Oh my! God certainly does have trust in you; in fact, I don’t know when I’ve heard of any one family he has placed more trust in at any one time…maybe the Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie - does that count?

The first thing that comes to mind is insurance…I so hope y’all will be able to keep your medical insurance, for you certainly need it now! The second thing that I worry about is Avery’s tutor - are you still using the tutor and, if so, will he or she work with you, should you have to fall behind in payments now and then? His education is so very important, and I’d hate to see him miss any opportunities or lose any progress he’s already made.

I cannot imagine that, with the stress you’re under, that baby will make it to your due date!

On the upside, at least Corey is there for you while you are so sick, at least he’s there for during your last stressful (anyway!) days of pregnancy, at least he’ll be there for you when/if you go into labor, at least he’ll be there for you to help out when the baby comes home from the hospital. Most fathers miss that opportunity, that bonding time that we mothers get with our babies. Maybe this IS a blessing in disguise. Maybe you’ll go through some hardships, but sometimes hardships make a family stronger. Maybe your children will learn valuable lessons about economizing, about pitching in and helping out even more than they do now. You said it well: “… if we want the good, we must also weather the bad.”

And this WILL make you stronger, but it will also be a struggle. I hope for you all that the struggle will be mild and brief; that Corey will secure an even better job than the last in record time. He’s young, he’s energetic, and he wasn’t let go for any reason of his own. If there’s a job out, he’ll be a prime candidate for it.

A couple more things. I know this is no solution, but like they say, every little bit helps…
I will vow right now that every time I visit your blog I will click on your ads. I assume you have an account and make a few cents for each click? Those clicks will ad up slowly (verrrrrrry slowly, trust me!) but eventually you’ll get a small check now and then. Or so I’ve heard. I haven’t yet gotten one either. But maybe it’ll be enough to splurge on dinner and a movie now and then. Like I said, it’s no solution, but I’m a firm believer in doing everything possible in times of trouble.
Also, Sara, I’m taking some time off from blogging right now, but I am still checking in on you and a couple more blessed friends every day. So, whether it’s Facebook or here, let us know how things progress when you have the time, please.

Continue to fight the infection, rest as much as possible, put your put up and watch movies, let Corey and the children fetch and carry for you - you deserve it! Try to concentrate on the incredible gift of life visibly moving under your skin, think and sing happy thoughts, and remember, “When God Closes a Door, Somewhere He Opens a Window.”

♪♪What might have been…♪♪

While we all know pregnancy is a perfectly normal and beautiful condition, we also realize it is also a MAJOR inconvenience to most females. (And on occasion, a few males.) A woman’s body undergoes a huge amount of physical and emotional stress in those short months, and is then expected not only to snap right back into shape, but also to deal with a brand new life who demands her attention at every moment of the day and night. So you are perfectly justified in the occasional rant at this stage of the game. Let go!

You make me laugh! I’m glad that you had such easy pregnancies and while I cannot say the same….I am still blessed to have very healthy babies with each delivery! My whining and complaining was really unwarranted and I’m sorry for that! And believe it or not…..the snow will still be in full swing here in Wisc when we bring the little peanut home. Sometimes we get some of our worst snow storms in March/April so at least I won’t have to fight with the spring allergies quite yet! XoXoXoXo Sara

Well, not to rub it in, but I didn’t have the pregnancy woes you’re describing. After the first four months, where I was sick 24/7, and with my second child a bit of placenta previa, which resolved itself by the end of the second trimester, I felt terrific and loved every minute of being pregnant. I LOST weight, ya hear me? Yeah, that’s probably one reason I loved it so much. Some problem with my metabolism; I actually lost 16 pounds during my first pregnancy and 8 the second time. No swollen ankles, no acid reflux, no cravings. I had no problems getting out of chairs, tying my shoes, fitting behind the steering wheel. My babies both came ON THEIR DUE DATES. (I hate being late for anything.) I had zero problems in delivery, no drugs; both of them weighed in at just over 5 pounds. I came out of the hospital fitting in clothes I hadn’t been able to wear since high school.

Hate me yet?

Yeah, well this should make you feel better: that metabolism now is SHOT, lemme tell you. SHOT. Those 16 pounds came back with a vengeance, the 8 followed close behind, they both doubled, then tripled, then it was like watching cells divide in a science experiment. I have clothes in my closet in every size from 7J to 24WP. My ankles stay swollen, my acids stay refluxed, and we don’t EVEN want to talk about stretch marks. Don’t get me started on walking up stairs, or walking down stairs, or even walking a straight line. And as for mood swings - well, I’m gonna plead innocent on that one - it was all Fred’s fault!

I wish I would have put how I was feeling as eloquently as your comment summarized things! Lovely….as your writing always is!