we just got home from the hospital tonight- rachel went to the doctor having pain in her stomach and we found out that we lost the baby. we're quite sad and upset because we were very excited. We appreciate any prayers and thoughts at this time.
For all the times people asked us, I think they finally gave up. The one time our friend Tina at church didn’t ask was the Sunday after we found out. The one time Lisa Dorr, a sort of adopted mother for me, didn’t ask, it was the time we’d planned to visit with the intention of telling. And I think just about everyone who asked us within the first two years of our marriage “when?”- they must have given up around our third anniversary. And it’s just the time that we weren’t asked that we were ready to tell- and now to announce- we are expecting our first child. That’s right, folks, Rachel is pregnant!!
Due date- November 9. It was originally set for Oct 31 when she went to confirm the pregnancy test- but after our visit to the doctor on Wednesday (April 16), that was changed. We thought she was 11 ½ weeks along and that we should hear the heartbeat of the baby, but the midwife was unable to find it for us to hear. She said that she could tell where it was cuz she does that all the time, but she couldn’t tell us what to be listening for. That and a couple other concerns had her sending us for an ultrasound- just to make sure everything was ok. So, we got to SEE the baby instead. Which was much better! And with that, they said that based on what they saw, Rachel was more like 10 weeks than 11 ½, so that accounted for the concerns- because the difference of a week and a half at this stage is a big difference.
I’ll (we’ll) try and keep all our family and friends up to date on all the proceedings and such- everything’s still relatively early. I blog on blogger, facebook and myspace, so you can always check any of the three. That’s all for now- just the big announcement! And the visit to the doctor’s office this week.
This morning started like many others. But as I turned on the news, I was reminded that today marks the 40th anniversary of the Death of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Normally, celebrations of death are quite somber and not something we remember or celebrate as a society. This death in particular is not one to celebrate, but rather, the life and death of this man has led us to think.
One quick thought i had this morning was how much his death woke up many people who would have otherwise not cared about the Civil Rights movement. Often times, we can see that someone's death has done as much as the purpose of his life- see Jesus Christ.
But what got me thinking is that this morning, as I was driving to work, reflecting on the work of this man's life, I turned my ipod to U2's "Pride (In the Name of Love)". and I was moved. extremely moved. I ran across this thought- of all the Christians who have served in such a popular role in society, Martin Luther King Jr. may have embodied the Gospel most- at least, in our time. This is not to discount the many men and women who have made significant contributions to the Christian faith, but something about his focus on not only equality in races, but also to social justice proves that he was not only focussed with spiritual, but also with some often missed, but extremely important parts of the gospel.
I want to encourage others to think about our calling to be reconcilers, advocates for the poor and marginalized, and ultimately, the first to call for justice. Martin Luther King Jr. saw something in society that did not line up with common decency, let alone the Gospel calling- and he chose to do something about it. Can we possibly be moved by someone who's purpose was not overtly 'spiritual', but was nonetheless one of the calling of believers in Christ.
