Sometimes it's just better not to know.

I decided to look up some info about having too much amniotic fluid. Yeah, it's not a good thing. I know my case is mild, so I don't need to go off the deep end. Besides, there's nothing I can do about it anyway.

Risks of Polyhydramnios:

Stillbirth
Placental Abruption
Birth Defects
Excessive Post-Partum Bleeding (and I'm on a blood thiner!)
Increased Chance of C-Section


So anyway, dear friends, I only post this so that you can pray for us. You have been so kind and faithful in the past. I am glad that Iain will be here soon one way or another. It will be such a relief to go and check on him when I'm worried. For now, I just have to content myself that he is in the hands of Almighty God. And that is enough. The frail flesh wants more, but I have all that I need.

On a brighter note, here are pictures of the nursery. We just hung the lights this afternoon and there is nothing more that needs done.






This is the beautiful cross-stitch that Susan designed and made for our baby. I love it!


I love going into the closet and looking at his little clothes.

Update

I am feeling very discouraged today. I had my 39 week doctor's appointment yesterday and my cervix is still tight and closed and the baby is still high, despite his large size, the contractions I've been getting for the past several weeks, and the cervix ripening techniques the doctor asked us to try. Iain is not supposed to go past his due date for medical reasons, and the chances of an induction being sucessful under these circumstances are at best like 30%. So Brian and I feel that with that kind of probability, it makes more sense just to schedule the c-section. I go again to the doctor's tomorrow to see if there is any change. If not, we'll be having the surgery next week. I can't tell you how discouraged I am about this. Why isn't my body doing what it is supposed to do? I really, really didn't want to have this surgery because of all the scarring problems I've had in the past. I like my doctor and I trust him. I feel like he has been very reasonable and not at all in a rush to deliver this baby, so I believe him when he says that Iain needs to be born. I just wish it wasn't going this way.

Baby has the hiccups and Mommy has heartburn

Iain has been training me for nighttime feedings for the past several weeks. Even though I am tired all the time, I get uncomfortable after sleeping in the bed for a few hours and then it is time to get up.

So now I'm surfin' the web, waiting until I can go back to sleep.

My Beautiful Boy

For my birthday in February my whole family chipped in to buy a 3-D ultrasound session for me. It was SO amazing. Here are some of the pictures we got at 30 weeks:









Aren't they amazing? I can't wait to compare these with his newborn photos!

Sigh.

I went to the doctor today and everything is ready for the baby to come, except for my cervix. Everything is completely closed up tight, otherwise I'd be having the baby this week. So I just have to wait for my body to be ready. I'm trying to be patient and to remember that this is all God's timing... but it is hard. I keep telling myself that Iain must not be quite "done" yet. I'm hoping that the ultrasound measurements were off and that he isn't 8.8 lbs right now! So send up prayers for patience and a healthy delivery and energy to use these last days wisely.

Other Photos of Note

Here's Daddy putting together Iain's stroller.




And here's me! This picture was taken today, at 37 weeks pregnant.

Graduation pictures, as promised.

The 2006 Graduating Class of Knox Seminary along with the faculty and board.



Keepin' it in the family.



Me with Kilby, Kathryn, and Susan-- sweet sisters in the Lord.



Victory!





This is what we did before graduation on Friday. We had a blast, but as we were bouncing over the waves on Biscayne Bay I remembered that the doctor told me not to run or jump or my water might break. Whoops. Thankfully, the boat ride didn't break my water and we made it to graduation! :)

God is SO faithful

Graduation last night was beautiful. It was such a blessing to see all these men that God has been intensively working on walking up there to receive their honors. It is almost like watching His work come to fruition before your very eyes. These are men that I have known and talked with and prayed for and watched develop in the intense and nurturing environment of seminary. We are so blessed that we went through Knox while it is still small, because I can honestly say that the professors (who are wonderfully mature and wise men in the Lord) really invest themselves in the students. It is truly a mentor/disciple relationship. The students are the fruit of their labor in Lord. All the pageantry and ceremony is beautiful because of the deep meaning behind it-- it isn't just pomp and circumstance (forgive the pun!). I think that the ceremonies of heaven will be like that. Their beauty will be in their meaning. I can tell you that no high school or college graduation that I've been to has had the depth and richness to it that the Knox graduations have had for me during our tenure there.

I sucessfully made it across the stage without falling (thank the Lord!) and I was the 4th graduate to go across the stage, so after that I was better able to enjoy the ceremony. When my sweet husband rose to receive his degree, the tears started flowing and didn't stop until the end. I'm proud to say that he received the departmental award for Church History from his mentor, Dr. Beisner. There was a lovely reception afterward and we got to greet so many dear friends. It was a wonderful celebration. Pictures are coming soon! I just don't know how to get them off the camera.

I can't believe how much we have both changed in 5 years. My husband has grown so much. He looks more like Christ now than he ever has and it beautiful. Watching the Lord teach him and shape him and change him has been one of the profoundest joys of my life and I love him more now than I did on the day I married him. I have been so blessed by the people that we have met at Knox. They have been a rich source of love and support and wisdom. Knowing them has helped me to know God better and to see His hand at work in all things. I never dreamed what an impact the decision to go to seminary would have on us or how much God would use this group of men and women to teach and change us. How richly we have been blessed!

Holy chubby baby, Batman!

I just got back from my last (hopefully!) ultrasound and they are estimating that Iain currently weighs 8lbs!!! He could potentially gain another POUND before he is born! I'm glad he is healthy, but I'm really hoping that he comes soon now. Anytime after this weekend is fine by me. I have another doctor's appointment tomorrow and I'm really curious to see what he is going to say...

In other news, I have officially completed all my course requirements. I'm done! Woohoo! Now all the people who told me it was worth it to finish this degree and that I could do it can take a moment to pat themselves on the back. Graduation is this Friday and I'm starting to get excited about that, despite the wierd dreams. :) I tried on my robe and it does fit, so that's good!

I can't believe that I'm going have a baby in the house in another 2-3 weeks. I think he's going to come the last week in May. We'll see!

Crazy dreams

I dreamed that all the graduates were on the platform in the sanctuary, paired off and holding hands, doing a dance. Every so often a pair would come to the front and announce in unision a name: "John". Then the next set would come: "Pious", then "Leo". My dreaming self was very curious about this, then I figured it out: they're all names of Popes! Dr. Gage would be proud. John Knox, however...

A Highland Lass After All

Well, Brian found out today that he did not receive the highly competitive Overseas Research Scholarship that would drastically cut tuition at the University of Sussex. Funny thing is, both of us felt relief! We've been waiting and waiting and waiting to hear about this for SO long and we keep telling people we don't know anything until we hear about this scholarship. So now we've heard, and now we know. Instead of heading to the University of Sussex in Brighton, England, we're going to Highland Theological College in Dingwall, Scotland! (Unless God has something different in mind! You never can tell...)

But that is the plan for now. We are so very thankful that God opened this door in Scotland BEFORE He closed the door in England. HTC is much less expensive, a shorter program, and an evangelical school where Brian will get to work with fellow believers. So those are pretty big pluses, even though Sussex has a stellar supervisor and is much closer to civilization. Or I guess I'd better say: civilisation. This is going to be a trip! We're very excited and we're praying that the Lord will help us work all the many details out: a quick application and acceptance process, visas/passports, lodging in the UK, packing up and moving, loan applications, our new baby... :)

"For I know that the Lord is great; and that our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps." Psalm 135:5-6

Not like anyone's counting...

T-minus 28

My goodness! The last month of pregnancy is a cranky month, so be forewarned if you've yet to experience it. Emotionally, I am a bi-polar wreck; physically, I ache and creak and groan and each time I decide to get up, I have to strategize first; mentally, I am like a zombie. I can't keep a thought in my head for two minutes together! Despite all my complaining (of which my dear husband has borne the brunt!) I am truly thankful for this pregnancy and I try to continually remind myself of what a miracle and blessing it is. Brian and I are SO excited to meet Iain. It is all we can talk about these days. The anticipation is killing me! :) Dr. Weeber used to refer to me as the "lady-in-waiting" and I truly feel like that describes me now! So I apologize for the horrible uncreativity of this post-- but hey this is all I can think about these days, so it'll be an accurate record for later!

I will try to take and post a picture soon. It will be good to have. I look like I'm ready to pop and the maternity clothes are getting stretched to their limits!

Getting closer...

It seems to be pretty much everyone's opinion that this baby is not going to be a June bug, but a May baby. I haven't started to dilate yet, but the baby is very low and head down, and I've started having some contractions. I have all kinds of symptoms that What to Expect lists under "Pre-labor". I know that this means nothing in terms of when I might actually begin labor naturally, but because of all these things and the fact that Iain has consistently measured big on all his ultrasounds, I think they will be inclined to induce this little guy early. Anytime after graduation is fine with me.

Speaking of graduation, today is Brian's last day of classes at Knox ever. Amazing. We both have some exams to take, but then we're done. The LORD has been so gracious to us these past 5 years. We have learned and grown and loved and been loved SO much. I have a hard time imagining that there could be a better time in my life then these years have been. I can't even begin to put my thoughts and feelings into words about this change in our lives. It's really funny, because a few months ago, I was really stressed about leaving and our future and our house being up for sale, and the baby coming... I was one big ball of worry. And now I'm not. I still worry sometimes, but not to the daily gut-wrenching degree that I was, praise God.