Missing You

Missing all of my family, including my SC church family, as the time nears the birth of the baby. This will be the first time I have a baby without them being around and just the thought of that makes me sad.

They have been a huge part of my life and I truly appreciate each and every one of them.

 They have gone through so much with me; helping me and sharing in each and every part of my life (good and bad), every step of the way, with hugs, encouragement, meals, smiles, and more love than I could ever contain.

 They cannot be replaced.

 I don't know how I'm going to do this without them; thinking about it makes me cry.

I love being in Florida, but I miss them all so much.

I always loved being able to share our lives with one another.

We are a part of one another.

I am a bit afraid, to be honest with you.

This will be my 5th C-section.

They won't be here; not even my husband.

He just found out that he can take off up to 2 weeks, but there's a catch; he won't get paid.

I don't know about you, but we can't afford to be without pay for 2 weeks.

So, he will be there for the baby's birth and then go back to work.

Our other children will be home alone, which isn't a huge deal, because they are old enough now to care for themselves, but I want them to be with me.

Oh well, I guess you can't always get what you want.

Well, I'm sorry for whining...I'll stop now, because it's just not very productive.

I just felt the need to share how I'm feeling at the moment.

I know that the Lord will take care of everything so I will just leave it all in His hands.

So, if you think about it, please lift my family and I up in your prayers.

<3 2="" all="" p="" u="">

Miracles

 

 

I am 43 and almost at the end of my 8th pregnancy.

(This will be my 5th live birth; I had 1 miscarriage in my early 20's and 2 (each 1 year apart from one another) within the last 4 years.)

I am so blessed to know that the Lord is preserving this little guy and continuing to allow him to develop and grow normally.

I have been going to "see" him every 4 weeks (via ultrasound) and have been amazed at how quickly he's growing and changing.

During this pregnancy I've experienced so many different emotions;

fear being the main one, due to recent history, but I have trusted the Lord nonetheless;

knowing that He alone is the giver and sustainer of life and that He allows everything for my good and His glory.

He has always been here for me; carrying me through, without fail and I am just so thankful that He is my Lord. Without Him, I just don't know where I would be.

I have been thinking a lot about what my life is going to look like after the baby is born.

It's funny, but I never thought I would be having another baby at 43.

Many people have expressed that they would "just die" if they found out they were pregnant again at my age. I've heard things like, " Are you crazy?", and " you know what causes that don't you?"

Really people?

It makes me laugh to think that people actually believe that they can control if and when they will have a baby.

Truthfully, the only way to guarantee that it not happen is abstain; but, I believe that most marriages wouldn't survive if abstinence was practiced...lol

The Lord, and He alone is the One who opens and closes the womb.

You can have sex 24/7 and never conceive a child or just once and conceive; you are not in control!

Enough about that...lol

My oldest child is 19 and my youngest will be 11 years old.

I've already been through the drama of each age only to begin again. :)

I don't feel overwhelmed or crazy.

In fact, I feel blessed, excited, and privileged.

I love that my other children are older and can experience this pregnancy with me.

I love that I can feel this baby kicking, flipping, hiccupping, and moving inside of me.

I love being able to be a part of another miracle.

My children are all such wonderful blessings in my life.

I just can't imagine life without any one of them; even those I lost, I love and can't wait to see when I get to heaven.

Each of them has a special place in my heart.

Each of them is unique.

Each of them is a miracle.

Each off them have brought more joy to my life than they'll ever know.

Having another baby at 43 is not the end of my world, as some would suggest;

it is a new beginning, a new chapter, a new adventure.

Yes, I will have to start all over again with the diapers, late night feedings, baby proofing the house, playing the guessing game as to why he's crying, etc, planning my every move instead of being spontaneous, and eventually homeschooling him when I've just finished homeschooling 4 other children, but it is going to be so worth it.

I don't care about having "freedom to do what I want, when I want."

That ship sailed a long time ago, and, to be completely honest with you, I'm glad it did.

Having children has been life changing for me.

Before them, I was the most selfish person that walked the earth.

Everything was about me.

My children have taught me so much about selflessness, unconditional love, mercy, grace, forgiveness, to name only a few, and they have made life wonderful for me.

I can't imagine my life any different than it is right now.

 

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward

Psalm 127:3

 

Thank You Lord for allowing me to have these children, to raise them up in You for Your glory.

 

 

 

 

 



Blessed Beyond Measure

 

 

There has been many exciting things going on in my world.

First, I want to update you on my pregnancy.

I'm at the halfway point and feeling really good.

I have been getting detailed ultrasounds every 4 weeks from the beginning.

Shayne and the girls have been coming to each one and will continue throughout the pregnancy.

It's really cool to be able to see our little one every month.

Watching the growth and progression just makes me so happy!

This last ultrasound confirmed that we are having a boy. :)

You should've seen Shayne's face when they told us.

He was smiling from ear to ear...lol

I told the ultrasound tech that he had been moving a lot since 4am and she got to see him in action.

She was amazed at how much he was moving around.

I can't wait to see him face to face. 

 

His name is Giovanni Gabriel.

People aren't really feelin Giovanni, but I don't care.

I love to be different and  I LOVE the name! It's old school Italian.

 

On another note; the only thing I need is a stroller, plus a ton of diapers and wipes...lol

A customer at Shayne's job gave me a pack n play, swing, bouncer, and highchair free.

A neighbor down the street gave me some boy clothes and a car seat.

I found a really nice crib on craigslist for $20 and a changing table at Good Will for $20, as well as a complete bedding set at another consignment store.

I am sooooooooooo blessed!!

 

We will be moving, this Saturday, into a 3 bedroom apartment. (We are living in a 2 bedroom now).

I will be happy when this is over...I have a love/hate relationship with moving...lol

I love the change of scenery, but, I HATE the packing and moving thing.

This move is a necessary considering the family growth. :)

 

Another exciting thing, is that my son, Tyler, has moved here this weekend.

 He has been out of the house since he was 17 years old and in SC.

I am sooooooooooooooooo happy to have all my children with me again.

I'm looking forward to seeing what the Lord is going to do in our lives.

 

I'll continue to update you as things progress.

To all who are praying for me, thank you, and keep them coming;

I really need all that I can get. :)

 

Sorry this post has been so scattered...there's a lot more noise here than normal and I can't seem to get my thoughts straight....such is life.

 

 

 

 

Pregnant at 43

 

 

Funny how things happen.

On February 12, 2013 I found out that I am pregnant again.

This will be the third time in about 4 years.

I don't know if you remember, but the first 2 of the 3 that I'm speaking about ended tragically, so I was pretty anxious finding out about this one.

I have since had 2 ultra sounds. The first showed a baby with a beating heart and the second was even more amazing. It showed not only a baby with a strong heartbeat (161 bpm), but a healthy, very active little one growing and developing normally. What a miracle!!!

I am still a little nervous, considering I'm 43 years old and things haven't gone so well in the recent past, but I'm trusting the Lord in it all.

I feel absolutely horrible...Praise the Lord!!!

Why would I praise the Lord for that?

Feeling horrible is a good sign. It's a sign that my hormone levels are elevated and that the baby is still growing. So that is definitely something to praise Him for!! :)

 

I will be under very strict care throughout the pregnancy.

There will be ultrasounds ever 4-6 weeks, tests done, etc to make sure that the baby continues growing as he/she should. My next ultrasound is May 6th in which there is a very good chance that I can find out the sex of the baby...WootWoot!! :)

I'm looking forward to going on this journey with my baby; being able to see him/her every month, watching as he/she progresses. I've never been able to do that before. It's like getting to know my baby even before I see him/her in person. :)

I'm also excited to be able to share this experience with my husband especially my 3 girls. They came with me for the 2nd ultrasound and were completely in awe. They can't wait to go back in a few weeks to see the baby again.

We were all able to witness the baby bouncing, literally, in my womb, kicking those little legs, and waving the little arms. We were also able to hear the  sound of the baby's heartbeat...oh, that beautiful sound.

This is going to be a grand adventure and I invite you to join us as we journey together.

I do have one request; that you would please remember to keep me, the baby, and my entire family in your prayers throughout our journey.

Until next time... <3 p="">