I’ve decided to share bits and pieces of our recent vacation over time, hopefully with some pictures and preferably with some sort of a point over the next several days rather than provide a listing of everything we did and saw over the last two weeks. One event overshadows all others, so I suppose that would be a reasonable place to begin.
In our little KOA campground in San Antonio, TX, a growing suspicion was confirmed that we are expecting another addition to our little clan. This may be number four, but the wonder is no less than it was with the first. Today, we showed our daughter some pictures of the development of the tiny baby and an approximation of what the little guy looks like now. The photograph at left, taken by University of Minnesota medical photographer Robert Wolfe, shows the developing baby at approximately six weeks. This was taken in 1972 after surgery for an ectopic pregnancy.
I find these small glimpses at what is happening inside fascinating and awe inspiring. I am reminded of Jeremiah 1:5:
Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee…
They also remind me of another aspect of creation which bears the fingerprint of God, and calls forth memories of the first images I saw of deep space. To truly understand the wonder and awe I felt at these photographs as they came in from the Hubble Telescope, one probably would also have to understand how deep my love for astronomy is, especially back in my youth when I stayed up all night to catch certain constellations, to view a planet or to see a meteorite shower. Magnificent beauty that surrounds us, yet we see only slight evidence of it in the evening sky. Like the tell-tale signs of pregnancy hinting at developments within.
On South Padre, we took a dolphin watch tour with a local scientist who was studying the wild dolphins in the Laguna Madre. She said something interesting that I had never thought of which gave me some pause for reflection. Dolphins gather information from their surrounding through sonar. The sound waves they emit and receive ignore water and see through the tissues of their prey and other objects in the ocean. They also “see” through each other and are quite aware of the developing dolphin within a pregnant female. So at the dolphin’s birth, the newest member of the pod is already known to its community, having been seen through multiple “sonograms.” Imagine how different our society’s views on the significance of our smallest and most defenseless members might change if we so easily could watch their earliest development.
Related Tags: pregnancy, family, children, maternity, motherhood
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O Dana! Congratulations!! What a beautiful post. I’ve never seen that picture of the developing baby at 6 wks., thanks for sharing it, amazing. Yes, the pictures from the Hubble always blow my mind. What an awesome Creator we serve. Many blessings to you and yours~
CONGRATS!! That is wonderful news. What a blessing. And what a lucky baby!
Thank you both!
And Beth, I am going to get to the tag you tagged me with…it looks like a good one.
Wonderful news! Praying many blessings over you and your family as it grows! *S*
I never knew that about dolphins either…fascinating information!
Congratulations. That is exciting news. Best wishes, hope all goes well.
Congratulations and
praying for a good pregnancy and healthy baby in 9 months!
oh, no biggie about the tag, *no pressure*! LOL Whenever is fine, I’ll see it since I read ya regular. ;^) I know you’re a busy gal, published author and all, in demand now! LOL
Not to mention, you’ll probably be needing a few more naps too, with that precious little life growing within you.
What a beautiful post. Congratulations and thank you for the sanctified view of life.
Congratulations! Really amazing photos too. I remember when I was pregnant with my first child, I purchased a MAYO clinic book (like a textbook) and it showed photos of the developing embryo and fetus. I couldn’t believe I had NEVER seen them in school. That seems like such a basic thing we should learn about. But it was my first time.
It was pretty overwhelming. I cried.
Best wishes throughout your pregnancy.
Kelly
Home of Pass the Torch Tuesday
Congratulations! That is a wonderful blessing!
Congratulations!!!! Yes, it doesn’t matter how many times you go through it, each time is a miracle and a wonderful feeling!
Here via Carnival of Family Life
Congratulations. Have a happy and healthy nine months.
If you need any help with your recovery after the birth, please send my a question to research for you ar my site for postpartum moms.
Congratulations, sending “happy and healthy” prayers your way! Thanks for sharing the space pictures, I always love to look at those.