OK, here’s one last update from home before heading to Arizona. Some things here will be a repeat, some informational, and some a waste of space on the page, no doubt. In other words – business as usual.
In the preparations department, by the end of today, we hope to have delivered bags for the original three Scott babies to grandparents’ houses, be packed and ready to go ourselves, including carry-on bags, and have the house reasonably picked up, trash hauled off, etc. We likely could’ve already had a lot of this finished, but have intentionally spent a lot of time just hanging out with the kiddos over the past couple of days.
Speaking of which, one request for your prayers today is peace and comfort for them in our absence. JP doesn’t like being away from us too often anyway (especially his Mama), and neither does Gabe (though getting him to admit that would take medieval torture devices). But the one that has surprised us this week is Kara. She is so excited about a new baby brother, but doesn’t like the uncertainty of how long we are going to be in Arizona. She knows that it is likely that at least I will be back by next Sunday, even if Jaclyn and the baby can’t come yet. But, still is having trouble staying composed like the little mama bear she would like to be.
Preparations also include travel. Most of that has been worked out. From the flights in getting out there as I described in the last blog (Nashville-Detroit-Phoenix) to where we stay once we are there. We do have a hotel the first night, and have humbly accepted a family’s invitation to stay at their house for the rest of the time there. They are friends of friends, and offered that without meeting us. We still need to find ground transportation for the time we are in Arizona, but that may mean having to book a rental car, which I may do later today just to have it locked in. Everything else that has been a “maybe” in that department has come up void.
And Jaclyn has been scurrying getting baby-prepared as well: getting baby wraps, baby blankets, bedding, bottles, and whatever else a newborn needs (I do have vast amounts of experience feeding, rocking, burping, changing, and the like before you judge me. But no way I need to be the one remembering what all we should be taking out there) together and ready. We also have canisters of formula ready to go, despite the fact this will be the first child either of us has prepared formula for. So, then there’s that. .
If I could do one blog and successfully thank every person that has been of assistance to us during this process, it would immediately be the longest one I have typed. But just know how grateful we are for the calls, texts, assistance in getting us something that we need, just giving us things that we need, prayers and notes of support, and the list goes on. We know that it’s not over yet and there is probably still some junk to wade through, but the last few days have felt like God’s confirmation for being faithful. So thank you for allowing yourselves to be agents of His for our comfort or support.
Not sure if I will blog from Arizona before the c-section starts Monday or just after the baby is born. But, just a reminder that pictures won’t be included in the blog until Jennifer signs her final, irrevocable intent 72 hours after the birth. Just our way of being cautious. And speaking of her, we continue to pray for her in making this difficult decision. We hope to be comforting to her and excited to meet our new child all at the same time.
Signing off from the South. . .
“Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Scottish Invasion 