Rainbow Baby Update

16 Weeks

 

 

      Since we made our big announcement last week, we have been absolutely flooded with well wishes and congratulations. There are no adequate words to say thank you enough for all of your love, prayers, thoughts, support, and kindness. We feel so incredibly loved and blessed! We are thankful for the assurance that our baby is being covered in prayer by so many.

     It is with joyful hearts that we would like to update everyone on our sweet rainbow baby. We had another hopeful ultrasound last week, and we were amazed at the progress and growth that we were able to see! Our baby is looking more and more like a real baby each time we get to peek into it's cozy little home. As of last week, our baby weighed 6 oz. During this ultrasound, we were currently at 15 weeks and 6 days. The doctor gave us a wonderful report, saying that our baby has a strong heartbeat, and that everything looks just the way she would expect from a normal, healthy baby. Our little one was so active that morning, kicking and squirming all over in there. We know that we are going to have our hands full when we finally get to meet this little one in just 5 short months!

     We feel so blessed to have the opportunity to see our little one every other week. I am always so anxious and nervous before each appointment, expecting to hear the worst. Yet I stand humbled each time we see our little one, happy and content, with a strong heartbeat, and developing normally. I will never ever take that for granted again. Going through the journey we walked with our precious Caroline has taught me so much. I have lost all innocence when it comes to everything in regards to pregnancy. Yet amidst all of the anxiety, fear, nerves, and pain that has come along with this pregnancy, it has allowed me to learn once again about fully placing my trust in the Lord. Now don't get me wrong, it is not always easy. Some days it is the hardest thing for me to do. But the truth that I keep coming back to, is that there is no other way. I can look back over all that we went through with Caroline, and I can see how God was faithful. He never once allowed us to walk on our own. Even though I wished so badly that her life was in my hands, and that I had the choice of saving her, and giving her life, I know that right from the start, she belonged to the Lord. She was safely being held in His hands. Truly there is no better place to be. So we trusted in God with her life, and now we continue to do the same with this baby's life. Even though we now know all too well the painful reality of what can and does happen, we trust that God is also holding this little one in His mighty hands. We know that He is even now forming this little one in His image, and that He has a beautiful plan for this baby's life, just as He did for Caroline's life. It is not easy, but we are trusting in God's plan, and allowing Him to guide us as we go down this beautiful journey of pregnancy once again.

     Tomorrow our baby will be 17 weeks old! I am so thankful for the time that God has already given us with this sweet little one, and for allowing us the opportunity to be parents once again. I am so humbled.

     I wanted to share a very happy God given gift with all of you. Typically a pregnant mom will not start to feel those first kicks and flutters until around 16 weeks or after, with Caroline I started feeling her amazing little movements around 18 weeks. But with this little one, I think that God just knew I needed a little extra grace and reassurance. When Josh and I were down in Florida, heading into week 12, I started very clearly feeling those little tiny flutters and kicks. They were few and far in between, but they were there. I have been so thankful for the blessing of tiny baby movements! There is no greater peace of mind to a worried and anxious mommy's heart, than to feel your little one kicking away inside. I know that this is truly a God thing, because it was so early to start feeling movement. But I am just so grateful! Both Josh and I look forward to being able to feel those first movements on the outside, hopefully in the coming weeks!

    Thank you again for all of the many prayers, kind words, and support! We are just so blessed by each and every one of you. Please continue to pray for our little baby, that he or she is growing strong and healthy each and everyday. We also continue to ask for prayers for peace, and that we would be able to fully place our trust in the Lord. Our next ultrasound is on May 11, and we will be at 20 weeks. This is close to the time that we received our diagnosis for Caroline the first time. Although we have more reassurance this time, it is still going to be very scary. I know that there will be a lot of anxiety and nerves leading up to that moment. So we would greatly appreciate prayers for a good outcome, and that God would flood our hearts with His peace and His presence. Thank you from the very bottom of our hearts!

 

     "For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."

Romans 8:24-25

 

Baby's little face peeking out to say hello!
Its a little hard to see, but if you look closely you can see
the eyes, nose, forehead, and chin!