26 Weeks

Dropsy's....is that what it is called? :) Well whatever they call it, I have it (just ask my girls at work!) My balance and ability to pick up things without dropping them has seemed to be lacking this past week. I can't imagine what it will be like if it gets worse! I haven't been too forgetful with things, but I can definitely tell that I have to constantly repeat things in my head to remember them. What is this baby doing to me?! :) Nonetheless, it has been a good week. Other than waking up this morning with my back in lots of pain, I've been blessed by my friend Magen Cass with a Snoogle. Every pregnant woman should own one of these things...just look it up, explaining it won't do it justice. McBaby has been moving around a lot, and seems to be kicking quite often (those are my favorite!) We get another ultra-sound in just a few weeks to make sure his progress is coming along. I am going to try and video tape it if they let me, and then I'll post it on here!

I'm thankful this week, grateful in ways I can't even begin to explain. Something indescribable happens when you are carrying your own child. Questions run through my mind all the time, such as....who is he going to look like the most? What will his passion in life be? Will he love basketball and golf like his daddy? Will he be a momma's boy? I'm reminded of the countless ways in which God has blessed our family this week. These thoughts have been spurred on by something no one should ever have to go through or experience. My heart is breaking for the children and people of Somalia and East Africa. I could be that person living in Somalia, 26 weeks pregnant, and with nothing to eat or drink. Instead, I'm sitting in my air-conditioned home with plenty of food in the fridge and water flowing rapidly all around me. Sometimes I don't understand why I am here, and they are there. To be honest, there are plenty of times where all I want to do is complain about the little "mundane" things in life, when there are so many more important things happening in this world that seemed to be ignored the most. [Although, it's in my humanity that I find this great longing and desire, and belief, in a Savior. It's in the "mundane" that I reach for that which is eternal and desire more than this life here on earth.] We live in such an egocentric world that to think about anybody but ourselves seems almost silly.  So, my prayers go out to East Africa this week, especially for the children and mothers who are starving and/or barely surviving.

Whenever I have a hard time trying to understand the tragic situations in this world, I am always reminded of this part of scripture in Revelation: 

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." Revelation 21:1-5

I pray that the people in Africa cling to this promise from the Lord, and place their hope in it. 

Here is a website if you are wanting to know more information about what is happening in East Africa, or if you are willing to donate or help in any way: 
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/07/20/iyw.howtohelp.somalia.famine/index.html