the brew*crew adventure

Well... okay, I know, I know... ALL babies are miracles really, gifts and blessings from God. But these two babies are especially special to me, because they very well could/would not have been, if not for the faith and drastic measures taken by their fathers (men among men I tell ya, to have gone "under the knife" twice!), because they have been prayed for, and hoped for, for so very long, because they represent healing (in more ways than just physically, but also emotionally and spiritually), because they represent an ever-burning hope in the miraculous, and their mothers' faith in the Lord's intentions to bless her family with life more abundantly, even when it seemed physically impossible.

This is a pic of my friend Cindy and I, taken week before last. We're both pregnant with our very own miracle babies, both of which were conceived after our husbands had vasectomy reversals. Chris had his vas reversal in December of 2004, and her hubby had his in April of 2006. She's due this month - June, and I'm due in August. We were just talking this morning about how great it is to see how far the Lord has brought us, and to be able to "bump bellies" now, when this time last year, her hubby was recovering from his reversal, and I was recovering from the loss of Chris and I's first reversal baby.

Another dear friend of ours, Susie (whose baby-shower is tonight!) is also pregnant and due right between Cindy and I. I wish that I had a pic of all three of us together, but I forgot to bring my camera to Cindy's baby shower, when pics of us three prego women were being taken, and have yet to even see the pics that were taken of us together there. What fun it is to share in this miracle of life, and being pregnant together! Our Lord certainly is merciful... to think how hard it would have been for me, to have gone through this season with so many friends expecting, and not been myself. I'm so thankful that He opened up my womb and allowed Chris and I to conceive another life, and for me to be healthy, and carrying her to term.

Chris and I have decided to name our miracle baby either Savannah Abigail, or Abigail Savannah... we still have to decide which we'd rather call her daily, Savannah or Abby... Either is really fine with me, but I do think it would be fun to have an "Abby and Tabby"... but in deference to Chris, I also said Savannah would be fine.. He, in deference to me, says Abigail would be fine... and so, we are in a stalemate of indecision, typical of us really! N and T may very well end up choosing which name goes first!

Abigail is Hebrew for "Joy of the Father" or "Father's joy"... and of course, I cannot help but to admire the Abigail of the Bible, the wise and courageous woman who ended up marrying David, after her own husband died. Abigail is one of my favorites, my choice.

And Savannah is one of Chris's choices, his favorite, which he'd actually suggested a couple of years ago even, for if we ever had another girl. It's Spanish for... *drumroll*... "open plain" or a "treeless plain". Heehhehehe, yeah, I know, I know, not much there at first glance (another initial hurdle for me to get over before being able to *accept* it, once I'd gotten past its geographical association), but then, once we thought to put it with what I'd settled my heart on, Abigail... I got to thinking... what does a "treeless, open plain" make you think of... maybe a desolate place?... yet fertile too... Well, then I just fell in love with the whole name... because it seemed like it had come together perfectly, confirmation (name meanings are significant to me, can you tell?) if you will.

This little miracle baby is the first I shall hold in my arms after years of mourning over our hasty decision to have the vasectomy in the first place. She would not have even been if Chris hadn't had his vas reversal, and even after his reversal, it took over a year for us to even conceive our first post-vas baby, and then to lose that baby I'd dreamt of, and longed for, for years was so hard... and then also, the time of this little baby's conception, right before our baby Judah would have been born had we not lost him... strange to think of really. It certainly was an "open plain", desolate, yet fertile time in our lives together as a family. What a blessing to have received the news of our expecting a new life at that time. I just know that she is and will continue to be just that, the seed of hope, and JOY sent from our own heavenly Father, destined to be, even as we mourned, though we didn't know it yet through all those years... and she will certainly be her earthly "Father's joy" and reward, I'm sure.

Yes, I just have to say that again... She will be the "joy of her Father" in the midst of a desolate (yet in the Lord's hands and providential timing, fertile), hard place/time in our lives (in so many ways)! We have learned and gained, and still are learning and gaining so much through this season in our lives. The Lord has never forsaken us, but has grown us and worked it all together for our good, and she is evidence of that, a reminder of one of His many promises fulfilled. And I just know that this baby girl is the seed/promise of the now realized answer to a long-held and fervently offered prayer of mine, for us. Already, I cannot imagine our lives if we hadn't made the decision to welcome more children into our family. And I know that this little girl will be a blessing to us all, forever a reminding evidence of what joys will be added to us when we choose to trust our Creator... heavenly treasures.

*Note* Only 2.5 more months to go!! I can hardly believe it!!

My latest cravings have been for: crispy, juicy apples, bananas smothered with peanut butter, meaty sub-sandwiches-toasted with lots of mayo, pepper-jack cheese and fresh tomatoes- preferably with potatoe chips and a dill pickle on the side - for crunch (it matters!), and Hershey's milk chocolate...

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

~ Romans 8.28

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.
By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

~Hebrews 11.1-3

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