Pregnancy Pains

Being old and pregnant just don't go well together!

Add to that this being my 6th pregnancy… oh, boy!!

I am now 5 months along and it's been a rough road.  I had the all-day nausea and exhaustion in the first trimester.  I also have developed that all-to-unsightly and painful varicose veins with a good amount of ugly spider veins to go with it.  (Only on the left leg though!)

But this new symptom… ugh!

I am bloated and gassy ALL THE TIME.  It's painful and uncomfortable. TMI, I'm sure, but it has to be stated that this is the worse symptom I've experienced thus far.  

I am still able to run on the treadmill 3 days/wk.  I eat healthily (usually).  I cannot put my finger on it.  What is causing this?  

My OB thought I wasn't drinking enough water, so I upped the water.  That didn't work.

I thought maybe it was the one cup of tea with cream I was having every morning.  So, I cut that out.  Nope, that wasn't it.

I am on a quest to figure this one out.  Whether or not I do, I DO know that a baby girl is in there growing and staying healthy.  That truly is worth it!

And just in case you need a lovely pregnancy profile shot, here is me in all my bloated preggy-ness! :)

22 weeks!

Resolutions

Don't really like them.  Never do them.  

What we started about 3 years ago was having the kids choose a charity to support and decide both how much they would contribute for the year and how they planned on raising the money.

In the past, they have chosen to support Threshold Ministries, Loaves and Fishes and Gospel for Asia.  They have used their birthday money.  Our children have fed the neighbors' animals and brought in their mail and newspapers while they were out of town.  Will has also gone around the neighborhood asking for odd jobs for the neighbors to donate whatever they want knowing that the money would go to support his charity.  We have such nice neighbors! : )

This year, we have done something different.  On Sunday before New Year's Day I asked the children 2 questions:

1. How can you have a closer relationship with God this year?

2. Which 'fruit of the Spirit' do you need to improve upon, with God's help? Give tangible, real-life examples of how you will do this.

I gave them until New Year's Day to think and pray about it.  Jim and I did it too.  On Wednesday, we discussed it as a family.  The 3 older children are the only ones who did the assignment.  The others listened in.  

I loved hearing what they had to share.

Pray more and read God's Word consistently.

Gentleness, kindness, self-control, love.

We will check in with each other as a family once a week and encourage each other throughout the week to stay committed.  

As a family, we feel that God is calling us to do more and that He is preparing us for something greater than we can imagine.  We are not sure what that is yet or when it will come.  Question 1 will help us stay nearer to Him to hear that call and Question 2 will better prepare us for that calling when it comes.  

For us, it's much better then making resolutions! : )

I Am Second

Came across this website the other day.  Click on "Films" to see all the list of people who have a testimony to share.  Perhaps what they have to share may speak to your heart and give you a renewed understanding of work of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Merry Christmas!

I am enjoying this special day with my dear family!  Hope you are making memories with your loved ones too!

Picture taken at a friend's house last week. Gotta love Nate's expression. Disclaimer: dog is not ours. : )

It's a GIRL!!

I was surprised, but should not have been.  After I gave birth to Nate and while we were early in the process of adopting, God spoke to my heart that I would have one more child by birth and it would be a girl.  Yes, He was that specific. : )  Well, at our age and with Jim and I being sure we were done, I wondered if I heard Him right.  Then in early September (1 1/2 years later), I received the wonderful news that I was expecting.  When it came time for the ultrasound, I wavered.  I thought that it must be a boy.  I doubted.  But God kept his word (as always).  He is faithful and good and right.  After I found out that our new baby is a girl, I repented for my lack of faith, and then as a good friend said, I rejoiced that He increased my faith through this experience!

The older girls are thrilled!  This was their reaction when they found out that they are having a sister.

I am so happy for Isabel too.  She LOVES babies and I am so happy that she will have a baby sister to play with and care for.  She will be a great big sister!

We are blessed!!

Where Are You From?

I want to instill in my daughter a love of her birth country.  I want her to understand early on that she is from China; a country with a beautiful heritage.  So, we are starting simple.

Where are you from?

Cardiology Appt - Good News!

Isabel had her cardiology follow-up yesterday.  Just as background, her medical paperwork from China mentioned nothing of a heart condition, just her missing radius bones.  The only reason we found out about her VSD was a routine cardiology screening prior to her centralization surgery for her bilateral radial club hands in April of this year.

We were surprised to find out that she had a VSD and another issue with her heart.  The VSD is rather minor and both heart issues do not seem to be affecting her activity or general health.  Since this was the first time that her heart condition had been identified, it was a baseline for future screenings.  Today, we saw her cardiologist to see exactly what is going on with the VSD... is it getting bigger, smaller, staying the same size??  Well, the hole was the same size, but as the doctor pointed out, she is bigger.  Therefore, relative to her heart now, the hole is smaller.  Praise God!!

She was a bit nervous waiting for the EKG and ultrasound tests, but did great.  A lollipop always helps. ;-)

Rejoicing over this good news today!

Tomorrow I have an ultrasound to check on baby's progress.  I am 18 weeks today, so hoping to also find out if it's a boy or girl!  Can't wait!!