bumpdate: baby is a... surprise! + free printable

"I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. 

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."

Psalm 27:13-14

--

Sometimes I need to recite that verse in my heart over and over again.

I remain confident of this: I will see God's goodness in my lifetime.
Be strong in the face of difficulty. Be of bold courage.
The Lord will come through for you - He is on your side.
(paraphrasing)

Sometimes it is a reminder of God's goodness that He has already shown me.

Psalm 27:13-14 is engraved on the inside of my wedding band.
When I was single, I longed so deeply for companionship by the way of marriage. During this time, I was encouraged by a great friend and mentor to read a Psalm a day.
And when I finished - to read them again.

When I got to the 27th day, this pair of verses stuck out to me so much upon the first time seeing them that I printed them out and framed them. Back then, I had this vision that these framed verses that had spoken to me so loudly would be on display in the first home I lived in outside of my parent's house, in a place where I would always see them. And they are. The frame sits on the hope chest that my Grandma Rita gave to me. Many years ago the chest was lovingly filled with items for when I would move out one day, and beyond that, have a baby and family of my own.

I look at the inside of my wedding band often and the engraving stares back at me.

Psalm 27:13-14 August 16th, 2013 Jason & Marlyssa

I have waited. I have been strong and taken heart.
And I have seen the goodness of the Lord.

God followed through with the desires of my heart and gave me the best husband for me that I could have ever asked for or imagined.
And now, He has blessed us with a child.

And yet... I know there is more good to come.

Wow. Think about that.
Who am I to deserve God's riches and goodness when I have been nothing but a sinner?
Yet He redeems us.
He calls us by name. 

"You hem me in behind and before...such knowledge is too wonderful for me, 
too lofty for me to attain."


Psalm 139

--

Originally, Jason and I planned to find out the sex of the baby, but we later began to question why we wanted to find out in the first place.
It felt like our reasons for finding out were only because...it's what most people do. Almost as if we were supposed to find out only because it's what everyone else does.

But when we sat down and thought about it, and I mean really thought about it... there wasn't much reason to find out the sex of the baby. Sure, knowing could help us plan the nursery. But I've never liked inundating a baby with gender specific colors, so even that reason didn't hold much weight for us. Our main concern is the health of the baby. So much so...that it overshadowed wondering about whether the baby is a boy or a girl.

There is a neurological disorder on my side of the family. If you know me or my family enough you probably know what the disorder is and how hard it has been for my family especially in the past couple of years as the condition has since become more complex and in a way, worsened.
Due to the sensitivity of this matter and for the privacy of my family, I won't be sharing what the disorder is publicly on my blog or elsewhere. 
If you would like to help, I ask for prayer both for my family and for this baby's health. 
Thank you.

There is a chance that it could be passed on and affect our children.
But there is no definitive yes or no that our children will get it.

So I cling to faith.
I have hope that no matter what God will provide.
Whether that means the baby will have the disorder or whether the baby never be sick a day in their life.

So I am reminded of God's promises. And recite it again.

I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

--

But even with all this, we couldn't make up our minds completely. Should we find out? Should we wait until the baby is born? We kept going back and forth up until the night before the ultrasound - but I couldn't shake the feeling of not needing to find out. I hadn't been one of those people during my pregnancy that was practically pulling her hair out in anticipation to find out the sex of their baby.

So we met halfway.

We decided not to find out the sex of the baby during the ultrasound. But just in case things get too difficult not knowing while planning for the baby, I made a printable for the ultrasound technician where she would circle what sex the baby is. During the ultrasound, she turned the screen away from us while she checked baby's bladder and *ahem*, surrounding region. At the end of the ultrasound, she went off into a small room connected to the examination room to circle which of the sexes our baby is and seal the envelope. When we got home, we put the envelope in a safe place out of sight. If the time does come where we want to or need to know, the envelope is there and Jason and I can find out what we're having.

Until then, or until the baby is born,
baby is a... SURPRISE!

- Get your free printable by clicking on the link below -
Congrats! baby is a... boy or a girl

Or... pin it for later!

Would you like to see more?
Check out my other "bumpdates" below!

PREVIOUS BABY BUMPDATES

/ pregnancy announcement / 12 & 13 weeks / 14 weeks / 15 weeks /

/ 16 weeks / how we told my parents about baby / 17 weeks /

/  how we told Jason's parents about baby / 18 weeks / pregnancy announcement cards / 

/ 19 weeks / 20 weeks /