Sonic Drive-In, Not Drive-Thru...

Ok, so I have to get on one of the most annoying things ever!
There are a handful on Sonic Drive-Ins that also now have a drive-thru window. Logically, this would be for those on a quick run through for simple beverages only...otherwise you would just park in a stall and order your burgers and fries and ice cream treats all made fresh (they are not sitting there under heat lamps people)! I find myself getting so extremely frustrated when, like last night, we are on our way home and I would love to have a just a water with some heavenly Sonic ice (one of my pregnancy musts!)...just a large water...when we ended up waiting 15 minutes for the two, yes 2!, cars in front of us who are ordering major food orders at 10 o'clock at night...and all the stalls are empty!!!! Are they going to get it any quicker because the carhop isn't going to walk 5 yards to their car?? No, they just aren't thinking...why did they put the drive-thru there?? Now why Sonic has a full menu on the drive-thru, I do not know...I guess corporate Sonic isn't a pregnant ice addict. Just blowing some steam!

Love- Conditional or Unconditional?

I would love to hear your comments on this, claimed or anonymous!

So I was reading on one of my favorite blogs this morning about one of my most passionate subjects to discuss...love in our most intimate human relationship. Here is my take on it.

Spousal love is not involuntary, it is easy to love someone else when we are "feeling" loved, appreciated, pursued. We don't "fall" into love. We choose to love. We choose to love before we know all their faults, all their past and current sins (and the ones we'll find out in the future), before we know they shut down when they are stressed, that they like to fart at the dinner table, and most of the time before we know if they'll love us back. So when all the things we didn't know about them come to light, we choose to love them because they make us laugh, because they love our kids, because they know when we are upset or hurt, because they let us fart at the dinner table :), because they are gifted by God, because we stood in front of our family and friends and made a covenant with them and with God to choose to love despite the circumstances. We aren't perfect either, why would we hold them to that standard? Love them. Make the choice.

Hope Note...

On my way to the specialist last week, I began to get nervous as I was going by myself and didn't quite know what to expect. I had been so faithful until the day approached and fear was getting the best of me.

As I was heading north on I-35W and exiting on hwy 170, I noticed a car in front of me also exiting. Why did I notice? I noticed it because of the Illinois license plate on the back which read, "FR NT". Barrett and I always try to figure out when a plate says something to see who can figure it out first, so I was pleased when I quickly knew is said "Fear Not". As I continued on 170, Barrett called to pray for me and offer his assurance and let me know he wished he also could be there. He had just picked Whittaker up from preschool. He could hear the growing anxiousness in my voice as I was worried about appointment and getting there on time, I was hungry and also needed to pick up a VHS tape so they could record the sonogram. I was nearly in tears and got off the phone as I was approaching my exit. I realized I had been "mindless" driving down the highway as I saw in front of me the same car with the "FR NT" plate, then I got it! Quickly, the car cut into the other lane and exited. It was as if the Lord was saying, "Finally! I sent that just for you. No matter what you hear at the appointment, FEAR NOT." Peace swept over me and I was so thankful that a God so powerful would so creatively let me know that He knew just where I was...what a CREATOR!

Any time that anxiety starts creeping back in, there it is "FR NT", the memory of the plate comes to mind. A promise not just for the day or the appointment, but His promise that He is Creator of the heavens and earth, Creator of life, and I expectantly wait to tell many of my God as Healer!

Update on our baby boy...

I went to the specialist yesterday, a perinatologist, who basically just came in and did the ultrasound and left...no chit-chat or small talk.

He measured the baby boy's growth and said that he is right where he should be at this week of pregnancy (19 weeks, usually your due date is at 40 week). With his ultrasound, he saw the same two vessel cord that the technician at my doctor's office saw. His concern from this is that the baby continues to grow at a normal rate, therefore, I will be having an ultrasound every three weeks until the last month and then I will have an ultrasound every week.

What we are asking you to pray for...
-Continued prayer that this 3rd elusive vessel will be detected and glory will be given to the Lord.
-Pray that our baby boy would continue to grow at the normal gestational rate.
-Pray that our ears and eyes would only receive stories and well wishes that coordinate with the prior two requests.

We trust the Lord and believe that he is bigger than anything a doctor would say or see and that He will be glorified in all of this.

Pink or Blue?

Well, the results of the poll are in and most of you that voted on our poll thought that this second Snare baby would be a girl.

I just got home from my appointment. Whittaker went with us and was very well behaved and quite the ham. Barrett told Whitty we were going to find out if we were having a baby boy or a baby girl.

As soon as the sonogram technicin got me prepped to go and put the ultrasound wand on my belly, she asked, "You do want to find out what your having?" And we said yes and right away, first touch, she told us that it is a boy. Barrett shouted again like he did when we found out that Whittaker was a boy.

Everything went well, but we did find out that the umbilical cord had two valves, were normally it should have 3 valves. Their concern with this is kidney development which produces amniotic fluid for the baby in the womb. His kidneys looked fine and there was plenty of amniotic fluid, but they want to send me to a specialist next week that has some specialized equipment that can look more closely at the cord and kidneys. After this appointment, we'll know better how closely they will need to monitor the development from here on out. The nurse practioner (my doctor got called into delivery as I was waiting for my appointment) assured me that the majority of the time it is not a big deal so to not be worried. We are going to trust the Lord who is bigger than any earthly circumstance that He will take care of this little boy and his growth. I will repost next week when we know more, but in the meantime please pray for the baby, pray for Barrett who is more worried than I (as I am sure many family members will be worried as well), and pray that regardless of what the doctor says that we continue to trust God who is infinitely wiser and more powerful than even the best doctor with the best intentions.

I love you all and thank you for being a part of our story!!