Motherhood...

What a great way to lead into our great news and special pictures. I had a 12 week ultrasound yesterday and our cute baby #4 is looking healthy and strong; strong heartbeat, healthy spine and active already.  I'm farther along than I thought, so it looks like 13 weeks and a few days.  I'll take any days that get me closer to the next trimester. 

I get asked constantly if I want a boy, and I have to admit that after yesterday I was really hoping to have a chance to have a little boy in our home, but it made me so upset when the interesting ultrasound technician predicted a girl and I was sad. (Who can tell at week 12 anyway?) What's the big deal anyway? What is wrong with having four girls, like it's a disappointment to have four beautiful girls.  So if I do have another sweet Gibb girl, be very happy for me, because it's a miracle every time a baby comes to someone, and especially after going through what we do to bring them here.   Besides, who would be unhappy having any child with this man?

I've just felt sick most of the time, but last week had a reprieve for 6 whole days in a row.  I guess my house really needed to be cleaned.  I also prayed for a glimmer of hope to come to me, and that was Heavenly Father's way of showing me that answer to my prayer.  I also had a chance to get away this weekend and spend some time in the mountains with some friends. I had a great time and laughed so hard it made me younger.  I keep thinking about that when this week I feel like I'm going to pass out and throw up for two days in a row.  It didn't help that Sydney didn't feel well and we spent yesterday afternoon at the toilet, but I was given a great deal of strength and stomach power to take care of her.  She's fine, but it was an interesting day being a pregnant mommy.

I'm grateful for the sweet miracles that have happened. I was diagnosed with blood clots a few weeks ago and they are getting better.  I have a husband who loves me enough to take over in the house and wait on me when I'm not feeling well, when he knows that all I want to be doing is blessing my family and home.  I'm so used to being able to accomplish so much in a day.  It's been humbling to take a seat and really try to enjoy the chance to take naps and move at a slower pace.

I keep up my movement. I have a treadmill next to the couch, so I try to get at least 20-30 minutes of walking each day.  It's taken a shift in my thinking to put myself in a baby producing mode for my body rather than a weight release mode.  It's amazing watching this body become ready to hold a child and give birth.

I just picked a pint of beautiful raspberries from my garden, 3 acorn squashes, a melon, tomatoes and zucchini.  I am blessed with bounty.   I am thankful to be alive and experiencing the good along with the challenging things in life. 

Mother's Day....Boy does Heavenly Father love me!

I find it amazing that on a day we remember mother's I felt like Heavenly Father was sending His only little moments to tell me how much he loves me.  I'm blessed to be a mother to three beautiful, smart, and kind girls.  They are not perfect, but neither is there mother.  Nonetheless, God still loves me and knows I'm doing the best with what I have at the moment.  I pray my children will overlook the imperfections and remember my love.

I'll try to describe the beautiful moment as best I can.....I woke up with the sunrise, which I LOVE to do and made my way down to the patio in the back. I sat smelling the beautiful petunias Spencer bought me and read the Bible about Moses instructing the children of Israel to "Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God"(Deuteronomy 8:11).  All I could think about what how blessed I was to be sitting on a beautiful day and learning about the blessings of following the Lord.

My family eventually woke up and I looked up to see Spencer's face.....

Who couldn't melt looking at that face?

 The girls came and brought me the gifts they made at school...they were great.

 They played follow the leader and giggled and laughed and brought me joy.

 We were able to go up to Spencer's parents house in evening and see the new Gibb girl and share in another mother's joy of being a mother the second time.  My sweet sister-in-law just came home from the hospital and we were glad to see her home.  She'd been through a lot and had earned her title of motherhood these last few weeks.

But it all comes down to this.....

It is in those sweet moments where you hold the gifts of heaven and remember how much Heavenly Father loves His children, so much He sent His son, even Jesus Christ to save our souls and redeem us from death.  Such mercy, such love! It is mercy and love that make it possible to continue each day as a mother. 

Happy Mother's Day!

I wrote a mother's day song in February....hope you enjoy it. 

A Sister, A Mother, A Friend

Words and Tune by Julie Gibb