focusing on the good stuff...

Driving away from my last prenatal appointment, I asked myself "Why does it seem that every single aspect of this journey has had to be so complicated and frustrating?"

Because really, when you come away from every doctor's appointment next to tears or wanting to punch something - it really can't be a healthy relationship, right?

So I thought about it for a while. And to be honest, (since there's no baby here yet to be crowing over) it seemed like this entire experience has just been one stressful and disappointing frustration after another. For a long time I couldn't think of anything to feel positive about - not physically, not emotionally, not mentally, and certainly not medically.

But then I remembered reading on Facebook the other day about a girl in the Atlanta area who's been having terrible complications from pneumonia and her family's been worried sick about her chances of survival. In addition, her baby came at 28 weeks while she was sedated in the hospital. (See Prayers For Niki if you'd like to add her to your prayer list!)

Things could be worse.

I decided I need to make a list of the good things. Something to make me feel happier even when my doctors are making me see red. Here goes:

• Baby is healthy - so healthy that he's three weeks ahead of size (if you trust the doctor's estimated due date, which I don't - but that's neither here nor there at this point)
• I'm healthy - been miserably sick for 9 months, but it's nothing that can't be fixed by getting the baby here
• Hubby is thrilled - it's pretty cute to see him dance on tippy toes and shiver with excitement when he thinks about seeing his son
• Our marriage has grown even stronger - despite my being more physically and emotionally high-maintenance than I've ever imagined I could be, Hubby has been amazingly patient and supportive and enduring. And the whole experience has brought us closer even through the stress and challenges. To me, this is the best one on the list.
  

© Sarah K. Asaftei, 2009 unless otherwise sourced. Use allowed by express written permission only.