Welcome to Carrots! I'm so glad you're here. This is where I share thoughts on liturgical living, faith, parenting, culture, and an extra dose of Jane Austen. You can sign up for my email newsletter here to stay in touch, or look me up on Instagram!
What a week. What. a. week. I know it’s been quiet over here and it’s not just because I’m starting to feel that third trimester fatigue approaching. I am emotionally exhausted. As I mentioned last week, my best friend’s mom passed away unexpectedly and my heart has been so full of sorrow for her family. That grief was present along with all the joy of our Benjamin’s fourth birthday (which merits it’s own post, coming soon.)
On Monday, I woke to the news that the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI is resigning. What sad news! I honestly thought it was a mistake or a joke when I first saw it on Twitter. He was already pope when we converted and I have always found such joy and strength in knowing that he is leading us. I am excited about what lies ahead, but sorrowful that the last few years must have been such a struggle for the Holy Father as his health declines. My prayers are with him.
The day just got worse…
Pregnancy Update: Monday morning I had an appointment at my OBGYN/midwifery office. When we listened to the heartbeat, my Dr. got quiet and I started to listen more carefully. I could hear that it was odd: thump, thump, —–, thump, thump, thump, —, thump, —. “Is she having the hiccups?” my Dr. asked. But because of where the placenta is I’ve had much more trouble feeling movement during this pregnancy and although I was pretty sure she had kicked once or twice as we listened, I had to admit that I hadn’t felt any rhythmic, hiccuping from Baby Gwen. “So…do we do an ultrasound?” I asked, expecting her to wheel in the ultrasound machine. “Yes. Let’s get you scheduled for one at the hospital to rule out fetal arrhythmia. As soon as possible.” Oh. The hospital. My heart sank. Not just the office ultrasound. I suddenly realized that this might be a big deal. That something could be wrong with my sweet baby’s heart.
The maternal-fetal office at the hospital had an opening Tuesday, the following day. It was a looong 24 hours. But I mustered up the self-control NOT to google everything about fetal arrhythmia and terrify myself before I even knew anything was wrong and instead spent my anxious energy texting friends to ask for prayer and then finally bursting into tears after I put the kids to sleep. When I announced what was happening on facebook, so many of you encouraged me with promises to pray and I can’t tell you how much each of your little notes meant to me! Thank you so much.
Daniel went with me and even before the Dr. came in, I started to breathe easier because as the ultrasound tech was measuring Gwen’s little heart, we could see that there were no irregular beats. The Dr. came in and watched her little heart for several minutes and then confirmed that there was nothing unusual going on and that it was beating perfectly. I can’t express my relief! He said that we might have caught a moment of transient fetal arrhythmia on Monday, but that it’s nothing to worry about. I’m 26.5 weeks and Gwen is measuring exactly right and is 1lb 14oz. In other news I feel like the third trimester fatigue has already hit. I’m sleeping 8 hours at night and then desperately need a nap every day! So posts are going to be less frequent from here on out because I’m not doing any blogging during early morning or naptime anymore.
In the Liturgical Year: Lent! The day after our ultrasound was Ash Wednesday and I really felt already exhausted and broken from the previous week as we entered Lent. If you have posts about Mardi Gras, Lent, Valentine’s Day, Ash Wednesday, etc. share them in our Little HolyDays lenten link up! There’s been some great posts shared and I love being inspired by how you observe Holy Time. If you haven’t been back to see the links, take a few minutes to check them out. I’ll be sharing some of my favorite posts of yours here and on FB and Twitter.
Book Love: I’m a couple weeks behind on my reading goals for 2013. And it doesn’t help that whenever I see my current read, Les Miserables on my bedside table, Victor Hugo is staring at me disapprovingly. Isn’t the mere length of your book intimidating enough, Victor? Also enjoying the short selections on Lent I’m reading in Bread and Wine, my lenten devotional for this year.
The Quotable Benjamin:
“Are you going to be a real ballerina when you grow up, Mama?”
Hahaha, oh my dear, my pointe shoe days are over 
“Why?”
“Well, because the Pope is very old.”
“Even older than Mama?!”
Ok, son, my pointe shoe days aren’t THAT far behind me.
Quotes: “You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving. The great acts of love are done by those who are habitually performing small acts of kindness. We pardon to the extent that we love.” – Victor Hugo
“Pope John Paul II remained in office so that he might show us how to suffer and how to die. Pope Benedict XVI is leaving the Papal Office so that he might show us how to live in humble honesty.” – Sr. Mary Theresa of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist
Links:
Happy VaLENTine’s Day: Simcha Fisher (This is such a hilarious post about celebrating Valentine’s Day during Lent. I was dying.)
Simple and wonderful Lent Calendar from A Lee in the Woudes
There’s a great giveaway happening at Molly Makes Do!
100 Things to Do for Lent: Held By His Pierced Hands
Instagrams Worth Sharing:
Ready to go to grandma’s house!
Me and my two girls Lucy has started patting my tummy and saying “Guhweh!” for Gwen. Oh the joy that fills my heart when I think about these sisters!
Wishing you a wonderful weekend!
Love,
Haley
P.S. You can also follow me on Twitter (@haleycarrots), Pinterest (haleyofcarrots), FB, and Instagram (carrotsformichaelmas). I love connecting with my wonderful readers!
M. Hugo is not casting you disapproving looks; au contraire! He beseeches you, with a most sincere countenance, to open his masterpiece of literature and to enter into the world that he has so lovingly created. He invites you to partake of the rich fruit of his mental labor. You think, perhaps, that his volume appears daunting, oui? Yet — but only think — how much more daunting it was for M. Hugo to create it! Take heart, dear one!
[I have struggled through both the “Battle of Waterloo” and the critique of the “Cloistered Life” and I can guide you through those.]
So sorry for your nerve wracking week! Glad you got an extra peek at your little one! I always wonder when people have to go to the big doctor if they end up seeing my mom.
she sees so many of our friends these days!
I didn’t see your mom! I was at TMH. Is that where she works?
Yes, she works for dr Hume and dr Willis. They do high risk pregnancies mostly, but also a lot of random scanning for other offices. She sees people I know all the time!
Lucy is so cute and I love her little smocked dress.
It does sound like it was an emotionally exhausting week! I’m glad you’re through it and hopefully the next one will be better. We had a little scare early on in my pregnancy and I had to sit on it for a weekend before getting an ultrasound and finding out that everything was okay… so I can relate to that angst!
Thank you! I think she’s just darling. So glad your pregnancy is going swimmingly! I feel suddenly more connected to Baby Gwen after all the worry. Maybe it made me realize how excited I am to meet her!
Oh how scary! I’m glad everything is okay with little Gwen!
And I agree with Deirdre – Lucy is adorable!!
Thanks, Cassidy! The relief is incredible.