Nine Weeks

It seems like it was just yesterday when Rebecca told me we were pregnant. Wonder, excitement, joy, confusion, uncertainty and fear came over me. As I was thinking, "How am I going to pay for this?", my mouth moved and "That's great baby! I'm so excited!" came out. I was at that time, and am now, genuinely overjoyed about being a father, but this wasn't some small event; this news pointed to a future that was much different and uncertain than the reality we had grown accustom to!

So many questions went through my mind that night: "How do we know if the baby is ok?", "What happens if...", "What should we do about...?", and "What's the best way to pay for ...?" When I think about it for too long, I end up thinking about how many things there are that can go wrong instead of thinking about what God has already provided!

Why do we allow ourselves to focus on what can go wrong when we know God and His plan can't go wrong?

It's funny how we allow anxiety to become a part of our lives. There is always something to worry about; even after the baby is born, the next phase in our lives will contain uncertainties. Worrying about the health of the baby in the womb will be followed by worrying about the health of the baby as it grows outside the womb. Each step of the way there will be something else to worry about; if we let it, an infinite loop of fear and uncertainty can consume us.

It's been nine weeks and, even though I still have questions, fears and uncertainty, the baby is doing well. God has continued to provide in ways that only He can and Rebecca and I feel extremely blessed. There are still plenty of things to worry about at this time in our lives, but we've resolved to let God worry about them instead. Pray for us and the baby as we continue to refine our reliance on the Lord.

Morning sickness

This entire pregnancy, Rebecca has had morning sickness, mid-day sickness and night sickness. She's been in an infinite loop of nausea and I'm sure she feels like she'll be stuck in it forever. I can think of very little that is worse than feeling constantly sick.

About 6 months ago, I was diagnosed with multiple ulcers. This was why I would consistantly feel like I had just done 5,000 situps, become light-headed and then get sick. After about 8 weeks of medicine, the ulcers healed and they've given me very little trouble since. It is because of this experience that I can have the sympathy that I do for Rebecca. I know how draining it is to feel sick to your stomach all day, how distracting it can be and the frustration that it brings. Unfortunately for Rebecca, even if the Lord is willing for this to last only through the first trimester, she still has a couple of weeks left.

Please keep Rebecca in your prayers; pray that the Lord would allow the next couple of weeks to pass by quickly and for her stomach to begin to feel better. And don't forget about me! Please pray for me as I find ways to comfort and support her. We love you all and thank you for your support!

The Baby Brooks

Rebecca and I are so excited about the coming addition to our family! We hope to post periodic updates about the baby, things we're learning and what God is doing in our lives during this time!

Check back often or subscribe using the links on the right!