Our Visitations

Today is one of my favorite Feast Days in the Church, the Visitation.  Not only because it is my feast day, but because of the reminder of the many Visitations we have of Christ throughout our days.  This year is a very special time to celebrate the Visitation especially in the past few days.

I am blessed to have a wonderful friend who has proven to me through the past years the real meaning of friendship.  She has a beautiful capability to love me where I am, is always supportive in my endeavors, yet has the strength to share with me any concern she has with anything I do or say.  She has inspired me to be a better friend, and a better wife. 

Weeks ago I posted "Edify by Example".  That entry was about this friend. Her and her husband have wanted for months to have a baby, and have watched many of their friends who got married months after them get pregnant first.  What a struggle and a heartache.  However, this didn't make her heart bitter or resentful, but she saw it as an opportunity to really minister to her pregnant friends, to be right next to them in the joy each was experiencing.  Holy Guacamole! What an example! 

This past week, she shared with me her exciting news--she is pregnant!  Joy bubbled over through her, and all I could think was "Praise God!" God is so faithful, and especially so to those who remain so faithful in their suffering.  After rejoicing with her, I immediately thought of the Visitation and the joy Mary felt when she knew Elizabeth was pregnant after so many YEARS of waiting, and yearning for a child.  My mom has always said "God sends all the greats in twos".  I feel honored as I yearn to become great, to have another 'great in the making' alongside of me as we travel this journey and deepen the roots of our vocation.

As for the Dunlaps, we are settling in to our new home with a GORGEOUS view of the city.  We have been so blessed to have the help from our families and friends and are so thankful for the generosity we have received.  9 weeks of nesting to go :)

Vivi is doing wonderful--training like a mad woman for life inside me!  We are now on schedule to go to my OB every week for a non-stress test, where she passes with flying colors each time.  My appointments are mostly scheduled in the afternoon--I don't hate it--I lay on a bed for a afternoon siesta and chow on some Twizzlers, while listening to the melody of her heartbeat.  What a beautiful gift to be so close to her, to know what she sounds like on the inside so vividly.  She is a miracle, an incredible gift that I can't believe I get to unwrap in 9 short weeks!  The doctors are still concerned for her coming early.  I told my OB at my last visit Tuesday, "I am really sorry, but it doesn't work in our schedule for her to come early.  She can come at the earliest, the Sunday of week 40, but not a minute before!"  We will see how well she obeys her Mommy :)

Please mark your calendars for Saturday July 14 for Vivian's Victory!  a 5k run/walk at Winton Woods.  I will post the link with all the info tomorrow!  Thank you for all the prayers and support sent our way.  I don't think I can ever explain in words how much we feel them, appreciate them and are living on the graces they are giving us.  We are truly blessed! :)