A few weeks ago though, something really crazy happened. I was sitting in Bible Study with my friends and we were reading in the first part of Mark 6. Having a hard time focusing with the babies and pregnant mommies seeming to surround me, my eyes wandered over to the next page. The last part of Mark 6:33 literally jumped off the page at me. It reads, "Do not be afraid any longer, only believe." I don't know about you but when God says, "Do not" I tend to think I should be listening. This kicked off weeks of intense prayer, journaling, and singing worship songs in my head whenever I started to agonize over what I feared just had to be coming. It turns out that pretty much the exact time I was reading that verse, my mom was praying that I wouldn't lose hope...pretty incredible, isn't He?
I spent Saturday with some of those same friends I was in Bible Study with that day. We were at Leadership Summit for our MOPs group. They all laughed at me as I sprinted to the bathroom no less than 10 times in 5 hours. There were even threats to force me to take a pregnancy test because (being the amazing friends that they are) they were just as excited for the possibility as I was. Even this morning after I finally agreed to Jesse running to the store to buy a test, I was still apprehensive. The disappointment has become so common and I was sure I wouldn't be happy with the answer. I was distracting myself by sitting on the back steps with Jesse, watching Drew play (which is not all that much of a distraction when I was busy imagining spending next summer playing in the back yard with my big boy and a pudgy little baby). Finally, my "oh so wise" hubby leaned down and asked, "Do you trust God or not?"
The picture says it all. More, in fact, if you know why it was taken outside. I was so excited that I literally ran out of the house and down the sidewalk, waving the stick as the boys walked up from the mailbox...ridiculous, I know. I'm just so beyond thankful...I'm way into the neighborhood of giddy. I guess I realize that as painful and disappointing it was to be let down over and over, I know so many people who have gone (and are going through) so much worse. I have friends and family that I pray for so often, knowing that while my pain exists, theirs is so far beyond my comprehension.
For those who are curious, I'm very early on in this pregnancy. I'm only about 5 weeks along and won't be due until early December. You may wonder why we chose to go ahead and announce it now. It's pretty simple, really. So many of you have journeyed and prayed with and for us as we've been trying to add to our little family. We wanted you to know that your prayers have been answered. Also, as thankful as we are to you for having prayed for us, we want to ask you to continue to pray that everything goes well. I know I wouldn't have made it this far without all your prayers and I'm not so deluded as to think that I can go it alone now.
So, we are beyond thankful for this little one on the way. We are beyond thankful for a God who has so richly blessed us. We are beyond thankful for you and all the interceding you've done on our behalf.
So now, we are on our way to the next adventure!
