The Number 4

I suppose I should share the fact that we are expecting baby #4!!! (Making this the 5th pregnancy; I will never forget...) Not really a surprise for anyone reading this, I am sure, but for the record, there you have it. I think that the positive pregnancy test is STILL floating around in my hugerific bag somewhere; I found it the other day as I was digging through for something else and thought, "This is bizarre! If someone was looking through my bag and found this, what would that say about me??" ...So from August to November, that little tidbit has been keeping my beautiful little secret in the darkness of the recesses of my purse--which is actually more like a duffel bag slash suitcase--how very very un-A-personality of me. Although to defend myself, I have to say that I DO actually have a place where I keep (or am supposed to keep) positive pregnancy tests. How many people can say that? Perhaps my collection will get quite large someday! Ya never do know.

At any rate, we are so blessed to be getting another little lightbulb in our midst and are really excited/thankful/blessed to be chosen for this. The girls are excited too. Silas would be excited if he knew what was going on... As his legal guardian, I will just speak that for him. I love how in the Bible whenever the Lord is describing promised blessings to His people, the first thing usually mentioned is the blessing of the womb. God says His people will increase. Really! That is the first blessing on God's mind! And was also the first commandment to mankind: Be fruitful and multiply. In this age, isn't it funny that we have lost the ancient paths so profoundly that it actually is considered a special calling for someone to give their fertility to God in what He would decide to do with it, when we should all have a different mindset, should be automatically jumping to fulfill that vision that is close to God's heart, the vision for the increase of His people, and to fulfill His original mandate! I love being showered with God's first blessings. Everything else is secondary, and I believe everything else will come in good time as well. Especially the increase of our herds, uh huh! "There will be sheeps milk enough for our maidens!" I believe that is stated in the venerable book of Proverbs somewhere. Though of course I am paraphrasing.

Anyway, let me go off on this a little bit: I LOVE how in the kingdom of God, everything is reversed. In order to live and thrive and be of use to the kingdom of God, you have to have  a "different spirit," as was said of Caleb in the Bible. In other words, a different mindset. I have been learning so much through listening to Jacob Reeve's talks online (to be found on www.jacobreeveministries.com and www.sbhop.com--thank you, Jacob!) about calling, kingdom, the dispensation we are living in, etc. and am so excited to have this confirmed--that a lot of the times the "open door" is not necessarily the will of God. It is just the easy thing to do. Faith, on the other hand--without which it is impossible to please God--oftentimes calls us to gnarly, counter-cultural, and counter-logical actions, places, and commitments. I love knowing that, it is exciting. Because right now we are in a place where there is absolutely NO open door, so there is no easy way for us to go. We are forced into faith, we can absolutely not flake out here! Thank you, Lord! But that is another post altogether. Were we talking about pregnancy and babies, or what?

I have found a really cool birth center in Tucson that takes the AHCCCS insurance, and I am really excited to be working with midwives! Even though it is about an hour's drive from our neighborhood... I am sure it will be ok. Supernatural childbirth, baby!

I am 18 weeks along and feeling amazing. I got extremely ill at about 12 weeks and was down for the count for eight days! it was the most gnarly virus I have ever dealt with. I was so frustrated every day, when I wouldn't get better! At any rate, when I did finally come out of it, I felt amazing. And still do. Getting nice and pudgy for the holiday season as well. And since we don't do ultrasounds anymore, we won't know what we are getting 'til the little sunshine comes out to greet us! Either way, the baby will have enough clothes, well, if it's a boy they will be a little sparse. But boys don't need a lot anyways. there will be plenty. Born toward the beginning of April! I seem to be making a pattern of April and August babies here. What if I produce 12 children, and they are all born in the months beginning with A?!?!