Celebrating Life in God's Timing

Today would have made 40 weeks of pregnancy with Garrett and 9/16/2010 is what his official due date was. I know that he would not have been born on this date for one because my OB would have planned my repeat C-section at 39 weeks instead of 40. Additionally, rarely are babies actually born on their specific due date. It is all in God's timing. Since Garrett ended up being 6 weeks early today also marks his 6 week birthday. Knowing that the official due date was approaching, I was trying to think of a super-special post for today. I kept thinking the most special post is the one that glorifies my God. So, I thought I would recollect all of the ways God had his hand on our family throughout this pregnancy and birth of our precious third baby, Garrett.
We actually started "trying" to get pregnant several months before we were successful. Again it is all in God's timing. Looking at the circumstances of it all it would have been a LOT more difficult timing-wise if we had gotten pregnant sooner.
We knew that my work schedule was going to change after the third baby came. We were considering me stopping working at least two weeks before baby. The company I worked for was acquired and my position eliminated in April but the separation package carried us through the end of August, which was two weeks before Garrett's official due date.
Since I already was not working, I didn't have to miss any work when I was hospitalized in July.
God used all of the wonderful people He put in our lives to provide for our family while I was in the hospital. Childcare was our biggest need so that our situation would not impose too much on my husband's job. Over four weeks of being hospitalized my husband only had to take 4 unplanned vacation days because the rest of the childcare was covered by precious friends from our church.
God laid a woman on my heart who was also in the hospital down the hall from me. I don't know her or her circumstances but I knew she needed some encouragement. God gave me an idea of a unique way to minister to her. Therefore, I had the privelege of sending some encouragment her way.
My mother was able to come and help for three weeks after Garrett was born. That was followed by a week with Andrew's mom. What a blessing to have help for that long.
God used my hospital stay to strengthen our marriage and mature us as a couple.
The only explanation for the peace I had while in the hopsital was that it was peace straight from God.
God gave us peace about a planned pre-term delivery at 34 weeks and He is so faithful that He took care of every detail of Garrett's health. Though tiny, Garrett is as healthy as a full-term newborn. He only spent 20 hours in the NICU for observation because he did have some fluid on his lungs. However, it was not from prematurity and it cleared itself up by the morning following his birth.
There was some maternal risk involved with the c-section because of the previa but my faithful God had his hand all over that too. My c-section nurse told me that she had never seen anyone with previa have as little bleeding as I had. I told her it was all because of prayer and she said that God sure did work a miracle.
I was praying since I became pregnant that I would be successful at breastfeeding this baby (I was not successful with either of the first two). We are six weeks in, exclusively breastfeeding and Garrett is gaining weight good. Praise God.
These are just some of the ways God had his hand on us through our most recent adventure. I can't physically put words to everything but God is so into every single detail. Praise God for the hope and help that comes in any situation through knowing Him and His son Jesus Christ.