Vacations: Voluntary and Mandatory

Matt and I were able to take three days of vacation time last week – our last trip together as a couple without kids. We went to the Chapada Diamontina (Diamond Table Mountain) about 5 ½ hours drive away. We stayed in a town called Lencois that was built in the 1800’s as a diamond mining town. The nature is absolutely beautiful there. The town is all about eco-tourism now full of tour companies and hostels. Matt and I stayed in a place located right beside a large waterfall. You could hear the calming noise of the waterfall all over the hotel even with the doors and windows closed. We went hiking, spelunking, snorkling, canoing, swimming and then hiking again. We saw 7 famous waterfalls, snorkled in a blue grotto cave, and canoed through anaconda waters. We even met an old man walking through the wild with a machete and potatoe sack who had mined the area when he was a boy. He hid his possessions under some rocks and took us around telling us intriguing stories about the old days (this was the day I over did it) guiding us to his favorite tunnels and waterfalls.
Even though the trip was great for my nature loving soul and for our marriage, it wasn’t so great for my body. I started having strange pains the day we drove home (last Friday). By yesterday, the pains had gotten considerably worse even though I’ve been taking it easy all week (the doctor had put me on bedrest since Monday) and I was also loosing more fluid than normal. So we had to go to the hospital yesterday for an emergency ultrasound. They determined that I have an infection on top of the over-extended muscle pain and probably some initial contractions. My fluid is lower than ideal but not dangerously so. It’s been a bit of a scary week but the baby has been moving the entire time which was reassuring and my bedrest should only be temporary – another week or so. Pray for the health and safety of our little girl even when Mommy doesn’t know her limits yet. Pray for Matt as he waits on his wife who can’t leave the bed. Pray also that the Bible studies I am missing will still be able to start back up again in a week or two where we left off and that the Spirit will continue to work on their hearts during the break.