This Was NOT Part of the Plan...

... But I'm oh-so-glad God had a different one.

In case you didn't notice, "Have a baby" was not on my list of 101 goals to complete in 1001 days. In fact, my plan was to complete those 101 goals and then start a family. Kinda of last "hurrah" before the all-consuming role of motherhood took over my life. Don't get me wrong - I've always wanted to be a mom. I've looked forward to that role for a long time. There were just a few things I wanted to do before that blessed day arrived. (Not all in a selfish way either. For example: I had goals on the list that were geared towards getting to a position where I could work from home so that I could start having babies.)

Well. As you must know by now, I am unexpectedly expecting twins. Which I am completely thrilled about. However, I can't help but laugh when I look back at all of the "plans" I had in regards to starting a family that have been completely and ironically thwarted by reality. Proverbs 16:9 keeps coming to my mind, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." That and the expression, "Pride comes before the fall." 

Here are just a few of the plans that I was determined (if not flat our prideful) about, and the ironic results:

1) We were using the Fertility Awareness Method of birth control. I was meticulous with my charting and knew exactly when I could and could not get pregnant during my cycle. I was confident in this method (I still am) and had been successful with it for ten cycles, yet one misread temperature, two released eggs and one comment of, “Yeah, I’m pretty sure we’re good,” led to getting pregnant on the plan I thought I was capable of controlling.

2) When people would ask when Devin and I would be starting a family, I would firmly respond, “The soonest we’d even consider, possibly trying would be the summer of 2011”... I got pregnant January 2011: five month earlier than my declaration allowed for.

3) I wanted to time my pregnancy to make sure that I was not going to be gigantic during the hottest part of the Arizona summer... I will be in my third trimester during the hottest part of the Arizona summer (July-September). We're talking 120 degrees, people.

4) Devin and I said over and over again, “As long as we don’t get pregnant before we go to Africa, we’ll be fine.” ... I was ten and eleven weeks of pregnant when in Africa.

5) I said, “I don’t want to get pregnant until Devin has as steady job.”... Devin is still without a job (though working very hard to find something.)*

6) When we found out we were pregnant, we said, “Okay, we can handle this. We’ll make it work. Let’s just hope we don’t have twins. Har. Har.”... We are pregnant with twins.

We also figure, based on the time of conception and the Hanson’s reputation for producing strictly males, the twins will likely be boys. Time will tell if we’re wrong on that account as well.

It's crazy how caught up I can get in "my" plans and yet the Lord says, "I know the plans I have for you," (Jeremiah  29:11). Every day that these twins grow inside my belly is another day I'm thankful God didn't let my plans get in the way of His.

Anyone else out there made plans that had ironically opposite results?

*Since writing this post, Devin snagged a part-time job at our favorite coffee house Sozo Coffee! (We're still hoping the number of hours will increase soon.) The coolest thing? Devin's unemployment benefits ran out this week and what he'll be making at SoZo is almost the same amount as his unemployment check. God provides!!!