pregnant

Ready or Not . . . PUSH !

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                – Ready or Not . . . PUSH ! –

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Pick a word you’re pretty sure you know what it means but you really don’t. That is, you don’t until you experience it. The word I’m talking about is ‘contraction‘. Yep, I finally was learning what that word REALLY meant.

The morning of March 9, 1987  I, a pregnant nineteen year old, woke up early a bit more uncomfortable than normal. Then, pondering if I should get up . . .

. . . my water broke.

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–  “EEK!”  –

 (1* Click to read what led up to this unforgettable moment) 

The saying ‘Scared silly’ fit’s perfectly right here, knowing my new life as a mother was about to begin.

As soon and my dad left for work, out popped “MOM! QUICK!” as my thoughts took over a mile a minute.

What’s all this going to be like? How long will this take? I can already tell this is not gonna be fun. NO! Not the next contraction already!

My mother, your typical 55 year old driver who normally took backroads to go anywhere, zoomed right along that freeway, by-passing all other cars.

I’m at the hospital now. It’s actually happening. I can’t believe it!

I don’t dare go into detail what took place. Having my older sister right by my side sure helped. I felt she was a ‘pro’ having had her youngest child just a few years before. Contraction after contraction went by. The increasing of the pain and frequency seemed to be far above what I expected.

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Five hours felt like five years, but at the same time felt five minutes. I’ll never forget something I finally told my doctor. “I feel I need that epidural stuff now being I’m so young, and going to be a single mom. I don’t think I’m really mature enough to go through it all. If it’s this painful, and I most likely have hours still to go . . . ”

Please oh please oh please let that be a good enough excuse to TAKE THIS PAIN AWAY! 

For the life of me, I’ll never forget her reply.

“Too late. Time to push.”

To be continued.

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If you want to read the entire story, grab it in book or kindle form through Amazon – You can follow Marianne on Twitter at @marimemoirs and read more on her blogs, mariannesmemoirs.com.

 

 

Ready Or Not . . . Something Broke

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          – Ready Or Not . . . Something Broke

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When you know one of the most unpleasant activities is about to happen to you, admit it, you prefer it happen the most common and best way possible, right? That’s how I sure was thinking, knowing something like that was soon to happen to me.

What was it, you ask: MY WATER BREAKING ! 

Being pregnant, I was award of what was to take place that showed the baby has prepping to pop out. I assumed I would be like most others, and be at the hospital when my  water would broke. I learned quickly my assumption was wrong. I also couldn’t help but give credit for this unexpected happening to what took place the night before. (1*)

Here’s a bit from my book, God and Your Pillow,  that better explains what took place.

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6:30 a.m. that next day

Oh, this uncomfortable baby. Why, oh why does it have to feel like this? Come on, baby. Relax and let me sleep.

I know I feel uncomfortable in bed now all the time, but… but what’s this weird feeling? This isn’t normal, is it? No. NO!

Just then, yep, MY WATER BROKE! EEK! Twenty-million thoughts began.

Water breaking. Great. Now what? Where’s Mom? I have to call Kelly. Where’s my stuff I packed? This is gross. Ick. When do I start breathing weird? I’M ABOUT TO BECOME A MOM! I need to find Mom. Wait, I’d better clean a bit of this up first.

When done, I calmly and quietly walked downstairs. Why calm? Because as I began walking down, I heard my dad in the kitchen eating his routine bowl of cereal with fruit. I just wasn’t ready to face Dad and say “Good morning, Dad. That cereal looks good. By the way, my water broke.”

No, I wasn’t ready for his response that early in the morning. Fortunately I knew he’d be going to work very soon. I tried my best at hiding the increasing amount of pain I was feeling.

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God had been showing me month in and month out before this date had arrived that He was by my side all along. Because of that, I knew that He chose the perfect time and place for this unforgettable day to occur.

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I also discovered that morning on March 9th, 1987, that God also wanted me to know what a great actress I was. 

To be continued.

1* – click here to find out what took place that night before.

Marianne Petersen’s book God and Your Pillow is now available. (Amazon) – You can follow Marianne on Twitter at @marimemoirs and read more on blog, mariannesmemoirs.com.

 

Ready or Not, Her New Life Soon Begins

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         – Ready or Not, Her New Life Soon Begins –

 

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How was your break from any routine life this last month or so? Have you gotten life all back to normal? A few months back, I took a break from sharing bits and pieces of my book called God and Your Pillow.  With projects, the holidays, visitors, plus more, I wasn’t able to keep up with sharing more about my book. Finally, with things slowing down, I’m now back to sharing more about the trial I went through, hoping to encourage others going though an unplanned pregnancy. But I also want to touch the hearts of all, showing that God is there with His perfect plans at His perfect time.

For those of you who have not read my last posting on this subject, or need a fresh reminder of my last, I’ll have you read it now before going on next week.                     Click  here to read. –  I’ll wait till you’re done.

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Glad you’re back. As you wait till next week when I continue, here is a bit more I want to share.

I grinned big time when something dawned on me during this break. My last story I wrote months ago, the story you just read, shared my last day I needed to only think of me, myself, and I. The first new writing after this long brake explains when my new life began. Perfect timing ! Perfect time to end my old me, and perfect time to start the new me.

Do you ever think how even something simple as that, like the perfect break between my writing, is in God’s hand. I know I didn’t plan that. I’d much rather think of something as simple as that to be in His hand than to just think ‘oh, that’s cool,’ and leave it at that. Are you like that? Do you find that the simplest things that bring you a smile are still a part of God’s plans? Try to remember in all times that God uses all circumstances, sweet and simple or, yes, even tough and terrible, to move His perfect plan forward.

Let’s just try to recognize that whenever you focus on your small or big plan, keep your thoughts focused on the planner. Like it says in Ephesians 1:1 – All things are done according to God’s plan and decision.

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Make sure you catch next week’s writing as my  next posting shows . . . ‘Ready or Not . . . Her New Life Began.’

Marianne Petersen’s book God and Your Pillow is now available. (Amazon) – You can follow Marianne on Twitter at @marimemoirs and read more on her blog, marimemoirs.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ready Or Not . . . Here She Comes

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            – Ready Or Not . . . Here She Comes

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So there I was, home from that extra energetic concert where not swaying back and forth with every song, along with thousands of other fans, was impossible. (1*) I admit, I might have been a bit crazy going to that concert knowing the due date of my baby was only a few days away. But I’ll be honest. I had to. I was just days away from giving birth and being an unwed mother with at least fifty new things in life I’d have to get use to. Until then, I had to take any opportunity I could to think of just me, myself, and I.

Going to bed that night was the best it had been in weeks. Any comfort laying down in bed was still lacking, sure, but thinking of that amazing concert and all that my best friend and I gabbed about made those aches and pains not as miserable. Difficulty moving around on my bed with my future daughter in my tummy just didn’t irritate me as much. I’m sure my pillow even sensed more enjoyable thoughts I was having that night before it heard me thank God for that evening.

 

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Falling asleep was so much easier than many nights before.

 

 

 

I just wish I could have felt the same way that next morning. Waking up quite a bit earlier than normal, moving around in bed with a lot more uncomfort, I sensed something was up. You’d think I’d just go back to thinking how great the evening before was, but no. What ever that extra odd feeling was took over.

Okay, what’s up? Am I just extra soar from going to the concert? I know, even though it’s only six o’clock, I’ll just get up in a few minutes and eat something. 

Suddenly I learned something. That very minute I finally found out what those three words – your water broke – meant.

To be continued.

1* – click here to read about going to the concert. 

 

Marianne Petersen’s book God and Your Pillow is now available. (Amazon) – You can follow Marianne on Twitter at @marimemoirs and read more on her blog, marimemoirs.com.

 

 

 

My Mouth Dropped

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                      – My Mouth Dropped – 

wow.jpg We all know that saying ‘My mouth dropped!’  Has your mouth dropped after seeing something unexpectedly pop up? I bet you have.

I like to think that God had fun planning this one particular way of surprising me.

A few weeks ago, I got email from a book writers competition organization called American Book Fest stating my book was chosen to be one of the Award Finalists. Did I read right? My book was chosen? I felt like I had – time for that quote – died and gone to Heaven. But before I went there, I had to see how my book showed on the list. Those two words ‘Click here’ whispered to me to click.

“This should be interesting,” I thought.  – CLICK

The website showed up. As I scrolled down, the ‘Award Winners’ showed up first. Of course I would have loved to have seen my book next to that title, but I was still floating high having been chosen as an Award Finalist. One by one I scrolled down, with the pictures of each ‘Award Winner’ showing along with its information.

When will the Award Finalist list begin? How many are there? When will mine show?   

After checking that first Award Winner, I scrolled down.

Second one down… Award Winner – scroll to the next.

Third one down… Award Winner – keep going. 

Forth one down… Award Winner – oh, come on. Stop this list of winners.

Fifth one down… Award Finalist.

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The look on my face began to change.

 

 

 

Ten thousand questions began floating around in my head at eighty miles a second as I just stared at my screen. My eyes began crawling to the left of ‘Award Finalist’.

Where will mine show? How far down the list is my book? If it’s far down, then no one will really see it. Watch it be after oodles of others. Oh, please don’t be too far down.

All I was hoping to see in some near future was the picture of my book, along with its title, God and Your Pillow. 

If you want to know why I almost fainted in the middle of my next thought, check out this photo.

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I’m sure God couldn’t wait to see what my face would look like when I saw my book was at the very top of that Award Finalist list.  You read that right: TOP ! There’s one thing He still hears me say to this day: Thank you Lord.

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You have my full permission to share this posting with whom ever you please, and let others know God is full of surprises.

 

 

 

 – Click here to see the full website I ever-so happily found my book.  

 

Marianne Petersen’s book God and Your Pillow is now available. (Amazon) – You can follow Marianne on Twitter at @marimemoirs and read more on her blog, marimemoirs.com.

Just Another Birthday – Song 13

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                    – Just Another Birthday – Song #13 –

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A song really stands out when you remember exactly where you were when you heard it for the first time. Has that ever happened to you? This song I sure do, but I won’t tell you where as much as why.

Being in a Christian book store a few years back to grab a new CD on my ‘Must Get’ list, I saw an older CD from the same group.

Oh, why not. I’m sure I’ll love their older songs, too.

Out of curiosity, I popped that one in as soon as I got in the car  (Okay, you now know where I heard it.)

I like this song. This other one’s COOL, too!  And this one. Glad I got this CD.

Then the one you are about to hear came on. It sure hit me. As you listen, and if you know the story behind my book, you’ll know why.  (#1)

 

This song described my entire story almost to the ‘T’. Aside from two small details, it’s as if I wrote it. My eyes still get tears occasionally while I listen to this song. During my teen years, my relationship with my father was much like this song shares. Plus, the age was exact during my pregnancy, along with my stay in the hospital to deliver. I melted even more when it shared she had a daughter, being I too had a daughter. Another reason it’s perfect for me is that it centers around a birthday. My daughter was born a few weeks before my birthday. My best gift.

Yep, this song causes me to picture my soap opera all over again. It’s as if I’m that one singing. But the most important part about this song is how it perfectly describes how my heavenly Father carried me through my ordeal as well. And man, did He hold me tight.

Can you think of a song that describes something you’ve been through? There’s got to be at least something close. I’d love to hear what song you hold in your heart, making you feel you should be the one singing it.

1* – Read here when I discovered I was regnant

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Marianne Petersen’s book God and Your Pillow is now available. (Amazon) – You can follow Marianne on Twitter at @marimemoirs and read more on her blog, marimemoirs.com.

 

 

 

My Pregnancy Story Continues

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      – My Pregnancy Story Continues –

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One of my past posts showed a small portion of an extra special journal writing I did  thirty-three years ago. Click here to read because what’s below is what directly came next on that page. My book, God and Your Pillow, is available now that covers my entire story behind me and that journal.  

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Journal Time. Yep, it’s time to share more of my journal and what was going from my heart to the paper at this time in my pregnancy. I wish I hadn’t allowed there to be a huge gap between writings. You need to know that . . . oh, my journal will tell you. See if you can notice a few things I leave out.

                                                                                                January 2, 1987

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Okay, let’s see. A lot has gone on since I last wrote over a year ago. April of ‘86 I drove down to Santa Maria, CA and lived with Debbie for three months, worked at the Hilton Hotel in room service. On my return home I was faced with my niece’s tumor and seeing her die. She died in September. So sad.

In the mean time God showed me the direction my life was to take. He gave me a baby. As of this writing, I am seven-and-a-half months along in my pregnancy. Things are fine as long as Jesus is close by. If it wasn’t for His will for my life, I’d go crazy! I’m making it through use fine. Praise God.

I’m sort of surprised I didn’t write for almost two years. What? Quick update: I started my journal when I was twelve. Every day for a while, then every other day, then every other week, then every other month, then maybe half a year and, at this point, a few years’ break. You mean I didn’t write at all during this entire time?  . . . Oh, and the space shuttle blew up since I last wrote. It’s been a very tough year.

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I’m still surprised I didn’t write in my journal once during that entire ordeal. One reason must be because all the pens in my room, heck, in the entire house for that matter, would not have had enough ink to put my overflowing thoughts down on paper.

But finally, as more peace was growing inside my heart, along with this baby growing inside my tummy, the more I was sensing that strong arm of God carrying us both. I could have been storing up all the negative this-and-thats that were here-and-there, but I didn’t. God helped keep the thoughts flowing to do what I felt was right as I kept prayer wrapped around it all as best I could. I knew whatever circumstances I faced didn’t have the power to dictate my attitude unless I let them. Now sure, towards the beginning I did allow negative thoughts to dictate my attitude. I’m ever-so thankful to this day that God saw fit to use my family, friends, my church, my bible, and yes, even my doctor (1*) to allow positive thoughts to dictate my attitude.

When life gets hard, it’s difficult to avoid letting a bad attitude rule our life and take over our mind. It’s true, life can sure stink sometimes when people hurt us, the past haunts us, those we work with mistreat us, family or friends don’t love us, spouses don’t honor us, children don’t appreciate or respect us, finances don’t support us, and our health doesn’t sustain us.

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Yep, enduring problems never really seen to be absent.  They make pure joy in our hearts difficult. But trying to hold at least a little smile not only helps us become stronger believers, it opens the door for an attitude transformation. Those of you reading, just keep in mind that when our heart, soul, and mind focus on the good that seems to be hiding, our attitudes will get better. The good is then easier to find, our attitudes improve even more, causing good things to seem to be showing up all over the place.

Just keep in mind that the only thing we have to lose, by choosing a positive attitude, is a negative one. And one of the many good things you just might gain by choosing a positive attitude is . . .

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. . . realizing you just might feel like sharing what’s been going on in your life in your journal.

 

 

 

1* – Click here to read how God spoiled me with my doctor. 

 

Marianne Petersen’s book God and Your Pillow is now available. (Amazon) – You can follow Marianne on Twitter at @marimemoirs and read more on her blog, marimemoirs.com.