Reassurance.

Today I got some annoying news.  My doctor's office called to let me know that my glucose tolerance test came back "high," which meant I failed Part I of the gestational diabetes test and I need to come back and take the three hour version...hooray.  And, OH YEAH, my hemoglobin/hematocrit levels were low, so I need to start an iron regimen to combat my anemia.

I won't lie...I cried about it.  At the risk of sounding whiny, I had a horrible headache all day after I took the one hour test for GD and iron pills notoriously destroy my stomach and make me feel miserable.  The thought of having to do either of these things made me want to throw up, but that being said, I just wanted to get it over with right away.  Unfortunately, that was not to be either, so it looks like I'll have to dread it for another week or so.

Now, I know I was a little over-dramatic to cry about it.  After all, I failed the one hour test with Penn and passed (just barely) the three hour test.  And then with Jude, I passed the one hour test, but ended up being placed on the GD diet anyway later in my pregnancy, so I really shouldn't have been surprised.  Not to mention, I'm on iron pills at least once every year.  Crazy hormones...

So, I ended up feeling pretty annoyed for the rest of the day and was not looking forward to going to my class for Experiencing God tonight.  As a matter of fact, when I realized that I would have to leave our house without eating supper in order to make it on time, I almost decided that it wouldn't hurt me to stay home one night, but finally I decided that for some reason, I just wanted to go.

So I went.  I was hungry and had to use the restroom mega-bad, but had no extra time to satisfy my appetite or my bladder.  I shuffled into my chair and found a stack (or smiley face shaped assortment) of little candies sitting at my seat as if someone knew I might need a little chocolate to tide me over until I got the chance to eat my supper.  Then, as I got a little more settled, one of my classmates, who I haven't even met personally, walked over to me with two of the cutest little flower pops made from baby spoons and baby washcloths.  She said she wanted to give them to me for my baby on the way.  Such a small token that meant a lot to me.

Aren't they cute?  I'm totally stealing this idea...

After a long, emotionally exhausting day, she reminded me that I was where I needed to be.  And I am so glad I didn't miss it.  So, to this nice lady (who's name I forgot to ask...I know...so slack), thank you for going out of your way to do something nice for someone you didn't even know.  You could have never known what a big impact that little gesture would make:)

God and the Little Things...

This is pretty choppy, but I'm pretty excited about it.  I couldn't figure out a way to write about this without it simply being a jumble of my thoughts, but I decided to put it out there anyway.  I hope you can find the meaning in it that I did.

Today I thought of something that I wanted (well really, it's something I've been wanting and trying to get for a little while now and it just hasn't worked out yet).  It was a somewhat selfish want...nothing like wanting health for my family or world peace or anything, but just something I wanted for Pack and I and our new baby girl.  No biggie.

After working through my Experiencing God workbook this morning, I had a rush of thoughts...

I wondered if what I wanted was something that was necessary for my home or just something for my and my family's comfort and enjoyment.  (comfort and enjoyment)

I wondered if God would be angry at me for interrupting His business of "preparing for eternity" while I ask Him to provide for something small.  (Would I be angry at my children for asking me to provide something small for them...HELLO...Christmas lists, anyone?)

I wondered what would happen if I just simply asked God for what I wanted and trusted that He would provide it.  (Either He would provide it, or He wouldn't...either way, I would survive)

So I did.  I selfishly, yet confidently asked God to provide me a way to get the couple of things that I had been wanting for our home in a way that would be impossible for me to do myself.

A strange series of events happened then.  Initially, I had an urge to write down exactly what I had asked for (which I didn't do because they boys got hungry and I had to make lunch).  Then, I forgot all about what I had originally wanted.  It completely left my mind, which was pretty unusual considering I've been thinking about it multiple times every day for a while now.  And finally...my husband called me (within a few hours) and told me that we were probably going to be seeing a little extra money in the next month or so, thanks to some changes that his work made (which will provide what I wanted plus extra!!!).

WHAT???!!!

Yep...by lunchtime, the God of the universe had shown me that He cares about my comfort and enjoyment...God cares about the little things.  He showed me that when I simply ask for something AND leave Him in charge (that's the kicker), He will provide it or something better.  God wants me to rely on Him for my every need and to express my wants to Him as well.

That was easy.

Matthew 6:25-27  “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

Three.

My joy :)

I was reading the other day about a friend that just found out she's expecting her third baby (Congrats again, Chelsea!) and I was thinking to myself, "Wow...I can't believe she's going to have three children!"  Then I thought again and said to myself, "Whoa...wait a minute...I'M GOING TO HAVE THREE CHILDREN!"

It's amazing that I forget sometimes that this belly is going to someday turn into a baby, but I do.  The fact is, it never seems real until you bring that empty belly and lump of a baby home from the hospital.  There's no getting prepared for children.  You can prepare your house, but you can never really be prepared for how YOUR little baby is going to change your life. 

The funny thing is, even though I know that and even though I know how much crazier life can be with each additional child...I can't say three is it for me (and if Pack is reading this, he's probably cringing right now).  I just don't know how I can ever say that I'm done and I am a little jealous of the people I know who can "commit" to being DONE.  Very simply, I'm in love with the craziness of this life that we have been given and my children truly feel like a gift...how could I turn down more?

Are the pregnancy hormones making me crazy or what???