Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Memorial Box Monday--O Canada! part 1




So last time (ahem--not last week, nor the week prior, but fairly recently) I wrote about God calling us to Canada. He was so evident in so many ways during our 13 months there that it will take several weeks (or the way I do things, months) to proclaim all of them. Isn't that awesome? I sincerely and fervently hope that some day my children will be able to look back over these MBM posts and know that God was holding their goofball family right in the palm of His hand.

I am having a hard time knowing where to start. I guess the first miracle related to our committing to a move to Canada was discovered 2-3 weeks after John heard from God.

On Mother's Day of 2000, we celebrated with John's sister and her family. Anna was 5 months old and, long story short, I wasn't breastfeeding her anymore because my milk had mysteriously dried up. Because of that I had decided to speak with our brother-in-law about supplying me with some birth control, something I hadn't even thought about in years due to infertility issue. Having just added three children to our family in barely over a year gave me the impetus to perhaps slow things down a bit!

I got the pills but couldn't take them yet because you need to have a cycle in order to know when to start taking them. I finally decided I should probably take a pregnancy test just to make sure I wasn't pregnant before I started flooding my body with hormones.

Well, well, well. It took me three years to get pregnant with Luke and only then with medical help. It took another another three years to get pregnant with Anna. It took 4 months, during which time I was nursing Anna, to get pregnant with Emma! Evidently, that's why my milk dried up.

The feeling I most remember in the weeks after I found out I was expecting was shock. Pure and simple: shock. We were really not thinking we would have any further children. When I was growing up I thought families with THREE children were excessive. I went to my OB and he just laughed at me and asked if we needed to have a talk about how these things happen! I was almost embarrassed to tell my friends. My theme song, popular on Christian radio at the time, went something like: I'm gonna walk by faith, and not by sight...cause I can't see clear in the broad daylight; I'm gonna walk by faith, and not by fear...cause I believe in the One who brought me here.

We were moving to Canada, I was pregnant with my fifth child (and my oldest two were only 4 years old) and my youngest was 5 months old. My head was spinning.

When I look back, however, all I can feel is thankfulness all the way to my core. As I said earlier this year, God had the most amazing plan for the child He was giving us. We had said YES to His plan and He responded with the most loving of gifts. Not because He owed us, but because He loves us.


And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.~~Romans 8:28
So the first miracle of our Canadian ministry came before we ever set foot in Canada. Next week (I hope) I have another. I can't wait to tell you! Hmmm...not quite sure what to put in the box so I'm open to ideas!

3 comments:

Charissa said...

I love your family.

Renee said...

Looking forward to the next segment of miracles in Canada :)

Mom Of Many said...

Thank you so much for posting a MBox Monday post! I love hearing how God moved a family or moved a heart or brought unexpected treasures! He is SO amazing!! Keep telling the story - please!! Can't wait to read the next part!

BTW, my mom was born in Canada and so I have a bunch of relatives in Canada...

xo