“Good things come to those who wait.”
I’ve heard this so many times growing up and I’m not sure why I’ve just now realized that the last 3 years of my life have been full of waiting and having patience for God’s plans to unravel themselves.
I waited 4 months before Tory asked me out on our first date. We waited 50 days before we could make our engagement public. We waited months for me to officially become a certified teacher. We waited weeks for Tory to receive some good news about his job. Now we’re waiting for our first born son to come.
A Dragging Week
This last week of pregnancy has been nothing short of agonizing and frustrating as we watched our friends who had due dates after us welcome their little ones home and we continued to wait for ours to make his appearance.
I feel so bad with the amount of frustration I’ve felt this week. Frustration that I can’t do things on my own anymore because my joints and hands have become so swollen. Frustration that our doctor’s appointments have been less than satisfying with the answers we’ve gotten.
Last Friday {3.3.17} we went in for our weekly doctor’s appointment knowing that we were on our 39th week and we were nearing the end, only to be disappointed in the news that our due date had been changed for yet a second time without us being told.
When we went in 9 months ago for our first appointment we were told that our due date was March 14, however, two weeks later during our first sonogram we were told that our due date was actually March 10. So we made our plans. We set the date. We told our family and friends. On Friday, both Tory and I were disappointed, confused and frustrated with the news that we weren’t as far along as we thought.
“On your 39th week, we’ll set a date to induce if he isn’t here already,” we heard our doctor say.
The confusion on our faces were clear as day. What?! We’re already on our 39th week. As we waited for the nurses to come back with an answer, I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. Why was I so frustrated to the point of tears? After all, it’s just an estimated date. I knew that…
Our doctor either never changed our date from the second visit or she changed our date again without letting us know. Our waiting game continues for our sweet son to make his arrival.
God’s Plans vs. Our Plans
As much as Tory and I keep wanting to call our doctor just to schedule a date to induce, I know that our doctor {as old school as she has shown us through the few obstacles we’ve had this pregnancy with sickness and medications} will just tell us to wait it out.
Our moms could tell that our frustration levels have hit their points and that we are ready for this pregnancy to end {I feel like such a terrible mom for not enjoying the rest of my time carrying my little boy}. The other night my mom told us something that really resonated with me and has been a constant reminder for me that Bryan will come when we least expect him to.
“God has a plan for you guys and in his plan he already has Bryan’s birth date set.”
As we anxiously wait for Baby Bryan, as stubborn as he may seem, to come, my mom is right. How could I forget that His plans have always been far greater than the plans I had for myself?
After so many disappointing and heartbreaking relationships in the past, Tory and I both never really saw ourselves getting married. We never planned to be expecting our first child only months after being married. I never planned to become a teacher. But God has worked so mysteriously in both our lives to show us that He has amazing things planned for us as husband and wife, partners in life’s journey, our career paths and now as future parents.
As agonizing as it is to constantly be waiting for things to unfold in life, the best things are worth waiting for and we just have to keep reminding ourselves that although we may have plans for the things we do or want to do, God has an even bigger plan for each of us that is far more incredible than we would’ve ever set out for ourselves.
My mom sends us daily food for thought texts and during this Lent season she has sent quite a few that have really summed up the obstacles we face each day with our careers, this pregnancy and just things that occur each day. She sent this one text the other day that really just set things into perspective for me for everything that has happened in the last couple of weeks:
“Life Is Messy
Focus:
Everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle and carrying a heavy load.
Act:
Be gentle with the people who cross your path. If someone is grumpy or rude, if someone makes a mistake or does something wrong, give them the benefit of the doubt. You never know what they are carrying around inside.
Pray:
Jesus, thank you for giving me a hope nobody can take from me. Give me the courage to confront my own mess and share that hope with others.”
As I continue to hope and pray for the safe and healthy arrival of our baby boy, I can only remind myself that everyone is going through their own obstacles but in the end, it’ll all be worth it as God’s plans for each of us reveal themselves.
Isaiah 60:22:
“The least one shall become a clan, the smallest, a night nation; I, the Lord, will swiftly accomplish these things when the time comes.”