Baby # 11 Update

Well, I've realized it's been awhile since I have done a baby update.

So.......here it is.

Every pregnancy around this time I marvel at how soon I will meet this little one that has been growing inside of me for so many months, kicking, hiccupping, doing somersaults. And around this time I really fall in love with our baby. A deep longing love. A love that consumes me all day long. I wonder what he/she will look like, what will be the color of his/her hair, will he/she have hair (not too likely around here:), will it be a sleeper or an awaker, what size will it be, will it be a boy or a girl........and the list goes on. And it seems almost unbelievable that Lord willing in a few weeks we will have another baby to hold and love. Another little one to raise for the glory of God's Kingdom, another little heart to train.

The mystery, the beauty, the miracle of birth is all so amazing. No matter how many times I've been pregnant I go through the same feelings. Anticipation, apprehention, excitement and fear. The apprehension and fear are mostly about labor. I have to give this over to God and know that this is in His hands. Some people think because I have been through it 10 times that it will be a cinch :) Not so for me. It is still labor. I think I have learned to deal with it better, but it is still pain. So I focus on the end result, not the means of getting there. I have to do that or I would be a basket case! John 16:21 talks about how when a baby is born the mother quickly forgets about the pain of labor because of the baby she now has. While this is quite true it seems that every time I go through labor it is a little harder to forget the pain. But I also easier remember the first little cry, the first little nuzzle for milk, the pure joy of meeting them face to face for the first time, the relief that labor is over.

I know these last few weeks are going to go by very quickly as we are approaching the Christmas season. Part of me doesn't even want to plan for Christmas because I don't know when the Due Day will be, and the other part of me feels for my family and wants to make things special for them even though I have 'other' things on my mind.

So the days go by. The days go by very quickly. There is still lots to be done before this little one arrives. Everyone here is excited to meet him/her. Zachary kisses him/her every time he goes to bed or I go away somewhere. This baby will be so loved. Lots of hugs and kisses. Lots of attention. After all, it's not every year you get a new baby for Christmas :)