Well, I haven't been to this blog for a while, though, I come back here once again today to say... I have wonderful, Good News to share! God, in his infinite Love, has chosen to bless me with yet, another child... my second, and once again, it's a girl! I am elated, as I just found out yesterday in my ultra-sound that I am having another precious, little girl. I am so happy that I am having another girl, although, I have to say, I was a little bit surprised that it is a girl, since at one of my first ultra-sounds, my obstetrician thought it might be a boy, and although, she did say... "no promises, though," I immediately found myself daydreaming about what it would be like to have a baby boy, and began envisioning the future of my family with a little boy in it. And so, yes, I was a little surprised to hear that I am in fact having a girl, and even asked my doctor several times, "a girl, are you sure?" and he answered each time, "yes, I am quite sure... it's a girl!" It took a few moments to register in my mind, though, it quickly did and then beautiful tears of Grace and Joy streamed down my face from deep within my heart! My mom was there with me, holding my other daughter, Audrey, who had just woken up in time from her nap to see this miraculous 3D ultra sound and hear the good news that she is having a baby sister! She was so very sweet and looked at the ultra-sound screen with big, wide eyes and waved and said, sweetly, "Hello Baby!" :)
All children are a beautiful and amazing Gift from God, as we are told in Sacred Scripture, a true miracle and from the moment that I found out that I was pregnant, just as I had with my daughter, Audrey, I instantly felt that God had blessed me so deeply, by choosing me to become the mother of His precious child, as I learned of this tiny miracle that was growing in my very womb!
I believe that every pregnancy is very special and with it come very special and sacred gifts that are personal and unique to each mother. With my pregnancy with Audrey, God let me know in a very special and profound way that He had blessed me abundantly and that my life would never be the same again, but would be changed for the very best!
When God gave me this beautiful gift of Grace and deep knowing that He had blessed me with the gift of a child, I was riding in a tour van with my husband, Alex, on, "The Road to Hana," on our Hawaiian Honeymoon, in Maui. It was such a glorious, peaceful day with the gorgeous sites that seemed to make us realize all the more how much we loved each other and how blessed we were that God had brought us together, and that we were now joined together, as one in the Holy Sacrament of Marriage. It was a day of true Love that I will always remember and cherish. On the tour van ride on the Road to Hana, (Which means, "Heaven,"), I sat beside my husband, looking outside my window pondering my new life as a newlywed and my future and without flashes of light in the sky or any real warning, God let me know, gently and quietly that I was with child and that my life would change for the very best because of this. Like Mary, I kept quiet about this for a while, pondering this news of great Joy in my heart for almost three weeks, until, God gave me a very special dream one night where I was holding my precious baby girl in my arms... and felt true Love and Peace like never before, and so I felt it was time to tell my husband and take a pregnancy test to confirm this for sure!
With this pregnancy however, I did not know for sure that I was pregnancy until about 13 weeks into my pregnancy. If you can believe it, I had taken 6 home pregnancy tests, suspecting I was pregnant due to my missed period and what seemed to be two weeks of morning sickness and extreme tiredness. But, all 6 tests, proved, (or so it seemed), to be negative. It wasn't until I finally went to my obstetrician at 13 weeks to get a blood test that I found out a few days later that I was in fact, pregnant.
I was very surprised by this news, though, overjoyed...and once again, I felt so blessed by God that He would choose once again to bless me with another child. I have to say that I should have known that I was having another, little girl, because from the moment I found out I was pregnant, although, months before, I was thinking about how nice it would be to have a little boy someday, on that very special day I found out that I was with child again, it just felt like a girl, "my precious Hope," like Audrey is also to me... and the blessing and Love that I felt from God is so much that I don't even have words to describe!
So, yes, I am most definitely expecting another, precious miracle... and I am ever so thankful to say that I have been blessed by God to receive many in my lifetime.. thanks, I believe to the beautiful gift of Faith that God has given me in Him and His Great-Never-Ending Love!!!
Though, more than just the miracle of my daughter that I am expecting, due to be born April 29, 2012... I am also expecting even another miracle of a healthy and safe remainder of my pregnancy and a happy, healthy, Peace and Grace-filled, beautiful birth.
As of yesterday's visit with the specialist I saw for my ultra-sound, I was immediately put on 1 week's bed rest by him, because I am already considered to have a high-risk pregnancy, due to my age, (being over 35), and some other reasons, though, he put me on bed rest because in yesterday's ultra-sound, he discovered that my cervix is opening, (when it should be completely closed). And so he is hoping that a week of bed rest and progesterone shots will help it to close, otherwise, I will have to have him put a stitch in my cervix next week when I see him again.
So, here I am, retreating at my parent's home, nestled up on their couch, with my Bible, journal and computer... praying my way through this next week, while my parents so lovingly are caring for me, cooking my meals, bringing me hot tea and juice mixed with water, and also helping to care for my daughter, Audrey.... (Who continues to be my shining Light and Ray of Hope!). When she returned from a walk and playtime at the park with here "Papa" earlier, she brought me a beautiful, yellow flower she picked and gave it to me and said, "Here Mama," with the most loving smile! When I stood up for a moment to try to send a text message from a place in the house where I get better reception, she sternly, though, lovingly wagged her little, pointer finger at me, and said, "No, No, No Mama... rest!" And so, I immediately took her advice, and was back on the couch. And she just came up and handed me her little baby doll and a cough drop! Such LOVE... such LOVE... such a blessing she is to me, and also is my precious, baby girl on the way! :)
So, today, I ask that you will join me and my family and friends in praying for me and my baby girl, growing in my womb... that God will bless me with a healthy pregnancy that will come to full term, with a happy, healthy, Grace and Peace-filled delivery. Your prayers are very much appreciated... and I know that God will hear them, and bless you abundantly for offering them up for me and my sweet, little baby girl.
May God continue to bless you and your family this Advent Season, as we all await together, the true Miracle and coming of our sweet Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ... Prince of Peace... Child of Hope... Savior of Love Who comes to save and Love us all! Amen!
