Christmas/Baby Update

We do a good deal of praying for God to turn people's hearts to him... now it looks like we'll spend the next few weeks praying for our baby to turn his whole body. We had an eventful meeting with the midwife today where they officially moved up my due date about a week and a half and we also got a really beautiful late-term ultrasound. The babe is quite nestled - completely horizontal... with his bottom down, his head on one side and his feet on the other. It explains why he's had such an incredible range of motion - I feel him moving on every single inch! So - if you think about it, pray he goes head down pretty soon. I'm way way way too excited about delivery to give in so easily to a c-section, but if thats the only option - we of course want what's best for him.

In other baby news - the nursery is almost ready. I like the safari theme and I think I'm going to be able to enjoy the countless hours I spend with him downstairs. Steph is letting us use some beautiful animal pictures she took in Africa and I believe our little boy will greatly appreciate our decorating skills:). ALSO - we were hoping we'd get a better idea of what he looks like through this ultrasound but all the doctor could confirm is that his head is a little big for his body:)

Here's a thought about Christmas I've been having. This year is so different for us... Since it's been a rough few months financially and it's still a battle, we knew from the beginning of the season that we certainly couldn't buy presents for one another and in reality - we can't really buy presents for anyone else either. That coupled with the fact that Nick has and will be working constantly and I'm too swollen to really want to leave the house just changes everything:) We're really big fans of traveling and even bigger fans of gift giving and it feels like Christmas has been ripped out from underneath us. I know the easy answer is that "christmas isn't about gifts" but it's hard... it's hard to feel so blessed by those around us and not be able to bless them back.

So what's the point? I know it's about the birth of Christ, but how do I celebrate that? How do I sit down and appreciate that when I'm so inundated with what feels like a constant feeling of lacking. Lacking the ability to live like I want to, buy presents, feel normal looking:) So I started thinking about the wise men... how their gifts seemed so pointless. I wish I could give Nick a humidor for all the baby boy cigars he's about to get, AnnaJaye and Abigail some designer baby clothes, my sister a big funky stone ring... I wish I could give Jb a new journal or something, and Staci some Chanel scrubs - but those are the pointless gifts. It would be great to show them I love and appreciate them, but this year is set aside for me to give Jesus what He really wants...

So this year is about our gift to Christ. Our life. We have so little to offer Him. Not a ton of wisdom or experience, very little public influence. Our resources are puny and our strength wanes daily. All we have is our willingness. Christ ordained this child's life - the Creator of the Universe gave the stamp of approval for the conception of our child and while our life seems to be so bumpy right now - we can stand at the foot of his throne and hold open our hands. We have our relationship - use it for Your glory. We have the life of our son - we give it back to You to use. We have our every minute and hour of the day - we'll be crazy for you, we'll be fools for you, we'll be called unsensible for You. I think Mary probably though something like, "Okay... I guess I don't have much choice. If what you want are my life's plans - that's all I've got..." and I can certainly relate to that.

So, to wrap it up, I'm not sure if reading the Christmas story by candlelight will do the trick for me, or if going to see the Nativity Story on the 25th will make me feel warm and fuzzy. But, I'm going to take comfort in knowing that in my lack of ability to give, I'm offering Him all I've got - the crazy sweet life He's given me.