Greetings!

Thanks for checking-in with us!  Today, we had our 16-week ultrasound with the perinatologist, followed by an appointment with the obstetrician.  Many of you prayed, and we are so very grateful for your prayers for us and for our unborn daughter.  To be honest, we were anxious about what today might reveal.  We have been diligent to pray, and to hold our baby with open hands – understanding that God’s plans might be different from our plans.  Still, we were anxious.

The ultrasound technician came in and performed the preliminary scan, followed by the doctor. I don’t think I took a breath for the entire duration of the scan!  We asked the technician if she could see anything wrong, and she would only say that the doctor would have to discuss the results with us.  A few minutes later, the doctor came into the room and performed the same scan.  She proceeded to scan our little girl… Circumference of the head…two distinct hemispheres of the brain, arms & legs… hands and feet, nose, lips, and a heart with 4 chambers.  She was looking for anatomical defects that are characteristic of Trisomy 13 babies.

Thumbs-Up!

When she passed-by one of her hands, she said: “Look!  She’s giving us the thumbs-up!”  Can you see it in the picture?

She continued to scan other organs that were visible, and guess what she found?  Nothing!  She said that were it not for the Panorama screen, she would consider this a normal pregnancy.  In light of the scan, she said that she would consider the scan “reassuring”.  And, we do!

The doctor’s still consider the Panorama screen more authoritative or accurate than the ultrasounds, and that sometimes Trisomy 13 babies present without abnormalities visible on ultrasound.  So, we know we are not out of the woods at this point.  But, in addition to the absence of visible abnormalities, the size, weight and heartbeat of our baby all fall within the normal range for 16 weeks.  We are grateful to God for this good report, and know that you are too.  We will have another ultrasound at 20-weeks on August 19th.  As our baby continues to grow and develop, more detail will be visible.  We are praying that our baby continues to develop normally.  We trust that you will be praying with us as we walk this road.  We were so encouraged by the number of comments and “likes” we received on our post last night.  What a comfort to know that our friends are carrying us on their hearts and praying for us.

“Some trust in chariots and some trust in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” Psalms 20:7

Our hope is not ultimately in physicians, or testing, or ultrasounds – as helpful as these are.  They are a gift of the common grace of God, and we are so grateful for them.  Ultimately, however, our trust is in our unchanging and immovable God, who fashions all things according to His good purposes.  He promises good to His children, and does not withhold one good thing from them.  We know that He does not make clear all that He is doing.  But, we can trust that what He is doing is good.  This is the promise of God, and this is where we place our hope.

We are grateful for each of you…

Andy