Good News!

Well, Beth and Baby came out of surgery just fine and I think everything is looking good from what I hear. Praise the Lord! And many thanks to the people who prayed for her. I can't wait until our little twin cousins are born. Around six months to go!

My sister

Today I am worried about my sister-in-law Beth. She is thirteen weeks pregnant with our baby's little cousin and she's in surgery to have a cyst removed from her right ovary. It took a little while for Jon to calm me down this morning when they took her to the ER. I feel more at peace now. I just keep reminding myself that God is in control. He will come through for Beth and her little one, I am sure.
I think I might be losing my mind (apparently a common complaint of pregnancy). I almost called the doctor to see if I could go in and hear the baby's heartbeat again just to make me feel better. But then I remembered that I just had an ultrasound yesterday! So I decided to wait on revealing my true craziness to the staff at my doctor's office since it's not likely anything changed since yesterday.

Baby Bump

I had a fun weekend--when I started to get ready for a wedding reception Saturday I realized I couldn't zip up any of my dresses! I had been telling people I wasn't really showing yet. I guess I was wrong! Trish took me on an emergency shopping trip and we got some maternity clothes. Once I got into some clothes that actually fit, I realized how uncomfortable I've been by unconsciously "sucking in!" I have heard pregnant women complain about their changing bodies, but I love everything about it! Every symptom makes me feel like the baby really is going to be okay. And I never got to buy maternity clothes last time, so for me it was fun. I prayed and others prayed for God to give me joy and allow me to enjoy my pregnancy. He comes through every time!

7 in O9!

I am feeling much more confident this week even though I don't have a doctor's appointment again until the 13th! I know a lot of people have prayed for us and I can really feel the hand of God on me. I am so excited about what He is doing! We keep hearing about babies that will be born around the same time as our little one and I think God is doing something really special. So far there are seven babies due within two months of each other in 2009. Four of them are going to be little cousins of our baby and two are friends. God has them all spread out across the country and the world and I really believe every one of them will make it and every one of them will have a heart to know Jesus! We are especially thrilled about the little one our sister Bethany is expecting only three days before our own! I love the Lord who turns mourning into joy! Thanks for the prayers!

Anxiety

I always feel really confident for a few days after my ultrasounds, knowing things are going great and really believing the baby will be okay. But a few days before the next appointment, I start to feel so anxious and afraid! I wonder if this is how everybody feels, or if it is unique to those of us who have already experienced pregnancy loss? I am praying for God to remove my doubt and allow me to enjoy being pregnant.

Heartbeat

Yesterday was amazing. I got to hear the baby's heartbeat! I couldn't believe it--it was incredible. I had a very long weekend with a little scare when I started spotting. I just panicked, thinking the baby was slipping away. I called my doctor on Saturday in my panic and he calmed me down sufficiently and moved my appointment up to Monday. I can't even describe the relief that just surged through me when I saw the baby with a beating heart on the screen of the ultrasound machine! I keep looking at the picture in absolute awe. I can't wait to see how Baby Brokaw grows week by week. I just thank God over and over.

Yep, There's a baby in there.

Today I had my first ultrasound--there wasn't a lot to see because it's so early in the pregnancy, but the doctor said, "Yep. There's a baby in there. And it looks like there's only one." My hormones have gone up "beautifully"(to use his word) and my blood work all came back good. I am feeling so much more confident today. I will have another ultrasound in a week and should be able to see more at that time. I am praying for the baby's heart to have a strong and early beat (so I can see it) and for the baby to have a heart to know the Lord from an early age. And I'm just so amazed at the work of His hands and so thankful that I get the chance to catch such early glimpses of my baby in the womb.