Baby Update: 6 Weeks to Go!

Evie is almost 3 and ½ pounds! They also measured her arms and legs and she is not very far behind in growth. The amniotic fluid is still high, so I will be going for ultrasounds once a week unless it goes back down. I love getting to see Evie every week; she looks HUGE on the ultrasound!

I am definitely learning a new level of organization and so far have not mixed up any doctors appointments. We are going to Egleston on Thursday morning for another fetal echo of her heart and to meet the surgeon who would perform her heart surgery (if she needs it). Then, Thursday afternoon we have an appointment with a different pediatric surgeon who will fix the omphalecele.

Dr. Yeagley thinks we will probably try and wait until the 39th week to schedule the c-section. I’m pretty sure that is the week of Christmas. So we might be having flashbacks of December 2005 with the twins!

Meeting your new baby is the best Christmas present you can get =)

How to Pray

This has been on my mind for weeks. Since all of this happened with Evie, I have been searching for answers about prayer.

How should I pray? Should I be praying for acceptance and guidance, regardless of the situation? Should I be praying constantly for healing? Should I be praying for discernment?  All of the above?

I started asking God for guidance in my prayer life, and He has shown me so much.

The first verse that came to me is:

Romans 8:26-27: 
²⁶In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; ²⁷and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 

I don’t have to worry so much about saying the “right” words. The Holy Spirit intercedes if we don’t have the exact words. God already knows the desires of our hearts.

Next, He has drawn me to the Garden of Gethsemene, where Jesus prays the night before his cruxifiction.

³⁶ Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray."  ³⁷And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed. ³⁸Then He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me." ³⁹And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will." Matthew 26:36-40 (NASB)

Jesus was distressed and He asked His Father to change his circumstances, but then He said, not as I will, but as You will. Jesus never gave up trusting the will of His Father. It is important not to become arrogant in prayer, believing we know better than God. His will is perfect.

Third, I have focused on praying for others. When I stop looking at myself and my problems, it is easy to see a bigger picture, and to realize everyone is going through or has went through a difficult situation. In all my worrying and wondering about what is going to happen and what I should be doing, I have forgotten that it is not all about me! Life does not revolve around me and my circumstances. God is so much bigger than that. His plan is so much more than I can comprehend.

Lastly and most importantly, I have learned to just stop and listen; to spend time with God without requests or expectation.

Thanking Him for His love and forgiveness.

“In reality, there is only one true prayer, only one substantial prayer: Christ Himself. There is only one voice that rises above the face of the earth: the voice of Christ. Perfect prayer does not consist of many words, but in the fervor of the desire which raises the heart to Jesus.”
Mother Teresa: No Greater Love

~Not Me Monday~

I always like reading these posts, so I thought I would try one out for myself...


Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

My NOT ME Monday

I sooo did NOT let my boys dress up like video game characters and I did NOT make their totally awesome hats all by myself.

Of course, I do NOT have the worst sweet tooth ever, and I definitely have NOT eaten far more of my boy's candy than they have. 

Reese is definitely NOT the cheesiest little picture taker ever...

 …and he definitely does NOT get that from me.

I definitely do NOT have 3 totally different doctors appointments this week, and three more next week, and I am totally NOT tired of doctors appointments... all these extra appointments did NOT cause me to forget about my astronomy quiz and of course, I did NOT receive a big fat zero on it. (thankfully, my professor is dropping the lowest quiz grade)

I would NEVER take advantage of the fact that the boys were at Grandma and Grandpas and celebrate by taking a 2 hour nap in the middle of the day. It was NOT the best nap ever.

Oh, I definitely have NOT gained more weight than I am supposed too during this pregnancy, and no, I do NOT totally feel and look every bit of it! =)

HAPPY MONDAY!!