Getting ready for another girl!

  A few months ago I found out that I was expecting.  I didn't find out in my usual customary way.  I found out at the acupuncturist.  I had decided to start some holistic treatment to regulate my body and become more balanced as I was having reproductive issues instead of going the medicinal route.  A little crunchy granola, even for me, but I figured it was worth a shot.  We finished the initial consultation and as she was beginning treatment she felt my pulse. She said, "Your pulse is telling me that your are pregnant. There is a little soul trying to become part of your family, and lets see if we can help it out."
After lying there for an hour with needles stuck in me, I couldn't get home fast enough to see if this lady could be right.  No one can tell by your pulse that you are pregnant, she must be full of it.  I kept myself calm and off the edge of hysterical giggles until I got home.
I did a quick debriefing with my husband and ran to the bathroom to pee on a stick.  And the result is now obvious, I am indeed pregnant.  The kicker is that I was only about 3 weeks pregnant, like not even close to knowing myself pregnant but the acupuncturist and the test did not lie.
This sequence of events should have been my first clue as to how strong this little life is and how unconventional this pregnancy has been so far.  This pregnancy has had more than its fair share of complications and I have seen my doctor's faces far too often for this stage of the game.  I have been put on and taken off medication to help this baby take root and stay healthy.  I have been evaluated by the high risk group and cleared.  There has been no real explanation for the complications that I have experienced but honestly, at this point I do not care as long as this baby makes it into the world healthy and happy.
I have not been so lucky in the past and the two little lights that are waiting for me in heaven are a constant reminder that God's gifts are not to be take for granted.  I have suffered through miscarriage and also experienced the sheer joy of giving birth to new life.  I know that God has been there with me through it all and has never left my side even in my darkest days of doubt.  I have not trusted my body and when symptoms appear, I am the first to think the worst.  As I lay on a table and wait for the reassuring thump of a strong heartbeat, I am reminded once again that God is in control and he has a greater plan for me that I could ever imagine.

The little girl that is growing inside me now has proven herself to be strong.  From the beginning she has shown the bright rhythm of her heartbeat.  Despite everything that my body has thrown at her, she appears content and thriving in my womb.  I am anxious to meet her and see her sweet face as I am counting the weeks until her arrival and hoping it passes quickly and uneventfully.
I experience the woes of pregnancy with thankfulness.  I am thankful for the nausea, the heartburn, the aches and pains, the frequent trips to the bathroom.  They are the reminders of the life inside me, the little soul that is going to become part of our family here on earth.  The sweet flutters that are growing stronger each week are blessings to a mother who will poke and prod to elicit one more.  I just need to feel her, to know.  
She is beautiful and strong and perfect.  We have looked at her enough to know.   I am looking forward to the rest of this pregnancy being low risk and as low anxiety as pregnancy can be.  I know her big sister and brother are anxious for her arrival.   During the sonogram above, we did not find out what sex the baby was and had the ultrasound technician put it in an envelope.  We taped it closed and signed the seal.  Allison opened the envelope a week later and read it aloud to us as well as her grandparents, aunts and uncle.  She was so mature and composed, and waited for her turn in the spotlight.  She was not as giddy and excited as I thought she would be, however, I think it was because in her heart she always knew it was a girl.

Allison is on to deciding on what to name this new baby sister of hers, and has come up with some quite interesting options.  Jack seems to be in denial and will only talk about my belly getting bigger, which is really great for my ego.  He isn't sure if he has a baby sister in his tummy or not.  The way he views it, if your tummy is big, there is a baby in there.   We are awaiting her arrival and cherishing every moment until that day! 

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11