My Goal: Make it to July

"I just need to make it to July," I muttered under my breath as I patted my ever expanding abdomen.

My husband laughs as he turns to our daughter and comments, "Mommy's goal: Make it to July."

"Well, by the then, this new baby would have arrived. And hopefully he or she would be sleeping through the night," I defended my comment.

And I would feel less tired. In theory.

Tired. That seemed to be my state of being during the last month. I felt I spend more time sleeping than anything else. It is understandable, since I was recovering from a very busy semester of teaching. But now I would like to get some things DONE, if my body will cooperate. Rooms need to be arranged to accommodate child #2, the house begs for a thorough cleaning (according to me), new baby supplies have to be purchased, meals need to be created and frozen for when the baby arrives, washable diapers must be repaired, etc., etc., etc.

And time is ticking away.

And when the baby arrives, our lives will undergo another transformation. Amidst the joy of new life, the demands of meeting the needs of an infant and a toddler will be overwhelming at times. I anticipate bouts of crying and moments of frustration. And I'm not talking about the children! And only God knows if the whole nursing experience will be successful this time. Honestly, I dread the external pressure to make it work. I dread all the advice people will attempt to give me. I dread possibly "failing" again. But at least this time, I will award myself a larger measure of grace than the first time.

How did women have eight children in the past?

In spite of my anxiety, I am excited. Our little family is excited. And we are looking forward to another cool kid entering our lives. I just need to relax. Furthermore, I must trust the Lord to grant me the wisdom to prepare for the arrival of our second child and the strength to minister to the needs of our new family. In the end, all I desire is for this baby to arrive safely and to be healthy. All the other concerns pale in comparison.

By God's grace, I will make it to July. But I pray that I will cherish each day from now until then instead of forwarding my life and missing so many little miracles.

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