lunch, membership refund and brilla-isms

Bri and I went out to lunch this afternoon with Brilla's Mamang (filipino for grandma) and Grandpa John. It was a small recognition for Dad, a veteran. We always love getting a chance to hang out with them. Unfortunately, the teriyaki was terrible! Bri and I went to my mom's afterward and had pumpkin bars, talked, and scanned the catalog of a local Christian store chain. Fun, fun! These last few years I've refused to get out in the craziness of after-Thanksgiving shopping, but that might be just one store I actually hit.

Yesterday I went to the gym and requested a refund for last month's dues because of my sudden absence due to our stillbirth. They gave me the pat answer of "no, we only freeze membership ahead of time". I then requested a credit, to which she answered,"we don't usually do that, but I can let you know in the next 24 hrs". Tonight I got a call from the accounting head and she said they needed a doctor's note. This was all kind of a morbid process, but I went ahead and took them the death certificate. Hopefully I will get a credit. I was hesitant to go back and ask in the first place, since I worked out regularly up until our loss. It's hard to be pregnant to everyone's eyes, then suddenly not be. I'm not a woman who likes to demand like a jerk (especially in this situation), so if they don't give me one, that's fine. Business is business, though I would be surprised if they don't.

On the way home, I was casually glancing at Amelia's death certificate and noticed it's called a fetal death certificate. They also have a box for the name of the fetus. I never noticed that before. I'm sure it's entitled "fetal" because the definition of when life begins has its legal parameters, yada, yada, yada. But it just got my mind thinking. It reminded me that an unborn baby is not just a fetus. He or she is a human being. And an unborn baby's death is a human death. Amelia had a soul, just as any other unborn child. There are a host of these special ones the world has never seen before, but that only God, their Creator, has. We will see them in heaven again, all those precious children that were only hoped for, never held. Or held, but never raised. I've wondered at what Amelia looks like right now. I have this thought she won't be running around in heaven as small as she left us. Who knows? All we know is that she's big enough to worship and love her God. I can't wait until our reunion. What a blessed day that will be!

Reminds of me of our daughter that we do have and hold. That girl is a singer! Every chance she gets, she wants to sing for people. Or sometimes I hear her chirping away as she plays with her toys. Her favorites are Great is Thy Faithfulness, Jesus Loves Me, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Deep and Wide, God is So Good, and oh, I've probably forgotten a slough of others. Yes, they are mostly songs about Jesus. I'm sure God smiles when He hears it.

Some recent Brilla-isms...

~when asked if she was cold she said, "No, I'm crazy." Then I said,"You're not crazy, you're smart." Daddy asked,"Are you smart, Brilla?" "I'm not smart, I'm cute." (!)

~I was reiterating her Bible lesson, God takes care of His people. I asked her to say that. She says,"God takes care--of me---you, and---folks." Don't know where she got that (prolly her teacher), but she nailed it!

~Big girl politeness of the day was when she asked in a complete sentence,"Could you hold my bag?" and when offered something, answered,"Yes please." Our little girl's gettin' all fancy :)

Btw, for pronunciation purposes, Brilla is Bree-uh. Small editor's note :)