November 17th, 2013

​That is the projected due date for the arrival of baby Arévalo, which we will be calling it until we find out the gender sometime in July.  It has been a bit of a rough week for us but today we got some great news!  Our baby is 7 weeks and 3 days old and growing perfectly! Brooke and I had miscalculated and thought that she should have been seven weeks and it turns out she was only six at our first doctors appointment last week.  This caused a bit of concern on our part.  Concern because the doctor told us that the size of the baby was not consistent with being seven weeks and had us go see a radiologist to make sure the baby was growing.  Upon hearing this, our minds began racing with questions.  It is crazy that this baby is only seven weeks old but we love it so much.  We shared this news with family and close friends.  They all assured us that God is sovereign and that our baby is fine.  It is awesome to have such a great community here in the city and also to have parents who love and support us so much.  

Even so the week was rough.  I cannot image the pain of losing an unborn child due to miscarriage  even as I write this knowing that our baby is fine I tear up.  I cannot even image how women who have had miscarriages feel.  In Jeremiah 31:15 we see a glimpse of this mourning:​

Thus says the Lord:
“A voice is heard in Ramah,
lamentation and bitter weeping.
Rachel is weeping for her children;
she refuses to be comforted for her children,
because they are no more."
 

Yet God promises restoration and comfort can be found in God who is a God of restoration.  Sin entered into the world, and God being rich in mercy sent his son Jesus to restore all things.  And we are so thankful that our baby is doing just fine and growing.  It blows my mind that it already has a heartbeat and is growing organs and ears!

​I'd like to end with a prayer: 

Lord give us to feel a need of your continual saviorhood,
and to cry with Job "I am vile",
and with Peter "I perish",​
with the publican, "Be merciful to me, a sinner".
Subdue in us the love of sin,
Let us know the need of renovation as well as of forgiveness,
in order to serve and enjoy you forever.

-Ron