Expectations

Today is baby's due date. We woke to rain and now snow is softly falling outside. Everything is still and quiet. My weary mind and body are resting in the peace as I tidy here and there, fold laundry, and put the house in order before babe arrives. It has been a busy few days and life seems to want to go in a different direction than I'd hoped it would at this point. 

Last week Mike came down with what we thought was a stomach bug. Wednesday night found us in the ER while he wrestled with stomach pain intense enough to require the "good kind" of pain meds. I got home around 1:30am and crawled into bed. The next morning he took an ambulance to the city to get a CT scan and by the evening he was being wheeled in for surgery to remove a burst appendix. I met him at the hospital just before he went in for surgery, and stayed until he was out of recovery and settled somewhat in his hospital room.

He was allowed to come home the next evening, and spent all weekend working to recover. He wasn't up to celebrating his birthday on Sunday and his cake is still in the fridge. Sunday night found us back in the ER because things kept getting worse instead of better. I stayed with him until 3:30am to hear the results of the blood test and the plan going forward, and then he sent me home to get some rest before I had to get the kids off to school. This week he is back in the city hospital being pumped with antibiotics to fight off infection and the extra fluid build up, while I hold down the fort here. With bad Winter roads and how far along I am, he thought it would be best for me to stay close to home.

So many people have reached out and offered help. We've had meals brought by friends and I've been left with tears of gratitude for our family and friend community that we have been blessed with. Having my parents right next door has been a huge blessing. Having such an easy pregnancy physically has also been a huge blessing. Usually I'm uncomfortably huge right now and sore, but this time I am still able to carry my every day duties with ease. Even though things are not going the way we want them to right now, I'm trying to trust that His plan is greater than ours and adjust my expectations along the way. So far babe is staying put and for once, I'm okay with going overdue, just so things will hopefully be a little more normal when he/she arrives. 

"Mercies and blessings come in different forms -- Sometimes as hard things. Yet the Lord said, "Though shalt thank the Lord they God in all things." All things means just that: good things, difficult things - not just some things. He has commanded us to be grateful because He knows being grateful will make us happy. This another evidence of His love." ~Bonnie D. Parkin