Anniversary and a case of cramping....

Yesterday was a little crazy around here. I was up at night with this painful cramp in the middle of my lower abdomen. I didn't get worried until I couldn't find a comfortable position to lay in to escape some of the pain. Being that it was the middle of the night, I contemplated driving myself to the ER just to see what was going on. I really feared a miscarriage. I had never experienced that before. I waited until morning and the pain was a little better (at least when I laid a certain way). I called the dr. first thing. Matt drove the kids to school and came back to take me to my appt.
I turned to him at one point and said that I was glad he was home for our 15th anniversary but this isn't what I had in mind. We arrived at the dr. on time. As I told the nurse my symptoms, she got that hushed tone that people get who know that this may not have a good outcome. That's when the anxiety really set in. As soon as the dr. came in, the flood gate opened. He asked why I was crying. Um, hello, I am pregnant, do I need a reason to begin with?? Everything checked out alright though. The best part of all...we got to hear the baby's heartbeat. What an awesome anniversary gift. Matt and I truly have been blessed.

The Power of Prayer.

As I mentioned last post, there have been many God things that we have been blessed to be witness to. My FIL received his transplant. The next day, Olivia received her first communion. It was a beautiful day. One of those days that you don't need a picture to remember some of the images your mind has captured. One image is Matt praying over her before heading off to Mass.
During the Mass, each child went up to receive Jesus for the first time. The parents got to walk behind them. The child kneeled and we watched our child receive Christ. Olivia was one of the last ones to go. I stepped out of the pew and followed this beautiful (and I mean beautiful!) child towards the front of the Church. I watched the concentration on Liv's face. I don't think she smiled once due to being so "in the zone". Liv is all business when it is a serious moment. I watched as she knelt down and Father bent to pray over her before giving her the Host. I looked beyond Father and watched Jack, who was serving Mass, witness this from a better angle. And I bawled. I couldn't help it. I don't think there is anything more precious than to watch someone take Jesus for the first time...especially when it's your child.
During this Mass, we offered it up for my FIL's healing. We had received news that he was heading back to surgery due to a small leak in a major blood vessel. We lit a candle in front of St. Joseph's altar for his healing. What we didn't know at the time is that he told my MIL he knew he was dying. The tear was repaired. He came thru that surgery just fine. Praise God and the power of prayer. I truly believe that praying at that moment helped him through that time. I don't need proof, it's just something I know in my heart.
One more God moment: FIL is on medication that can cause hallucinations. He called and explained that he had these horrible nightmares...ones that he thought were real. I won't go into detail with what some of these nightmares were about. He was afraid to go back to sleep. So he stayed awake. Matt and Jack visited him in the hospital later that day. They brought him a picture of St. Michael (Jack had purchased at a local shrine to St. Joseph), a small crucifix, and a prayer card of Jesus. He has not had nightmares since. My MIL has kept the picture and is now saying the Prayer to St. Michael. The power of Prayer.