Remember

This week, many people will reflect upon the cross, what Jesus did there & what He does for them every day, in their own personal lives. It's Easter week! He is risen!

Many of us will dye eggs, hide treasure-filled baskets for the little ones, fly kites & grill out with friends & family. Some us us will go to church & remember the holiday by participating in The Lord's Supper.

It's spring! New life!

The new baby is doing well, according to the midwife at my last appointment on Friday. We won't find out if we're having a boy or a girl until the end of April.

The daisies in my yard have popped. I took a picture of Abbie smelling one, then she asked me if she could pick it. I have two vases full of clover flowers & dandy lions on my kitchen counter already.

The barn swallows are swarming my front porch again this year. Last year they built a fairly sturdy nest over my front door & dive bombed anyone who came near. (The nest has since been knocked down--thanks Mom, for the clean up job.)

I was remembering my first experiences at church as a small child. I think I was around 4 years old. The neighbor lady, Kathie Clish, took Patti & I, along with Maryellen, Jay & Corey (ages 2-9) to vacation Bible school at her church. I remember Mom getting me up really early in the morning to get ready to go. After vacation Bible school, Mom let Patti & me go with Kathie & her kids to church every Sunday. (My parents didn't go to church at that time.) I remember the children's church meeting in the basement. I remember making arts & crafts. I remember taking a walk with my Sunday School class in the small field next to the church to gather items for a craft.

I remember getting left at church after worship service one Sunday. (Kathie had a lot of kids to handle on her own.) I was taken to the pastor's house next door, & the adults made some phone calls. Kathie came & picked me up. We laugh about it now, but it was a bit scary for a 4 year old.

My Mom was in her thirties. She didn't know the Lord yet. She was searching. I remember her inviting some Jehovah Witnesses into the house each week to talk to her. I usually hid. I didn't like them talking to me. I was afraid of strangers.

Kathie invited my Mom to an Understanding God class, so my Mom went. I don't know where I was when Mom was at these classes--maybe next door at Grandma's house. I do know that my Mom came to know Jesus as her Savior during these classes. (Then, Mom took us girls to church with her every Sunday. Eventually, Dad started coming with us, too.)

At the end of the Understanding God class, all the ladies got together for a party. The children were invited too, & we had our own little Bible class that day, down in the basement of whatever house we were at.

They told us the Easter Story from the Bible. (It didn't include a bunny.) I remember the story about Jesus dying on the cross & how God raised Him on the third day. I remember drawing a picture of an angel sitting on a big stone in front of the tomb. They told us that Jesus died for me--to pay for all the bad things I'd ever done. (If you saw my "marker picture," then you know I was bad.) We were told that all we had to do, was ask Jesus to forgive us & ask Him into our hearts & we could be forgiven. When the teacher prayed, I asked Jesus into my heart. I was only 5.

When you're a kid, things are simple. Faith comes easily. The "wisdom of the world" has not had a chance to leech simple faith from your life, yet. Maybe that's why experts quote statistics of how young people come to know the Lord more readily than us older folks. Once you hit a certain age, you've been exposed to the Truth for so long, you become numb to the Message & it's easier to say "No" to God.

I've served in different churches with young people (in spite of my kid phobia,) from newborns to teenagers. It's a blessing.

I don't really think people understand how important it is to make the Bible available to our young people. Tell them stories of Jesus. Share the Good News. Show them God's love in everyday service.

So, remember this week. Remember what Jesus did for you. And, remember to say "Thank you," to those that serve you & your children by faithfully ministering to them each week. Maybe it's time to stop saying "No" to God, and say "Yes" to serving Him by ministering to a child.

Kathie Clish was a young mother with 3 kids of her own, yet she took the time to be friends with a neighbor down the street & to take the neighbor kids to church with her.

Thanks Kathie.

Thank you Jesus, for Kathie, and for others like her who take the time to share Your Love with a child.

Mark 9:37 (NLT) "Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me."

14 weeks-not for the squeemish

I saw a fetal medicine specialist on March 5th. I'll be seeing him for the remainder of my pregnancy, as well as my regular midwife. His equipment is much more advanced than the military clinic. He said that the placenta/uterus was working fine (on the ultra sound), so he wasn't too concerned about the subchorionic hematoma. I've been bleeding "old" blood (brown) since I went to the ER for the hemorrhage on February 20th. The doctor said that was normal for a few weeks. He also said that, if you run a mile, your legs will tell you to take it easy, because they will hurt the next day. Not so with your uterus. It may not hurt. It will just bleed. So, I have to take it easy.

My Mom has been here for a week & a half. She's been cooking & cleaning & playing with Abbie. (I feel bad--she had back surgery 2 years ago--I should be taking care of her!) My Dad is coming at the end of March to pick her up. Then I'm on my own.

Tuesday morning, we made a weekly trip to Walmart for groceries. After lunch, I went pee & there was fresh, red blood. Unsettling. I called the nurse line at the hospital's OB clinic. They told me that as long as I wasn't filling more than one pad in 1/2 hour, I was O.K. to stay at home, sit & put up my feet & drink lots of fluids. No more red blood today--back to the brown stuff.

So, pretty much, I worry every time I pee & every time I have any kind of abdominal pain. (Being pregnant at 39, you have a lot of pain--it's pretty normal.) I hope I don't see red blood. The brown blood is still a bit unnerving. I know I'm not 'spose to worry, but it's hard not to.

As of yesterday, I'm at 14 weeks.

The second trimester.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6 (NIV)

Day to Day stuff

I started a blog so I could write about little daily things that I didn't want to forget. That is what this post is--daily details to remember.

Last Friday we had a scare. I was having some pain--lots of pain. I figured I'm old & pregnant & pain is part of the territory. So I laid down on the bed for a bit. I called Jim & left a message on his voice mail. (He just got the message yesterday--great cell phone service.) Abbie broke out her toy doctor's kit & started giving me a check-up. She is so cute.

After about 15 minutes of no relief, I got up to pee. (Always got to pee!) There was a lot of blood. It just kept coming. Being 11.5 weeks pregnant at that time, you can imagine the terrible thoughts racing through my mind. I slapped on a BIG pad & made my way downstairs to find my medical file & the phone number to the OB clinic at CLNC. When I called, they told me to go to the ER.

I called Jim, again. I got his voice mail, again. He called back quickly & I told him I needed to go to the ER but didn't think I could drive. Jim called our good friend, Barb, who happened to be off from work that day & only lives 3 miles away. Barb came right away & whisked Abbie & me to the Naval Hospital ER, where Jim was waiting. He had already checked me in.

I waited about 1.5 - 2 hours before I was placed in a room. Waited another 1/2 hour to see the doctor. They did an ultrasound--the baby was still there & moving around! The ultrasound showed that I had a subchorionic hematoma (hemorrhage.) It was large enough to see on the ultrasound. I was told to stay off my feet & take it easy.

After seeing the ultrasound picture, Abbie asked if the baby was in it's swing.

Jim freaked out & put me on bed rest. Bed rest will kill me. Jim waited on my hand & foot all weekend. I sat. Sitting around makes you sick.

I had a regular OB appointment on Monday. The midwife didn't tell us anymore than what we had learned from our internet research. We listened to the baby's heartbeat. I have an appointment with a fetal medicine specialist on March 5th. My midwife said that he would know more about my situation.

Subchorionic hematoma is common in about 25% of pregnancies. There is nothing a mother can do to prevent it & there is nothing she did to cause it. It just happens. There are 3 outcomes: it clears up on its own, it continues throughout the pregnancy until delivery, it doesn't get better & the baby is lost. I'm takin' it easy & prayin' hard.

Abbie asks about heaven all the time. Her & Jim got on the conversation of asking Jesus into her heart. She was not ready to do that during one of their initial talks. On their way home from church this past Sunday (I was at home---sitting.), Abbie said that she was ready to ask Jesus into her heart. She said, "Jesus please come into my heart. Now I can go to heaven." Simple.

You pray for your children, before they're even born, to make this important, life-changing decision. I don't think she really understands this decision yet, but at least she's going in the right direction.

Yesterday morning during breakfast, Abbie asked me if Jesus was still in her heart. I told her yes, He would never leave her. Then she asked if, when we get to heaven, will Jesus come out so she can see Him? She is so cute. Childlike faith.

Yes, we will see Jesus in heaven.

I hope to see you there, too.