I’m currently 25 weeks pregnant (translated into months, that would be 6 and half months).  Because I live up in the boonies, my hospital is small and so they don’t offer VBACs (vaginal birth after cesarean).  So, I will be having another c-section.  The date has been chosen:  NOVEMBER 19, 2007.  Unless I go into labor earlier, we will be celebrating a birthday on this day.  This delivery is going to be completely different from the first one so in many ways, I feel like it’ll be my first all over again. 

This time, there is a scheduled date and time.   I don’t know how I feel about that yet.  I’m definitely a planner so I feel like I’ll be more in control.  But I feel like the anxiety building up to the DAY and the HOUR and the final moment will drive me nuts!  I know for sure that as that date draws closer, I’ll be a frantic mess – trying to clean the house, getting everything in order, and I may even be late to the appointment!  I can’t imagine what that night before will be like.  I doubt I’ll be able to sleep.  Then on that day, without the pain of labor to cloud my mind and numb my emotions, I’ll have to say “good-by” to Imanuel knowing that I won’t be coming home for the next few days.  And when I do, he will no longer be the only child.

Driving to the hospital with our packed bags…What in the world will we be thinking about?  Not about when the next contraction will come.  Not about driving carefully over bumps.

In the hospital, as we wait for the surgery to begin, it’ll seem like waiting forever – doing nothing.  Just sitting and waiting.  But, once it does start, we’ll be seeing our baby in a matter of minutes!  After Imanuel’s delivery, I can’t even imagine what that will be like!  This time I will actually be awake.  Israel will be there and see him when he’s pulled out.  This will be a completely new experience for all of us. 

In many ways, I feel like I’ll be cheating.  The more I think about it, the more I realize that God knew what he was doing when he designed labor/delivery.  The element of “not knowing when” does have so many advantages.  And, when labor finally hits, its progression at the different stages is so natural and I think it helps the mother ease into delivery.  I think that’s why God likened his coming to the labor pains of the mother and knowing that that’s a sign that the coming is near.  (His coming definitely won’t be like time-setting c-sections…)  I, for sure, will not miss labor pains, but I just can’t imagine a delivery being so “simple” and predictable.      

Anyway, I’ll be sure to let you know how things turn out.  Hopefully recovery will be better since I won’t have to go through sleepless hours and hours of labor and pushing right before the surgery.

The baby has woken up.   I’m going to go get him now.  Today will be a happy day not only because it is almost Sabbath, but because Israel will be flying home today from 3ABN.  Take care!

PS:  Did any of you watch the 3ABN program he was on last night?  I know Yamil did…