Yesterday at church the minister started the service by announcing that there were three new babies born this week (4 down, 2 to go right now). He immediately began a spontaneous prayer of praise. This is something he never does. Our service is very structured. All prayers are planned. He did this prayer right before our regular "silent prayer". Anyway, after he praised God for the healthy babies and the ones yet to be born, he ended his prayer by praying for those who are unable to have children. He prayed that they would have God's comfort and peace. That really got me emotional, and it took me a few minutes to get the tears out of my eyes. After hearing prayers for babies and pregnant women in church lately (much more than usual), I was glad to be remembered.

My husband brought up this prayer on our drive home. We had never heard him pray such a prayer for infertile couples. He's been our minister for two years now. We wondered if he had spoken to the other couple in our Bible study whom we know have been unable to have kids after 2 � years.

This afternoon was my pre-op. appointment. It was quite embarrassing for me. When the nurse brought me back she told me to strip from the waist down. Of course my period isn't quite over, so I wasn't too comfortable with this. I asked what it was for, and she said she thought I needed a pelvic exam for this pre-op. appointment. My face turned white from the shock. I was still bleeding a little, so the idea of having a pelvic exam was a little scary. When I told the nurse I was still spotting, my face beginning to turn pink. She said she would put a pad down on the table for me if I wanted. I had rejected her offer of using the restroom, so then I said maybe I should go. She asked if I wanted her to check with the doctor about the whole thing. I said yes, of course, and she told me to go to the examination room to wait. Two seconds later the doctor came in (my cheeks were burning red from embarrassment by then) and told me that I didn't need a pelvic exam. He said that sometimes he needs to do one if there are known problems like fibroids that need to be checked out. All I needed to have done was a quick check of my heart and lungs. He had to meet another patient, so he left me and my flaming cheeks alone. While he was gone I hopped, fully clothed (thankfully), onto the examination table.

The heart and lung check went well. Then the doctor talked to me about the laparoscopy and answered any questions I might have. If any scar tissue or endometriosis is found during the surgery, they will remove it right then. He told me about the risks and what the procedure will be like.

I went home, returned the call from the hospital I got last Friday, and an hour later my cheeks finally went back to thier normal color. I blush so easily. It's always been that way for me. I hate it that my discomfort is so easily visible to others. Even my students know about my blushing "disability"!

I still have to wait for one more call from the nurse at the hospital to have them tell me the time I should arrive. Today the doctor told me I could arrive as early as 12:00 (3 hours before the surgery is scheduled). I told him that I was thinking of coming at 1:00. He said that he thought that would be okay. If I came early I might be able to have the surgery earlier, since they often are running ahead of schedule. My husband and I talked it over, and with my work and his diabetes it will be easier for us to come later rather than earlier. I want to stay at school as long as I can so I can teach math, and he wants to make sure he can fit lunch in before we get to the hospital. Besides waiting for the phone call, I need to write lesson plans for my substitute.

Now I wait until Thursday. I probably won't write until after the surgery, so keep me in your prayers.