Let's Get This Labor Started

                Last time I went into labor, I was at a Lincoln Brewster Concert celebrating my youngest daughter’s second birthday.  He came out to perform an encore number—“Everlasting God”.  That song will forever be significant to me.  That’s when my water broke.  It was only 9pm at night. I was expecting to have a really fast labor like the last time (my whole labor from the time my water broke till the time she was out was only 1 hour and 40 min.).  I asked God to please let me wait till at least midnight, so the baby could have her own birthday.  Thankfully, that labor was the easiest labor, not the quickest.  I even got to go to sleep in my bed that night.  We didn’t leave for the hospital till 4am, and I delivered 26 minutes after getting to the hospital.  I went from being dilated to 6cm to  being complete in a contraction and a half.  I didn’t even have time to sign my consent.  God answered my prayer, and my youngest has her own birthday because my labor took a while to get going.  I also really loved laboring at home, and that is part of the reason I’m excited about doing everything at home this time.

                My first two daughters came early, so I naturally thought that I would always go early.  My third daughter waited until 40 weeks and 3 days to come.  I tried all kinds of physical exertion to try to get her to come, and all that happened was that I had lots of contractions that stopped…and I became really, really exhausted.  She didn’t come till she was ready.  I learned from that experience not to get too set on “making” a baby come because it doesn’t seem to work.  (Yes, I know all about the joys of Caster Oil…but I would only do that in extreme desperation because of the yucky side effect my midwife has confirmed would be an issue for me.)

                This time around I’d really like to have the baby before February 1^st.  My second oldest has requested the baby be born this coming Monday on her half-birthday.  She is the same one that told me last year, “The only thing I want for Christmas is a baby!”  I think the baby would make a nice half-birthday present.  Winter Jam is this Sunday evening, and I plan on going.  Maybe this will get my labor started.  If not, I look forward to hearing some Toby Mac, (the baby should feel right at home because I’ve been running to Toby Mac’s newest CD for the past two months while I run) Jamie Grace, Royal Tailor, and Matthew West.

                In the meantime, I will continue to ponder the verse at the end of “Everlasting God” from Isaiah 40:31.  It says, “But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up on wings like eagles.  They shall run and not be weary.  They shall walk and not faint.”  God knows my heart’s desire, but I also trust that His timing is better than mine.  Let’s see what happens!