Hospital Stay Day 18: This Too Shall Pass

Have I really been on modified bed rest at the hospital for 18 days? Sometime it feels very surreal. There's little to be done but accept it, cry a lot and then eat cheesecake. I've been making a concerted effort to navigate the room service menu's bland and mostly depressing food options and choosing healthy things but after a weepy morning, I ordered myself cheesecake with my lunch. Balm to the soul I tell you. 

Here's what else I've been doing to survive: 

Watching happy, pretty movies like Amelie alternated with reading serious parenting material like "The Vaccine Book." One far more pleasant than the other. One far more important. The average kid here in the US gets twelve vaccine shots by the time they're one. But don't get me started on that.  I highly recommend the book as a very informative and unbiased tool if you're on the fence about the subject like me. 

Having Ike bring me lots of crafting supplies from home has been a life saver. Although the cleaning lady this morning seemed to be a bit annoyed with the coffee filter and glue gun remnants strewn around. Can't help it Lynda. I'm a messy crafter. 

I made this little wreath as a gift for another friend about to have a little baby girl... 

And here's the bunting I made for our little man's nursery. 

On to the morale boosters:

Sweets. Bless you dear chocolate bar. And bless my friend Kayla who brought it to me. Never had Choxie before. Yum.  And thank heavens the cafeteria offers these little Haagen-Dazs cups. Kayla also hauled up her new shellac nail kit and gave me the prettiest manicure. Now I've got glossy nails in pink smoothy. Talk about morale booster.

What could raise a mom-to-be's spirits more than these adorable onesies my friend Lizzie and her little boy brought me yesterday.I mean come on. They have little elephants and seals on them! Even more amazing is that Lizzy is 39 weeks preggo herself and she's been up to see me twice. I have the best friends. 

Then there's this lovely mini daffodil plant another girl friend brought me. It has lots of new blooms on it and makes me feel like I can enjoy spring from this hospital room even if I'm not out and about to enjoy it for real. 

My heart is full of gratitude for all the gestures of love and support I've received while awaiting the arrival of our baby. Each little thing makes such a difference. 

Perhaps the biggest difference-maker of all has been the much needed reminder that God's grace is sufficient for me. I will get through these days. If I can do it with a heart of humble gratitude as opposed to anger and fist pumping, well then, it hasn't been for naught. The words of Tim Keller from his sermon on The Will of God was a powerful and disarming reminder of my need to say to the Lord, as Keller puts it: "I take away my right for an explanation and I trust you. Thy will be done. All I care about is to see your face.The way to be free is to submit. The way to find my life is to lose it." Listen to the complete podcast here if you're interested. It will challenge your perspective no matter what trial you are facing. 

Love to you friends.