38 Weeks and Counting

I suppose the "no news is good news" will have to be my excuse for not writing an update sooner.  Septimus is still hanging out, and all is well with the pregnancy--aside from the typical close-to-delivery woes like an aching back, swollen legs and ankles, heartburn, and other sundry discomforts.  But today I received a reminder to be thankful no matter what my circumstances...two friends are having difficulties with their pregnancies, a sobering reality check that makes me reaffirm God's sovereignty whether or not events coincide with our human expectations.

(If you have a moment, would you please lift up A in your prayers?  She is delivering her baby at 34 weeks because of complications.  A couple of years ago she gave birth at 36 weeks knowing her little one had just entered God's kingdom.  I can't even imagine that heartbreak, but A and her husband K have a beautiful testimony of God's grace and are a strong, godly young couple whom I admire very much, even though I have spent next to no time at all with them in person.  And my friend T is experiencing bleeding in her 10th week of pregnancy with her 13th child, so prayers for her would be appreciated as well.)

So with those prayer requests in mind, I'm simply thankful that our little guy is still kicking around inside of me, even though I grow weary of waiting and wondering when he will make his appearance.  As happened with Zaden...and with Lucan...I have had several false alarms, with strong contractions coming anywhere from 5-10 minutes apart, getting stronger, preventing sleep, etc., going on for several hours at a time.  Any doctor would tell me to get to the hospital, but since this has happened with my previous boys, I've been loathe to run to the delivery ward only to have to be monitored and whatnot and then sent home.  It's exhausting mentally and emotionally, not to mention physically.  And one day this past week I met with the uncertainty of thinking my water had possibly broken--it hadn't, but it took a trip to the ward to get tested to make sure.

My prayer has been that we would KNOW for sure beyond any doubt when my labor really HAS begun, that God would graciously allow it to happen at a time when we can make necessary arrangements for the children and get to the hospital in a timely manner.  Since I had had several false alarms or "practice sessions" with Zaden, by the time labor really WAS progressing, the contractions really were not that bad, and I arrived at the hospital already dilated to almost 9.  So I'm slightly concerned that I won't really know when to take things seriously!!

My next appointment is Tuesday, the day before we hit 39 weeks.  I'm trying to mentally prepare for 41 weeks of pregnancy because it's too hard to get my hopes up thinking it's time when my body stops a few hours later and laughs at me for getting all worked up!