waiting. longing.

I am finishing up the Esther study by Beth Moore, which I missed while having Zane. In watching the video portion today, something Beth said really stuck with me. "Longing is part of waiting, otherwise it's just a passing of time." Waiting. Longing.
I read blogs by other moms who have lost children that are now pregnant again. Mindy, Jess (who recently had her baby!), Ebe, Molly, & Stacy. These are just a few of the precious women out there that have taken the leap of faith and conceived another child after losing a previous one. Longing is most definitely a part of waiting when it comes to pregnancy after loss. The fear of losing another never fully disappears. I was just talking with my husband about how nothing is taken for granted with the next one. I praise God each time my milk lets down while feeding Zane. I know that a woman's body is so perfectly intricately designed for housing and sustaining a baby, but it's not incapable of failure.
Longing signifies a desire for an outcome. I think Beth is right on when she insinuates that waiting encompasses that desire as well. My prayers are for you that have lost children, but also for those that find themselves in a time of waiting. The reward can be so sweet.