10 days

For those of you that have been following this blog for awhile know that my bed rest season is coming to a close.  I am not as free as I would like to be at this point but I am trying to be patient.  I will be 36 weeks on Monday.  Many of you also know that I have this lovely cerclage and we have scheduled the removal for Monday, January 2nd.  At the hospital.  Does that tell you what my doctor thinks is going to happen?  :)  I am so much farther along than I was with Audra at this point so it feels like it could be any day. Thank you for checking back regularly.  When we have news we will post.  My Christmas comes on Monday January 2nd.  Merry Christmas!

Oh Freedom

Today marks 34 weeks and one day!  A milestone that we thought we would never be near.  As of today I have some new freedoms that I am in desperate need of before I go insane.  I can begin to sit up more, go to the grocery store for one item not 100, and leave the house a couple times this week.  Woo-hoo.  With the passing of 34 weeks I can also deliver at our local hospital if the need arises.  No more UVA, no more magnesium drip, no more fear of early delivery.  It is a strange and bittersweet new freedom.  With this new freedom comes a strange feeling of melancholy.  In the past 10 and half weeks, I have been out of the house 10 times.  4 of those times consisted of visits to the hospital.  Weeks of functioning on anxiety, fear and imminent delivery is impossible to forget in one week.  To embrace the freedom and peace feels wrong.  To put into words the heavy burden of weeks of silence, waiting and anticipation seems impossible.  I am once again am in awe of this second journey of bed rest and the question of how and why is only added to the list of someday questions.  For now, I embrace this new found freedom with both arms and continue to find shelter in the grace we have been given once again.  May you be covered with grace this Christmas season.      

Great appointment but a not so silent night

Another appointment down this week with another stable report.  Starting next week I will be 34 weeks and I have been told I can sit up to eat my meals.  If all goes well I will be able to do more the next week.  I hope all goes well.

On another note, we had an exciting early morning today.  At 4:50 this morning I awoke with a start.  I laid there for awhile contemplating why I was awake.  After a moment I heard it.  The slam of a pantry door and the pounding of feet.  This was no Santa and eight tiny reindeer.  This was an intruder!  My eyes popped open and I sprang out of the bed.  I crept out to the hall and grabbed the closest weapon: a lamp.  I silently slipped down the stairs to see who or what was in the house.  As I rounded the corner I clutched the lamp close.  I know what you are thinking- why would she think a lamp will save her?  The better question you should ask yourself is-why is this eight month pregnant woman defending her household?  Do you really think a pregnant woman on bed rest should or would leap out of bed to defend her home?  There is no leaping going on with this girl!  Let's start again.  At 4:50 this morning I awoke with a start.  I laid there for awhile contemplating why I was awake.  After a moment I heard it.  The slam of a pantry door and the pounding of feet.  I jabbed Paul beside me and startled him awake.  "I think Audra's downstairs!"  Paul shot out of bed and I do mean shot out of bed and was half way down the stairs before he fully comprehended what he was even doing.  That is the funny thing about Paul. When he is asleep, he is asleep.  So he often ends up a comical mess before really coming awake if he is startled from a deep sleep.  He rounded the laundry corner to find Audra sitting beside our dog Skye reading a book.  Skye listened intently while Audra read with gusto from her book.  Once again she had found her way from her bed to another location.  Needless to say we will be putting the gate back up at the top of the stairs to keep Audra from walking down the stairs in her sleep. 

And the Search Begins . . .

Yesterday I had yet another appointment.  Is it sad that my week is defined by my one outing a week?  :)  Everything was stable again.  My doctor has not taken away my restrictions yet but I have been given permission to start sitting up to eat a few meals.  This will be heaven. 

My family is here for the weekend to celebrate Christmas.  I am sending my brother along with Paul to pick out the Christmas tree.  If you were reading this blog last year, you will remember well the Christmas fiasco.  Feel free to go back and read what happened last year and it what is in store for my poor brother- Sucker.  :)