I'm 22.

The End =)

My Grandma (Dad's Mom) passed away this morning. She just had surgery on her liver to get rid of the cancer, but during recovery she developed a massive amount of fluid in her lungs. The doctors couldn't do much because she put a DNR order in her will.

Brandon and I are flying back east with my family tomorrow. We should be back late Sunday night.

I'm kinda in an emotional limbo right now. Between hearing the baby's heartbeat for the first time yesterday and today remembering the last time I talked to my Grandma was before her surgery last month. It was one of those "you're going to be a great-grandma!" phone calls. I told her she needed to hang in there so that she could see and hold the baby this May... but God had other plans.

So, ya.

Please pray for our family.

I think it's funny how there's such an overbearing concern for your health from the public when you become pregnant. (Other pregos can probably vouch for me in this.) What's the very first question people ask you when you tell them you're pregnant? No, it's not--- "so what are you craving? or... are you excited? or... where are you going to give birth?" No, no. It's...

"ARE YOU SICK?? HOW ARE YOU FEELING??"

--to which I retort: "Yes, I'm violently ill and it's contagious. You'd better run if you know what's good for you."

No, not really. Sometimes I'd like to say that, just for kicks. But then I might be misunderstood.

Don't get me wrong! I know people ask me that with the most sincerest of intentions and concern for my well-being, but I just think it's fwierd (funny/wierd) how everyone seems to want to know the "gory" details, so to speak, before anything else. I'm just makin' a baby here, people. It doesn't take the plague to do it. lol.

But anyway, I'm fine--in case anyone's wondering =) No hard feelings!

Sleeping is my new pastime. Apparently, manufacturing a human life form takes a lot of energy. So I sleep like 10 hours every night. It's kinda nice actually. I feel kinda lazy afterwords but hey--I make up for it with exercise.

I'm just waiting to get on a govt. funded insurance w/ maternity benefits before I can go to my first prenatal apt. Insurance companies are so evil. Due to pre-existing conditions, they refuse to pay for me if I already know that I am pregnant. Furthermore, if my baby happens to be born with a disability of some sort, they don't want to pay the medical bills either. Evil, my friends, they are evil.

But I digress, for now.

On a happy note... our friend and Bible study partner, Caroline, is finally going to be baptized! She called me this morning to invite me to the baptism this Sunday. I'm so excited and happy for her =) She's been wanting to do this for so long, but she felt compelled to wait until her church made the arrangements for her to get it done. So I know her heart is in the right place and she's doing it for the right reasons and that is what's most important.

So keep the faith, my friends!

-Heather

So as some of you may know, Brandon and I are expecting a lil' Slater in May '09 or a "lil' cinnabon" as we have recently dubbed it. It's all very exciting and we have a great support system here with family and friends. I'm graduating with my certification as a Music Practitioner at the end of this month and then I have the whole next 8 months to plan for baby, keep myself healthy and continue with my music. It's times like these when I can actually see how perfect God's timing is. He has everything so perfectly planned out--including the beginning and duration of my child's life. He never makes mistakes. That is just...so amazing. I think one of the most frustrating things that I'm starting to experience is seeing the attitude by some couples and people in general that the baby was a "mistake" or an "Oops...oh well." That's just messed up. No child is ever a mistake when God holds their whole life in His Hands. He has a reason and plan for that precious life and I don't think people should take that lightly. But I digress...

I hope you all are well and growing in Christ!

Happy Autumn!

I just back from a women's Bible study group on UofA campus. This was the first class so we just did introduction and talked about the topic that we will be starting next week. The topic is going to be on the "Biblical Woman"--which is leaning toward feminism from a Bible perspective.

I was really impressed that these UofA students were interested in this radical topic, because I know that it can be very controversial--especially in college. The young woman that is leading the discussion has gone through the material that we will be using before and she said she has really benefited from it. So we'll see how it goes!

I'm excited about this opportunity to learn and reach out to other Christian women apart from church. It should be pretty interesting.

On a similar but different note...I gotta say, I really love not being a college student anymore.

Ya there's nothing like racking your brains at 1:00 in the morning to write a paper that's due the next day...but I can live without that.

I almost feel guilty saying this, but I am really very content in my field of work. This is where I was supposed to be and I'm just so thankful that God is using me to make a difference in these lives.

I play for people who are literally on their death bed and just to see their faces turn from complete anxiety to a calm peaceful state when music is played is amazing. Can you imagine if live music could kill cancer? who knows =) It could happen.

Well, anywho...Happy September ya'll!