First Sight

If you've been pregnant a few times, you tend to be a little bit blasé about the next times.  Albeit never without care, caution or sensibleness, of course, I am much like that with this pregnancy - which is why I had not sought any medical care until I was around 20 weeks into it (a couple of weeks ago)- something that my doctor was not very impressed with, but I also told her that I have 5 kids at home; and blah, blah, blah..

This week I finally had my first ultrasound, though a little late than required, but my rationale was that everything was going well, so I felt no sense of urgency.  (Told you I was blasé...)  Besides, I thought, if they do happen to find that there was any abnormality with the baby, we would seek the requisite care for it and would very much keep it, no questions about that.  Thankfully, solely by God's goodness, everything checked out perfectly - according to the sonographer - which we were all very pleased with.  What the children could not wait to find out was whether we were going to have a boy or a girl.  They'd been talking (even sometimes arguing) about wanting a brother or a sister.  But today they finally found out.  Looks like we're having a girl!

We got mixed reactions from the children, as the boys clearly wanted a baby brother and the girls wanted a little baby sister.  After talking the boys into the realization that this little baby is a blessing from God and that it is a great gift that we do not deserve but were freely given, and that if we reject it (her) God will be very sad; we now have 2 very eager, excited and potentially protective big brothers!

The following photos are of the actual sonogram done this morning.  After all that was said and done, we have all definitely fallen in love with our little baby - at first sight.

Well, all is well that ends well.  Praise the Good Lord indeed, now and forever!

Prayer of an Expectant Mother

Almighty God, in Thy wisdom Thou hast entrusted to me another soul to rear for Thy honour and glory.  It is a great responsibility.  I am proud and a little afraid, but I trust in Thy fatherly goodness and the intercession of the Mother of Jesus, who knew all the hopes and fears of one who expects a child.

Dear God, give me courage and fortitude when I need it.  Let my child be born strong and healthy and with the disposition for wanting to become a Saint.  Good Saint Elizabeth, cousin of our Lady and mother of John the Baptist, pray for me and this child to come.

Mary, most pure Virgin and Mother of God, I remind thee of the blessed moment when thou didst see for the first time thy newly born Child and folded Him in thy arms.  Through this joy of thy maternal heart, obtain for me the grace that I and my child may be protected from all danger.

Mary, Mother of my Saviour, I remind thee of the unspeakable joy you felt when, after three days of painful seeking, thou again didst find thy Divine Son.  Through this joy, obtain for me the grace to worthily bring into the world the child He didst create for me and his/her father.

Most glorious Virgin mary, I remind thee of the heavenly joy that flooded thy maternal heart when thy Son appeared to thee after His Resurrection.  Through this great joy, obtain for my child the blessings of holy Baptism, so that my child may be admitted to the Church, the Mystical Body of thy Divine Son, and to the company of all the Saints.  Amen.