bitter vs. sweet

“…for if they never should have bitter they could not know the sweet—” D&C 29:39

Top worst moments of 2011 (in no particular order)

1. Car Wreck (Nov. 2011)

2. Rock falling on me at Zion’s National Park (July 2011)

3. Finding out Darrin has skin cancer (Nov. 2011)

4. Miscarriage #3 (June 2011)

By Dec. I was laughing/crying at all the things we’d been through this year.  You know as well as I that although these things were scary at times, they could have been much worse and others have had much worse things happen in their lives.

These events were just annoying bumps in our road.  We’ve just never had so many bumps in one year…that’s why I wanted to sit in a puddle and ask…what’s next?  Why do these things keep happening?

Well, I have a theory.

Heavenly Father gives us the bitter, so we can taste the sweet.  I love in Moses 6:55 it says, “…they taste the bitter, that they may know to prize the good.”  I love that word prize.  Prize means to me to cherish or treasure.   Amongst all the bitter this past year, one thing was sweet.  And we’re still treasuring it.

I am pregnant. 17.5 weeks.  due June 22, 2012.

I know.  Amazing how the Lord works in our lives.  More on the story later…

If there is anything I’ve learned it’s to pretend every pregnancy/baby is the last.  Cherish it like it won’t ever happen again.  Because you never know, despite your own plans, if it will.

So in light of that, I’ve been keeping a pregnancy journal, and I plan to post it over the next couple weeks.  I want to remember every feeling and event.  Feel free not to read them if you don’t want…they’re mostly for me.

So there you go.  I had to start telling people at some point.  I’m pretty sure people are starting to wonder from the size of my protruding belly. 

I’ll just say we are happy.  We feel blessed.  Things could still go wrong at any point as with any pregnancy, so we’ve been cautious.  I keep asking Darrin if we can be excited yet. 

I think I’m finally ready.

I’m excited!!