Cell Splitting is Tiring Business!

Word is getting out. Lord willing, next July, we will be holding our baby no. 6. I am reminded not to be presumptious but to say "Lord willing" it will happen.

James 4:14-15  Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.  For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

Hubby and I are truy thankful for the five beautiful children He has bestowed us with. The pregnancies have not all been easy. I was hospitalized for dehydration for the 2nd and the 4th. With the 5th, I even contracted pneumonia in the first trimester. I don't know what this pregnancy will bring but I do know God is in charge, though sometimes He seems far away. 

So, I don't mean to brag, but I've gone through enough pregnancies to note this trend: there is no consistent trend wth pregnancies. lol! Every pregnancy is different. For example, when I was soooo sick with no. 4, it was so similar to no. 2 pregnancy, we were quite certain no. 4 would turn out to be a girl since 1 and 3 were boys. But nope, no. 4 turned out to be a boy (who made his mama really really sick!!)

You won't believe how thick my file at KK Hospital is. lol. And my gynae, Dr Han, (been with him for every birth!) has more than enough reference to plot my progress. Just remembering now... some of those were live birth forms that had to be signed by the doctor after delivering the baby. They are stained with blood and amniotic fluid. 

Eldest son (11yrs) went for a course on stop motion animation recently. He came home and told us he did a short "claymation" that was like cell-splitting. You know, from one ball to two to four to eight to sixteen... I don't know how far he got. He must have been inspired by a "how a baby is formed" video we watched recently..... and his new sibling inside of me. :)

His video got me thinking, cell splitting is tiring business! Even if I'm not doing any of the actual splitting. :p It's gotta take something from me, right? I mean with all that cell division happening somewhere in my inward parts.

So far this pregnancy has been relatively (comparing with five others) good. I'm not sick to the point I can't eat. In fact, I find myself eating and eating coz when the blood sugar drops, the nausea kicks in. I've only actually hurled twice so far. That's really really good.

Most predomiantly, this pregancy has been characterized by my lack of energy. I've been TIRED! I do the smallest of tasks and then I need to nap. Making trips out always ends in a fatigue that invades every muscle of my body with this heaviness that weighs me solidly down. It takes sheer will to fight it and move to get myself home and back in my bed to zzzzzz.

Bloated and gassy? CHECK.

Facial pimples? CHECK.

I'm yawning right now as I type.

I was thinking about the reactions so far from those who know I'm expecting our sixth. There's the usual, I can't even cope with my one/ two/ three, how do you do it??

Some ladies (my Christian friends) even want to make a visit to my place to see how on earth I do it. LOL! Like a field trip! LOL...I'm afraid, they will see our messy, tornado stuck house!

Well, I do not have six little kiddies lah. :) Thankfully, now my older children are older and are more able to do things. Eldest has been baking bread, learning to cook, etc. They help with all the laundry and dish washing and floor cleaning. Ok, granted sometimes, it is not up to standard, but that's all part of the practice and training.

I've said this before, the hardest time as a SAHM was when I had an infant, a 2 plus yr old and a 4 plus yr old. Looking back, that was the hardest time. Once they hit 5, they are a lot more "lucid" (haha) and are bigger, taller to help around the house more.

The key is: train them well.

That's why we resist employing a helper. Sure it's the more troublesome route but the children will miss so many learning opportunities otherwise. But then, that is also our homeschooler lifestyle. We place life skills quite as important as academics. I do imagine many kids out there have so much homework and other classes to attend that they have no time to do the dishes or the laundry.

There have been some not so nice comments. Well, they just don't know what a joy living in a large family really is! Each child is so unique and brings a different dimension into family life that's so enriching and meaningful for everyone.

Some reason that they would need to be financially able to support x no. of children before ever considering another. Well, for us it is purely a matter of faith. Not faith in faih, but faith in God. I am weak, but He is strong.

We have been primarily living on a single income for 11yrs now, and our family has been growing. But you know what? God is faithful! We have NEVER suffered lack.

The key is: Put God and His business first. He will take care of our business.

Matthew 6:30-34  Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Malachi 3:10-11  Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.  And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.

We do not give to God's work in order to get rich or have "promotions" (that buzz word "promotions"). We give because we want to honour God and acknowledge Him to be our provider and we rest in Him and trust Him. It may certainly seem foolish in some people's eyes, but I shall not worry over tomorrow. God is more than able to take care of me and my family. :)

Okies. Time to zzzzzzzzzzzz

 

 

 

Comments

[Serene]

Congrats again! And Yes! I know about the physical exhaustion. Plus we have a lot more on our plates than someone just starting a family! And the nausea - ewww!!! For me, it has gotten worse with each pregnancy. I don't hurl - thank God! But the urge to do so is there ALL THE TIME and it lasted for me till 16 weeks!

Rest, rest, rest. You are not FORCED to rest :D

Be glad it is not a PSLE year! :DDD

[Jodie]

Congrats! What wonderful news of another blessing on the way :) Will remember you in prayer

[chlorine]

Congratulations, Sue! Another bundle of joy.. and yes, even seeing the humourous Dr Han is a joy. He's such a wonderful doctor and he has 7, one more than you. :) I am wishing for a no. 4 too; for a whiff of that powdery baby smell... and age is sure catching up. I'm suffering from aches all over because I carried my girl on my shoulder to catch glimpses of the Santa parade and floats yesterday.

[Yee Wah]

Congratulations! This is good news, God bless and keep your family strong.

[Suwei]

Hi Serene,
thanks for the congrats! :D Yes, it's more challenging but with God, we can all pull through. If Serene can, so can I. ;)

Yes, NEXT year is PSLE year. No idea what to expect with that too. haha.

[Suwei]

Hi Jodie,
Thanks. :) Thank you so much for remembering us in prayer. We surely need it!
blessings,
Suwei

[Suwei]

Hi Chlorine,
haha, the Sunday after we found out we were expecting, we coincidentally met Dr Han and his wife at Adam Road hawker centre and told him we'll be seeing him soon for no. 6. His wife gave us a thumbs up. lol

I don't do powder (it becomes white dust!!) but YES!!!! I LOVE baby smell. especially baby's breath! Addicted.... sigh....What a nice thing to look forward to at the end of pregnancy. Thanks for that! hahaha

Yes, getting old, I definitely do feel it. The difference between the first pregnancy 11 years ago when I was 24 and now (haha people go do your math) is soooo great~! Not a spring chicken anymore. :( I've even started sprouting white hair!!! Baaaawl.....

God gives more grace when the labour increases. :)

Hey, when you coming back? If you remember, please get me a fridge magnet! ;) I'm collecting. It must have the name of the place printed on it.

blessings,
Suwei

[Suwei]

Dear Yee Wah,
Thanks and Amen!! :) Looking forward to your visit next year!

blessings,
Suwei

[Doris De Souza]

Hi Suwei,
Congrates!!! Just read your post, wow!! Baby no.6!! Amazing!!! So happy for you and family!!! How are your kids taking it? delighted to share in your joy!

God bless!
Doris
(we talked on the phone about homeschooling before) :)

[chlorine]

Have to admit that I cannot resist my children's breath too! No. 2 and 3 still have that baby smell, but no. 1 has outgrown it. And yes, the dreadful white hairs - plucking them has officially become my newly added hobby. Think this hiatus has greatly improved my eyesight; it's getting easier to spot the whites!

We may be back for CNY, but the air tickets aren't confirmed yet. Then we'll stay in Singapore for a week and fly back. Will bring you a magnet and some goodies when I'm back for good (possibly) in March. Let me know if you need anything from NZ!

Blessings too!