Making Room for Baby

Tonight I worked on clearing out clutter from our office so that my sewing desk can be relocated from our bedroom area to the office thereby making more room for baby's furniture. I organized by large collection of children's books, recycled old notes from college classes, chose some books to donate, and more. I still have more to do and that reminded me of all of our spiritual lives. Dave and I are adding to our family and have to make not only physical room for this baby, but emotional and spiritual room for raising this child.

This quote particularly touched me today "Marriage is an act of will that signifies and involves a mutual gift, which unites the spouses and binds them to their eventual souls, with whom they make up a sole family - a domestic church."-Blessed John Paul II

We (Dave and I) are called to be an example of Christ's uniting love to the Church. What a responsibility. Which leads me to another quote "To maintain a joyful family requires much from both the parents and the children. Each member of the family has to become, in a special way, the servant of the others."-Blessed John Paul II

I don't yet completely know the ways our lives will change, but even during this pregnancy the ways we express love to each other has grown. We are learning to serve each other as spouses so we can prepare ourselves for the task of serving one another in our shared responsibility as parents and to be a servant for baby. I'm sure our house will never be completely 'ready' for this baby or any future children just as our hearts and minds may not be ready either. Still I will work a little each day to prepare myself body, mind, and soul for the great task of raising my child and helping them to reach heaven one day.

And so I pray: 

O good St Gerard, powerful intercessor before God and wonder worker of our day, confidently I call upon you and seek your aid. On Earth you always fulfilled God's designs, help me now to do the holy will of God. Implore the Master of Life, from whom all paternity proceeds, to render me fruitful in offspring, that I may raise up children to God in this life, and in the world to come, heirs to the Kingdom of His Glory.  Amen.

25 weeks pregnant-random thoughts

Today marks the 25 week marker. That means only 15 more weeks to go until the expected arrival date of our first born. Last night I was putting different commitments onto our calendar and realizing how quickly the next 15 weeks will pass (or so it seems). I laid in bed last night feeling our little one flipping and kicking about and being amazed at God's great design plan. I pray that between now and December I am able to pray often to prepare myself to become a mother. I have found great inspiration in reflecting upon The Blessed Virgin Mary and her model of how to be a mother, I aspire to be more like her each day. More thoughts to come later, but these are the few things swimming in my head right now.

Dr.'s appointments and ultrasounds

My very first prenatal appointment was on Monday May 7, 2012.  Dave and I were so excited that day.  We went to Dr. Gosser's office at St. Gerard Obstetrics and we were able to see our baby for the first time.  We watched the heart beating and the only way I can describe it would be that the sight was intoxicating. I could have stared at that ultrasound screen all day watching our baby.  Dr. Gosser answered any questions we had and truly put my first-time, worried mom at ease. That day we received the list of ALL our prenatal appointments and we quickly noted that July 18th would be our next ultrasound. We began to look forward to finding out the gender of our little baby.

At the appointments in between I loved listening the heartbeat on the Dopplar and then July 18th came. We went the office and were so excited to see how much our baby looked like a baby. It looked like a baby with its legs crossed and it was. We didn't find out the gender and for a long time I was disappointed. That day the ultrasound tech could sense my disappointment and made arrangements that would require Dr. Gosser to order another ultrasound.

Later that week I was so excited when the nurse called with my results and said I would need to have another ultrasound. But I had to wait until September 12th. Just in the last week I have accepted that it may be God's will that we don't know the gender of this child, but nonetheless I hope we get to find out.

Vacationing in Kentucky

This year Dave's youngest sister, Katherine (Kat), graduated from high school and requested a 'family vacation'. So the Jackson clan went to Kentucky (between Lake Kentucky and Lake Barkley) for the week of 4th of July. In attendance was Mom & Dad Jackson, Dave & I, James (Dave's brother) & his wife Trisha, Christine (Dave's sister) & her boyfriend Steve, Amy (another sister), and Kat (the baby of the family.  We had a 'kids' condo and a mom and dad had their own condo.  It was a wonderful week to spend with my in-laws and I even conquered my fear of the golf cart.

Our Condo featured above

Me in the driver's seat of one of the golf carts.

On the 4th of July (approx. 17 weeks) I took another photo-by then you could DEFINITELY see the baby bump :)