Be still....

I've written on this before, here. I just wanted to say thank you for the sweet comment from the Abrams Family. I know God is teaching us something through all of this. I had just taken my focus off of that for awhile and decided to focus on self pity, instead! Thanks so much for the gentle guidance back to the cross. My focus should be on what HE can do and what HE is doing through us. I shouldn't even worry or even try to justify worrying about our tomorrow.

So, today, I am much better. We still haven't left to go to my sister's. Charlie worked here yesterday!! Yay!! and I am packing to leave in an hour or so as he worked here for a few hours this morning.

We are heading out to visit the family. Hope you and yours have a wonderful fun weekend with your children, whether you do fall festivals/carnivals (our personal way of celebrating) or whether you go trick or treating.....have a safe and wonderful weekend!!

"I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is filled with joy, and my mouth shouts his praises! My body rests in hope." ~Acts 2:25-26 and Psalm 16:8-11

Love,
Julie

Where o' where is Baby Andrew?!

Just an update: I am dialated to the big number of 1 maybe 1 & 1/2!!!! That's it! 38 weeks and I am a 1 & 1/2 at the most! AGH! And, I was not really happy with my visit yesterday and I actually bawled after I got out of the dr.'s office. =(

Anyway, all of that to say, that I know God is teaching me in this moment. He is using this waiting time to bring some things to my attention and I know that I must abide in HIM as I wait. It is difficult to not demand and whine and cry that baby Drew come out today as right now that does not seem to be in our Heavenly Father's plans for this little one! I MUST trust that HIS plans are perfect and that He has the perfect birth day for our little baby boy. Just please pray for me that I can have the strength and peace to do that!! =)

In waiting out this time, maybe I can get a few more things accomplished before he arrives! Or, maybe I can just spend more time just being with my amazing husband and little girls! =) If he is not here by Saturday, Charlie & I have a big day planned with homemade doughnuts for the girls, outside playtime with them, and lunch and shopping(for the baby) in town just me & Charlie! So, that will be fun!!!! Time by ourselves!!!! Yay!!!! (Can you tell that I am excited?)

Well, I have to get off of this computer and make breakfast and play with the girls for awhile. They are SO exhausted from the trip and missed naps yesterday! It will be nice just to hang out here at home and let them play and help Mama "clean". They love to "help" me "clean"!! I hope it continues as they get older but I am not holding my breath!! =)

Oh, and we will be listening to a "SELAH" CD that I bought yesterday while we work and play! I have been wanting a CD of theirs for awhile and I am blown away!! My Mama even likes it and we very rarely ever like the same Christian music!!! So, I would say, that if it bridges generations like that, it must be awesome!!! We listened to it all afternoon yesterday!! Mama even loved the African stuff!! REALLY cool!!! =)

So, enough rambling for today. I hope you enjoyed my little ecclectic post about anything and everything! I am finding that as I get closer to the birth, I am rambling a lot!

Blessings and Prayers on you and your families,

Julie

38 weeks-No baby yet!!!

Well, there's not much to report except to say that there is no baby yet!! Contractions have been coming off and on for awhile now but still not regular enough and they are slowing down and then just stopping. It's irritating but I know and I am trying to remember that the baby will come in the Lord's good time! I just do not want to go very much longer because the baby will be huge and I am SO ready to hold this baby boy in my arms!!

So, I will definitely try and post some baby shower photos today and show you my HUGE 38 week belly!! We had an unbelievably sweet and thoughtful shower Saturday afternoon! Charlie couldn't be there (the first one he's missed!)because he had to work so, it was bittersweet but I enjoyed myself anyway and we got some really cute stuff for baby Drew! =)

Hopefully, unless I go into labor, I will get the pictures posted later today! For now, I am off to go walking with my Mom and try out my new double stroller with Lily! =)

Have a great Monday everyone & thank you so much for your sweet and thoughtful comments and most of all, your prayers!! They are much needed and appreciated!

Love and Prayers to you all,
Julie

I don't have a title for this.....

*Updated to add: We now also have a beautiful son, Andrew Coy David Fogg, born September 4th, 2008!!!! No problems whatsoever with the pregnancy and a VERY precious blessing he is!!! :) GOD IS SO GOOD!!!!!

In case you haven't figured out by now, I love to bake and cook. The whole process just calms me down. When I am angry or sad or anxious I just bake. When I need to pray and work through something, I do it best when I am baking or cooking. The only problem I have is the anticipation of waiting until it is done! I don't know any cook who can wait to taste the food. Paula Deen has a saying about that and it's hilarious!

On January 3, 1998 I married my husband. We only dated 3 months before we were married. We dated a month and I got my engagement ring. I know, it sounds crazy and it has been hard but it is by far the best thing that I have ever done.Never a regret.

I had been through so much pain in past relationships. We were very young and people could not believe that we knew what we were doing. But, we knew what we wanted. I had been through hell and Charlie was heaven.

Well, we got married and I immediately got pregnant. I had a miscarriage. This cycle repeated itself for the next 4 years. I had so much pain inside and all I wanted to do was to be a mama. There was a lot of anger and questioning the Lord. I was angry at God and angry most of all at myself. Our marriage suffered terribly. That is how I know that we have true love, until you go through something so terrible, you don't realize how good you have it. My husband held up his vows, he was there in sickness and in pain, and literally in death, time and time again. Losing my children is the most terrible pain that I have ever known. But, all of this was in God's plan for our life together. Hanging on to the Lord is what got me through and knowing that he had a plan for my life.

We considered (seriously) adoption and we still do. We were on the verge of seriously looking into it when I became pregnant again(after 3 years of not even being able to conceive). Claire was detected extremely early by the grace of God. I should not have even been able to conceive her, my horomone levels were so low. I not only got pregnant, but carried her and delivered a healthy baby girl in Feb. 2005. After 7 years of struggling to have a baby, I had my beautiful baby girl.

We began talking about having another one shortly after Claire was born, although we were not even sure I could get pregnant again or carry another baby to term. However, we wanted to try but wait until Claire was about 2 years old before we started trying. God laughed at us and we became pregnant with Lily when Claire was 18 months old.

Lily's birth was a miracle in itself. I became diagnosed with gallbladder and pancreatitis/jaundice complications the weekend I found out that I was pregnant. I was put into the hospital immediately. I was in there for a week until the pancreatitis and jaundice cleared up. I had to wait until I was 4 months pregnant before they could do surgery(due to birth defects). That is the sickest I have ever been in my life and I had a 2 year old to take care of (no rest). We both came through the surgery just fine and Lily was born healthy and normal in May 2007.

So, as you can see I have a lot to praise God for. I have two beautiful baby girls. I am a mommy. I waited so long to be able to say those words and if you are waiting I know the pain. I know how empty and alone you feel. I know the discouragement. That is what Satan wants us to feel. But, the Lord is with you.. Let him give you strength. Lean on Him. Rest in Him. And I will be praying for you as I do every day for those who cannot or have not yet for some reason been able to have children. I cannot guarantee that you will have children, only God can do that. I do know that God has plans and reasons and they are not our own. I know that God will give you peace when and if you ever come to that point. I know what a struggle it is to come to that point and to let Him have your pain.

Maybe this helped someone today. I just felt like I needed to write it. Love you all.