So What's Up with My Pregnancy?

Once I realized something was wrong I was able to get into the doc first thing and what I went in for ended up being a blessing in disguise. I was told to take it easy, not lift anything, and not stand around. That is all, go home. Oh, and I'd need surgery once the baby is born. Like it was no big deal. Well surgery is a big deal to me, and I am determined to find natural ways to fix the problem and prove them wrong, but I am glad it wasn't something horrifying. I then asked to hear the baby's heart beat, I don't think there is a sweeter sound short of baby's first cry, but, they couldn't find it. This is one of those moments that you feel the whole world crash around you, but you are determined to be positive, so you look at the doctor with a blank stare while the tears well up... so they sent me over for an ultrasound. I was so thankful they didn't make me wait a few days! Praise God they found the heartbeat and baby is looking good, but they also discovered I have placenta previa. This should not be a problem as it is only partial and will most likely resolve in a few months when the baby is bigger, but in combination with the other issue, it could cause some major problems for me right now~ hence the bed rest. This isn't an ideal situation for a momma of 5, but it is totally worth it.

One of the things we have been doing to pass the time during this morning sick, cold, flu, bed rest time is watch movies. We don't typically spend much time in front of a screen, and not having a t.v. has helped with that, (I was shocked when I recently read that it is recommended that children, even 3 year old's should watch less than 2 hours of t.v. per day. Per day?! That is insane! When do kids who go to school and do homework and play basketball see their parents?) but when you are desperate, you do what you can. We have downloaded a few movies from iTunes to enjoy on our big screen Mac. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs was decent and had some good teaching messages but I do not recommend watching it while suffering morning sickness. It was awful. Fiddler on the Roof has been watched several times over the last few weeks and has become a real favorite in our house, we are constantly singing the songs to each other. We have also enjoyed Up, all of the Star Wars saga and Ben Hur... Guys received Mysterious Islands for Christmas, and we all enjoyed that very much. If you have any interest in understanding how God could be real since we've been taught evolution is real, I highly recommend it. I highly recommend it even if you don't have any interest in that, it is very good.

Of course we haven't been spending all our time in front of the screen, we also been playing some really neat educational board games that we received for Christmas, and have been having tons of fun learning how to Survive with our Handbook for Essential Skills for Outdoor Adventures. We even made sure dad knew how to get out of an avalanche while he was skiing.

We also received the movie Pilgrim's Progress for Christmas, but I told the kids we can't watch it until I am done reading it. Now, when they see me staring off (somehow being on bed rest is exhausting) they are quick to bring the book to me and remind me to keep reading. I am really enjoying the book. I thought I wouldn't like it at all, and it was interesting getting used to the style, but I am loving it...

I am so thankful for my husband, (I know, I know, I said this before) he is keeping me laughing and taking care of me during this slightly trying time. He even snuck me out to dinner one night (shhh, don't tell the doc) and we had yummy Cajun food, including Alligator. I am not one for eating things I think are weird even though I grew up eating rabbit, snapping turtle, deer, and other random things, but I did try some and found it to be delicious. Dad and the children all fought over the last pieces, even Pops. But Dad knows how much I love eating out and the break from the house was nice. I bet he enjoyed not making dinner or doing dinner dishes, too.

I also am blessed by my Milton friends who offered to send up a couple teenage girls to spend a week with us to help out. I did pass on the offer because we are doing alright, (I may see if the offer is still up when I have the baby) but I am so delighted that I have friends who are willing, and who have daughters who are willing to go 300 miles away to take care of someone else's family. When I was a teenage girl don't think I would have ever offered to go and cook meals for someone else and take care of someone else's kids, and I didn't know a single girl that would have. I can't say enough how much I have been blessed by our time in Milton, and am still being blessed by the wonderful relationships made there. And to think I really disliked it when we got there!

I am also very thankful for our church here in Meridian. They are bringing us meals twice a week during this period of "rest" for me which is a period of "overwork" for our family. It is so hard for me to lay on the couch and let the world pass me by. I really, really, really don't like watching my husband walk out the door in the morning without a hot cup of coffee, breakfast, or a lunch, and it is awfully hard to watch my daughter struggle with the tasks that belong to me. Having someone bring just two meals this week has helped out tremendously! My husband didn't have to worry about dinner two nights, and there were enough left overs that my daughter didn't have to worry about lunch on two days. What a huge blessing!

I know that God has a plan for this time, and His plan is perfect.