You don't want a premature blessing!

I don't care how much a woman enjoys being pregnant, during the last few weeks all she thinks about is being done with the pregnancy and finally seeing her new baby face to face!

In 1992 I was put on bed rest for the last 6 months of a pregnancy with twins! Yes, I did mean 6 months, no it is not a typo! I had to monitor my contractions for 1 hour 2 times a day and fax the information into a call center. If I was not contracting to much I could take a quick shower and then back to bed! JOY! If I was contracting too much I would need to take some medication through a tube in my leg and then monitor again. If still having to many contractions I would need to be taken to the hospital, usually to stay for a week. During these week long stays I underwent magnesium drug treatments. If you have never had one of these treatments you can not imagine what it is like. It plays with your mind as well as your body. I truly felt like I was going to die. It makes you so hot that the hospital staff turns the heat off in your room before they even start the IV! And the nurses who do not understand made me feel like I was just complaining so I would have something to do! But it works really well in stopping pre-term labor, so I took the treatments!

I ate all my meals laying on my left side, drank a gallon or more of water a day, and lived with heartburn you would not have believed! I was taking so many drugs to help keep the contractions down to a minimum that my face was all blotchy, the circles under my eyes were huge and dark, I looked like a drug addict! Some of the meds made me shaky and that coupled with the loss of muscles from laying down all the time made it so I could get winded walking to the bathroom!

There were so many days, laying in my bed watching life go by I had to remind myself why I was doing it. Towards the end I was shaking so bad I couldn't even read a book, the words jumped all over the page, that is if my hands could hold it still enough! Every day I asked God to get me through to the end, and I asked Him for healthy baby boys, and often I asked for the pregnancy to be done fast! Yes, I too got to the end and couldn't wait for it to be over. I did not enjoy much anymore! I was about done!

On March 25, 1993 the Portland OR area had a good size earthquake! It happened just about 20 minutes after the water sack of one of my boys broke. At the time the earth shook, my husband and I were getting ready for our final trip to the hospital (at least for this pregnancy) and I was delighted! Soon it was ending and I would see my new baby boys face to face! It was so time, I was so done with being pregnancy!

I was in the operating room, my husband by my side, watching. One of the worlds best doctors (to me anyway) cut me open and removed the smallest baby I have ever seen! Many things go through a mothers mind when she first lays eyes on her new baby. The thought I had was put him back, he is not done yet! In that moment all that could be wrong with these two precious babies flew through my mind. I almost started to cry, maybe I did, I can't say! My 4 lbs 5 ½ oz identical baby boys came into the world 4 ½ weeks early without a problem at all! They ate right off the bat, breathing was fine, and they slept and ate as normal newborn babies should! After a 4 day stay, all 3 of us were released to go home! I took home babies that were around 3 pounds each! WOW! Miracle? Blessing? YES!

In the past 17 years I have thought about the twins pregnancy and birth often. I remember how for a few months before the birth I prayed for it to be over! I praise God in His great wisdom He did not answer that prayer on my timing! Can you imagine even 1 pound less? We could have lost them! Thank you Jesus!!!

I find it is like that in life as well! You've heard the phrase, “birthing something new”? In our lives there are seasons, events and many unknown outcomes. There are ample times we must endure, go through, wait it out. Like I did in the last months we often pray for it to end soon. We want to skip the hardship and be handed the blessing right away. But I caution you! Don't pray for a premature blessing! Don't be in such a hurry that the blessing you get will create extra work and hardship! Had my twins been born with problems, they would have been the same blessing! But all of our lives would have looked much different! And the stress of a premature baby is huge! I'm betting that a blessing is a blessing! But the stress of a premature blessing is huge, and your life will look much different than it will if you can just hang in there and wait for God to bring it to full term!

As I continue to allow God to form Miche Photography I realize it is a blessing from God! I also realize this is a birthing process and I totally want it to be a full term blessing! I will wait on God, I will continue to do the right things, the healthy things, and TRY to enjoy the final moments of this “pregnancy”! For when it is time, God will birth a healthy business! One that will meet needs for me and my family, and also bring glory to Him!

Recently I was honored to do a shoot with a couple expecting 2 little girls! Enjoy the pictures from this twin pregnancy shoot!

Blessings (full term blessings that is) =-)

Michelle

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