Prayer Vigil

Many of you may know my dear blogger friends Mary Ellen and Steve. ME is pregnant at 17 weeks with triplets. She's having a rough time. Please check out her blog for more information.

I want to offer a prayer vigil for them. I am asking everyone who reads this blog to take a moment and offer a prayer for ME and Steve and the triplets. Pray continually but at 3 p.m. EST (for the 3 triplets) please stop what you are doing and let's all offer a prayer for them.

Here is a prayer you may use along with your own personal prayers.

Heavenly Father, You promise to care for us in all circumstances. As you care for the lilies you promise to care for us. Lord, please be with Mary Ellen as she struggles through this pregnancy. Please touch her with your healing power and help her to carry those precious triplets to 20 weeks. Give her doctors and nurses wisdom and guidance as they seek to care for her and the babies. Give Mary Ellen and Steve peace and hope in this most uncertain time. Surround them with love and care from family and friends. Strengthen those around them so they may be able to minister to them. Lord, you are the God of the impossible, you are the giver of life, we pray, give these babies life. We ask all this in the name of our risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Phlebotomist Shelbotomist

I went to get blood work done today.

Non ART blood work. (Ironically enough if it were for ART it would be CD1 bw)

I had to go to one of those cattle herding "labs" where you sign in wait half the day then get your blood drawn.

Well after waiting 90 minutes I finally am called back.

I show the phlebotomist old trusty lefty - the vein my RE RN/office always uses.

"I am not going that high up" - she exclaims

Ok lets look at the right...

"YOU should ALWAYS have blood drawn from this arm." she instructs.

Oh sister if you only knew how many needles have stuck this body you'd keep your mouth shut.

Now Calling Number . . .

Yet another friend has announced her pregnancy to me.

One more for them and none for me.

I did very well. I only teared up slightly.

Mostly when she said, "You're next! I know it!"

I've been next so many times, I've given up and jumped out of line.

Luckily it was over the phone so she couldn't see my tears.

It's so hard when you hear the news. You feel so defeated and everything you've been through rushes over you again and you feel it all anew. All the disappointing failures, all the hopelessness, all the loss. It hits you like a tidal wave that would rival anything Godzilla could throw at the Japanese.

You try to engage in small talk, pushing back the urge to sob uncontrollably. Thinking of all the things you know are coming for her but have never experienced.

"Oh, you're 10 weeks, well then your baby is ....."

It hurts

bitterly

And it takes all you have not to break down and scream It takes everything not to shut down and crawl under your desk.

You feel so pathetic, so vulnerable, and so petty.

You want to be happy, you really, really do, but your pain is suffocating - it has dominion over all your emotions.

You just take a deep breath, and utter, "Congratulations" hoping your voice doesn't crack somewhere in the middle.



So when and how did you hear your friend, sister, best friend, barren 98 year old widow, or co-worker were expecting? How did you react?