Monday, April 7, 2008

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

*Force yourself to ignore the new counter at the top of my blog and read the rest of my update... (if you must - the update relating to it is the 5th one)* :-D

1) I learned to play "Rockstar". Not as a drummer, guitar player or bass player. I sang. I got 99% on my second song: Danni California by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I was pretty proud of myself. Proud enough to put it on my blog, anyway. :)

2) I did that the weekend before last when we went with a bunch of friends up to Elk Ridge (same place we were in January) for a many-persons celebratory "30th year" weekend. To quote Cherie, "The best part was the food." But the company, the laughs and the games (even our 2-hour game of Bonanza) were great too. :)

3) I've stated that we've sold our house and are moving - some have asked, "Where?" Ahhh... details. I've been waiting for them to work out. So here is the scoop: We're relocating to Leask - home turf for me... and small enough that anyone who was stalking me would be instantly found out! (lol) My grandparents are downsizing, and we wanted to take advantage of the huge housing boom in Saskatoon and sell - so it worked out very nicely. Lately, a lot of our time has been taken up with shopping for carpets/flooring, paints, counter tops, doors, etc. in order to do the renovations out there. Today, actually, we went to Melfort - because one of the companies we wanted to deal with in Saskatoon couldn't get anyone to come out and install it for us. The Melfort company (family owned!) did amazing for price - and the lady was also very patient with us as we looked at sample after sample... but came to decisions. So one hurdle - and a pretty major one - passed. The people buying our place take possession on June 16th, and we take possession of the house in Leask on May 1st - so we have a month-and-a-half to renovate, move, clean this place and get out there. The goal is sanity. Here's hoping...

4) With much soul-searching and talking to Kurt and others I decided that I won't be returning to work on postpartum before we move. There was a huge part of me that wanted to... and then another part had to be realistic of all that would be required of me there. I couldn't begin to count the number of patients who asked me if I had children, and if so how many... and I am not ready to face that yet- let alone bathing and cuddling babies. I love postpartum because it is such a joyful place - not to mention my coworkers who I love... but it just isn't time yet. So I talked to my manager the other day and told her my decision - I almost felt a physical weight off my shoulders when she said, "I think that is the right decision for you." (Thank you, Nancy!) I'll still stay on the casual list - but we'll just wait to see how the future unfolds as to when I'll be 'ready'.

5) And part of that unfolding: For all those who knew - and have asked me "When are you going to put it on the blog???" - this one is for you:

God has answered our prayers: I'm pregnant again. :)

What a gamut of emotions... and that is such an understatement. We're thrilled - and yet cautious. :) That is all I'll say for now - but I'm sure I'll explore this more as the days go by. And the blog silence has been half because I've been so exhausted (waaaay more than I was with Autumn) and half because I tend to blog what I've been thinking about... and we were trying to keep a secret for a few weeks. (chuckle) What a relief! I really have been emotional, and hormonal (probably those two are tied up together) and have missed being able to put my thoughts out there. Funny, huh?

We found out March 4th - and that puts me at just over 9 weeks. We're not waiting until the second trimester to tell for 2 reasons: I won't feel any more secure about this pregnancy at 12 weeks than I will at 38 weeks. If I lost this child at any point, I'd grieve intensely... and that leads to the second reason: We can use the prayers. :) For baby's safety, for our peace of mind, and for a trust in this same God who has gotten us to this point. I'd rather have people knowing and praying than finding out after the fact. The truth is that we did have to give "bad news" when Autumn died... and it was awful, but we got through it. I think I just need the support more at this point in time. :)

The funny (and not exactly ha-ha funny) part is that although the due date is November 7th - a 38 week induction would place us at October 24th... with the new baby (Lord willing!) being born on our anniversary or the one-year anniversary of the day we buried Autumn. Like I said - gamut of emotions.

Oh - and one more thing - I'll put up a 3D-development ticker when the baby gets a little more "human" looking. I checked it out - and the baby at 9 weeks kinda looks like a seahorse. (chuckle)

So there it is - surprise! :) Thank you everyone who has been praying for us in this regard - for your love and (especially for those of you who already know) excitement. Blessings for now!

kendall

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ahhhh! I had to go straight to #5 to read! Congratulations! I will keep you, Kurt and your sweet baby in my prayers. (I was grinning from ear to ear as I read this...God is good!)
-Margaret (Hannibal)

Anonymous said...

Praying from the heart for you to be able to hope - joyfully hope! - and trust God day by day for His plan to continue unfolding in your lives.

This was so good to hear, and it's such a blessing to me to pray this for you. I'd be blessed if you'd pray it back for me. None of us can make it without the prayer support of others - even strangers!

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness! Congratulations!!!!.... Great, I'm already crying..... I'm so happy for you guys and you can be assured you will have lots of prayers from our end of the world.
Love you!!!!

Amber said...

of course i looked at the ticker and skipped down to #5 right away (sorry for not obeying your rules, hee hee)

i am very excited for you and i promise to pray for you. i will add you to the little prayer list i have by my kitchen window. may God bless you & your husband over and over again throughout this pregnancy. all the best!

ps - whoa, unbelievable about the 38 week induction on such an emotional day. that is unreal...praying that God will be with you & guide you through all of the intense emotions from now until then. xoxo

Anonymous said...

Congratulations Kurt & Kendall! We are so happy for you!
Katrina Funk

Dianna said...

Oh My goodness!!! I'm all choked up with excitement for you!!! Praise God and thank God for answered prayers again and again!! I'll definitely keep on praying for you my friend~

Victoria said...

This is indeed an answer to prayer! I've been hoping and praying that God would bless you two with another one soon. I will be praying for his/her safety and yours as well :). I'll also be praying for your comfort throughout this pregnancy.

Congratulations on the new place too! It's good to be near family!!!

Unknown said...

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!
Sosososo excited for you. And definitely lifting you up in our prayers.

rick said...

Praise the Lord!

Anonymous said...

Congratulations!!!! We are so excited for you guys. Wow! We will definitely be praying for you and for the health of little Manz. Did it take long to sell your place? Would love to hear the details. We've been renovating as well.
Jackie Harms

Christy said...

That is so exciting!! Lot's of prayers coming your way!!

Vicki G. said...

We are so excited for you! We continue to pray for you and the baby. Thanks for posting. I could hardly stand it!

Anonymous said...

Oh, praise God! My heart is overflowing with joy and prayer for you.

-Louise (Bates) Ayers

Vicki said...

Kendall,
You don't know me and I really hope that I haven't been "stalker like" for reading your blog. I started reading on Feb 27th - the day I saw your post on Alivia's blog. (I have been supporting Alivia since before she had her bone marrow transplant. I never got the chance to meet her but her dad was a friend of my coworker and that's how we learned of her fight.) Anyway, your comment to her touched me and I decided to look at your blog. I of course had no idea what I would find. My heart broke for you. I went back and read all of your posts. Gosh, I really hope that's ok - I never thought it was creepy until I started writing this. I cried so much reading about the loss of your precious daughter. And yet, I have never been so inspired by someone's faith as I have with yours. I was amazed at your strength and your words. I remember thinking "How I wish my faith was as strong as hers!" So in the midst of your loss, your faith strengthened mine. Thank you! Since first finding your blog, my family has prayed for you. A night doesn't go by that my daughter doesn't say "Kurt and Kendall" when we list those that we ask God to bless.
Anyway, I thought it appropriate to "come out" today and let you know who I am. I sat here crying at my desk as I read the joyous news of your pregnancy. God is good and I believe in my heart that next October / November will be a JOYOUS time for you.
I hope you won't mind if I continue to share in your journey and pray for all of you.
Warmest regards,
Vicki Moore
(ps - I'm the PA visitor you've seen on your site meter! :) )

Vicki said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Kendall,

I have been reading your blog since October. I used to be a nurse on postpartum in Saskatoon and still keep in touch with many of the girls there. I had just given birth to my third son in late September and was given your blog address by one of the girls that works there. My heart rejoiced with yours and my heart broke with yours as well. As I have sort of sat on the sidelines and watched you from "afar", you have done nothing short of amaze me in your strength and faith. There were many moments of frustration and sleepless nights in my life at this time but because of you, in a way, I could deal with them better. It made me be more patient because I imagined how you would just give anything in the world for those precious moments with little Autumn and it made me appreciate them even more. I check your blog everyday and I know it sounds a little creepy because I don't even know you. But, I feel like we have been friends forever and I enjoy your humor. :) So, just know, that I am so excited for you and Kurt and I look forward to the months ahead as you prepare for the birth of your little one. You are in my thoughts and prayers always!!

Nicole

Beth said...

Kendall,
Yippy!!! Was so glad to read your post today and see that you shared your wonderful news!!! So how have you been feeling besides being totally exhausted? I hope morning sickness hasn't hit you to bad. Well Congrats again and you are continually in my prayers.

Anonymous said...

Hi...I too am a "stalker" who came across your blog and have been faithfully reading it. As a mother my heart went out to you and I have kept you in my prayers. Your faith is so inspiring! I am thrilled for you and will pray that all goes well with this pregnancy!
Wendy

Anonymous said...

very excited for your news and continue to keep you both in our thoughts and prayers..Jodi and Breezy in Melfort

M or J said...

Kendall,
I'm coming out as well! I've been reading your blog ever since I found out about precious Autumn, so in my own mind, you are my good friend, even though we've never met. :) My heart completely broke when I read about the Lord taking her home to be with Him, and I cried hard for a long time. I instantly felt connected with you because the Lord has chosen to test me in a different, yet similar way. I have been unmeasurably blessed by your posts, and you have served as my example on particularly trying days. Thank you for sharing so much of your heart with us, and for inspiring me to trust our Lord's perfect sovereignty!
Since I began reading your blog, I have faithfully prayed for you and Kurt - that the Lord would heal your hearts and that he would bless you with a sweet little baby again. I am overjoyed to see that His answer to my prayer was "yes!" Congratulations! I will be praying for this new little one, and will continue to pray for you as well.
I look forward to keeping up with your blog as you share the baby's growth with us all! :)

kelly ens said...

great news on many fronts (some lighter than others!).
What a blessing to read that you are pregnant again. Thank you for sharing this already so we can rally around you to pray. I would guess for many others, and I know for me, that even though I don't know you personally, I will be praying fervently for you, Kurt and the baby through this pregnancy. May the Lord bless you with a healthy child, and I pray that through this gamut of emotions, that you will be able to enjoy this pregnancy as well.

Anonymous said...

Oh my....I have tears sitting here reading your post. I've been reading them for quite some time now. I found you through Baby Livi's blog. I'm so thrilled for you...as if you were a dear friend I've known forever. I lost three babies in miscarriages. I do have a beautiful, wonderful little girl. Who is right now making all kinds of noises!! :) I'd go into detail but I am too private to leave it for everyone's eyes to see. I do want to say that after losing those 3, being pregnant again was a joy and a VERY scary time. Funny...when I went into have my daughter, the nurse asked me if I had any difficulties with the pregnancy and with much surprise, I said no!! I hadn't!! I was just scared to death! God blessed us with a very healthy pregnancy and a beautiful daughter. I'm praying that you get the same - healthy pregnancy, healthy baby. God bless you Kendall.

R.A. said...

I was absentmindedly perusing your blog earlier because I was on the phone with my sister, but I saw the baby counter and stopped mid-sentence. "Bekah!!! Kurt and Kendall are pregnant!!" I made her check your blog immediately...then on the way home from school today God struck me with the sheer weight of it and I started crying for you...thinking about Autumn, understanding what some of your apprehensions might be. I will definitely be praying for you and can't wait to hear all the updates! Congrats on selling the house, too!

Janelle said...

yippppeeeeeee!!!! soooo excited for you guys!! can't wait to see where God will lead you in the next little bit....He'll be with you - that's for sure!! BIG HUGS!!!

Crystal said...

I just wanted to say congratulations on your pregnancy! I'm one of your non-North-American readers. My husband is in the military and we live in Guam where he's stationed. He's actually deployed right now and I'm 7 1/2 months pregnant with our first, a girl. Anyway, just thought I'd tell you a little bit about me since I'm always reading about you. :) Again, congratulations on your pregnancy. I wish you the happiest and healthiest pregnancy and baby ever!

Holly said...

Congratulations! Wowee! What a wonderful bit of news to share! I've been reading your blog, via Alivia's. Your story and entries have encouraged me to dig a little deeper into the Lord.

Thanks for sharing!

Praying for you and Kurt and baby!! May God's blessings overflow onto your lives.

Many blessings,
Holly Wadding
another PA viewer

Unknown said...

Heavenly Father,
MY dear Father! I'm once again blown away by the comments above. They are evidence of your Sovereign hand. Through K & K you have blessed meany with your amazing power to cause your children to persevere in loving you through intense heartache! I am humbled and overjoyed at your mercy in allowing us a tiny glimpse of YOU through K & K's reaction to Autumns death. And now we get to watch you blessing your dear children with a gift only you can give - another baby. Lord, I'm asking today for a deep seeded peace (the peace that passes understanding)for K & K. I completely trust in your goodness - I've seen it. I trust you will bring this baby into the Manz family a healthy, happy reminder of your amazing love for your children. So for now as we wait for this to happen Lord I ask for patience. Thank you for this pregnancy. But more than that, THANK YOU FOR SAVING SINNERS!!!!

Anonymous said...

Kendall,

I am so happy to hear all of your news. I like to check in now and then and see how you are doing but had heard at work about the baby.

All my warmest wishes and prayers to you and Kurt!

Thinking of you lots!

Anonymous said...

Hi Kendall and Kurt! It's Pattie from Melfort...Congratulations on your news! We're thrilled for you, but at the same time, know exactly how tumultuous a pregnancy after stillbirth is...We had our sweet little Jack exactly one week short a year of Maran's birth. It was an absolutely amazing year filled with grief and sorrow, awe and reverence, and joy and hope for the future.

Jack is now 15 months old, and we delight in him as another wonderful blessing! Grant is now 7 years old, and Maran would have been 2 years old! Time flies really, doesn't it? I just wanted to stop in and say Hi to you both and send you our prayers and love for a healthy and strong pregnancy and LOUD SCREAMING birth!!! We will anxiously await the news from Lori...

If you ever need to talk...I know how utterly stressful a pregnancy can be after a loss, so if you ever need to reach out, I'll grab you and hang on!! You won't fall - you'll make it...one day at a time....one dr's appointment at a time...you'll make it - you're amazing.

Pattie Draude