Has it really been almost a week??

I have not posted since Monday - most of you must not feel like checking this blog out much. The problem is that I am trying to keep several blogs going and most of this week I really felt awful and I hate to do nothing but blog about how miserable I feel. Great encouragement o have a large family, eh?

But here is the positive side of it, while I am only managing to keep it together in the morning and by 2 or 3 pm have to crawl into my bed to rest and nurse my aching body, be it joints or ligaments or my back or worse all three, my older kids really help keep it going.

Is it always as I would like it? Nope - but things keep going. My 13 year old son the last two weeks has typically come in to my room in the morning to find out what is for breakfast and then has organized it. My other kids each take a turn making supper and they all pretty much know the afternoon drill for afternoon chores. Yes, a few forget now and then, one of them regularly forgets to clean the upstairs bathroom but a gentle reminder and it gets done.

So while the physical part of being pregnant at 46 with my 13th is really, really, really hard - it is doable because all of the kids pitch in and they are each and every one of them excited about a new baby.

I too am excited and even after 12 previous successful pregnancies, I am still enthralled with the feeling of a little life tumbling and stretching within. It hurts more this time around, than in the past. But I am still in awe of it and am often distracted from what I am doing to stop and watch my tummy rumble and roll. The kids can now see their siblings gymnastic feats from across the room and are thrilled by it.

But I do worry - will the baby be healthy? With Gracie's passing, I have worried a lot. This family did not catch anything on the ultrasound in regards to her condition. So it weighs on my mind at times. I worry - will I go into labour by myself? I would like to ask for prayers for that as most of my later babies have been induced - mostly due to my back problems leaving me almost incapacitated. So I worry maybe my body will not do this alone and since I am using a midwife this time - there is no induction with drugs or otherwise lying in wait.

The last baby was delivered by c-section and the first 24 hours was a nightmare with the staff almost rupturing my bladder through lack of proper care, amongst other difficulties. The memories are still difficult. So prayers are begged for!

There is more I can write about but it is late and I better get to bed!