making sense

I was just organizing my pregnancy photos. I'm now 30 weeks, and starting at 10 weeks I've taken pictures of myself and my belly every 4 weeks. I did this with Eden also, and because Ezekiel was my first child and I had virtually nothing else to do, I actually took photos of myself every week with him...no need to be that meticulous about pregnancy record-keeping once there are other children on the outside to take care of. :) 

The only time I ever blog is when Mason is working at night - I didn't even write anything on here during his short deployment - so I really want to take this opportunity to chronicle a little of what has happened in our lives. But not in tremendous detail. I am finding great freedom in having pulled back from publishing pictures and detailed updates of our family's every move, which is now the norm for anyone who has the f-word (Facebook). Mainstream things irritate me, and that is way too mainstream for me! When I think of something I want to share, something I would have once posted to my status online, I'm now in the habit of telling it to an actual individual. It's really wonderful to me to have regained a sense of privacy. That said, here are some generalities I am obviously open to sharing with the world since I linked this to my profile. I do this because of dear friends scattered far and wide who share our hearts and want to know what God is doing in our family as much as I want to know what God is doing in theirs. 

We are making sense of Isaiah! What once seemed confusing, upsetting and against what we thought God had previously told us to do has finally become to our eyes a beautiful, merciful gift over the past few months. We went from practically mourning over our postponed adoption to praising God for this new child and the perfect timing of his existence...because of the surprise baby I am carrying for about 2 more months, Mason's 6-month deployment turned into 6 weeks. If not for this pregnancy, I think he would still be separated from his adoring children and me, possibly for many more months. This alone is an answered prayer, as we are constantly asking God to preserve and protect our family. Isaiah has already been a conduit for God's mercy on us. 

God is giving wisdom when we ask. He is faithfully guiding us through new territory, territory I haven't yet discussed here. He's speaking, answering, delivering and providing. He still does these things that I know in my head from reading the Bible that he does, yet I can be so surprised when he actually comes through for me in the here and now because I tend to think he is just a God of history. He doesn't change though. Ever. I'm grateful for this time in my life when nothing can be called routine because it doesn't stay the same long enough to be called a routine! 

Since we were once so excited about going straight from 2 to 4 children through adopting siblings, Mason and I had poo-pooed the whole 3 children step, thinking we would skip it. Now we're very excited to take the plunge into the children-outnumber-parents realm and believe that having specifically 3 precious little ones will be a vital step in preparing us for parenting the other children he has for us in our future. Ezekiel and Eden talk about Isaiah EVERY day. Ezekiel frequently puts his hands on me to feel him move, hugs him, and talks about how it will be when he's here. Eden likes to snuggle him and give him food, too. They are so excited. They want to make room for him, someone they've only heard about, which is so precious to me. What a lesson for me to willingly make room for the new things that God has for me, whether expected or not. 

Though Isaiah chapter 54 is about Jerusalem, we have been encouraged by this verse. The thought makes me smile, especially the end. :)

Enlarge your house; build an addition.
    Spread out your home, and spare no expense!
³ For you will soon be bursting at the seams.  (Isaiah 54:2-3 NLT)