My First Mother's Day! (Well technically 2nd)

Happy 1st Mother's Day to me and all the new mommies out there!  I feel so blessed to be able to hold my precious baby girl in my arms this Mother's Day and feel the joy that she brings into my life!  There is nothing like her and I can't remember what I did before her.  The picture above is our tradition.  Zoey and I have shared Eskimo kisses since she was in the NICU and they are so special to me.  It's hard to keep her still long enough to get a few now but I still manage to : )  Some of our best times are those when we are just hanging around the house. We have the best time playing, reading books, watching Care Bears, etc.  She is the sweetest child ever : )

I spent my first Mother's day in church last year as a newly pregnant gal.  No Zoey wasn't born but yes I was still a mother.  I had waited for that day for years and it was finally a reality.  I didn't go up with the rest of the mothers in church because still a lot of people didn't really know and I figured I'd wait until I had Zoey to take up with me this year.  This year was my first actual Mother's Day with Zoey in my arms!  It was great!  She looked so pretty.

We got up and got ready for church that morning.  Daddy took a couple of pictures and we were on our way.  At church we had to walk up front with all the other mom's (including my momma) and receive a book about being a Christian mother.  It was such a sweet gift from our church.  Zoey then got a bit restless because she was so sleepy but she is so nosey that she wanted to look around to see what was going on in church.  I ended up taking her out for about 15 minutes into a dark Sunday school room to get her to sleep and then we went back in so I could hear the sermon.

As we were leaving church, a middle-aged couple behind us were telling us how pretty Zoey is.  The lady said, "My husband said that she is so pretty that she looks like she's been bought in the toys at Toys' R' Us.  She looks like a Cabbage Patch doll or something.  I wish our son would have us a grandbaby and that it would look just like her!"  It was so sweet!  Later the next day my cousin made a similar comment and hadn't even heard the story of what these folks had said.  We took the Cabbage Patch thing as a compliment because I loved my CPK dolls when I was a kid and it's cool to think I have a live one!  HAHA

We went to Ryan's steakhouse after church and enjoyed dinner.  It was SOOO crowded and of course it would be because of Mother's day.  Zoey tried some mashed potatoes and gravy and a taste or two of chocolate ice cream.  She likes food.  So far all she's had a taste of is mashed potatoes, chocolate/vanilla ice cream, fudgesicle, sherbert, and pizza sauce.  lol  That last one is my idea.  Not a really spice sauce I promise!  But she has enjoyed it all and only had just barely a few little, tiny tastes of each.

Anyway... after dinner we came home with every intention of going back to church that night.  We didn't make it because she and I fell asleep and slept all evening.  It was very relaxing though.  I seem to be dragging a whole lot now that it's the end of the school year.  I just stay so tired from being on the go so much.

I sat here and looked at her and was just amazed that she is my baby.  She came from my body.  She has my family and my husband's family in her.  I remember everything about her growing inside and I remember what it felt like to have her and to hold her the first time.  I am not crazy.  Obviously I have known the whole time that she is my baby but it's like it hit me again that she is my little baby.  The little baby that I have wanted for so long!  And I felt even more blessed all over again.

I also feel very blessed that God has given me such an awesome mom myself.  I have learned all my tricks from her.  She is the best mom in the world and if I can just be half the Christian mom that she has been, I will feel like I'm doing ok.  She is STILL there for me when I need anything.  She loves my girl and me so much.  I wish I'd have gotten a picture of us all 3 on Mother's day but it got so busy that I didn't but we are having some done in a few weeks so I'll post those when we get them.  Praise God for my precious momma and Praise God for my precious daughter!

Also on my mind that day was my dear friends who are still going through infertility.  I want each of you to know that I Pray for you and think of you often.  I know that God answers Prayer and I am still holding on to those Prayers for you.  Keep holding on even though it is so hard all the time!  I will never forget that longing nor will I forget the walk! 

Zoey and I waiting in the well-baby room at the doctor before her 4 month shots : (

Zoey and momma hanging out at home on our bed.

Zoey with her fav person... her bff Mamaw!

My girl asleep under one of her "I love Mommy!" blankets!

Ps.  I forgot to mention my gifts from my family.  My mom wanted to order my something special and she did so in this locket!  It is beautiful!  It has Zoey's birthstone, Zoey's full name, a place for her pictures, and it's in the beautiful key shape (which I love)! 

My mother's day gift from my wonderful mom! 

My mother's day gift from my hubby!  He actually used his Clayton Bucks on it for me!  I have the red with a spiffy camera bag, extra memory card, mini tripod and software.  I had broken my previous camera and could never find another on HSN. 

Zoey Arrives .... Part 2

 Me... hours before my water broke!

So.... finally I am finishing this..

I came to my bedroom and laid down in the bed.  I dozed off as I knew I would.  I had had barely any sleep in days and had been up since 5am that day.  At 11:01pm I felt a gush.  I jumped out of bed and felt it gush again.  I yelled for Michael and ran to the bathroom.  Michael came in and asked if maybe I had peed on myself... lol  I replied that if I did it was still coming.  I knew that wasn't it.  I had called my mom from the bathroom and she was freaking out and rushing around to get to my house before we left.  I managed to call my doctor and he told me that it was ok and that I would have time to make it there. He also said that they would give me some meds to try to stop my labor for a bit and administer steroid shots for Zoey's lungs.  I started grabbing a few more things (I had already packed a few things along with Zoey's in her diaper bag) and I threw on my clothes.  I don't have a clue why I didn't throw on a pad ( I didn't when I had the massive bleed either).  I guess it's because I was rushing.  Instead of taking my car, my husband wanted to take his...(we actually just sold this car, too... anyway...) because it is faster.

Of course my car had gas and his didn't.  We ran to the gas station to get gas...we actually had to get it at "The Chicken" because Shell was already closed ... and there were a billion people there.  I was on my Blackberry (beloved phone RIP) the whole time with my friend Kim and my friend Deanna.  After getting gas, we ran back by my house and my momma was parked and waiting.  She grabbed Zoey's bag and car seat base from my car along with the car seat from her car and got in.  Off we went.... flying (literally) down the road.  For those of you who don't know my husband, let me tell ya, he is Mr. Fast.  He use to race his sports cars when he was young... this was his chance to do it again lol.  He flew to Knoxville.  Every time I would groan... he'd gun the car.  I was having contractions the whole way.  They were just funny feeling at first.. a little uncomfortable then they started to hurt a bit.  It was crazy and my poor momma was just Praying that we'd get there safely haha. 

We did get there safely.  I went to the ER and it was all too familiar.  I remember walking in the same ER with wet, bloody shorts back in July, now here I was walking in with wet maternity jeans and being wheeled up to have my lil girl!  What a blessing!   After arriving a L&D triage, I was welcomed by some of the residents that had seen me about 3 weeks prior for the BV infection.  They evaluated me and then put me in a triage room.  Another doctor, who was also pregnant, came in the check me.  The fluid didn't register as amniotic fluid on any of the 3 tests that they did.  She checked the fluid around Zoey via ultrasound and it was still pretty good... crazy!  I told her that I knew it was my water that had broken.. I knew I wasn't crazy.  She then checked me.  I was 4.5cm dilated.  They then knew that I was right... I knew I was in labor.  I had been feeling it all day and just didn't know that's what it was!  I always wondered if I would know a contraction... well I didn't.  It's true.  Folks tell you that you will just know that it's a contraction... well sometimes you just don't.  I didn't.  At least not until my water broke and they got harder.  I then realized that I had been feeling those all day and wasn't even realizing it. 

The pregnant doctor told me that I may go ahead and have Zoey.  I explained to her what Dr. Howard had said.  I also told her that if I had to have Zoey that night, I was requesting a C-section.  Now this has been a debate for awhile now between folks and I.  Mainly because everyone has a different view.  My view was only to keep my lil girl as safe as possible.  I have so many different issues (those of you who have followed our story know this) some of which could cause some issues with natural delivery.  I was in no way ready to take that chance... especially with a doctor that I didn't know.  I got a little heated with her and told her that I wasn't doing anything until I spoke with my doctors.  We ended on a good note..I wasn't trying to be rude but I did want her to know that I was serious about doing whatever my doctor felt would be ok for my daughter.

I was moved to a permanent room.  My doctor was called and they told me that they were starting me on some different drugs to try to stop my labor.  By then I was really feeling uncomfortable.  I probably would have moved really fast had I not taken these drugs but we were trying to get more time for Zoey so it was worth it.  I was also given a steroid shot around 1 am or so I think.  They told me that regardless of what happened with my labor, I would have this little girl by Sunday (November 29).  My water had broken and you are at risk for infection after that (and something did show up in my pathology report from the placenta). 

The whole night I was in and out of sleep.  Obviously, labor doesn't feel good... and the meds they gave me for pain just weren't cutting it.  I froze Michael and momma too death.  I was sooo miserably hot the entire time I was pregnant.  They slept on a fold out couch in my room under covers and coats.  You could almost see your breath.  I was laying there with my socks off, roasting.  

I took brethine and a few others.  I didn't have to do the magnesium, though they actually started to try that.  I was so glad I didn't have to.  The side effects from that, I have heard, are horrible. None of the meds worked to stop my labor.  They slowed down my progress somewhat but did not fully stop it.  The next morning, doctor Howard came in and talked with me.  He told me that they were going to stop trying to stop my labor.  After that I continued to have contractions.  They hurt but I have a pretty high pain tolerance so I just pushed through it.  At about 3 or 4pm, I was about 6.5cm dilated.  I signed off on the paperwork for my epidural and they came to administer it.

Now let me tell you... this was a mind game.  I knew that it would be best to do and I wasn't scared of the pain.  I was scared that I was going to move and paralyze myself.  The pain wasn't even that big of a deal because I was in a lot of pain from the labor.  It wasn't pleasant but definitely bearable.  They told my husband and mom that they had to leave the room and that was enough to freak me out.   I was already nervous and here my loved ones were leaving!  The nurse, who was pregnant herself, told me that she would hold my hand and she did until she had to move to do something.  I had to sit on the edge of the bed and lean forward.  It was so nerve wracking because I was afraid I would jerk during a contraction.  I kept saying, "Wait... let this one pass."  Obviously they had to do it during contractions because they were so close together.  The nurse had moved her hands and I told her that I desperately needed them back.  HAHA

After the epidural was in, they gave me a pain button.  Anytime I felt something, I could hit the button for more meds but it wouldn't give me more unless enough time had passed since the last dose.  My family cracked up at me because I loved that button and I would hit it and just be out cold for a few.  They laughed at me the whole time.

My dad and brother arrived shortly after.  They came in and sat with us.  I enjoyed having them there.  Next, my aunt and uncle showed up.  They had came all the way from Lexington!  We didn't even know they were coming.  It was so sweet of them and it just thrilled my aunt to get to be a part of the whole thing.  My mother-in-law and sister-in-law showed up next and were waiting in the waiting area because there could only be so many folks in my room at one time. 

 

  

 

I kept wondering how I would know when it was time to have this lil girl because I couldn't feel anything.  My mom kept saying that I needed to tell them to come check me and I kept saying that they would soon enough.  My mom, dad, bro, aunt, and uncle decided to go out for a few and let my inlaws come in.  They hadn't been there 2 minutes when I finally felt some odd pressure and called for the nurse.  They checked me (which I had dreaded because that part didn't feel so great especially while in labor) and said that I was 10cm + 1.  Ready to go! 

The nurses asked if my husband would be going with me.  He looked squeemish and said no.  We had already talked about it.  He didn't really want to watch and they said if he passed out that there wouldn't be time to get someone else.  I knew he didn't want to go and it didn't bother me.  It was one of those moments that I really wanted to share with my mom because I knew how long she had waited for this grandbaby.  I knew it would work out better for my husband and my mom this way.  I needed the support and didn't want to have to try to support him lol  So I called my mom's cell and told her to hurry.  She came in with everyone else and got dressed in the lovely surgical clothing : )  She still laughs that she wore her jacket in under those scrubs.  She was rushing too much and too cold from me freezing her, to stop to take it off!

They came and took me and my family all wished me well.  We got to the delivery room and they began to get things ready.  The nurses worked with me to get me to push.  It was so strange.  I always wondered what it would be like.  To be honest, it was like pushing out a major bowel movement.  LOL  I'm so not joking!  I went pretty fast.  The nurses were so nice. 

Within 30 minutes, Zoey arrived.  It was so odd to feel her slip right out.  So amazing!  My mom got to cut the cord and we were both crying!  My doctor didn't get there in time but the other doctors did just great.  She was born at 7:27pm on November 28 weighing in at 5lbs and 8oz and measuring 17.75 inches long!

 

  

  

  

 

 

 

My mom took pictures and was so excited.  She then went over to Zoey to take a few pictures until she  overhead them talking about my placenta abrupting.  Apparently it had but later when I asked my OBGYN ARNP, she said that the pathology report on the placenta hadn't made a big deal of it.  She said it was probably not a serious abruption if it had been.  Still that word just scared us because my mom had lost my sister due to an abruption and that's why I was so scared to have Zoey naturally.  They did send off the placenta.  They were all so amazed because it had grown really weird in my uterus and looked like two placentas joined together.  The pathology report (mentioned earlier) showed signs of possible meconium (baby's first poop) and signs of an infection that I had had.  Not sure if it could have been the BV infection from a few weeks before or an infection I had developed since my water had broken or an infection from day one.  Zoey didn't have issues with the meconium leakage in the womb so we weren't sure why that showed up.  Interesting to say the least!

I will never forget what it felt like to see my lil girl for the first time.  I was just amazed.  She looked so much like my baby pictures and for me to say that is something else.  I never am able to tell who a baby looks like that much.  I will never forget holding her for the first time and thinking, "Wow.  She's here and she's really my baby!"

 

  

  

 

I didn't get to hold her very long before they took her out the NICU.  She seemed very healthy but they had to take her to NICU because she was still a preemie.  A lot of people thought that just because she was a good sized baby for that gestational age that she wouldn't really be considered a preemie but a preemie just means that the baby is premature in development no matter their size.

I was taken back to my room with the nurse from the delivery room and she began to push on my belly to help my uterus push out everything.  Man... she pushed hard and it hurt.  I was bruised afterward.  Good thing my pain tolerance is high haha  She then ripped off the tape to my epidural and then took the epidural out.  The tape felt pretty bad, too.  Didn't realize how long that piece of tape was.  After doing a few other things, I was finally wheeled back with my aunt (who wasn't suppose to be there) to see my girl.

I got to see her and talk to the best neonatologist in the world... Dr. Wright.  I just loved him.  He actually had come to see me before I had Zoey and he was just so informative and nice.  He explained everything to me and I signed paperwork for her to be in the NICU then my aunt held her finger while they drew blood from her the first time... the first of many, many times.

Next, I got to feed her.  She had a bottle of formula... looooong story in the next post about this connection.  It was so amazing to hold this little girl and think that she was all mine and that I was feeding her.  At the same time, it was a little overwhelming as well.  But so wonderful!  My husband and I were just so happy with her!

 

  

  

 

I'll continue on in the next post with our NICU story which was long and very scary but rewarding in the end!

Much love!

Welcome Zoey Danielle

I am so sorry that I haven't updated you guys in almost 2 months! I have been a little bit busy with lil Miss Zoey Danielle who arrived on November 28, 2009 at 7:27pm. She weighed 5lbs and almost 8 oz and was 17.75 inches long. Zoey has only been home for almost 2 weeks now as she has been through quite a bit as a preemie but that story is soon to follow as is the story of my labor, the time leading up to it and her birth. But for now, here is Zoey:



THANK YOU HEAVENLY FATHER FOR THIS AMAZING GIFT! I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT SHE IS HERE AND THAT I GOT TO EXPERIENCE THIS WONDERFUL MIRACLE OF LIFE. I AM SO HUMBLED AND OVERJOYED AND I PRAISE YOU FOR THIS ENTIRE EXPERIENCE. WE PRAISE YOU AND WORSHIP AT YOUR FEET!

Happy 30 Weeks To Us!

PRAISE YOU LORD! WE HAVE MADE IT TO 30 WEEKS TODAY! I PRAY THAT YOUR HAND WILL CONTINUE TO BE UPON MY LIL ZOEY AND THAT SHE WILL BE BORN AT THE RIGHT TIME AND BE HEALTHY AND READY TO MEET HER FAMILY. I LOVE YOU FATHER AND I THANK YOU FOR THIS BLESSED OPPORTUNITY!

The Heart Of An Infertile

Almost 28 weeks later, here I am pregnant with a little girl who I just adore even though I only know her through her kicks and her presence. But I truly would give my life to make sure she is ok. So much has changed. I feel so different in many ways. I am planning for something that I have Prayed about for many years. I am getting to do all the things I thought I'd never get to do. But in many ways, I am still the infertile who's heart hurts.

If I never get to have another child, I will still feel blessed. I Pray I get the opportunity to, but to be able to go through this once is such a miracle to me. I have enjoyed every moment, even those that are not so good and not so pleasant. Is it crazy that I can be out in town and hear a baby crying and still tear up? I did that before I got pregnant. It hurt my heart to hear that sound because I feared that I may never hear my own child cry. Is it crazy that when my best friend from college called the other day to tell me about her findings from her RE and was sobbing and broken hearted, that I, too, broke down just as though it were happening to me all over again? Is it crazy that when I kneel to Pray that all my infertile friends (all infertile folks actually) are some of the first to come to my mind? I don't think any of it is crazy personally. I always wondered if I would continue to harbor these feelings, and I have my answer... I do. I think it is God's purpose for me to carry the burden for infertility because I have been there.

I get asked all the time if I ever got so low that I didn't have a clue which way to turn. Definitely! All infertility is hard, but when you are so emotionally, financially, & physically drained from going through month after month of failed cycles that cost so much it is extremely difficult. When you are so exhausted with having to plan how to use your sick days in the most effective way, how to get off work to get to your RE 2 hours away and then get back to finish teaching, and how to have enough energy to do your normal activities.... that's when it gets hard. The hardest point is being too mentally and emotionally stable to even be yourself anymore. You can't go to your friend's baby showers, hold their children, hear them cry, listen to folks tell you that you don't understand because you don't have kids.... you know you are low.

But... in some way, God answers your Prayers. Not always does that mean you get pregnant, ask Elaine over at God's Faithfulness Through Infertility. But God does have His own plan for each of us. And it is much easier to talk about that plan when you are looking back than it is to talk about it when you are still wondering what it is. Do I know my total plan? No. Do I still have fears? Most definitely. I carry things in the back of my mind, especially due to my high risk status and issues. But I trust that God knows best. I Pray that He sees fit for this little girl to be born healthy and in His time. I Praise Him for this opportunity that to me is the greatest miracle aside from Salvation!

So to my infertile friends... please know that I have not forgotten you and God hasn't forgotten you! I don't know what's to come in each of your lives, but I Pray that it is what your heart desires. I Pray for each of you all the time and I love you dearly though I've never met most of you. Know that I still grieve with you and I still feel the pain of infertility as I did 7 months ago. You are in my Prayers daily and I am rooting for each of you!

22 weeks 3 days Appointment update ... A New Pic and a Surprise Video

So the appointment went well this week. Zoey was doing well. They finally got her final heart view captured. They said that everything looked great. Thank You Heavenly Father! Her heart rate was 142 (or 144 can't remember which) bpm. She weighs exactly one pound now. How precious! And I feel every ounce of that pound on my bladder daily haha. No complaints!

I truly do feel so blessed to be able to be pregnant and get to experience this life growing inside me. It is all that I thought it would be and more. I love feeling my baby girl kick and dance around inside my womb. I am not taking one second of it for granted because I know how big of a deal that it is. This has been my life long dream and God has blessed me to get to see it through... and I truly believe He will see it through until she's healthy and here in our arms. God is just too good to me.... and I am so unworthy of His grace and His mercies!

I do have a new ultrasound picture to share and another surprise to share. I received my fetal doppler from "Tiny Heartbeats" yesterday and I have enjoyed using it all day today. I wanted to figure out how to record the heartbeat so I set up my camera and recorded it that way. So... here's my lil Zoey Danielle's heartbeat. Enjoy!

P.s. I am still Praying for each of you.... Continue to keep us in your Prayers as well. One more thing... I am planning a baby shower... details to follow soon. Any advice from anyone is welcome!

Dancing Zoey

So what's been going on with me lately? A dancing Zoey girl! Zoey has been moving since the day after my last appointment. She has been moving quite a bit most days. She moves quite a bit in Church during the sermons. It's hilarious. She enjoys any sugar I consume, no matter how small. I love feeling her move. It is so awesome and so amazing. I love her so much and I have never even held her yet! Amazing that you can feel that way isn't it? God is so good and so amazing to design things to work the way that they do!

I have thought about purchasing a doppler since I first found out I was pregnant so I took the advice of a dear blog friend and was blessed enough to set up the rental of a free doppler from Tiny Heartbeats. You can click on the title of the organization Tiny Heartbeats to read about it. It is an awesome organization that rents dopplers for free to anyone who has experienced "fetal miscarriage, fetal demise, ectopic pregnancy or stillbirths, lost a child to complications from pregnancy, or those women in high risk pregnancies." I sent in my liability wavier and my doctor faxed in the prescription last week. Dana, the founder of Tiny Heartbeats, said that she should be able to send one out this week. I'm excited! I can't wait to hear Zoey's hearbeat daily and to be able to share it with my family that can't go to the doctor with me (namely my dad and often times my hubby).

I haven't shared a lot of pregnancy symptoms so I figured I would back track a bit here and list them for myself mainly:

Very 1st symptoms: EXHAUSTION, major heartburn, tingly boobs, shortly after I found out I had a lovely battle with a bum bump (we know what I'm talking about) lol, major trapped gas issues... so severe I woke up in the middle of the night in severe pain... and I ended up with a UTI.

The heartburn went away but since I hit my 2nd trimester, it has shown back up. It flares up pretty often now. I also have had a hard time sleeping since about week 14 because I can only sleep on my left or right side. This gets harder with each passing week. I am already having a hard time getting up and down when laying on my parent's couch that I sink down into haha I have a baby belly... showing quite a bit. I'm making use of my maternity capris though I can still fit into elastic waisted pants from prepregnancy... though they are fitted.

In my current month, month 6, I am still feeling the heartburn. My feet and legs swell when I am on them too much at work. I've managed to get a blister back in my throat again (had one back at 19.5 weeks). I am on my second round of antibiotics... this time a Zpak and an antifungal called Nystatin. It doesn't seem to be clearing it up. I try to gargle saltwater daily and that seems to be helping more than anything. I have also had some sinus issues and bleeds in the past day or so.

Hmm... I think I mentioned it all. I had a great weekend with my parents and brother. Mike went out of town to his parent's house to get boxes and the trailer to help us move in a few weeks. He also picked up our lawnmower that we bought from my aunt. I stayed with my parents because I don't need to be 5 hours away from my doctors ... I'm already almost 2 hours away. My parents, brother, and I went to Pigeon Forge (which is closer to my doctor than we are here at home) and shopped at the outlets. We got Zoey some summer dresses, hats, and baby Crocs for next summer. I had a great time. I also enjoyed church this weekend and our Labor Day weekend sermon's and missionary speaking.

I go back to my doctor Wednesday. Pray that Zoey D. is still doing well. Please continue to Pray for the health of Zoey and I both as we are exposed to numerous sicknesses at my workplace. I stay nervous daily with all that's going around and especially with the outbreak of the Swine Flu which keeps getting closer and closer to us. Pray for a hedge of protection around us and our family so that we can get this baby here healthy! Much love and many Prayers to each of you with your situations!

THANK YOU FATHER FOR YOUR WONDERFUL BLESSINGS!

20 weeks 3 day Apt. Update + Back 2 Work & New House

<sup>1 Peter 5: 6-8

6</sup>Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

⁷Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

⁸Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

What awesome verses in the midst of our infertility and pregnancy woes! So true that God has His perfect time and He waits for that perfect time because He cares for us! So true also that satan is always waiting in the wings to rip us apart. We need to make sure we keep our eyes on our Savior for our strength and our help against this foe.

So on Wednesday I went back to my OB for my 20.5 week apt. Things were looking a lot better for Baby Zoey. The membrane sac was apparently attached because the ultrasound tech couldn't see any place in the ultrasound that showed that it was unattached. There was still a small amount of blood but not enough to bother anything. The ARNP said that it may just be reabsorbing into my body. My cervix was about 3.4 cm. That was good. Shorter than last time but I read that it can go back and forth a bit and that anything above 3 is good. I was taken off modified bed rest and given the OK to head back to work. Here are the pictures that the tech printed after I reminded her. The first shows that Zoey is a girl (though it isn't as clear as the other views of this we have seen in previous weeks) and the second shows Zoey laying on her side.


My mom and I also spoke with the doctors about the Swine flu pandemic. They were concerned as well. They explained the precautions to take because I work in a school and that makes it easier for me to be exposed. My ARNP is actually putting off getting pregnant now until the first of the year so that she can take the H1N1 vaccine without having to be in her first trimester. I think this is all a bigger deal than most folks think. I keep hearing that it is all hype but I'm pretty sure that it's bigger than what most people think.

They also discussed me being exposed to Fifth's disease. I had heard of this before because my niece had it last year. Kindergartners pass it left and right (also other small kids at daycare, etc.). They ran a test on me to see if I had had it as a child. If so, I would be ok but if not I have to be aware of that also because it can cause problems for the baby. I asked if I would have known and she told me that probably not because a lot of times it goes unnoticed because sometimes there aren't any symptoms.

So, we had a good visit. I am shaken up with the Swine flu and Fifth's disease discussions but I am just Praying that God will keep me and my baby safe. Please join me in Prayer for the same thing.

I did go back to work on Thursday and I am adjusting ok. My feet and legs are swelling some from being up all day and I have to get use to doing that again. But all in all things are going good. I am teaching 4th, 5th, and Kindergarten music, a 3rd grade reading, and various grade levels for a tutoring class (it changes daily).

In other news... I have waited to share this until it's closer but WE ARE BUYING OUR FIRST HOUSE! We have gotten to the point before where we agreed on an offer so this time when we did I was afraid to mention it because it seems like something always falls through. Well this time, we have had an accepted offer on the same house that we were buying a couple of months ago but with a better price this time and with better loan options. It was a blessing that it didn't work out the first time. We have had the home inspection, the survey on the land (1.4 acre lot) and now we are awaiting the FHA appraisal. I have been packing (don't worry ... just sitting and sorting with my momma's help, while my brother and hubby lift boxes and things). We have a whole lot finished. We worked the Friday that we found out and the following Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. We took a break on my birthday (Aug. 21) and started again this past Monday and Tuesday. A lot was accomplished in 6 days.... but it was in Creation time with God, too wasn't it? haha

Just continue to bathe us in your Prayers as we do the same for you! Much love to each of you!

16 week 3 day Dr. Apt

I went back to the doctor yesterday to be reevaluated with the placenta previa. The good news is that the baby was ok. They still think it's a girl and told me that we would confirm it at 20 weeks for sure. The placenta had moved, how much I am not sure, but they said that the ultrasound report called it low lying now so that's a good thing I think. Of course I'll be researching that in the next few days ... those of you who know me know that I research quite a bit.

They were a bit concerned about the membrane sack not attaching to the uterine wall. The doctor said that when I pass the blood clot it should attach back. So I really need to pass this clot... and I have been passing small pieces for 2 weeks. Since Tuesday, I have been passing larger pieces and actually this morning I passed the biggest piece so far. I've never passed large clots before and it is such a strange feeling. I also had passed the biggest piece that I had passed up until that appointment yesterday at 5:30am before I got ready to go. So I am Praying that whatever is left just keeps passing and that the membranes will reattatch. I also had the Quad Screening that they do automatically on all patients to check for placenta functioning, Downs Syndrome, and Spina Bifida. Also, my TSH (Thyroid) was checked again and as of this morning it came back well.

They did decide to keep me on modified bed rest for another 2 weeks so I will not be returning to work this week for the first day of school. That's really weird to me because I've never been in that situation. But I think my boss and I have it covered. She's been so good to me throughout the infertility and pregnancy and I praise God for her. I am not overly worried about work because I feel like it will all be ok and that it will be taken care of. Of course I worry some but this baby is my number one priority and I am just concerned about making sure that it gets here safe and healthy and hopefully later rather than sooner.

By the way... here are the latest ultrasound pictures. They are harder for me to figure out than those last two but the first shows the baby laying face up... it's profile and the second shows it laying on it's belly face down with its butt in the air. Precious!






So.. let me beg once again for my precious Prayer warrior friends to Pray for these things. Pray that the clot is passed, the membranes fuse back, and that the Quad screening comes back well. Pray that the baby will be safe and snug in my womb and will stay in there for as long as is possible so that it will be healthy. Just Pray, Pray, Pray for God's will.

By the way, I have had a lot of you guys on my mind. I am still Praying for each of my friends who are still awaiting a child. I haven't forgotten you nor will I forget you. And just as I told my best friend from college yesterday, I truly do feel that God will make a way. I haven't a clue how or when or what it will take but He will make a way for each of you. I love you and am Praying daily for you. Please know that if you don't hear from me, I am still thinking and Praying for your situation!

Much Love,