As you all know, 2 1/2 years ago I gave birth to our Jolee Esther...by a miraculously uneventful c-section after a very uncertain and complicated pregnancy. After some discussions with my doctor, it was obvious that another pregnancy would be quite a "gamble" for us. With each pregnancy I have experienced progressively more intense nausea and prolonged sickness. This sickness rendered me practically useless to my family and barely functional for nearly the first 5 months of a pregnancy. In addition, the complications that were very risky with Jolee, would be more likely to occur again in our next pregnancy...threatening the life of the baby and myself. Most people assumed we were finished having kids because of all we had been through. However, when Jolee was presented to me at the hospital one of my first thoughts was, "I am not done!" Even immediately after her birth I felt in my heart that God had something more for us. Whenever I brought up the subject I usually got some crazy looks...and much silence...that said loud and clear, "you are nuts!" My doctor just smiled and said, "You might have one more in you but that has to be it." I was comfortable with that. When we discovered we were pregnant it came as somewhat of a surprise. We were ready, but had just had a conversation in which we both agreed we should wait...you see, we had just sold our house and were living in my parents' basement. We were uncertain of the next step for us, and the timing was such that we knew we would be due at a difficult time of year when Andy was returning to school and coaching and suddenly would "disappear" for a few months. Also, we had begun to think that maybe it would be fun to have our last baby somewhat later...almost like a single firstborn again. Well, as it was, it was too late! It didn't take long to get excited about this baby...although that was quickly replaced on my part by simply trying to survive each day. The nausea I experienced was more intense than anything I'd ever experienced. It was mentally debilitating, and physically depleting. I ended up in the ER a few times to receive fluids because of dehydration. This lasted 22 long and desperate weeks. I was very thankful for help from my parents through this time...I'm not sure how we would have survived otherwise. My 20 week ultrasound came along and I was bracing myself for news about my placenta...yet God chose to bless us in a way we didn't expect and my prayers for a placenta that was "high and dry" were answered. The specialist told me that my placenta was as high as it could get and there was no need for further ultrasounds. Say what??? I was simply amazed. So I changed gears in my mind going from "complicated" to "normal"! As the weeks went by I gradually gained strength and felt somewhat better...and then braced myself again for my glucose test. When I got the phone call saying I passed, I was again amazed. No gestational diabetes? How is that possible?! And so we continued my "normal" pregnancy...although my body had switched gears on me and went from starvation mode to hungry-all-the-time mode. It was difficult, and I gained quite a bit of weight...but I tried not to let it get to me. We made it through the summer and I was able to be at every event and summer activity that I wanted to with the kids. It was a special gift that I didn't think I would have. Around 36 weeks, I began to feel like the baby wasn't moving like it should...although I would get the kick counts in the allotted time, it just didn't feel right. I would imagine the baby with barely enough strength to nudge my tummy, instead of a vivacious kick. I know that sounds dramatic, but the feeling was very real. I relayed that to my doctor and she immediately brought me into the ultrasound room. (I have the best doc in the world :) For a few minutes she took some measurements and then told me that my amniotic fluid was low and that my placenta was calcifying...from what I understand that means it was getting "old" and was done doing its job very well. She sent me home for a week...told me to do more kick counts, count contractions, do pool therapy for an hour every day, and rest. It was a nerve-wracking week for me. Satan really tried to get the best of me with fear...I was very aware that this was my last pregnancy and I kept imagining a still-birth. With every little nudge from the baby I would picture he/she struggling for nutrition...starving in my womb where I couldn't get to him/her. I tried to focus and keep my mind on God's promise of peace. It was a very long week. At my next appointment, we were packed and ready to deliver...hoping the baby was okay, yet hoping we could deliver and put an end to the uncertainty. My fluid was still low...the one good pocket was filled with umbilical cord...and obviously my placenta still looked bad. My doc was uncomfortable sending us home...so she sent us over to Labor and Delivery set to have the c-section that evening. We were so thankful! Everything went smoothly, but during delivery I heard her say that the cord was wrapped around the baby's neck. Not a big deal since I wasn't laboring...but it again amazed me at how God had every detail taken care of...every detail accounted for. Who knows...had I not planned a c-section and gone into labor, with low fluid and a poorly functioning placenta feeding my baby, and the cord wrapped around her little neck...surely she would have been in distress. The "what ifs" are pretty scary to think about! Yet in His sovereignty our loving Lord had a plan for all of that and guided us through it all. A "normal" pregnancy could have ended in disaster and tragedy...yet God gave my doctor wisdom and decisiveness, He planted in my heart a peace about having a c-section, He spoke to my heart and validated the "feelings" I had and gave my doctor the sensitivity to those feelings that led to the ultrasound. Yes, some may say that is all coincidence. But when you have walked with the Lord for some time, you can see how His hand was guiding our steps every bit of the way. To God be the glory for great things He has done. Jacey means "blessed"...and so we are very blessed with our 4th and last baby. My great Aunt Claire was an amazingly strong woman who dedicated much of her life to witnessing and ministering as a missionary to Native Americans...and my mom (middle name Claire) has always been a steadfast unwavering example of faith and prayer. Our prayer is that our Jacey will bless others by taking on those qualities from these two special women.
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