What 28 1/2 Weeks Looks Like

Finally....A Call From the Doctor

The Lord has taught me a big lesson in patience this week, while waiting for the ultrasound report to come back and be read by the doctor concerning this growing baby in the womb. Without going into a lot of detail, there was some concern about some possible heart defects. However, we are excited to say that the baby is perfectly fine, based on the ultrasound report. He/she (yes, it's still a secret!) is growing well and measuring a little big, but is perfectly healthy. I also have quite a bit of extra fluid, which is making me measure 7 weeks ahead of my due date. We (along with the doctor) will have to decide what to do about this, but we have several weeks yet to make that decision. For now it just gives us an answer as to why I am measuring so big and am finding it increasingly difficult to move around (I measure 35 weeks right now)! Thank you to those who were praying for us.

Cute Little Nose and Sweet Little Toes

Here are two ultrasound pictures from today. We won't know about the results of the ultrasound until tomorrow when the doctor receives the report, but here are some cute pictures of our baby!

Free Cereal, Anyone?

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Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges

This book review was done for NavPress.

Jerry Bridges addresses sins in our lives that Christians have overlooked or made "respectable" due to what we believe are "worse" sins. These sins include ungodliness, anxiety and frustration, discontentment, unthankfulness, pride, selfishness, lack of self-control, impatience and irritability, anger, judgmentalism, envy and jealousy, sins of the tongue, and worldliness. Many Christians have become immune to these "respectable sins" and allow them to creep into our lives, where they may slowly take root and often gain control! Jerry Bridges identifies these and exposes them for what they really are. The concluding chapter "Where Do We Go From Here" gives direction and Scripture references for further meditation in dealing with these sins in our lives.

This book is very convicting and great for continuing in Christian growth. I highly recommend it to anyone. It is wonderful to read through and also to use as a reference chapter by chapter, when struggling with a specific sin. The Scripture given throughout the book also directs the reader to the Bible where more study can be done on these specific "respectable sins" and God's view on them.

Baby Update - Under 100 Days!

With only 90 days left until the due date for baby #4, we had another doctor visit today. For the first time this pregnancy, the doctor measured my fundal height and I measured 7 weeks ahead of schedule! We were all shocked! I've had minimal weight gain, do not have gestational diabetes, and I've typically only measured 1-2 weeks ahead of schedule with my other babies, so the doctor is ordering another ultrasound to check on the size of the baby. Everything else is going great, though! This pregnancy has gone so fast. We're looking forward to having this baby in our arms soon, but my to-do list has a ways to go yet!

My Amazing Husband

I don't normally brag on my husband on my blog, but I just can't stop myself just this once. ;-) He has really delved into his hobby of photography and is really getting very good. He has been able to do two weddings recently and gain more experience in that field. He'll often take one or two of the kids outside on a dry day and just practice with different lighting techniques. He's constantly reading photography blogs and asking knowledgeable, experienced people what they do to capture certain shots. I love seeing what he is learning!

Last weekend he took Sarah out around the neighborhood on a whim and got this shot of her. I think I will use it as her birthday shot for this year.



Anyway, just wanted to brag on him a little publicly!

Sick Little Girl

What have we been doing this week? Battling sickness! Enjoying lots of extra cuddles! Trying to get extra rest! Staying away from everybody to avoid making others sick!

Last weekend Rachel had the stomach virus that has been going around. On Tuesday night, Garth and I were both sick with the stomach virus as well (at the same time...not fun). On Wednesday Rachel started a pretty wicked cough and by Thursday, we knew we needed to have her seen by her pediatrician. The doctor told us to continue what we were doing (Albuterol in the nebulizer every 4 hours) and if her cough wasn't better by Friday, to bring her back in for some steroids. On Friday her cough was some better but she had developed a fever, so we figured that her body was indeed just fighting a virus and decided to let things go for another day. By Saturday her fever was still high (102-104) and with a call to the doctor, we determined that Rachel needed to be seen at Urgent Care. After a chest xray and a swine flu test, the doctor determined that Rachel had pneumonia and wanted to treat it aggressively to avoid possible hospitalization. This morning (Sunday) she seems to have turned the corner and is acting a bit more like herself with some smiles and orneriness. She's on her antibiotic, the nebulizer, and some steroids...all of which seem to be helping her get her strength back to be able to fight off this illness. Here's a picture of her taking her nebulizer treatment:

The Sweet By and By

This book review is done for Thomas Nelson. If you are interested in becoming a review blogger for Thomas Nelson, click on the widget on the side of my blog.

This new novel by Sara Evans (with Rachel Hauck) is a romance mixed with a story of past hurts and forgiveness. Jade Fitzgerald is the main character and her life is written about from a young teenager to a middle-aged woman about to be married. Her life is scarred with many events such as an abortion, teen marriage, a split home, and a mother who is on the road much of her life. Jade's life is filled with bitterness until an "experience with Jesus" changes her outlook.

While a compelling story with "real" characters, I felt this book cheapened the idea of a personal relationship with Christ. A salvation experience consists of acknowledging who you are in light of who God is, asking for forgiveness from sin, and desiring a personal relationship with the Lord for the rest of your life. The book explains it as a "purifying fire" that left a "cool river of peace". The morals presented in the book are not one that a Christian young lady should possess and because of that, I would not recommend this book for anyone to read.