Evidence Not Seen: A Woman's Miraculous Faith in the Jungles of World War II

During the last weeks of my pregnancy, I spent a lot of time lying tummy down in a beanbag in an attempt to get Elnathan to move into a better position. I am so grateful that my midwife recommended this (and lent me the beanbag) as he did move into a better position and I'm sure labour was easier as a result.

I had been getting little reading done previously, but this forced inactivity turned me to reading again! One of the books I read was "Evidence Not Seen". What a precious time it was as I walked with Darlene through here terrible experiences and her complete surrender of everything to God. What she went through is incomprehensible to many of us - torture, starvation, imprisonment, the loss of her much-loved husband. 

I highly recommend this book, and want Elnathan to read it someday.  In our smaller life trials, the same God who worked on Darlene's behalf helps us through. Just as she had to be willing to give up everything and continue to love and serve God, we face many daily opportunities to die to self. Like Darlene, we can find that out of the end of all our hopes God builds faith and strong relationships with others. In our weakness and pain, we too can find relationship with God as our strength and continue to serve him.

Baby shower

In April my mother and sister threw a baby shower for me. Here are my Mum Lorraine and sister-in-law Jen with the decorations Mum put up - the signs read "Let's celebrate Baby Drew". 

We had a lovely supper. I had to take care of a doll for the evening, as practice. Thankfully the doll did not cry or need its nappy changed.

One game involved tasting a variety of baby food options and trying to guess what was in them. Everyone who played decided that bought baby food was revolting! The only kind of nice one was berry and apple. Homemade baby food, here we come!

My sister Janelle served punch in a unique bowl!

Of course, there was "one of those games" that involved guessing my tummy size. Guests broke off the number of toilet paper squares they thought would measure baby and me. 

I was allowed to leave my baby in the care of others, and often made use of their willing arms. Yvonne is expecting, so she needs some practice :).

I am thankful for the friends who attended, for those who brought food, for the effort put into organising the shower, the presents, and especially for the special prayer time we had. 

Thankful for Crystal's example

I have greatly appreciated reading Crystal's pregnancy updates. Since she is just one week ahead of me (her due date is today), they have seemed very relevant to what I'm going through! After reading the 39 week update I'm  inspired to continue to try to be cheerful! Crystal's trials are much greater than my own, so I'm reminded of how much God is sparing me even in the midst of the pain and sleep deprivation of late pregnancy.

My pregnancy so far

I have reached that point in pregnancy where it has begun to dawn on us that very soon we will need to care for a newborn! Nappy websites have suddenly taken on a fascination (which combination, exactly, should I purchase for night wear I wonder . . . ?).  I have even been known to dream about cloth nappies (or maybe those were nightmares).

At 34 weeks of pregnancy, the goals that seemed so achievable when I made them in January have a much closer deadline! The fact that Mum gave birth to her first child 3 weeks early is a reminder that it really could happen any time. The freezer is already full of food (more than 20 meals), and thankfully the quilt top is sewn together now . . . 

. . . and I remind myself that baby will just want to be fed and cuddled, and really won't care whether Mummy's scrapbooks are up-to-date or there is a framed ABC cross stitch on the wall!

Thankfully my goals have been fairly simple. I am aiming for three things in this season of life:

• simplify 
  
• prioritise
  
• choose the best
  

I have set out basic things that I should aim for in late pregnancy and after birth:

• simple meals
• rest and self care
• laundry, dishes, toilet cleaning
• prayer
• remembering God's word
• time with Dave

I've also written down a whole lot of the things that can completely drop off my list if need be, including:

• Dusting
  
• Tidying
  
• Blogging
  
• Sweeping and mopping
  
• Craft
  
• Organising
• Reading anything more than the Bible
  

Hopefully having these things written down will help me focus on what is most important on hard days. 

I feel exceptionally blessed in my pregnancy so far, despite the fact that the mishaps just keep happening! My chronic back pain has not grown worse, and overall I have felt healthy and happy. These are amazing blessings, considering my physical limitations.

Speaking of mishaps . . . 

Pregnancy brain is a real phenomenon. Honestly. Have you ever left your wallet at home and not realised until some of your groceries had been scanned? Remedies . . . 

• Just accept it!

Lady, remember you have a TUMMY! It took me a long time to register that I could no longer fit through the same spaces as before. On one visit to the hospital I rammed someone with my tummy and said "I'm sorry, I keep forgetting I have a tummy!" Remedies . . . 

• Try to move more slowly

Baby will play up at the worst times . . . I am not sure if I can really blame the baby, but when I was a bridesmaid recently I did suspect him/her of being very naughty. I got such a severe cramp at the hairdresser's that I ended up crawling around her bathroom floor rubbing my side, in an effort to ease the pain. I was in there quite a while, and then had to lie on the couch. Meanwhile, baby was kick, kick, kicking right where the worst pain was and had changed position a lot since that morning. Thankfully I recovered in time for the ceremony. Possible remedies . . . 

• Laugh, laugh, and laugh some more. Really, what could be funnier than crawling around the floor in agony when you're meant to be painting the bride's nails?
• Keep in mind that accepting any major responsibilities while pregnant could be hazardous!

Truly, I do find these things funny and it all adds to the adventure that is being pregnant for the first time. Next time my blogging month is here, I may no longer be pregnant! I am reminded to enjoy this unique stage of life that lasts such a short time. Baby is not due until May 6, but we are hoping to see him/her a little early. Please join with us in praying for a healthy and natural birth.

The expectant couple

This pic was taken on January 31 at Shellyanne and Tim's wedding.

Pregnancy Mishaps

In the tradition of the homemaking mishaps, I present:

The problem of the soiled tummy . . .

It never occured to me prior to pregancy, but that jutting tummy can pose a dirt problem. Everything that falls out of your mouth, or out of your hand while you're trying to get it into your mouth, lands on your tummy. Just to let you know.

Possible solutions:

• Wearing an apron at all times, especially while eating. Mum suggested a set of black ones from Big W.

Any other ideas?

The memory issue . . .

There was the occasion where a guest asked me two simple questions and I couldn't answer either of them. They were "how many weeks pregnant are you", and "how old are you". Being unable to reply to such questions could be considered humiliating.

Possible solutions:

• Taping a piece of paper to oneself with all vital details, or carrying a small card ready for occasions when you're asked such questions.

Any other ideas?
The attitude problem . . .

Perhaps the most serious of my mishaps when it comes to pregnancy is the fact that I let my attitude slip in relation to people's litany of comments about my tummy. This is more of a sin or folly than a mishap, and I really need to learn to laugh about the silly things people say. I was reminded of this two days ago, when in two separate stores I got two totally different reactions to my tummy.

Store 1: Mr. Appliance Spares, who was not previously known to me, said that I "looked like I'd dropped" and "wow, I'd really popped out".

Store 2: Mr. Picture Framer asked me if I had moved out of home. This puzzled me a little as I was obviously pregnant and wearing a wedding ring. Things were made a little clearer when, as I was leaving, I mentioned that I wanted to get my pictures done before the baby comes. He replied that he hadn't noticed I was pregnant.

Birthday cakes and baby bumps

On Saturday it was the twins' 2nd birthday. It was fun to decorate cakes for the little ones. One of my nephews was being serious type. He looked at his engine cake without a smile . . .



and made some unsuccessful attempts to blow out the candles.

This one, on the other hand, grinned as we sang happy birthday and successfully extinguished both candles! Right after, he decided it was time to eat the lion's ear.


I can't tell you what a joy it is to be in the kitchen again making yummy things for people to enjoy. One of the main ways I show love to people is to feed them, and it was hard when I could hardly prepare any food due to all-day-sickness. For a few weeks there, even opening the fridge door could send me rushing to the toilet bowl. Something went wrong with my nose! Reading recipes, something I usually enjoy, became nausea inducing. I'm happy to say that all is back to normal now, and I'm loving my birthday present . . .


This wonderful book contains just about everything you could hope to know about food and cooking! What a blessing it is to be able to look up a particular food that we have in the garden, or that comes to mind, and find ideas for how to prepare it. It does not have any pictures, but that does not worry me.

Since it is the last week of the month, and I've promised baby bump updates, here is a picture taken two days ago at 16 weeks and 5 days of pregnancy.


That may not look like a bump to you, but my tummy sure looks different to us!

There really is a baby in there

Yesterday I went to the doctor at the public hospital and she did a very quick scan to measure the baby. Sure enough, there really is a small Drew present with us :). He/she waves and kicks. I'm not that excited about fetal development, having learnt so much about it through pro-life involvement. It is not new and exciting to me anymore! However, it is exciting to see my own baby on the screen. 28 weeks to go, God willing.

I haven't written much about my pregnancy. There are a couple of reasons for this.

1) I've been trying not to whine about being sick/tired.

2) I'm also trying not to turn this into another Mummy blog, much as I love some of them. This may be a short lived and futile aim, but you'll note that the title of my blog is still "A Deeper Love" and not "Pregnant Mum Muses" or something like that. I want motherhood to be a minor theme of this blog, not a totally dominating one!

For those who are curious though:

• I have finally started looking at maternity clothes for no good reason. I am just as thin as ever. I even got Dave to come and look at some with me :)
  
• I've developed a horror of my home being filled with cutsie and pointless toys. Is it possible to prevent this??
• Today I went through boxes full of my sister's baby clothes and more, and brought three boxes home with me. It is fantastic to have so much given to me, and means we will have to buy much less than many new parents.\
• I keep wondering what colour scheme the "spare room", which we hope will soon be shared with baby, should have. Does pale gold and deep red sound good to anyone else?
  

Why?

Why is it that these days I spend a lot more time lying on my bed, as though I didn't have anything better to do?

Why have my menu plans and shopping lists, kept up for a year, been shoved to the back of the cupboard?

Why don't I cook anything but frozen food and plain veggies any more?

Why did I pick up two menus from local take-aways this morning?

I know, this might be all too hard to guess . . .

So let me make it easy.

Why am I no longer planning to give the most adorable shooshoos, ideal for either a boy or a girl and purchased in South Africa, to either Mike and Christine or Peirce and Christina (sorry guys - promise to get something else).



If you're still having trouble, just ask yourself (?) . . . why have I received these gifts?