Guess Whose Got a Bun in the Oven

Undergoing two miscarriages has a way of stifling a couple's excitement upon finding out that they're expecting again.  Why broadcast to the world that you're pregnant, just to have to take it all back if you lose the baby?  The loss is heartbreaking enough without having to trace your steps and give everyone the bad news.

Why am I writing you now, o anonymous reader?  Because the thought occurred to me: When do I most need your prayers?  During the first trimester when I'm most at risk for complications, or later on once I'm showing and "out of the woods."  I say now, friend!  I'm willing to take the chance of having to get the word out if something goes wrong later, if it means that you'll join us in prayer that nothing does go wrong today.  Plus, I am feeling pretty miserable with all-day sickness ("morning" sickness really is a misnomer!) and could use a little sympathy! :)

Here's the skinny so far: I'm almost 6 weeks along, my due date is December 22, and we're looking to have the baby in N. America.  I had an ultrasound last night, and we got to see the little one (whose the size of a sweet pea) and hear the heart beat.  Wow.  It brought tears to my eyes.

We live in a culture where a woman can look like she swallowed a basketball, and still you wouldn't make small talk about her pregnancy.  It's a major taboo, since the average Senegalese doesn't want to alert the evil spirits unnecessarily to the presence of a vulnerable baby.  That's why, even if we can share our news with you, we're not free to tell our local friends.  Isabella, however, doesn't quite understand that.  A friend from church came over tonight, and Isabella told him, "Mama went to the hospital.  There's a baby inside her!"  Fortunately, this is a brother in Christ, who doesn't live in fear of evil spirits, so we all had a good laugh at Isabella's inability to keep a secret. :)

So, here's my selfish request: Would you pray for us as we come to mind over the next couple months?  Over the next three weeks, we have to pack up our entire home as well as our bags for our trip to N. America, when all I want to do is lie in bed.  Once we arrive in the US on May 16, we'll attend a conference at our mission Crossworld's home office in Kansas City, then hit the ground running in California to raise $1,800/month we're short in support.  All while adapting back to a culture now somewhat foreign to us and taking care of our big sweet pea, Isabella, and our little sweet pea inside mama.  The challenge is great, but our God is greater.  Can we count on your prayers?

(We've already been asked about how to support our ministry.  Here's a link to the giving page on our mission's website.  Our account number is 35512, and our greatest need is committed monthly supporters, but we appreciate gifts of any kind.)