It was the most amazing thing ever to see our baby up close, live, in action. When the first image came up on the screen, it was almost surreal. Kory and I just watched in silent awe as the doctor zoomed in on different little body parts and measured the skull, counted the chambers of the heart, and checked various organs. I couldn't believe the reality of what I was seeing. The most incredible part was when the doctor zoomed in on the little hand, and it was opening and closing. Almost as though Baby Kaye were saying, "Hi Mommy and Daddy!" Wow. I was seeing the fingerprints of God all over every little part of our little one. I just continue to be more and more amazed at His handiwork! And I'm sure it'll continue as time goes on--when we meet Baby Kaye for the first time around April 3, when he/she begins to crawl, talk, walk...graduate from high school. Kory and I are so unbelievably excited for this new journey!
As you may have noticed, I did still refer to Baby Kaye as "he/she." As it turns out, the baby was turned on its side so it was very difficult to see the gender. The doctor finally committed to saying that he "thinks" it's a girl, but that's not a strong enough statement for us to start decorating in pink by any means. We have just realized that the Lord wants to surprise us...which is completely fine with us! We will find out April 3 (or whenever) when we meet Baby Kaye for the first time....gah, I can only imagine how glorious that moment will be!
We did get a few snapshots from the ultrasound, which I will try to scan and post on here in the near future....so stay tuned.
In other news, we had an absolutely wonderful Thanksgiving spent with my aunt, uncle, and cousins who live about 45 minutes away from us. They also had a friend joining us who is a student at a local seminary. What a blessed time! As is typical for a Doriani Thanksgiving, we did our hike through Valley Forge (this year was fairly mild, for the pregnant lady). Then we came back and made final preparations for dinner--I carved the turkey, which was my first time ever! The food was absolutely delicious, and we sat around unable to move afterwards enjoying lengthy fellowship and conversation.
We also had some other opportunities for fellowship this past weekend. Saturday evening we spent at Elizabeth and Joel's for dinner, and a few old Grover friends stopped in on their way back to the Pittsburgh area. After they left to continue on their way the four of us played a round of Cities and Knights--which always guarantees a great time! I just never cease to be thankful for this season that the Lord has placed Elizabeth and me (and our hubbies) so close to each other.
Sunday morning we also saw some old Grover friends who were passing through town, and then later that evening we went to the "5th Sunday Prayer Meeting" our church holds four times a year (every time there is a 5th Sunday). Wow, what an amazing time of prayer, hymn singing, and fellowship. How richly filled I felt to overflowing! It is times like that when I think....this is what the Body was made to do. To come together, bow before the Lord in prayer, gather together at His feet as His dearly loved children, sing praises to Him, and encourage one another, building each other up. What a glorious thing to experience what we were created for! A small glimpse of Eternity, I suppose...
One other note on prayer...an excellent point someone made in Sunday School class on Sunday morning when we were discussing the Lord's Prayer. This person said that prayer really brings us back to Reality. We are constantly bombarded by things of this world, things that will ultimately pass away and not last. Spending time in prayer with our Father brings us back to the Reality that this world is not our home, that our relationship with Him and our life in the spiritual realm are what really matters and will last forever. It's truly our Lifeline.
Also, someone else mentioned that our prayer time with the Lord is something He truly delights in...because the whole goal of Redemption is restored relationship between us and our Creator! If we are redeemed and have that relationship as an adopted child of God, we now have this incredible access to speak directly with the Father. How convicted I am that I so often take this access for granted and do not spend time with Him as I could. To transform the idea of prayer from a sense of duty into a sense of delight...this is what my soul needs! May my delight and passion to pray and read His Word ever increase each day as I get closer and closer to going Home.
In summary and reflection on this Thanksgiving weekend, I am just so thankful for family, new and old friends, and--as I have been reflecting all week--the fact that I know Whom it is I thank for all these blessings. I just wonder what Thanksgiving can even mean to people of the secular world who often make references to "giving thanks" and "being thankful." To "give thanks" implies the necessity of someone receiving the thanks. To whom are they giving their thanks? I don't believe many even stop to consider that. How empty and sad...yet how rich and full our Thanksgiving (and EVERY day) can be as we thank our loving Father for the abundant blessings He lavishes on us, both tangible and intangible.
On that note, I will close with Paul's list of the Spiritual blessings we have in Christ--so even if you can't think of a single other thing to be thankful for (which I'm sure isn't the case), if you are a believer in Christ you can praise our Father Almighty for these blessings He gives us in Christ!
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
-Ephesians 1:3-14
Praise be to God!
BK
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