{40w2d, Round 2}

Our sweet Georgia Pearl was born at 8:06pm on Thursday night, September 19th.

She was a perfect 8lbs, 2oz, and 19" long.

Her birth was even more amazing than I could have ever imagined.

We were released from the hospital less than 24 hours later, and are now adjusting to the blessing of becoming a family of four.

{Birth story coming soon}

r;">



Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
James 1:17 (KJV)

{38w1d}

Unless she decides to come on her own, our littlest love will be on her way into this world two weeks from tonight.

I'm not a fan of being induced-I don't like it one bit-but at today's appointment, our Doctor said that it was time to schedule our induction. Because of the Gestational Diabetes (that is completely controlled and has yet to be a problem, proven by blood sugar levels and weekly NST's) he respectfully refuses-despite my begging-to let nature run it's course and allow this little miss to come whenever she's ready. Instead, he will start the eviction process if she's not here by late evening on the 18th.

They say my due date is the 17th, I say it's the 19th, so starting an induction on the 18th isn't the end of the world. It's just that I love the anticipation of the end of pregnancy. My belly is full and round, but I'm not uncomfortable. Everything is so wonderful and easy right now, this sweet little babe just goes everywhere with me, without the time taken to feed, bathe, clothe, change, or hush cries. I love to feel her move, and contemplate what she'll look like; every day is one day closer to meeting her. I only wish it could be on her-more realistically God's-timeline, not on that of our doctor.

That being said, I also understand that the doctor has my best interest and the interest of my baby in mind. He's only scheduled this induction because He believes it's the safest for us both. And when I really stop to think about it, God allowed me to be diagnosed with gestational diabetes. He also provided me with an amazing doctor whom I love, and trust. So even with the anticipation of her arrival possibly destroyed, I have to trust that God still has His hand in this and even this induction-should He allow her to remain inside until her due date-would be another part of His perfect plan, whether I like it or not.

So although I would love nothing more for my water to break or to go into labor in the middle of the night in a dramatic and exciting fashion (which makes for better blogging and birth stories, right?) I am willing to accept whatever comes our way.

Which seems to be the theme of this pregnancy.

Along with the scheduled induction at today's appointment, I was also told I am positive for Group B Strep-again-and we sort of forgot to check my progress. So I have no idea if there is anything going on down there, but I kind of like it that way.

Adds a little bit of excitement back into this game, yes?

So while I wait patiently, I have a few more things to cross off my list, like finishing the illustration of an adoption book for a sweet friend, scheduling newborn pictures, sewing a crib skirt for my tiny human, packing my hospital bag, cleaning out the hall closet, and catching up on assignments for my online nutrition class.

Oh, and choosing a middle name.

But despite the rush to get everything done, and the disruption of my plans and my way, I am just so thrilled to be right here, right now. Never a boring-or free-moment, I have so much to look forward to, so much to be thankful for. This is such an exciting time, and I refuse to let any change of plans ruin that. Instead, I'll remember who is in control, and pray that He has His will in this new life that will be here before I know it, even if that means a scheduled induction to go with my Group B Strep, Gestational Diabetes diagnosis, and those new stretch marks I just found on my butt.

As long as it leads me to a healthy new addition to our family, I'll take it.

"God always has a plan, and everything happens for a reason, good or bad. We have to roll with the punches."

-Keith Urban

{36w2d, Round 2}

So...36 weeks.

So much has happened, and I keep procrastinating when it comes to upates, mostly because I don't know where to start. Shortly after I finished my Microbiology class, I came back to work full time-for a few different reasons-and suddenly I woke up nine months pregnant. When our littlest love arrives I won't work for at least three months, and then transition back in part time, but for now everything is a little crazy.

But I'm soaking in every single second, because I'm told it's only going to get crazier.

Scarlett Grace is almost two and a quarter, going on twenty-two. My goodness that child is sassy. And we have no cable TV, Satelite, Netflix, or any of that other fancy stuff, so I can't even blame it on the Television, which means it's probably my own fault. A few of her favorite phrases right now are a very dramatic "Oh goodness, I don't like that, Thats like freaking me out, That bothers me, and my personal favorite, that's not necessary.

But despite her dramatic attitude and demanding personality, she really is just...amazing. And at a very healthy 33lbs and 38" tall-niether her father nor I are small, so I suppose having a delicate, petite child wasn't really ever expected-her personality is matching her extierior. She's so incredibly smart, determined, strong-willed, gorgeous, and refreshing. Sometimes I feel like I'm talking-and arguing-with a teenager, but I wouldn't change anything about her.

She's as prepared as she can be for her baby sister, and talks often about holding her and rocking her. She's almost completely potty trained too, which is something I was avoiding because I thought it would be a nightmare, but she took to it right away and really suprised us with her love of panties and the toilet. Even the trasition from the crib-converted-to-a-toddler-bed to her big girl bed went smoothly, and it didn't phase her a bit to see the converted crib set back up as a crib for her sister. So I really do have high hopes for the new babies survival, and absolutly no concerns about the shared room.

Our tiniest human and I are doing well too, I just adore being pregnant. Even though this pregnancy started off a little rough, I really have been blessed. I'm a little bigger this time arround and my stomach actually looks like a regular, round pregnant belly, but I'm still measuring just a couple weeks behind and she is healthy. There really is nothing in the world that compares to growing a tiny human in your uterus. And though I'm exctied to meet her and get to know her on the outside, I will very much miss having her on the inside. Feeling her move and wiggle every day is just a reminder of how good God is, and how good He's been to me. The way I see it, I'll have an entire lifetime to hold her and kiss her, but for now, she's growing under my heart-right where she belongs-and I'm in no rush for her to exit just yet.

And other than being diagnosed loosely with gestational diabetes this time arround, we've really had no complications. My morning sugars are sometimes boarderline, but that's really it, so I haven't had to change my diet or take insulin; though I have it if I need it. My attitude this pregnancy is just so different than last time; I really am able to take things as they come. I don't have a strict diet or excersize plan-though I should-I have no birth plan, and even gestational diabetes doesn't phase me. I have this complete peace that God is in control, and that He will provide for and take care of this blessing that He's created.

And suprisingly, I'm not even plagued with the very normal fear of being able to love another child. Though the thought crosses my mind from time to time, I'm just not concerned; mostly because I know that God created a mothers heart to be perfectly capable of expanding. It's happened once before, and I have faith that it will happen again and again, as many times as it takes. I'm also aware that there will be a period of adjustment for our little family as this new gift is added, but I'm prayerfully prepairing for that as well, and I'm trusting God to make that transition a smooth one for us, like only He can do.

So, pretty boring, right? No complaints, no fears, no worries...I hardly recognize myself. I feel like so much has happened, so much is going on, but it's almost as if I'm standing in the middle of the hurricane, right in the eye of the storm. Everything arround me is spinning, but I'm safe. Protected. Peaceful.

Maybe this means something big is coming, and God's prepairing me for it. Or maybe it simply means I'm finally learning to trust Him, to take things one day at a time, and to look less at what's going wrong, and more at what's going right.

I'm unexpectedly growing a healthy, second human. The one I already have is pure sunshine. And with way more to be thankful for than I deserve, I am just in awe of the blessings that keep flowing.

Oh, how He loves us!

“Reflect upon your present blessings-of which every man has many-not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.”
Charles Dickens