Throwback Thursday: Meet the Parents

In honor of Throwback Thursday and a very special Halloween 8 years ago, I thought I’d share a funny story about how my husband met my parents, my brother, and all my friends for the first time.

Dressed like this!

So 8 years ago—college years—it all began when I became this baseball player’s math tutor. It didn’t take long for me, even with my jaded, on-the-mend heart, to see that my preconceptions about this jock named Rick had been way off.

After weeks of tutoring sessions that had also become bible studys/coffee dates, Rick finally asked me out on an official date. (I was about ready to give up on the lug. Apparently driving me crazy was all part of his strategy to win my attention.Pretty sharp--not sure he even needed a tutor!) 

But since he’d asked me out the day before Halloween, and my brother was throwing this big party for our friends and family and a lot of his youth group kids, we decided we’d attend and have our date the next night.

Imagine my surprise when my date (and possibly my new “boyfriend”) struts in to meet EVERYONE I know, including my DAD in a push-up bra, a dress, a wig, jeweled sandals, five-o’clock shadow, and some impressive guns!

Talk about an ice-breaker! My mom gave me a mouthed “Wow” and a thumbs up the second Rick turned his back, btw! (Love my mom!) And I’m happy to report my awesome dad actually laughed (And made no mention of his gun collection.)

Do you have a fun meet the parents story? Or Halloween story? I’d love to hear!

An Announcement and a BIG prayer request!

For the past several months I have been guarding a secret. A big one---one that has to do with something very little in need of some BIG prayer.

This summer we found out I’m pregnant! 

Yeah, yeah… a lot of you called it with my coffee strike. That was actually the day I found out. The likelihood of me being pregnant was soooooo slim, I’d been discounting all the signs. IMPOSSIBLE!

Well, God likes to work in the business of all things impossible. This baby had a .8 (point eight) percent chance from the start. If you all remember my miscarriage/pseudo-heart attack/kidney failure last year (You can read about it here) you might remember that they advised I NOT get pregnant to protect my one very unique kidney from shutting down---as it would have had I not lost the last baby. Without getting into all the nitty-gritty personal details, they expected I might lose this baby too.

But… this little fighter survived. They ALSO told me, that on top of the less than one percent chance of conception, and the subsequent possibility of another miscarriage, the medication I was on for my kidney (A BIG no-no for pregnancy---and the reason we were using such sure measures of prevention) should have also ended the pregnancy.

All that to say, this baby is a MIRACLE!  

You can plan your life down to the detail, you can do all you can to be in control…. But the plain, and AMAZING truth of it is, God is BIGGER! His plan is bigger.

And we are trusting in that plan, and in the miraculous work He started first when He saved my life as a baby, and again when He spared my life by taking my child home last year…

And NOW… since this pregnancy poses a lot of dangers for my life.

LONG story short and simplified---We’ve made it into the second trimester now. And we’ve been advised that we need to keep me healthy and get this baby as far along in the pregnancy as we can before my blood pressure rises too high and my kidney starts to fail, which could happen at any time. At that point, they will have to deliver the baby. We are already 16 weeks, and viability is 26. The longer we wait, the better it will be for the baby, and the higher the risk becomes for me.

So, we could really use some prayer in the coming weeks. We are not afraid. We know that God’s got this. That He doesn’t do things halfway. And we are standing on the promises in His word and the power of our testimony. We can’t wait to see what He has in store for this little one!!!

Warriors: Some specific prayer needs

-For the baby’s kidneys to develop normally and remain unaffected by the medication that was discontinued late.

-For my kidney function to remain in the black until at least 30 weeks or more.

-For my tolerance to the medications as they tend to have difficult side-effects.

-For my blood pressure (which is already on the rise and will naturally spike more as the pregnancy progresses) to be controlled by the meds and manageable until it’s safe for the baby.

-For wisdom for my team of docs.

-For peace to take it all in stride.

-For energy for me to continue to care for my rambunctious kiddos.

-And maybe.... for a girl!

Thank you! We love you!

Rick, Amy, Kael, Rafe, and Baby Simpson.