Baby update

Our sweet baby girl, whom I lovingly call 'Miracle,' didn't make it. I know she was a girl because God told me when Ethan was born that the next one would be a girl... Her heartbeat was not visible on the ultrasound on May 14th, and by the 20th, a "successful miscarriage" was confirmed.

...But on Father's Day... June 21...

We took the 5th pregnancy test in the last week or so... and this one was positive so fast that we knew we had to make an appointment. Now, I'm not one to advocate lots of ultrasounds, but it looks like we're on that track this time... the first one was June 22 and all they could see was the embryotic sac- no baby. Dr. Mason said not to be concerned, as baby was probably just so small (a few cells at that point) that we couldn't see him/her yet. We made a follow-up appointment for July 7, and this time we could see that my uterus has grown trememdously since that little peanut last time... and we could see both baby and the heartbeat!! Dr. Mason did a quick estimate that our due date is around Feb 27, 2010... but I have to tell you something.

I was born the day after my Grandma Booie's birthday, Abigail was born on my Grandpa's birthday, and Ethan just missed his Daddy's birthday by 2 hrs and 44 minutes! So, as you can see, I started a trend that my seed has followed. My kids like to share their birthdays with family. :)

Had the last pregnancy gone to term, baby would have had her own birthday... and well, I think she didn't like that idea much. ;) But my Aunt Brenda's birthday is Feb. 12, and Nick's Uncle Mike's is March 4 (both still within the full-term range!) So, anyway, we'll see what God decides. Maybe this one will be the first to have their own birthday... and maybe not. ;)

Either way, our goal is to have a healthy mom, healthy baby, and healthy family. :)

We're so blessed to have become pregnant again so fast... and this one feels like the first trimester with Abigail and Ethan. If I push myself too hard, my tummy really feels it... fortunately, I have my little prayer warriors to fight with me- Ethan's silent prayers and bowed head, and Abigail's immediate laying on of hands- thanking God for healing mommy's tummy and no more throwing up.

I know that it was prophesied that Ethan would be his Daddy's strength and joy... but they both are mine!! :)

Thanks for all the well wishes, guys! :o) We're super excited! Thinking we may be a month further along... but who knows?! Only God! We'll just wait for baby to come and then we'll know. ;o) I had a dream last night that we had a girl and that I slept through the whole labor... then baby was born as I was talking to some medical woman- without any work on my part. It was a girl and we named her 'Miracle Elizabeth' because of the supernatural childbirth...

This time is so different! We're not going to find out baby's sex this time and we're contemplating having this baby much closer to home and I am really excited about all of it!!!

Praying for more energy to just make it through the day without the tiredness adding to the fight of not becoming emotional... I joked a few months ago that some women use pregnancy as an excuse to have 9 months of PMS. I fight that because I want my family drawn closer when I'm pregnant, not pulled apart! I can do ALL THINGS through Christ who strengthens me!!

The News is OUT!!

Okay, long time no posting...

Been extra sleepy lately... and using the extra time for cat naps, when I can get them in...

...and the tummy bulge is undeniable...

Yep, you guessed it!

WE'RE PREGNANT!!!

Baby due: Dec. 6th(ish), 2009

"What's your ham?"

Last week, I went to a Childbirth Resource Network meeting... not the most exciting meeting I've ever been to, but informative. Anyway, one of the things I took away from this meeting was a story the speaker told... here it is:

It was Thanksgiving and before mom put the ham in the oven, she cut the ham into three pieces. Her inquisitive son asked, "why did you cut the ham?" Well, his mom responded, "I don't know, it's what my mom always did" So he asked Grandma, "Why did you cut the ham?" and her response was the same as his mom's. So, he called Great-Grandma and asked the same question. At first, she was puzzled by his question, then she said, "because that was the only way it would fit in the pan!"

How many things do we do in life that don't really make any sense? How many things that don't really back-up to the Word? Our pans get bigger, but we keep doing the same thing...

This may be an over-simplification, but Colten was here the other day for a BBQ and I had placed the silverware facing up to carry outside in the picnic carrier... Anyway, he made a comment that it should be facing DOWN so that no one gets cut. Well, I don't know anyone who's ever been cut from a butter knife, but that's okay. It made me question, why do I always do that? Even in the dishwasher, I put everything up... and I get cut from the sharp knives - A LOT. So, my reasoning was that I can get more into those little spaces... but I only started doing that when I had TWO small spaces to fit everything in... now, I have so many that I don't even fill them up, but I had never changed back to putting everything face down so no one gets cut... Well, I'd say it's time to change!

It's time to evaluate: I'm in a new wine skin, time to throw out the old wine and change to the new way! What else in my life, maybe spiritually, is causing me to get cut because I haven't modified what I'm doing to fit that new wine skin??

I think I see what mine is already...

What's YOUR ham???

Backing up the Dump Truck!

So, back in January, it was prophesied over Celebration that February would be the month of order (and man, can I ever testify to that!), and that in March, God would be backing up the dump truck of blessing...

I spent a good deal of time last month really seeking after God for His best plans for my future. He showed me that what He really wanted of me was just to go deeper and be more consistent in journaling. He also showed me some plans for my serving in KIC and where He intends to lead us to (Nick and I). It was an awesome month of getting things in order and receiving new orders!

Okay, update on my friend (Apple) who came to the healing service back in January (see last post). She called on Friday... when she left Celebration, she went down to her mom's and there was a peace in her regarding their relationship. When she got home, God started speaking to her about her own walk and that He wanted her to go on a 3 week fast- for her healing of bi-polar and for their finances. When that 3 weeks ended, she realized that God wasn't done, so she kept going with the fast... and she's now down to only 15 mg of the bi-polar medication with no symptoms and no withdrawl symptoms! I am SO excited for her! Then, she goes on to say that the finance part... well, I'll just throw it out there- they got back $30K on their taxes!! This is the first time they didn't owe anything (and they don't have any kids to claim!) Maybe we all should fast for our finances before doing our taxes- LOL!!!

Started watching baby Addison one day a week- she's such a blessing to us!! :o) How nice to have a little one to cuddle (and it's looking like 3 isn't as hard as I thought it would be...)

Additionally, Abigail was asked to be a flowergirl in my cousin's wedding :o) and two of the couples I have been praying for to get pregnant (they have been trying for quite some time) have BOTH let me know within 4 days of eachother that they are indeed pregnant!!!! Whoohoo!! God is SO good!!!

I'm teaching class tonight, so I need to go make sure the kitchen is ready for Nick to make dinner... Gotta go... til next time. :o)

God's been working!

Hey, all. I know it's been awhile since I've posted anything. Since my last post, we celebrated New Year's Eve at home (Ethan made it to 11 and Abigail to about 10 minutes passed midnight... she just couldn't understand why we kept her up to watch a quick tv show and give her a kiss. Talk about BORING for her! LOL!) Shortly thereafter, my mom came for a visit and we were able to celebrate Abigail's 4th birthday with a small party... toughest part there was that Pastor Randy called a corporate fast the weekend before... so talk about an interesting party! We made sure to prepare Daniel-fast-friendly foods... but with each person having their own convictions- needless to say it made for an interesting day. :o)

So, she turned 4 without a hitch. :o)

Then Grandma left and the preparations began for Grammie to come from Ohio. I didn't spend my usual time scrubbing and straightening up, but we did manage to work on some reorganizing. Got some shelves up in the craft room, the office, and the garage and got some boxes off the floor (finally!).

Had lots of adventures with Grammie here- went to Bakersfield on a day-trip to visit Uncle Ricky and Mema's grave, did a little shopping, visited the zoo (now that was fun!), even had Rob and Apple come through town a couple times (once for the healing service that I'll tell you more about in a minute...) She helped us get the garage organized- Nick finally got the peg board I had given him a gift certificate for a year or so before... and with the new-found space, he's jumped head-long into some much awaited projects (like refinishing the dayglow-orange cabinets throughout our house) and tackling some yard work on the nicer days...

Also, while Grammie was here, Nick was offered a new position at Fresno Plumbing (same company). This is the 3rd time this job has been mentioned to him in the last couple years... but this time, it was one of the owners who came to him. It sounded great from the get-go, but we were still hesitant because, well... what were the reasons we decided no the last two times? I'm not really sure, but this time it was much more "in your face." The owner showed him the stack of applicants he had already interviewed and said that he just really wants Nick. Then, Nick asked me if the reason no one else had panned out in these last two years was that this was his job all along and God was making that clear... So he asked me to pray and he was praying, too. I was concerned with the fast that this was a distraction from the enemy so I really pressed in and waited... then, the healing service came. While Pastor was anointing those who had a physical affliction, he stood up and said "there are answers at the altar." I asked, "God, do you have an answer for this position?" The answer was a resounding "yes, yes, yes!" I didn't tell Nick about that right away because Apple was there with me and there were too many awesome things that God was doing with her for me to worry about our stuff. So, after a few days, I realize I hadn't told him and went ahead with my story. He said that this was just confirmation for him because he thought God was saying the same thing to him. :o) He starts Monday.

So, as far as our dear friend, Apple, is concerned... she had tears rolling down her face the whole time we were worshipping and even into service. I knew God was doing something in her. She went up to be anointed with oil by Pastor and she was amazed at how many people were speaking in the Spirit as she went forward. I realized that she didn't have that gift yet and prayed for her (I remembered what Pastor Rick prayed when I received the gift of the Spirit and I basically followed along those lines...). I instructed her to open her mouth and let the noise come from deep within her. There was a deep grunt and she said she could feel it from deep inside. I was SO encouraged! We stayed to the end, you know, to honor what God was doing... and when we got home, Rob was there playing with the kids. We had In n Out for dinner, chatted for a bit, then all headed to bed. In the morning, while we were standing in the kitchen, Apple squatted down to talk to Abigail. A couple minutes later, she stood up and went down and almost jumped up several more times. She said "there's no pain! I didn't have to use anything to get up... this never happens!" She was so excited! God is so good! I know there is more that He's healed her of, I'm just waiting the reports to come back! :o)

Wow, what a post! So, tonight, we're celebrating Nick's "lateral transfer" (which I see as a promotion!) by having the Gibbs kids over to watch Madagascar 2 and eat popcorn. :o)

Love you all and thanks for not giving up on me!

Abigail turns 4 tomorrow

Could it really be tomorrow, already?! That teeny tiny little 7 lb 1 oz baby that I held in my arms... That little one that I just could not take my eyes off of. (If I hadn't, I would not have believed she was mine as I didn't think she looked anything like me at all! Never mind that I pushed the kid out and saw her exit from my own belly...)

Time has flown by-- too fast.

Named by God (the day that we had her ultrasound, the lady said "it's a girl" and I heard in my Spirit, "Abigail." I told Nick what happened that day over lunch and he asked me to look up what it meant. I looked it up the next day and told him, "Father's joy," so he responded, "and what's her middle name? We looked and looked until we found the perfect name- Moriah, which means "God is my teacher"), carried in my womb... entrusted to me... to nurture and grow in the admonition of the Lord.

Children are a gift from the Lord, they are a reward from Him. (Psalm 127:3)

I must say, it has been an incredible joy to watch her grow and grow and grow... to the healthy 27.9 pound petite little girl that she is. You'd think we've starved her... she just grows on her own curve. :o) Actually, I'm not the least bit surprised, as I was the smallest kid in my class from the moment I started school. By 6th grade, I was only about 1/2 as big as the girls next to me for our class picture... maybe smaller in both height AND weight! I remember my Grandma saying so that day and when I look at the pictures, I concede! At the time, I was mocked and teased about it, but now that my little girl is walking those same shoes, I can see the genetics playing a role and hopefully I can instill in her that God made her perfectly in His image. Besides, no weapon formed against her shall prosper! Insecurity in who God has made us to be has no place in a child of God!! At least I don't believe that God wants us walking around feeling inferior!!

Anyway, Happy 4th Birthday tomorrow, my sweet little Abigail Moriah. Love you, Sweetheart!!