Celebrating Birthdays that Weren't

As I write this, I'm very pregnant, having carried my baby four days past my official "due date." Though I am anxious to deliver this baby and finally hold him in my arms (our first boy, after five girls!), it isn't as big a deal as it has been in the past. What is entertaining, though, is all the birthdays this little boy WON'T celebrate.

Because of a back injury, the last few weeks of pregnancy are miserable. I'm so tired from not being able to find a comfortable position in which to sleep, my brain quits functioning and the littlest challenge is too great for me to manage. It has gotten worse with each pregnancy. So, this time, I had a plan. Because of my back problems (I broke my back about 10 years ago), and the estimated size of this "little" guy (probably on the larger side of 9 lbs), the doctor was willing to induce me a week before my due date.

Expecting that my efforts at control would be effective, I made all sorts of arrangements for my five other children, called parents, and made sure my sister could break away from her commitments when the need arose. But, the need never arose. God demonstrated that while I can plan my way, ultimately, He directs my steps. His direction didn't include delivering a baby early. His direction didn't even include delivering a baby on time! In fact, at this point, this baby is going to be very late!! Try explaining that to your five year old when she says, "Mommy, you said you were going to have your baby today."

Thus begins an on-going saga of expectation and disappointment that culminated last Wednesday when my fourth scheduled induction was canceled, three hours after I arrived at the hospital. Having finally gotten the clue that maybe I should wait on God's timing instead of trying to wrest control from the Creator of the universe, I signed my discharge papers and scheduled a regular OB appt with my doctor for the next Tuesday.

This morning (Monday), about 8am, the hospital called, wondering where I was! I was scheduled for an induction at 7:15am and I was very late. Since no one had informed me of this appointment, yet another induction was canceled! All together, our little baby, who seems very content to stay where he is, has missed five different birthdays; September 21, September 22, September 26, September27, and October 2. When we finally DO get to celebrate a birthday, it will be a grand occassion, indeed. Unless we have to keep celebrating birthdays that weren't. Then, by the time this baby comes, we'll all be off doing something else and he'll have to celebrate on his own!