Elijah and his mama

 

 resting

 

 

helping mama with the dishes!

Elijah and his daddy

Elijah's Birthday: our birth story (complete with photos!)

Elijah's birth story

I was attended by my husband David, my mom Gale (who had flown over from the States and arrived 24 hours before I went into labour!), the home birth team midwife and a student midwife.

How it all started:

I woke up at 5am on Wednesday June 30 (which was 40+5) with contraction/needing to use the toilet.  Went back to bed and fell asleep, so obviously nothing much was happening yet.  Woke up again at 9am with contraction/needing to use the toilet.  Went back to bed afterwards but contractions didn't go away this time.

Around 11am we walked up the street to do the weekly cleaning job for our neighbour - Mom and David did the cleaning and I sat on the couch and had contractions.  Got back and had some lunch.  Was increasingly uncomfortable during contractions even though it was early labor, so spent the afternoon bouncing on the birth ball in the living room trying to stay distracted.  I was also in denial about being in labor because I've read so many birth stories where the labor has started/stopped/started/stopped and I didn't want to get too focused or too excited too soon!  All the pain was in my lower back so I was really uncomfortable. David did a marvelous job holding me and letting me lean against him during the contractions.  We timed the contractions for a long time and found that they were 4-8 minutes apart and lasting at least a minute each.  I was becoming increasingly hazy in the breaks between contractions and felt like I was zoning out.  I was also extremely shaky between contractions - my body was shaking uncontrollably. 

I had had fond intentions of spending early labour baking a birthday cake for our baby (well, not for him - for ME! doesn't every woman's mind run to chocolate cake while she's in labour?!?) but found that from the very start the back pain was too intense for me to spend more than a minute or two on my feet at a time.  So that plan got scrapped. . . I was VERY attached to my birthing ball and wasn't comfortable doing much of anything else!

early labour

At some point David decided to go ahead and start filling the birth pool.  We were using a Birth Pool in a Box (the smaller size - which fit me just fine and I'm 5' 9") which we borrowed from our friends the Harams, and we'd had it inflated and sitting in our living room for a couple of weeks at this point.  David now filled it with hot water figuring that it would be sitting for several hours and would have plenty of time to cool off before I was ready to use it - and he was right - brilliant of him to think ahead like that!  I was still in denial about being in labor, and in fact (amusingly) was slightly irritated when David posted a facebook status saying "Katie is in early labour" - I was determined not to get too excited or hopeful until I was sure that it wasn't a false alarm!

an inside joke: I gave David these rubber duckies as a gag birthday gift (he loves taking a relaxing bath) and he teased me all along about putting them in the birth pool with me during labour.  so here they are, waiting for action!

After this had been going on for few hours, we phoned maternity assessment, and they contacted the homebirth MW, who then phoned me to see how things were going.  I wasn't sure what to tell her because I didn't know what my body was doing - the contractions were irregular and sometimes would be really intense and other times I couldn't tell when they started or stopped because they merged together, so I was having trouble timing them.  She advised that I phone her back when the contractions were 3 every 10 minutes.

So we kept timing the contractions. . . we played some Boggle with my mom and I lost horribly because I couldn't concentrate.  I was still bouncing on the ball - mostly sitting upright and leaning forward but sometimes I would kneel on the floor and rest my upper body on the birth ball to take the weight off my lower back.  Eventually the contractions were getting intense enough and I had a "show" at 5:30, so we phoned maternity assessment and the MW arrived around 7 or 7:30.  By the time she arrived, my contractions had gone completely irregular and I was having great difficulty timing them  accurately because they were not well-defined.  So she told me she thought I was still quite early on in labor. She offered to do an internal examination to see how far along I was but I didn't think that would be encouraging, so I declined (it was in my birth plan that I didn't want any internal exams unless it was necessary).  So the MWs decided that since it was still so early on, they would leave and go get some rest and I could phone them to come out when I needed them.

getting ready to play Boggle with my mom

So after 8pm, when the MWs left, I settled down to cope as best I could with the contractions.  Our friends the Harams were going to be dropping by and I didn't want to go upstairs and lie down until after they had come by.  So I stayed in the living room and kept bouncing.  I watched a bit of "Total Wipeout" on Iplayer to try to distract me but couldn't concentrate very well because I was really uncomfortable during the contractions.  At this point I decided I was ready to start using the TENs machine for pain relief.  David and my mom got it sorted and put it on my back, which took a while to sort out, and I found it quite useful.  Then the Harams arrived to see how things were going and they offered to pick up things from the shop for us, so then I decided to wait to go upstairs until they came back with the things from the shop.  As a result, I ended up not going upstairs until midnight, when David and I decided to try to lie down and get some rest in between contractions.  I was desperately tired and wanting to get off my feet which is why I was willing to try lying down.  We knew it was going to be a long night!

As soon as we went upstairs things ramped up.  I knew that coping with the contractions while lying down was going to be more difficult, which is why I had waited until after I was using the TENs machine to try it.  Sure enough, the contractions became REALLY intense and within 20 minutes of lying down they were also becoming more frequent.  We had stopped timing the contractions hours before, so that we wouldn't get discouraged by seemingly "slow" progress, but David could tell by my body's reactions to the contractions that it was time to start the stopwatch again!  He was brilliant at holding me and reminding me to relax.  The pain was excruciating - it was ALL back labour and I felt like I was being swallowed by the pain. I was forced to begin vocalizing (moaning and saying "ow") during contractions to stay relaxed and control my breathing.  It was so painful and very difficult to cope, but we persevered for an hour and a half until the contractions were coming fast and furious.  Then David had the fun job of getting me out of bed and back downstairs.  I had three contractions on the way down the stairs!  By now it was about 1:30 or so in the morning.

We knew it was time to phone for the midwives again, but by the time we got them on the phone I couldn't speak through the contractions and David told them to come out.  I transitioned back onto the birthing ball - I spent the next hour or two alternating between sitting upright and leaning forward onto cushions on the back of a chair, and kneeling on the floor leaning over the ball and resting the weight of my upper body on it.  I was still using the TENs for pain relief but I knew that soon I would be ready to get into the pool, because the TENs machine was no longer helping as much with the pain.  However I was determined to wait until I couldn't bear it anymore before I got in - I think I was afraid that the warm water would slow my contractions down and I would be in labor even longer as a result!

The midwives arrived around 2:30am.  I was so focused that I basically ignored them.  The contractions continued to be regular (but I have no idea how frequent) and very painful.  At some point not too long after they arrived I vomited - definitely a sign of transition.  Not too long after that, I decided it was time to get into the pool.  My body was so tired and sore from constantly bearing my weight (no matter how I was using the ball) and the back labor was excruciating.  I got into the pool, and it was amazing!!  It was very soothing to my strained muscles.  it didn't do much for the labor pains (I didn't expect it to, honestly) but simply not having to bear my own weight, and being able to move freely around, was a massive improvement. 

I'm not sure exactly how long I labored in the pool.  Mostly I was stretched out leaning back and resting my head against the side of the pool.  My mom and David were brilliant about holding a cold cloth on my forehead and rubbing my shoulders gently and encouraging me to keep my arms relaxed during a contraction.  At some point the pool needed to be topped up slightly with hot water to keep it warm enough. 

Not too long after that, I suddenly felt really weird.  I changed position so that I was facing the side of the pool and kneeling upright. I said to the midwife, "I can't tell whether my body is telling me I need to throw up or I need to push!"  She laughed and said, "You wouldn't be the first woman to puke her baby out!"  Just then I vomited - and my body switched into MASSIVE, unmistakable pushing mode.  It was the most incredible experience.  The urge to push was absolutely uncontrollable and involuntary.  I wasn't expecting to be very noisy, but I did end up moaning and yelling quite a bit (but not screaming - I kept the noises deep so that it wouldn't expend energy) - I simply couldn't help making noise, it was completely involuntary and helped me push!  David was sitting next to the pool facing me, close enough that I could hold onto him as I leaned over the side of the pool.

pushing (and resting in between contractions)

I really appreciated the fact that the midwives let me labour without interference, but at the same time they were very supportive and coached me through it.  It buoyed me up to hear them say things like, "You're doing an amazing job pushing that baby out!"  I don't know exactly how long I pushed for - it was about half an hour, definitely not more than 45 minutes from start to finish.  The midwives checked the baby's heartbeat using a water-proof doppler every five minutes, but it was very non-invasive.  I found that the whole way through the labour they were careful to give me my space so that I could stay focused and concentrated.  I cannot stress enough how important this was to me!

here you can see the midwife monitoring the baby's heartbeat while I laboured. . . my mom is on the right.

When the baby's head started crowning, I was mentally prepared for it and used deep breathing to gently ease his head out, rather than pushing.  I was SO determined not to tear!  My waters broke and the midwife had been monitoring me closely using a mirror on the bottom of the pool (watching the baby's head appear and recede with each contraction) and knew that I was close to delivery.  There was fresh green meconium in the waters and she told me so, but said "The baby's heartbeat is fine and you are going to have him out in a couple of pushes, so you're good to go!"  Again, this was fabulously encouraging to me.  I cannot stress how much I appreciated her level-headed approach to the situation.  (There was NO way I was going to get out of the pool at this point anyway. HA!)

Two contractions after my waters broke, I pushed the baby's head out. . . shoulders came with the next contraction, and then the rest of the body followed.  It was an immensely gentle birth.  The midwife caught the baby and the cord was wrapped twice around his neck so she immediately unwrapped it and handed him straight to me.  We got out of the pool immediately because the temperature had dropped during while I was pushing and wasn't warm enough anymore.  They wrapped us up with towels and my husband and I sat on the floor and cuddled him.  Our baby boy, Elijah Carter, was born healthy and absolutely beautiful at 5:25am on Thursday July 1 (which was 40+6) after 24 hours of labour.  Because the waters hadn't broken until just before he was born, his head didn't have the squished look of some newborns.  He was 7lbs 9oz.  And he had a full head of hair.

midwife unwrapping the cord from his neck and handing him to me

just born

The cord stopped pulsating pretty quickly and the midwife then cut it.  The placenta was delivered naturally 7 minutes after Elijah was born - completely effortlessly.  I lost an average amount of blood and only had the slightest of abrasions - no tearing at all.  Elijah had his first feed within 20 minutes of being born and has been a champion nurser from the very start.  I was so happy that the midwives were in no hurry to take him away from me to weigh him or anything.  They left us alone on the couch to cuddle for a long time.

And that is the story of our birth - everything went smoothly, exactly as I had hoped it would, it is a beautiful and still awe-inspiring memory for me and I am very, very, very thankful for the excellent care of the homebirth team midwives here in Glasgow.  The fact that they supported me in my desire to have a completely natural, drug-free, non-invasive labour (no VEs or anything) absolutely made my day and helped me to stay positive and focused throughout the entire experience.   And we are so blessed to have Elijah added to our family!

he immediately went for his fist/thumb! here he is snuggled up with his grandma

  our new family snuggling together :)

 

 P.S. I already put up a lot of photos in the two previous posts - so check them out if you haven't already, and more will be coming soon!  :)

photos! :)

Elijah is two weeks old today!

Taken when he was half an hour old and nursing for the first time:

 

In his moses basket for the first time:

 

He loves to cuddle.

 

He is such a peaceful, contented baby.

 

Sleepily blowing bubbles and holding daddy's hand

 

Warm and cozy

 

Surrounded by gifts from friends: the bear is from his Auntie Sarah's wedding the weekend before he was born, the blue blanket was made for him by Betty Ann, and the colorful blanket was made for him by his Grandma :)

 

Our sweet boy

 

Totally relaxed and enjoying life!

 

 Tucked away in the pram for a walk

 

Elijah Carter Lachman was welcomed into the world at 5:25am on Thursday, July 1st, in the comfort and relaxation of our living room.  It was a completely natural 24 hours of labour and a lovely waterbirth.  He is an absolutely bonny boy - completely healthy, 7lbs 9oz at birth, happy, contented, and he nurses brilliantly.  We are SO THANKFUL to the Lord for so many answered prayers for safety and strength. . . and the perfect timing, too.  My mom arrived from the States the day before Elijah arrived and has been a brilliant help.  We have been blessed by the generosity and encouragement of many friends and are recovering well.  I'll post the birth story as soon as possible.

Well, today has been an interesting day!

I fainted in public for the first time.  What a milestone.

I was feeling fine this morning, and David and I walked the short distance (10 minutes) up the street to Knightswood to worship.  It was comfortably warm outside, not anything to bother me.  After the service started, my head was feeling funny and I was having lots of trouble with shortness of breath, which I found really strange, but I thought I would be okay and the feeling would pass.  By the time the minister had started his sermon, I realized I was in trouble because I suddenly felt extremely lightheaded and was sure I was going to pass out.  I whispered to David something like, "I"m not feeling well. . . I'm really lightheaded" and that is the last thing I remember.  David apparently responded by asking me if he needed to take me out to the ladies' room, but I was already unresponsive and he realized by looking at me that I was on the verge of passing out, so he just held tight to me so that I wouldn't fall over.

Fainting is so, so, so scary.  But David was brilliant.  He handled it like a pro!  Apparently I made a HUGE disturbance.  When I faint, I don't just slump over tidily - apparently my body goes rigid, so David said it was quite a sight.  I was sitting down on the pew when I lost consciousness, and David was expecting it, so he apparently held tight to me so that I wouldn't fall over - instead my head just went backwards.  It was right in the middle of the sermon, and the minister stopped preaching, and lots of people jumped up and rushed over, and some were concerned that I was having a seizure. But David knew what was happening (because he's seen me faint before) and he just held onto me so that I wouldn't fall over and reassured everyone and I was unconscious for about 20 seconds altogether and then came to with a concerned crowd of people staring down at me.

Unfortunately the feeling of lightheadness and shortness of breath did not go away quickly, so David and the minister's wife and one of the elders and another lady from the congregation who is a GP helped me to the ladies' room where there was a chair I could sit in.  The minister resumed his sermon but only preached for another 10 minutes - even though I had fainted when he was just starting his first point - apparently I caused the poor man to completely lose his train of thought!

I was really feeling very, very unwell and became concerned that my blood pressure was too high, which can be dangerous in pregnancy.  Thankfully the minister's wife had a blood pressure cuff at her house just down the road, so she went to get it and we took my blood pressure, which was normal - so that was reassuring, but I was still feeling horrible and having trouble getting my breathing under control and my head was still spinning.  Because we weren't sure whether it would be better to get a lift home, so that I could go straight to bed, or whether I should go to the hospital just to make sure everything was okay, I phoned my doula, Lindsey, who is on call for me.  She was very helpful and reassuring and encouraged me to go home so that I could rest, and phone the maternity assessment at the hospital and see what they said.
 
I followed Lindsey's advice and went straight home from church (lots of kind people offered us a lift back which was really helpful!).  Then I phoned the triage/maternity assessment at Southern General hospital and talked to a very helpful lady.  She reassured me that this is a common occurrence for pregnant women and it was probably due to everything being "squished" inside including my blood vessels, and my blood supply probably got temporarily cut off.  She encouraged me to have something sugary to bring my energy levels up and take away the shakiness, and to go to bed.  So I sucked on an ice pop for a while, and my wonderful husband fixed me a sandwich, and then I went to bed and have been resting all afternoon and listening to sermons.  I fell asleep for quite a while.  At this point I'm feeling much better overall - no longer short of breath or lightheaded - but I am very tired.  And my body is extremely stiff and sore (lots of muscle pain) from head to toe now, because when I pass out my body goes rigid!  So I feel like every muscle in my body has been wrenched.

I'm very thankful that this didn't happen on Friday during our trip to/from Inverness. . . and I'm also thankful that we weren't all the way out at our church on the East End of the city this morning - we normally would have been, but the man who gives us a lift to church was out of town and we would have had to take the train and do a lot of walking to get to church, so we decided to attend the congregation here in Knightswood which is very close to our house - so it was a blessing that I was close by when this happened- and not on the train somewhere, or 35 minutes away in Shettleston with no way to get home!  I'm also thankful that everything is okay with the baby.  He's been happily pounding away in there and making himself comfortable!  :)

If anything, this has confirmed to me that I can't really be out and about much more these days.  I was honestly feeling fine when I left home this morning to go to church, and just had a lovely short stroll (less than 10 minutes) up the street, and no idea that anything like this was going to happen - which has made me a bit nervous about venturing out at all now!  How am I supposed to know if I am physically capable of anything if something like this can happen so fast?  We are praising the Lord for His protection and the many ways that He demonstrates His care for us.

Yesterday David officially completed his theological studies at the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) Seminary in Inverness!  We went up to Inverness to attend the closing lecture where David was presented with his certificate.  It was a crazy day trip - we left Glasgow around 11am for the 4-hour car trip north, spent the evening with friends (David had a special dinner with the other students and I enjoyed visiting with Debora and her girls), attended the evening lecture, and then left Inverness around 9:30pm for the 4-hour drive home!

I am really thankful that I had the energy and strength to go along to see David reach the completion of two years of hard work. . .  I decided that if I woke up on Friday morning with no twinges of impending labor and felt up to the trip, that I would go - and the Lord was gracious.  I got LOTS of comments from people, mainly of two varieties: "Wow, you're brave!" and "You're crazy, what are you doing here?!"   Dear helpful people, I think I know my body well enough to recognize the warning signs of labor. . . and I certainly wouldn't have gone if there was any likelihood that anything was about to happen!

A shot of the students after the lecture.  From left to right: Parthee, David, Raymond (the other graduating student), James, Davide, Joachim, Alasdair, and Matthew.  Seated is Rev. Iain Murray who gave the closing lecture.

Another photo, of students and lecturers, taken outside in the blinding glare! From left to right: Parthee, Mr. Roberts, Alasdair, Mr. Woods, James, Mr. Beers, Joachim, Mr. Keddie, Matthew, Mr. Macleod, Raymond, David, and Davide.

So now there is much excitement and much uncertainty ahead. . . I say uncertainty, but we know with certainty Who is in control, and He knows what is to come!  David has his presbytery exam on Monday, immediately following which (assuming he passes, D.V.) he will be licensed.  Then he is eligible for a call. . . and only the Lord knows what is next for us!

Tomorrow I will reach 39 weeks!  So far no real indications that baby is on the way out, though I have had some sporadic Braxton Hicks (always a fun experience).  Mainly I am just very uncomfortable - still dealing with a LOT of pain in my hips and back, struggling to sleep at night, finding the weather way too warm for my liking, and suffering from fairly severe allergies.  I am very, very grateful for the opportunity to relax and get lots and lots of rest.  We've had a quiet week and I know I made the right decision to back off on being out-and-about so much when I did, because I'm just not up to much of anything anymore!

I am also thankful that David has successfully made it through not only his final exams, but has also had all of his final-year discourses sustained!  So he's had a well-deserved bit of a brain break this week.  We have enjoyed playing croquet together in the sunshine in the garden and I am definitely getting better by the day!  Today I actually won the game in ONE turn!  And we have enjoyed relaxing and watching the World Cup together as well. . . again, a chance for me to rest and have my aching back massaged while we watch the game.  :)

My wonderful husband found time to inflate the birth pool which is now in the corner of our living room.  He was tuckered out after pumping it up by hand!

And then he decided to take a less-than-flattering shot of me from inside the pool: this should be known as the "Baby Bump Monster" photo because I just look. . . overwhelming from that angle!

David has been going through a "nesting" phase himself, I think.  He's convinced that baby is not permitted to come until the house is properly clean and organized.  He's been brilliant about tidying up the place bit by bit while I rest!

I have a rose bush in my back garden that I didn't even know existed until it started blooming last week.  Every day it has a new bloom on it!  They look amazing and they smell gorgeous!  I "haz a happi" (as David would say) every time I walk out the door and see them.  Here's some photos, starting with the first bloom:

What the bush looked like at that point:

What it looks like as of yesterday:

Today there were even more blooms - and still more buds to open!  But I haven't gotten any more photos yet.

Well, we've had an eventful couple of weeks. . .

We enjoyed a 3-day visit from David's dad, who was here in the UK on a business trip, and then a 10-day visit from Sarah (David's sister) which was great fun.  Since David and I will not be able to travel to the States for Sarah's wedding in a couple of weeks, it was lovely to get to see her before she gets married and settled into her new life.  While she was here, we played LOTS of Scrabble. . . we enjoyed lots of time visiting with Parthee, who made us curries. . . I successfully made David chocolate cake for his birthday. . . and we played croquet in the garden with David's new croquet set that I got him for his birthday.  We played "Lachman style" - because David and Sarah have both played croquet tons more than I ever have, they decided that for David to win, he had to complete the circuit THREE times. . . for Sarah to win, she had to complete the circuit twice. . . and I had to complete it once to win.  Haha.  And now let me tell you. . . I didn't win.  Not even once.  David is so good that he was always round and round and round and DONE long before my one circuit was finished!

While Sarah was here, we also had the opportunity to take a day trip to Edinburgh and do some sight-seeing.  Unlike David and Sarah who have both spent quite a bit of time in Edinburgh, I had never been there before.  We met a friend of theirs, Rebecca, and spent the afternoon taking a bus tour of the city.  The bus tour stopped at the Botanic Gardens and we spent over an hour wandering through and enjoying the beautiful plants.  Apparently the Gardens have 80% of the known plants in the world represented!  It was a gorgeous, warm day and we even had time to pop into Starbucks and enjoy a cold chocolate drink which I was craving!  :-)

Sarah left insanely early on Thursday morning and headed back to London by train - but our busy weekend had just begun (early).  David has been diligently knocking out his remaining assignments one by one. . . and he is now down to the last one (or will be by bedtime tonight!).  So that's what he's been doing, poor guy. . .

Occasionally, though, he has emerged into the sunlight.  On Friday we had the opportunity to attend our first Scottish wedding - the marriage of our minister's son Martin and the elder's daughter Beccy.  It was a beautiful, simple ceremony and a fun evening reception complete with traditional Scottish dancing.  If I hadn't been 37 weeks pregnant I would SO would have jumped up and joined in because it looked like amazing fun!

We didn't get home until 1am on Saturday, but I was up again bright and early to head down to Ayr for a Christian Education conference hosted by our congregation there.  It was a really encouraging gathering with two lectures, the first by Rev. Gavin Beers (our minister in Ayr) and then one by Rev. Ali MacLachlan (the Baptist minister in Cumnock).  And for once, I was enjoying not being the only pregnant woman present, because there were four others, I think!  I was thankful that my stamina lasted barely long enough to get me through the day, as I had been looking forward to this conference for months.  Then I got home and went to bed for the evening - and David very kindly bought Chinese food for dinner!  :-)  While I was in Ayr, David stayed home and got a huge amount of work done, and then headed to the hospital for another check on his neck, which seemed to be re-developing.  He is now back on antiobiotics. . .

It is so hard to believe I am past 37 weeks and really in the final countdown now - I need to focus and get my mind into "the baby's coming!" mode because it just doesn't seem real! Everything has been going so well - I really am amazed by how smoothly this pregnancy has progressed. So far we have a "green light" for the planned homebirth - I have borrowed a birth pool and my living room is stacked with bags of equipment and stuff! The midwives have been very supportive which I am grateful for, and I also have been greatly blessed by the services of a doula (http://www.doula.org.uk/content/duk/about/default.asp).

By the way, I have updated Facebook with lots of photos recently - so if you are my friend on Facebook, go check them out . . . and if you don't have Facebook, let me know and I will post a few on here (but there are too many to post them all!).  

sharing Spurgeon

 This was my morning reading in Spurgeon, and I thought it was worth sharing because it is such an excellent reminder!

“Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee.”
- Psalm 55:22

Care, even though exercised upon legitimate objects, if carried to excess, has in it the nature of sin. The precept to avoid anxious care is earnestly inculcated by our Saviour, again and again; it is reiterated by the apostles; and it is one which cannot be neglected without involving transgression: for the very essence of anxious care is the imagining that we are wiser than God, and the thrusting ourselves into his place to do for him that which he has undertaken to do for us. We attempt to think of that which we fancy he will forget; we labour to take upon ourselves our weary burden, as if he were unable or unwilling to take it for us. Now this disobedience to his plain precept, this unbelief in his Word, this presumption in intruding upon his province, is all sinful. Yet more than this, anxious care often leads to acts of sin. He who cannot calmly leave his affairs in God’s hand, but will carry his own burden, is very likely to be tempted to use wrong means to help himself. This sin leads to a forsaking of God as our counsellor, and resorting instead to human wisdom. This is going to the “broken cistern” instead of to the “fountain;” a sin which was laid against Israel of old. Anxiety makes us doubt God’s lovingkindness, and thus our love to him grows cold; we feel mistrust, and thus grieve the Spirit of God, so that our prayers become hindered, our consistent example marred, and our life one of self-seeking. Thus want of confidence in God leads us to wander far from him; but if through simple faith in his promise, we cast each burden as it comes upon him, and are “careful for nothing” because he undertakes to care for us, it will keep us close to him, and strengthen us against much temptation. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee.”



Thanks for your prayers regarding  my scan on Friday.  It went really, really well and showed that the baby is just the right size!!  So no worries!  Now we just continue to pray that this last month will go smoothly.

Yesterday was my man's birthday!  We didn't do much to celebrate because he has been so focused on studying, but I made him a special birthday dinner (orange chicken - a family favorite) and his favorite dessert, strawberry rhubarb crumble.  Yum!  We are planning a proper birthday celebration later in the month while Sarah is here, after David finishes his exams and has some time to relax.  :)

David did end up going to the A&E this week to have the abscess on his neck lanced, so we are praying that it heals quickly now.  He went back this morning for a follow-up appointment and has another follow-up appointment scheduled for Tuesday, just to make sure that the inflammation is subsiding and the wound is closing properly.  This medical condition has definitely shifted David's plans (he had to cancel his preaching engagement this weekend and he will only be attending part of the General Assembly in Edinburgh next week) but we are praying for the Lord's sustaining grace and strength as he continues to prepare for his upcoming final exams and finishing his discourses.  It's been difficult for him to concentrate due to the pain and discomfort, along with the mental fatigue and general strain of being on medications for weeks now.

Everything is going well with baby.  :)  My midwife has no concerns about the baby's size, but she's going to book me for a growth scan next week anyway, just to give us both peace of mind and confirmation that everything's okay. . . because I've been getting so many comments about how small I am, and she just wants to be sure that her midwifery instincts that everything is okay are correct. I would appreciate your prayers that everything would continue to go smoothly!

ahhhh. (that's a sigh of relief and vindication.)

The midwife came to the house today for my check-up, and she said a couple of things that made me very, very happy.  First of all, she agreed with me that this is an extremely active baby (it was moving and kicking the whole time that she was poking around and trying to listen to the heartbeat).  Yes, this is the little darling who kept me awake for a substantial portion of last night by his or her restless meanderings from one side of my ribcage to the other.

Secondly, re: my concern about the size of my small baby bump, which has been scornfully remarked upon by less-than-helpful observers. . . well, according to my midwife, I am "all baby" -- she told me that the baby is the perfect size for this stage in pregnancy, that my stomach muscles are strong and well-developed which is why I'm not sagging and "ballooning" more, and I am simply in good shape which is why I'm carrying the baby excellently.  Amazing how much better her comments have made me feel!  :)  Peer pressure - and the knowledge that I have the smallest baby bump out of all the women in my antenatal class - was making me wonder and question and doubt myself.  Funny how it's possible to vacillate between worrying that the baby's too small and then thinking that I don't look pregnant, I look fat.  Both have been disproved today.  Hurrah for wonderful midwives!

I'm not sure how many people are reading my blog anymore, as comments have dropped to "0"!  I promise I will keep it updated!  :)

April was a busy month.  The students participated in the evangelism module here in Glasgow for a week, which was also a week full of houseguests for us.  Then there were two trips to Inverness for two sets of lectures (more than usual).  A couple friends who were expecting had their babies (congrats to the Beers and the Keddies!). . . a friend got engaged (congrats Jackie!). . . and so on.

I started my antenatal classes.  They have been mildly helpful so far.  There are 12 women in the class and I think probably only two or three of them (including myself) are married.  And I now understand why so many people have told me that I "don't look pregnant" - I definitely have the smallest baby bump by far, even smaller than the women who are due a couple of weeks after me.  I guess it must be because I am tall and I have a long torso?  The other thing I have learned from these classes is that out of 12 women, only myself and one other lady said that we felt positive about the pregnancy/labour/birth experience and didn't really have anything negative to share.  That is sad. . .

The girl who was sitting next to me in class was stunned to find out that I am planning a home birth.  "But you can't have any pain relief!" she gasped.  "Uh, you can TOO," was my response.  Honestly, the midwife brings you your own personal supply of Entenox (gas and air) to use during the labour if you feel like it!!  And you have many other options available as well - the only option not available is the epidural.  How people can be so badly misinformed about a home birth is beyond me.  My reasons for a home birth are simple: 1) I'm not sick, so why should I go to hospital?, 2) I hate hospitals and find them scary, and stress/anxiety does not make your labour progress very well, so I am staying in my own comfortable home where I can have things the way I like it, 3) I am avoiding the risky infection-ridden hospital rooms and corridors, 4) my husband can relax and be a part of our child's birth rather than being treated like he is in the way, 5) I can have the personal attention of two midwives rather than competing for the attention of the on-call midwife in the labour and delivery ward along with however-many-women-decided-to-go-into-labour-that-day. . . . and the list could go on.

My midwife will be making a "home birth assessment" visit to our house tomorrow morning, so I have tried to straighten things up in preparation. 

I made a creamy bacon-and-mushroom carbonara tonight.  It turned out much, much better than my last attempt at carbonara (which was edible but not aesthetically pleasing).  I also have made a couple of surprising simple beef-in-gravy dishes recently which have been quite tasty.  I love it when good beef is affordable!

Very grateful to report that I have had some relief from the pain in my back which plagued my pregnancy up to this point.  The visits to the physiotherapist helped and I find that if I am very careful not to overdo it when I am out and about, and if I rest a lot, that has cut down on the back pain as well.  Now it's my hips that are really acting up, which has slowed me down even further because I can't walk far without pain!  However, I am still trying to stay active and keep up a regular, but gentle, exercise routine.

Today I had the opportunity to go for a lovely walk at Loch Lomond Shores and the Balloch area, with my friend Naomi.  The weather was stunningly beautiful - a lovely, sunny, warm spring day with all the trees in blossom.  Perfect for an outing and a stroll along the river!

April was busy, but this month will be busier still.  David is frantically trying to finish up his three senior-year discourses which must be turned in by the end of this week.  Poor man, he has gotten a nasty infection (it started as an ingrown hair) on his neck which is now excruciatingly painful and swollen.  He is on antibiotics for it but the pain is very intense and has made it very difficult for him to concentrate on writing his papers.  Then he has a preaching engagement on the Isle of Skye in a bit over a week, immediately followed by a five-day stay in Edinburgh for the General Assembly, which is then immediately followed at the end of the month by his last trip to Inverness - for final exams!!

We are eagerly anticipating a visit from David's dad and sister. . . Sarah in particular is planning to stay with us for about ten days at the end of this month, which will be absolutely lovely.  And then my mom is planning to fly over at the end of June to visit for about three weeks, around the time the baby is due!  :)

Well, I've had an interesting couple of weeks.  I have been waiting to update my blog until I was feeling better, because I don't like to update when I have nothing to talk about but how BLAH I feel!  Today is a better day. . . so here's a brief catch-up.

We had a full week of company from April 2nd-9th, and ended that fun but tiring week by hosting the students (who were here in Glasgow for a week of outreach and evangelism) over for lunch on the Friday.  That went well. . . and the men's week of outreach went well, too, with several contacts made.  There were 8 visitors in the Knightswood congregation as a result.

On the Saturday I went on an outing with the other Sunday School teachers from our congregation.  We took the children who attend Sunday School to the David Livingstone Centre in Blantyre.  It was an absolutely gorgeous day and the kids seemed to really enjoy themselves (though I'm not sure how much they learned from the exhibits).  For me, it was a fun day because although I've known about David Livingstone since I was a child, I had never realized that he was from the Glasgow area!

The next week David and I took another brief trip to Inverness, where he had classes on the Tuesday and Wednesday.  Thankfully the travel was made easier for me because we were able to get a lift in a car both ways instead of taking the bus.  I had the opportunity to get together with some of the other wives on the Tuesday and we went to the Floral Hall, a lovely conservatory in Inverness.  Enjoyed a walk in the fresh outdoors and a wee lunch in the cafe. . . time to fellowship. . . and a fun curry night at the Woods'!

Since getting home I've been in recovery mode, but things have still been so busy that I've had a few days when I just couldn't cope physically.  My body is showing signs of advanced pregnancy, alas.  I am trying to focus on getting through one day at a time and rest as much as possible, because I can't do much else!  My stamina has gone completely downhill.  And the baby has been moving constantly - so constantly that it has literally been making me feel ill (motion sickness from my stomach churning for hours on end!).  The other day I told David, "If I could tranquilize this baby. . . ."

I'm encouraged by this lovely spring weather!  We are currently seeing 14+ hours of daylight here and every day is growing even longer.  The beautiful blue skies and sunshine help me stay cheerful.  Hubby and I took a lovely walk around our neighborhood today.  Here's some photos of the spring growth in our garden:

Well, we had a delightful weekend with the Ratti family. . . they arrived on Friday night and left around midday today.  Davide is the Italian student also studying with David in the FCC seminary.  They have three girls ages seventeen, fifteen, and nine - which meant there were seven of us in our little house!  We have only one spare bedroom so we transformed the living room into a "sleeping room" each night with air mattresses and sleeping bags heaped from one end to the other!  Thankfully I felt like I have learned a lot from my mom over the years so that I was well prepared mentally for hosting and feeding a crowd.

I had eight people for Lord's Day dinner because Parthee (another student) joined us. . . thankfully it was a very easy slow cooker meal and everyone loved it.  I made a new recipe I had never tried before. . . a beef and mushroom ragout of some kind. . . with mashed potatoes and broccoli.  Yum.  Then we had nine people for supper when we got home from evening service - because Alasdair (another student) and Esther (his fiancee) who were in town from Inverness, came to visit!  Thankfully the "left-overs" were enough to feed a crowd. 

We managed to kill two toasters in the course of the day, though!  One toaster simply stopped working - I think it is old and worn-out - so we pulled out the "replacement" toaster which had been given to us by a friend whose parents didn't need it anymore because they had bought a brand-new one.  The "replacement" toaster responded to being plugged in by EXPLODING!  And that was the end of making toast for the evening.  What excitement.  I am now in the market for a toaster!

So anyway, we still have the Rattis' oldest daughter Giulia staying with us . . . for probably the rest of the week. . . which was unexpected. . . she was supposed to stay with friends, but the friend got sick, so at this point she is still with us and we will see how the week goes.  Our other guest arrives tonight - Raymond, another student, who is coming into town for the students' Evangelism Module this week and will be staying with us until Friday.  So my week is not about to get quieter, it is getting crazier!  I am hoping I have enough sanity to get through it. . .

Well, our guests will be arriving in a couple of hours, and I am beyond grateful to say that this house is actually just about suitable for visitors!  My spring cleaning has advanced successfully thanks to the extra measure of strength and perseverance I have been given to get through this week.  I have been praying that the Lord would bring me through and help me accomplish all the things on my to-do list, and He has answered that prayer!  :-)

Wash and air-dry all linens in house: check  (The weather has been beautiful, which really helped my motivation to get through the piles of laundry!)

 Make beds in guest room: check
Finish working my way through the pile of dirty dishes: check  (Yay!  So good to have every dish clean!)
Clean cooker: check
Mop kitchen floor:  check  (This is a huge accomplishment!!  First time my kitchen floor's been properly cleaned in months - shameful!!)
Done major grocery shop for company: check  (That was my exercise for today: I walked to the shop and then took the bus home because the groceries were way too heavy to carry.)
Spaghetti sauce in slow-cooker for dinner tonight: check  (And it is making me soooo hungry - the smell is permeating the house!  Yum. . .)

And so on. . . the list is certainly shrinking, and it feels good!  :-)


Another praise - we were given four nice sturdy dining room chairs today!  A friend no longer needed them, and offered them to us.  I had been trying to arrange to borrow some chairs/stools so that we would have enough seating for all our guests (we only have seating for five, including a folding chair), but the Lord provided in perfect timing - and the chairs weren't borrowed, they were given to us to keep!!  This is such a blessing!  Since we moved in, we have been really limited as to the number of people we can host for meals, etc. because of our lack of seating.

It has been a rough week for my back, but there are two blessings related to that. . . First, I did have a massage on Wednesday which seems to have been really helpful.  It certainly left me feeling more relaxed than I had been previously.  Then I had an appointment with the physiotherapist on Thursday, which I felt was the best appointment I've had with her yet (this is the third time I've seen her).  Since I last saw her, I've had no improvement with the pain and discomfort in my back, and so she was a bit puzzled as to what she should do next.  So she decided to check my back again and see if there was anything she could feel.  Sure enough within just a minute or two she had located the one main spot that has been causing most of my problems (I have tried to explain to her where it is, but this time she actually managed to find it).  So she worked on it three times, "mobilising" the muscle (it's where my spinal muscles meet my rib cage in the middle right of my upper back).  Since I saw her I have certainly noticed a large measure of relief from the horrible pain I've been suffering in that area.  It may be due to the massage, or it may be due to the physio's "hands-on" treatment this week, or both - but either way, I am very thankful and hoping that the relief lasts!

Hubby has sweetly volunteered to do the hoovering of the house for me, because I have found that to be very strenuous on my back.  So that is one more check off my to-do list!  Now I'm off to scrub the bathtub before I call it a day and put my feet up until our guests arrive. . .

officially tired of being pregnant!

I'm afraid I've reached a point in this pregnancy where I am ready to be finished, rather than just floating along each day as it comes.  I told David last night, "I am officially tired of being pregnant."  Oh dear!  This transition into the third trimester seems to be taking its toll on me, as I have been experiencing an increase in back pain, pain and swelling in my legs, pain in my joints, great difficulty sleeping at night, a lot of uncomfortable movement from the baby, and so on.  I have an upcoming appointment with the physiotherapist, and we will see if there is anything more she can do to help provide relief.  Also I am grateful for the opportunity to have a massage tomorrow from a friend's sister who is a masseuse.

The bus fares in Glasgow skyrocketed this week. . . *sigh*  How did I find this out?  Well, I found out when I caught my usual bus on Monday to go to Children's Club.  I put in my 3.50 for a day ticket and the driver told me, "The fare's 3.75 now!"  I was shocked. . . and I didn't have any more coins with me to pay the new fare!  Thankfully the driver was very kind and gave me the ticket anyway!

Looking forward to a busy end of the week. . . we have guests coming to visit and I have much to do to prepare!

thoughts from the book of Daniel

Last night in prayer meeting we read from Daniel 9, where the prophet Daniel pours forth a prayer of repentance on behalf of his captive people Israel.  In many ways I think this is one of the most beautiful chapters of the Bible because it so clearly presents our unworthiness and yet the timeless promises of God's faithfulness to his people even when they are wayward and rebellious and do not seek Him.

"O Lord, to us belongs shame of face, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. . . We have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets. . . All this disaster has come upon us; yet we have not made our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities and understand Your truth. . . And now, O Lord our God, who brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and made Yourself a name, as it is this day -- we have sinned, we have done wickedly!  . . . O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies."

Daniel 9: 8,10,13,15,18

In light of the events that have taken place in the United States this week with the passing of a health care "reform" bill that the majority of the American public opposes, I thought this passage was extraordinarily appropriate to share.  The United States, as a nation, is receiving what it justly deserves - a corrupt president, a corrupt government, and the gradual lessening of our freedoms.  But so often it seems that what "scares" and "angers" the American people (including believers) is the loss of their idolized "freedoms" rather than a proper recognition of their standing before a just and holy God.  We are more motivated by pride, selfishness, fear, a fiercely independent spirit, self-righteousness, and the list can go on. . . than we are by our relationship to Him to whom we are accountable for every thought, word, and deed.

What should our Scriptural response be in such a time?  I think it should be a response of abasing ourselves in humility and repentance before the Lord, recognizing that we have not sought Him as we ought, nor have we been "salt and light" in our culture.  Our response should not be first and foremost to plead for Him to remove the judgement from our land, but first and foremost pleading with the Lord to work in our hearts and teach us "to turn from our iniquities and understand His truth."

On a separate note, for those of you who were interested to hear more about the street preacher arrested in Glasgow last week, here is a link: http://sgwm.com/newsblog/2010/03/23/out-of-jail%E2%80%A6fellow-christian-shawn-holes-was-arrested-while-preaching-the-gospel-in-downtown-glasgow-scotland/

spring has sprung. . .

Well, most of March has slipped by since the last time I posted.  I don't remember when the first "official" day of spring is, but for all intents and purposes, it's HERE.  And it's energizing me - I hope!  I'm really enjoying the several days of bright sunshine we've had so far, and the wind which has really picked up.  The breeze has been so refreshing  and cleansing that I've opened the windows several times to air out the house - even though it is still too chilly in the evenings to leave them open for long.

I am trying so desperately hard to organize my days into some type of routine, but because we never know what a day will bring forth, that is nearly impossible to accomplish.  However, I do feel strongly that a couple of weeks of Spring Cleaning are about to commence - to be worked through gradually, as I am able.  I have a kitchen floor that is screaming in desperation to be mopped.  (Yes, it is that bad.)  I have a garden clothesline which I can use again because it is not freezing outside!  (One load of wash is already on its way out today.)  I have a house that needs to be vacuumed from top to bottom, again.  I have linens that need airing.  I have windows that need washing.  I have dishes to be washed, which I am GOING to CONQUER daily.  *sigh*   Yes, these are the two major lessons that this newly-married and newly-pregnant woman is learning:

1. How to get the housework done, without hurting myself by stubbornly trying to work above and beyond my current physical capacity.

2. How to get the rest my body needs, without falling behind on the work that should be done daily.

So, what I am attempting to do (in the Lord's gracious strength) is to find the balance of rest and work. . . to know what my body's limits are and then use the hours in my day to gradually work through the tasks that are set before me.  If I can do the housework in 15 or 30 minute increments, and then put my feet up, I should then use the time while I'm resting to do some good profitable reading or study.

Last week I borrowed a whole stack of books about homeschooling - the different methods, different approaches, and above all the Scriptural foundation of education in the home.  Even though I was raised in a homeschooling family and I have never had any doubts that I am going to homeschool my own children, I haven't actually read very much on the subject.  I want to be learning what I can NOW -- even before our wee one is born - so that I am as well-educated and well-prepared as I can be.

An answer to prayer is that I have had two appointments so far with the antenatal physiotherapist, who is helping me correct my posture, which will hopefully strengthen my back and result in a significant decrease of the pain I've had for months now.  I have also been trying to regularly get some aerobic exercise and strengthen my back and legs. . . I'm still hoping that swimming will become a good option, but it costs money to use the public pool.

Prayer requests:

* David is busy working on his discourses and has headed into the final few weeks of his studies before his final exams in May.  He is under a lot of pressure because committee responsibilities have eating away at his study time.

* This week has been a week of outreach based out of our church in Shettleston (east end of Glasgow).  This is a very rough, impoverished area full of drugs and crime - marks of a society that has rejected the Gospel.  Pray for protection for the men who are going out "around the doors" to distribute tracts, invite people to church, and share the Gospel where there is opportunity for conversation.  Yesterday a street preacher here in Glasgow was arrested for answering a question about homosexuality.  There is no "freedom of speech" here - you can be prosecuted for "hate speech" if you share what the Scripture has to say about ungodly lifestyles.

* My brother Luke deployed yesterday for six months.  Pray for protection for him, but most importantly that his relationship with the Lord would be strengthened and become the bedrock of his life and actions, and that he would be a bold and unmistakable witness of Christ to his comrades in arms.

wow. it's March already?

Well, our eagerly-anticipated holiday weekend on the Isle of Skye with the other students and their families was sadly canceled.  David and I were literally putting on our coats and about to head out the door to catch our bus on Thursday morning when the phone rang to say that all buses were canceled.  There was a terrific snowstorm which shut down the motorways heading north.  So then we thought there might be a chance that we could re-book tickets for Friday instead, hoping that the roads would be clear by then, but they weren't.  So we (as well as Parthee) were stuck in Glasgow for a quiet weekend at home instead of enjoying fellowship with our friends and fellow-laborers.  The other students who were coming from the Highlands and Islands were able to get together as planned because the roads weren't blocked where they were coming from, so we're happy for them, but we were disappointed to miss the party!

Our holiday was canceled. . . but unfortunately work was not!  David still had to head out on the morning train to Inverness first thing Monday morning to attend two days of committee meetings (fun, fun).  Last night was the first time I've spent a night alone in our house. . . a bit scary, but not too bad.  David should be home by midnight tonight.

I was out most of yesterday helping with the children's Bible club, as usual.  We are regularly having eight or nine children come along.  Please pray that we would have wisdom to know how to deal with the chaotic behavior that is sometimes exhibited by these children who have no moral or emotional stability in their homes.

Baby has been making his (I don't like saying "its") presence manifestly known recently, as movements have become more intense and more noticeable.  Last week for the first time David was able to feel the baby kicking!  He had been wondering if he was ever going to get a chance to feel it for real, because every time the baby was active and he put his hand on my stomach, the movement would immediately stop.  I told him that the baby obviously takes after his dad -- he is a tease!


On Sunday night we had an excellent sermon from Philippians 4:19 - "my God shall supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus."  What a reminder that we are provided for not only physically and materially (which in and of itself is so amazing!) but spiritually as well. . . in Christ Jesus.  Recently we have seen this verse demonstrated.  Last week my friend Shael told me that she and her husband were praying for wisdom to know what to do about purchasing a new vehicle for their family (six children).  For the past ten months, ever since their youngest child was born, they have been unable to fit in their vehicle because there are not enough seats for everyone.  So they have been dependent upon their parents for transportation to and from church, etc. and have been unable to take the entire family out together just for fun.  They have been trying to save every little bit they can. . . but when you are a student for the ministry and you are relying on the Lord for your daily bread, it's hard to save when there is no income.  Even so they though they might have finally scraped together enough to buy a 9-seater "minibus" (that's what they call vans over here - 15 passenger vans are unheard of!) which would fit their entire family.  However, the one that was offered to them which was within their price range was questionable as to whether or not it would be reliable - and it would drain every cent of their savings.  So they continued praying, not knowing if this was truly the Lord's provision or if they should continue to wait on Him.  The next day Shael checked her email.  She is a member of a UK homeschooler email group and she discovered than 10 minutes before, someone had posted "9 seater minibus free to good home"!!  This family in England had been blessed with a larger vehicle for their own family and wanted to bless a large family with their previous vehicle which was well-maintained. So the Harams have been gloriously, richly provided for!  What an amazing story!  :-)  It just cheers my heart to be reminded yet again of how much God cares for His children.

And I'm going to end this post by sharing something that I was sent on FB, which I think is hilariously funny.  If you like extra strong (or as they say here in the UK, "mature") cheddar cheese, you will love this as much as I do.  Follow this link!