#4

 

 

#4

 

So from the picture, you may have guessed it...we are having ANOTHER baby!  This makes #4 for us and, yes, we do know how this happens.  While I am only 8 weeks along, I've known for almost 5 weeks now and I have to say, the news is still sinking in!  We are, of course, SUPER excited to be having another baby, but as you may guess, it has taken a little getting used to this idea!  I am 39 you know (I KNOW that is not OLD, but when you get to a point where having another baby is almost totally off the table...never fully, but almost...then it takes a bit to get your head back around the idea of years of diapers and sleepless nights).

I remember the night before I found out, I was texting with a friend who was having baby fever and I joked that I may be having another, so she should, too.  (Without giving out too much information, I thought another baby was a very remote possibility for us and highly unlikely, so this talk of another baby was just in fun).  The next morning I saw my friend at mass at our children's school and we giggled about our conversation just before the service started.  It was Friday, August 15th and the mass was to celebrate the feast of the Assumption of Mary.  Our Pastor Fr. Bob spoke about Mary, and cooperation, and how she was open to the grace of God.  I actually wrote those words down on a receipt in my purse because I wanted to remember them to somehow incorporate this powerful lesson in my coaching!  Here was a beautiful example of what wonderful gifts come from cooperation and openness to the Grace of God.  The other beautiful thing is that we have been given so many gifts that come to us on many different scales, some small and others huge.  Small or large, we are ALL given wonderful gifts from God and it is our choice as to what we do with them!  Do we cooperate and accept these gifts with open arms or do we not?  Do we accept them and allow ourselves to be open to the grace of God, or do we say "nah...I'm good!" 

After that wonderful experience, I went on with my day.  I continued to think about how I would incorporate that powerful message in my coaching practice but especially in my own life.  I have recently made changes in my life to allow myself more time for coaching because I do believe that I have been given a great gift to help others find their greatness and purpose.  I was excited to think that I was on the right track.  I wanted to really understand this and be sure, so I questioned how was I being cooperative and open to the grace of God and looked to see where there were areas that I could do more.  Even with the excitement of this awakening I had, the conversation from the night before was still lingering in the back of my head.  It was just there...still...the thoughts waiting for me to bump into them again while all of these new thoughts and ideas swirled around it...And just then I think I knew...I had an amazing, beautiful gift...a gift through the grace of God.  Immediately, I thought I was crazy so I joke and say I took a pregnancy test to "rule it out".  It was just TOO perfect.. The conversation, the homily about being cooperative and open to the grace of God and then I find out I'm pregnant...no way!  Well as you can see above, there is a way!  After almost a month of waiting, we got to see our little miracle today and hear the heartbeat for the first time!   And through tears of joy, I am hear to tell you...I didn't think this was part of our family plan!  I'm not surprised because I don't know how it happens; I'm in shock because I know how hard it is for it to happen for us!  After all of this, my lesson is this.  Be open to the grace of GOD!  I thought I had it all figured out but I don't!  And I never will!  It's not my job to know what is supposed to happen...it's my job to be cooperative and open to the WONDERFUL gifts that are in store for me.  It is also my job to know this and live this when times are tough.  And so this new baby will always be a reminder to be open to God's grace and cooperative in His plan!