No, he's not here yet....
I wanted to post a note to say thank you to all for the great baby celebration. I'm feeling much more prepared for this little guy, and it was fun too. I felt very supported.
Somehow I had thought that after the baby party he would just pop out, knowing that we had ample onesies on hand for his arrival. Not so.
This has brought me into an odd phase of waiting, where I sit around a lot but don't do any of the things that I would have thought I'd want to do if I were sitting around a lot. Mostly I'm just tired and uninspired. Also, I've been having a lot of strange physical sensations as things are actually progressing toward birth. It's given me a new take on the biblical concept of hope. I realized a few days ago that what I'm eagerly anticipating is the onset of consistent bouts of intense pain. Because that's my indicator that the time has come. It's also the passage out of growing discomfort and into the beauty of a new life. It's the first time I can think of that I've been excited at the prospect of hurting. That got me thinking of how we endure pains of various kinds as we await the unfolding of God's kingdom in & around us. We can handle the suffering because it comes with the hope of such great purpose. Romans 8:18-25 comes to mind. Also, although this isn't as true with pregnancy (there are various ways to control or at least influence how/when things will happen), there's the element of surprise. It's been keeping me alert to the signs and feelings: "is this it now?" Like Jesus inviting us to watch and wonder with anticipation if the time has come.
Our baby waiting is almost over, however. As of yesterday's sonogram estimate, he's weighing in at 8.5 pounds. If he doesn't show up over the weekend, we're scheduled to induce on Tuesday the 23rd. We'll keep you updated. |