Windows

Baby K with my kiddos on Thanksgiving

Baby K with Luke

Baby K on her first day home from the NICU

Over the last 6 years we have the opportunity to care for 13 foster care children in our home. At times we would welcome them in with a couple of hours notice. Each holds a special place in my heart (2 of them becoming my own children). They all had a story, that would make most shake their heads in disbelief. Little people, too little for the burdens they would already have to carry. One of my favorite little people to come in our home was Baby K. She was my first experience with having an infant, and an infant with special needs. She was a preemie weighing just over 5 pounds when I picked her up from the NICU. She moved on from our home when she was 7 months old. The last time I saw her she was 18 months (she is nearly 3 and half now). I have often wondered about her.

Sometimes God allows us to look through windows at His plan. Yesterday I had the opportunity to look through a window. God decided to once again bring Baby K back into my life (although this time only as a person on the side line). Baby K is now a student at the school where I teach. I can only marvel at His mercy, and His all encompassing plan to remind us that the seeds we sew (even into babies) have a purpose. What a small world we live in, that windows are open for a glimpse into His plan.

As promised...

Here is a picture of baby girl. I love this picture as you can see her face. I continue to do well, but feel very tired at times. I am 23 weeks today. I have begun my registry at Target and Babies R Us. I am blessed to have most of the "big" items, but there are many things that I don't have based on the fact that both Luke and Grace were 13 months when they came to live with us. Our sweet baby has a name but it will remain a surprise until she is born.

We began our childbirth classes a few weeks ago. I am not sure how I feel about them yet. The teacher is a little high strung for me, but I will give them another week before I make my final decision if I am done or not. I am still not sure how I want my labor to be (pain meds and all). I feel that the baby is going to come however the baby comes...it feels silly to me to plan for something that may or may not happen.

In other news, my brother finally set a wedding date for September 17, 2009, so we are excited to finally be planning that. We will be going down to southern, ca for the wedding and a trip to Disneyland. Four of us are going to be in the wedding, and I am not sure who the baby is going to be with during the wedding but I figure there will be some willing hands to hold her. After I give birth, I will be going on weight watchers. They have a program for breastfeeding mothers. Hopefully, 5 months is enough time to look decent in the bridesmaid dress. I know I will never be skinny, but I want to look nice. I actually haven't gained that much weight this pregnancy. I lost 14 pounds the first trimester and I have gained back 6 pounds so far. I know towards the end of the pregnancy that I will be gaining because it just happens. Anyway, enough about weight gain talk.

We will also be going to Hawaii next November, so that will be a fun experience (and yes we are bringing all 3 children). Mark and I just don't travel well without our kiddos even if they are a lot of work.