan, and being at the end of our grocery budget, I only had frozen chicken to replace the meal. Disappointed, I cleaned up the mess I'd made in the preparations for the roast and continued my day. That afternoon, a couple from church dropped by unexpectedly and handed me a brown bag before leaving. Inside it were four beautiful T-bone steaks and a huge stack of ribs. God used them to replace a failed meal with an even better one than I had planned. I know this may not sound like much to some, and others may just bypass this as a coincidence. However, I know that God was being intentional in ministering to me, and I am so thankful for His steadfast goodness in the little details of life.

Ephesians 2:4-7 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Reborn Dolls

I saw this video this morning about a new type of doll that is so lifelike it is impressive. The sad thing is that women are buying them to replace a child that was lost to some tragedy or to provide them with the child they were incapable of bearing themselves. Heartbreaking. With so many children abandoned in orphanages needing moms, how sick has our society become that we would rather nurture an expensive doll instead of a real child just for convenience's sake? May God have mercy on us.