Greetings!

Thank you for holding us up in prayer today!  We are so grateful to report that we had another great scan! We didn’t see a lot of detail today… our little girl was very active and not very cooperative!  That’s actually great news. She was moving about so much, that the doctor had a difficult time getting the scan she wanted to get.  One of the most exciting things we saw was our baby “practicing breathing” – I am sure there is a real medical term for this.  Anyway, you could see her little abdomen moving up and down as she “inhaled and exhaled” amniotic fluid in preparation for her entry into the real world!  It was very cool and exciting to see!

We were really surprised to learn that, not only does our baby weigh nearly 5 pounds (4 lbs 13 oz), she is measuring 10 days ahead on the gestational calendar!  Wow… we really are getting so close to meeting our little girl!

As we enter the home stretch, we really need your prayers.  As encouraging as the visit was today, it was also sobering.  Because we have folks reading who are new to the blog, and maybe haven’t had time to read-up on where we are, I want to take a minute to update you, so that you can pray more specifically.

Early in the pregnancy, Jennifer’s OB ordered some prenatal testing to scan for specific chromosomal abnormalities.  This test, the Panorama screen, is one of the newer screens of its type, in which fetal DNA circulating freely in the maternal blood stream is tested for chromosomal abnormalities.  These tests are touted to be 99% accurate, with few false positives.  They are used to screen primarily for Trisomy 21 (Down’s Syndrome), Trisomy 18 (Edwards Syndrome) and Trisomy 13 (Patau Syndrome).  When the results came back, we were told that our baby had a >99% chance of having Trisomy 13. In children born with Trisomy 13, the extra genetic material from chromosome 13 disrupts the normal course of development, causing multiple and complex organ defects.  Sadly, many of these children do not survive.  But, we know those who are surviving, and in fact, are thriving!

Because of the positive screening, we have been followed by a perinatologist, who has performed an ultrasound every 4 weeks.  She has found absolutely nothing during the scans, and in fact, were it not for the Panorama screen, she would have already released us to be followed solely by Jennifer’s obstetrician. However, because the screening tests the baby’s DNA, it is considered more reliable than ultrasounds alone.  It is important to remember that the Panorama is a screening – it is not diagnostic.  We elected not to have any invasive testing performed, because it would not have changed our decision to carry our baby for as long as God allows.  For us, abortion was not an option. Our hope is that our positive test was a false positive!

Our perinatologist referred us to a cardiologist, who found that our baby does have a VSD – or a hole in the membranous tissue between the ventricles of the heart.  This is a huge concern for us, since nearly all Trisomy babies have a heart defect.  However, the VSD could also be random or even hereditary. We have a follow-up scan with the cardiologist next Thursday, November 20th.  We are praying that the scan reveals that the hole has closed on its own, and would ask that you pray the same!

The days ahead…

Earlier in the post, I mentioned that the visit today was as sobering as it was encouraging. On the one hand, the perinatologist inferred that, based on our scans, she would ordinarily release us from further scans. However, she reminded us that since we have the positive Trisomy 13 screen, she felt it important that we come see her on a weekly basis until our baby is born.  So, we will be seeing her at the beginning of each week and the OB at the end of each week.  She also told us something we did not know… that babies with chromosomal abnormalities are at much higher risk of stillbirth, and that she was going to recommend that we be induced in week 39, but definitely not beyond week 40.  This means we should be seeing our little girl sometime between December 30th and January 5th!

So… there is much to pray about!  We specifically need your prayers for wisdom as we make decisions around our plan for delivery.  Because life is so full, we also need to accelerate getting the house ready for our baby’s arrival. Finally, we ask that you pray that God would heal our baby’s heart, and would protect her during these final weeks before we get to meet her. We pray daily for God’s healing, and that he would bring her to us full term, and free from Trisomy 13.  We know that this is not too difficult for him!

In the end, we are trying to hold our baby with open hands, asking that God prepare our hearts to whatever he has for us, knowing that he only gives good to his children.  Thank you for being prayer warriors on our behalf.  We appreciate you more than we can say.

“And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son… What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?… Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:28-39

Andy & Jennifer

Greetings,

Wow! I can hardly believe that I am 32 weeks pregnant! The last 3 weeks have flown by and we have been so busy!

First, our baby girl celebrated her first Halloween with 2 of her older sisters. Annie and Bridgette dressed-up as a popular comedian on YouTube, named Miranda Sings. Check out that bright red lipstick!

Next, she attended her oldest sister’s senior recital at Reinhardt University. Maggie plays the violin and her baby sister LOVED it! She was very active during the entire recital. She also enjoyed visiting with all of her sisters, brother and all of her grandparents. It was a great night.

You may remember an earlier post where we talked about meeting Nora. Nora is a little girl with Trisomy 13. We connected with Nora’s parents after we learned that we were potentially facing the same diagnosis with our baby girl, and they have been a tremendous help and resource. This past Friday, we met with, and selected a wonderful pediatrician that Nora’s parents recommended. He treats two Trisomy 13 children and they are both doing great!

On Saturday, Andy and I attended a childbirth class offered by our doctor’s office that covered various aspects of childbirth. It was very informative, but did not cover breathing exercises or breastfeeding – two very important areas where we felt we needed help. However, God was so kind to lead us to a wonderful couple who is willing to give us an accelerated course in the Bradley breathing method and in breastfeeding next Sunday afternoon! This couple’s life is very full, and we are so grateful that they are willing to help us.

Another highlight of the week was meeting with a wonderful friend who took me shopping on Sunday, and showed me the products I need for when our baby arrives. It is hard to imagine how many products are out there for such a tiny little baby. It was very overwhelming, and I was so thankful she was there to help. The final highlight of the week has been the baby’s nursery.  Given the uncertainty that we face, we have been struggling with how best to prepare, and how far to take our preparation. We made the decision to get the nursery in order, and this week, we completed the painting.  It has been really exciting to see our baby’s room come together!

Tomorrow, Tuesday, November 11th at 10:30 am we have our 32-week ultrasound with the perinatologist. We ask that you all please pray for our baby girl as we go to this appointment. Please pray for clear ultrasound pictures, discerning eyes and wisdom for the doctor, and a normal scan. These appointments are exciting and scary at the same time. They are exciting because we get to see our precious baby, but scary because we don’t know what they might find. However, we know God’s plan is in place. He has already prepared the way. Though we have had many moments of anxiety and fear, our confidence is in God. As I write, I am reminded of God’s promise to Joshua:

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go”. Joshua 1:9

We have 8 more weeks to go. As of now, we are still on track with an estimated due date of January 5, 2015. We are praying for a normal delivery. We have been relieved to find our doctors (and the hospital) very supportive and committed to helping our baby. We understand that this is not always the case with Trisomy babies. The doctors will be closely monitoring our baby girl before and during birth and we will have a full team of specialists, and most importantly, God, in the delivery suite with us. We continue to pray for a healthy little girl.

In times of uncertainty, it is so easy to search for answers, and to put one’s hope in doctors, in technology, and in statistics or odds – you name it. All of these things are “shifting sand”. We need an anchor… a shelter from the storm. So, we place our hope in God. He is our anchor, our shelter. We certainly don’t walk in the good of this truth perfectly. Sometimes, we worry and give-in to fear. But, we find that when we orient ourselves on God as our hope, He steadies our soul.

We just want to thank all of you who have been so kind to pray for us. Here is a little look into these next few weeks:

Next week, we will be meeting with the pediatric cardiologist again for another echocardiogram. Then, starting Thanksgiving week we will be meeting with both the OBGYN and perinatologist every week until the baby is born. We will continue to keep you all updated.

Please pray for complete healing for our sweet baby girl. I’d also like to ask for your prayers for me, as I have had a great deal of swelling over the last few days. Though some swelling is to be expected, mine is a bit more than what is normal, and the doctors would really like to see the swelling reduced.  The good news, is that my blood pressure and other tests are reading normal.

Again, thank you so much for your faithfulness to pray for us. We will be sure to post an update after tomorrow’s appointment.

Jennifer & Andy

Greetings:

Thanks to all of you who have been faithful to pray for us!  We met with the perinatologist today and had another “very reassuring” scan.  We are so grateful!

We went into the appointment a bit anxious for a couple of reasons.  First, this was the first scan following the echocardiogram where the cardiologist found a VSD (Ventricular Septal Defect) in our baby’s heart.  Next, this is also about the time when babies with Trisomy 13 can show problems with development or growth.

We were relieved to find that our baby girl is weighing just under 3 pounds (2 lbs 15 oz), and is measuring 29 weeks and 5 days – 5 days ahead! The doctor looked at our baby very carefully, and saw very good anatomical structures – brain (including the cerebellum), heart, kidneys, liver, etc.  She told us that all the structures looked very good.

Little did we know, we were in for another little happy surprise at today’s scan.  Jennifer has mentioned in previous posts, that our little girl has been very active and likes to kick. Well, she especially likes to kick during ultrasounds and when the doctor is using the doppler to listen to the heartbeat.  Today was no exception.  It seems that every time the doctor tries to take a look or listen to her heart, she likes to kick the transducer!  The picture to the left is evidence!

We are grateful to God for the excellent care we are receiving, and feel good about the care that we’ve been assured our baby will receive.  We will see the perinatologist again during Week 32 and will see the cardiologist during Week 33.  We are praying for God to miraculously close the hole (VSD) that the cardiologist discovered a couple of weeks ago, and for complete healing for our baby.

In closing. I want to again, express our deep gratitude for your prayers on our behalf.  We feel them, and are so encouraged to know that you are interceding on our behalf.  We want to pray for you as well.  Please let us know how we might pray for you.  It would be our honor to do so.

“I thank my God in all of my remembrance of you”.  Philippians 1:3

Thanks for standing with us during this season…

Andy

Greetings,

It has been a hard week and a half since we received the news that our sweet baby girl has a hole in her heart.  However, we trust that God has a plan for us, that He is in the past, present and future and He has NEVER abandoned us and NEVER will.

With that being said, we are praying and celebrating every minute we have with our perfect little blessing.

This past Friday, we went to our high school kid’s homecoming football game (they attend a great Christian based home school academy) and watched our 10th grader, Annie, cheer in her last game of the season.  Of course, baby girl was with us to cheer on her sister and her oldest sister, Maggie, came home from Reinhardt to join us.  It was such a treat to see her.  It made baby very happy.

Jennifer and Maggie at the Homecoming game

On Saturday night, both our 9th and 10th grader attended the homecoming dance and their baby sister came along for pictures.  The girls looked beautiful and I can’t believe they are growing up so fast!!!

After homecoming pictures, Andy and I snapped a few pictures to mark the end of 28 weeks.  I feel like time is flying!!!

28 Weeks! We have more weeks behind us than are ahead of us!

Our next full body fetal ultrasound with the perinatologist (same thing we have been doing every 4 weeks) is scheduled for this Tuesday, October 21st at 10:30 AM.

We ask that everyone please pray that we will have a perfect ultrasound –that they will not see any abnormalities.  Many times between the 24th week and 28th week Trisomy 13 babies will just stop developing.  Please pray that the hole in her heart will heal prior to birth, that our baby girl will continue to develop and grow and that God will reach into my womb and just remove that extra 13 chromosome and our baby will be born healthy.   Most of all please pray that God’s will will be done and that we will accept His will no matter what

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. Hebrews10:23.

We so appreciate your prayers, Facebook messages, text messages, emails and comments on our blog.  You all have been such a source of encouragement.  Thank you!!!

Please let us know how we can pray for you.

Andy and Jennifer

Greetings,

We just wanted to give everyone an update on our meeting with the pediatric cardiologist.  While the doctor and sonographer were wonderful, we did not have the outcome that we had hoped we would get today.  The fetal echocardiogram (special ultrasound of the heart) revealed that our sweet baby girl has a VSD (Ventricular Septal Defect).  A VSD is a hole in the wall separating the two lower chambers of the heart.  The cardiologist said that the hole was “moderate” in size.

As you all probably know, since we received the report from the Panorama screen – which indicated that she had a greater than 99% chance of having Trisomy 13, our baby girl has been monitored by a perinatologist via ultrasound every 4 weeks since the 12th week of pregnancy. Every single ultrasound has been absolutely perfect up until now.

Ventricular Septal Defects, occur in about 1% of live births. We understand that it is possible that these defects can close before birth, or after birth as the child grows. They are not considered life threatening, nor do they require immediate surgery when the baby is born. The cardiologist said that if the defect is present at birth, he would treat the defect with medication and follow our baby closely for about six months. At this point, depending on her progress, he will evaluate whether or not she needs surgery.

This particular defect is not as serious as other potential heart defects and does not definitely confirm that she has Trisomy 13.  Normal healthy babies have this, and had we not received the Panorama test, the doctors would not have suspected Trisomy 13 or any other chromosomal disorder.  In fact, VSD’s can be hereditary and we have seen this in one of her sisters.

Up until now, all of the ultrasounds have been “very reassuring” and we were beginning to believe that a false positive for Trisomy 13 was a very real possibility. Andy and I are very sad and scared that this could very well be be an indication that the Panorama screen – that we were praying was a false positive, might actually be correct. A very high percentage (80-90%) of babies born with Trisomy 13 have heart defects.

When the pediatric cardiologist walked into the room to give us the results of the fetal echocardiogram, I literally lost it.  Tears started flowing down my face uncontrollably. I could barely even talk, and had to excuse myself from the room because I felt physically sick.

Questions and thoughts started flooding my mind… I am 27 weeks and 3 days along and they have not found any birth defects!  How could this be happening?   In my mind, this scan was just another checkpoint that would show that nothing was wrong.  Why is this happening? I had hoped that this scan like all other scans would be perfect.  I could barely breathe.

Once I gained my composure, I returned to the room to finish the appointment.   I reminded myself of some simple truths:

• That we serve a BIG God!

• That God loves our baby girl and me, and His plans are for good and not for evil.

• That God foreknew – before the foundation of the world, the road we would be walking today. He knew that Andy and I would marry and that I would get pregnant with this baby girl. He chose us to be her parents.

• God has a purpose for us, and for our baby girl.

• God can heal our little girl’s heart and Trisomy 13. And, even if that is not a part of His plan, He still loves us.

I am choosing to be happy and enjoy every single second of this pregnancy and the time I have with my baby girl.  She kept kicking me the entire time we were having the scan and all day for that matter, and I love her with all my heart.

Andy and I thank each and everyone one of you for following our blog and ask that you please continue to pray for complete healing of our baby girl.

We have our ultrasound scheduled with the perinatologist in the next 2 weeks and will see the pediatric cardiologist in about 6 weeks.  We also have our regular OBGYN appointments scheduled, including the dreaded glucose test.  We will keep you posted as things move along.

Please let us know how we can pray for you.

Love,

Jennifer

Greetings,

Tomorrow, I will be 27 weeks pregnant.  It has been 3 weeks since our last post and we have been BUSY!!!  Our little girl has been kicking around the clock, and it is truly the best feeling in the world.  God has given me the most wonderful gift of pregnancy and I love every minute of it.  Each and every day that we have with our baby girl is a blessing, and we have been trying to celebrate every chance we get, by taking her everywhere!

First up since our last post, was my birthday. My wonderful husband surprised me with two huge pots of mums (my favorite Fall flower) and took me on a date night.  Of course, our little baby girl came along with us.  However, God’s blessing of having my first birthday with my baby girl was the best gift of all.

Birthday Date Night!

Next, was our little girl’s first photo shoot and she was perfect! She laid just right as if she was posing for the camera.  She looked straight at us during the 3D ultrasound.  However, the placement of the placenta made getting a clear shot virtually impossible. All of the “cloudiness” you see surrounding her head is the placenta. I think she has the cutest little face and looks exactly like her daddy. I am in love!!!

Last night, we took our sweet baby with us to see her older sister, Annie, cheer at her JV Varsity game. Two of her older sisters came along with us – Camille, who was home from North Georgia for the weekend and Bridgette, our 9th grader.

Several weeks ago, we connected with a couple who has a little girl with full Trisomy 13. This morning, we had the priviledge of meeting Jerry, Sara and little Nora for breakfast. Nora is absolutely beautiful. She is 19 months old, and is thriving. Although she has been through a lot, she smiles and laughs, and snuggles.  Nora is a happy little girl, and brings joy to all who meet her.

Jerry and Sara are an amazing couple, and have been so kind to help us know how to best prepare for the road ahead – should our baby be born with Trisomy 13. We are thankful to God for them.  Both Andy and I came away from our time with them feeling refreshed and knowing that whatever God gives us – whether our baby is born healthy or with Trisomy 13, that we can do it and we made the right choice.  Our little girl’s life has a purpose and God has blessed us.

Though the odds are not in our favor, we continue to pray that the Panorama test gave us a false positive result. We also pray that if she does, in fact have Trisomy 13, that God will heal her and she will be born a healthy baby girl.  However, we pray that His will be done and we will accept His will no matter what that may be. And of course, we will love our little girl and will fight for her no matter what.

We have been told to prepare to fight for care for our baby once she is born. We have been told that the standing protocol for Trisomy 13 and Trisomy 18 children is to provide palliative, or comfort care. We think this generally holds true. This is not a course that is acceptable to us. Our desire is that all measures be taken to save and prolong her life.

This week we met with the head of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the hospital where we will deliver. He was so very gracious, and spent over an hour with us. He never checked his watch or looked at his phone the entire meeting. He reassured us that they would honor our wishes and fight to save and prolong our baby’s life. I can’t tell you how relieved we were to know that we weren’t going to have to fight the hospital staff to get life-saving care for her.

We do have an important appointment this week. We are consulting with a pediatric cardiologist this week. He will do an echocardiogram this Thursday October 9^th at 10:30 AM. This is a very focused ultrasound of our baby’s heart to look for any potential heart defects. Since most Trisomy babies have heart defects, we requested this referral to the heart specialist. So far, we are very thankful that our perinatologist has not seen any abnormalities in her heart or anywhere else in her little body. We would greatly appreciate your prayers that her heart and her little body will continue to be healthy and we will get another perfect scan.

We still will have our regular 4-week ultrasound, which is already scheduled with the perinatologist for later this month.  However, it will be done during the 29^th week versus the 28th week of pregnancy because the doctor will be out of the office.   We will post about that appointment when it gets closer to time.

We still continue to have days in which we are scared and anxious, but we know that God is in control and He has a plan for us, and that His plan is for good.  We are receiving fresh grace each day. The scriptures are a great refuge during times of fear. Below, I have posted a few that have helped encourage me and keep me grounded.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice…Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me -practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.           Philippians 4:4-9.

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:21-23.

Andy and I are so thankful for each and every one of you that are praying for us.  We love reading your comments on our Facebook page and blog and we can really feel your prayers.  God has been so kind during this time.

Please let us know if we can pray for you.  We would love to add you to our prayer list.

Jennifer

I’m so happy to report that God blessed us with another great visit with the perinatologist today!  Again today, the perinatologist found no anatomical or structural abnormalities.  She studied our baby carefully, and said that the baby had a “pretty brain” and a “pretty heart”.  She studied all of the other major organ systems and any other markers for Trisomy 13, and found nothing!

As we’ve mentioned before, since the risk for Trisomy 13 was established by a blood test – which is proven to be more reliable or accurate than ultrasound, they will proceed as if the baby has Trisomy 13.  However, she did say that the scan was “very reassuring”, and that in most cases, they would see something problematic at the 24-week scan – not always, but more frequently than not. Today, we learned that our baby now weighs one and a half pounds and is measuring at 24 weeks and three days – just slightly ahead of where Jennifer is on the gestational calendar. We are so thankful that her growth is where it should be in terms of weight and size.

We went into the visit hoping for a referral to a pediatric cardiology group here in Atlanta.  The perinatologist was happy to provide a referral, so in a couple of weeks, we will have an additional scan, specifically to take a closer look at the heart. We also went prepared with a number of questions around ensuring that we receive aggressive, life-saving care for our baby, should she be born with Trisomy 13.  We came away armed with good information and a plan for how we will move forward.

We are so grateful for your kind thoughts and prayers on our behalf.  We are humbled to know that so many folks are praying for us, and carrying us on their hearts – people who don’t even know us.  Thank you so much!  It would be our privilege to pray for you as well.  While we express our gratitude to God for you, we would be honored to pray with you more specifically.  If you have requests, please make us aware, so that we can pray more specifically.

This has not been an easy journey for us, but we are buoyed by your prayers, and are experiencing the sustaining grace of God.  We have seen our faith enlarged.  And, while we do struggle with worry or anxiousness from time to time, we also experience a peace that can only come from God. One of the most anxious times are appointment days.  We have been encouraged and refreshed by worship music on the ride down.  One of Jennifer’s favorites is a particular hymn, It is Well.  It will be familiar to many of you.  However, the story behind the song’s origin gives it particularly deep meaning – especially to us.  John Piper tells the story behind the song written by Horatio Spafford:

In 1871, the great Chicago fire virtually ruined Horatio Spafford. It was almost the biggest trial of his life – but not the biggest.  Two years later, in 1873, he puts his wife and his four daughters on a ship to sail for England, and the ship runs in to another ship and sinks very quickly.  All four girls died, and his wife barely escapes.  He hears about the accident, and he receives a telegram from his wife – “Saved alone”. He gets on a ship and heads to be with his grieving wife, and as he passes over the part of the ocean where the girls went down and were at the bottom, he wrote: “When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll … whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say: it is well, it is well, with my soul.

So, the question is… how could it be well? He goes on in the song and he talks about let this blessed assurance control, that God has regarded my helpless estate, and Christ has shed His own blood for my soul. He knew Christ loved him – he saw it in the Cross. When he gets to the end, he has Christ coming back with great triumph – not to judge him, but to save him, and to raise his daughters from the dead.  So… it is well with my soul.  No song quite gets it in terms of its cadence and its tune, and especially its words.  It doesn’t get any better than sorrowful, yet always rejoicing through “it is well, it is well, with my soul”

I’ve embedded the video below – its really our favorite version of the song.  I’m certain you’ve heard it before.  I trust that if you take the time to listen again, it will serve to encourage you.  God is active during our present trial… He has not left us to ourselves – and we are so grateful for his active presence during this time.

To those of you who check-in here and carry us on your hearts…Thank you again.  Since we have crossed the halfway mark, activity will probably accelerate from here.  We will certainly keep you posted.

Andy

It has been 4 weeks since our last post and we are approaching our 24-week ultrasound on Tuesday, September 16th at 11:00 am.

This month has been full of wonderful moments as I feel our sweet baby girl kicking more and more.  She kicks through the day.   However, she tends to be quite the night owl.  Just about the time we settle down for bed, she starts her exercise routine.  She kicks, and kicks and kicks – seemingly all night long. I LOVE it!!!  It is as though she is saying: “I am here and I am ok.”

She loves to lay on the left side of my stomach and one morning I woke up to a lopsided stomach as she was all balled up on the left side.  I could actually feel her little body with my hands!!!

Also this month, we took her on one of our favorite date outings at River Sweet Treats at Phipps Plaza here in Atlanta.  They have lots of treats, but are most famous for their Pecan Pralines – at least that’s all we really care about!  Its not our practice to take the children with us on date nights, but we wanted to take our baby girl so that she could check out the pralines.  We start out with a sample, then, we buy a praline to eat while we’re there, and we buy some to take home.  Guess what?  She approved!  We discovered that baby likes them just as much as we do!

Andy & Jennifer at Phipps Plaza in Atlanta

Baby’s big sister, Bridgette, is in 9th grade and was inducted into the BETA club this year, so we brought baby along for the induction ceremony.  She had fun watching Bridgette receive this honor and of course, we had to take a picture to mark the moment.

Andy, Jennifer & Bridgette – at the BETA Induction ceremony

This pregnancy, even with the genetic tests, has been such a blessing.  I LOVE being pregnant and feeling this little life growing inside of me.  God has truly brought Andy and I closer to Him through this trial and we are so thankful. We are so grateful for all of you and your prayers and notes that you send to us.  It really helps us get through the days.

We are also thankful that we have received normal ultrasounds so far and ask that you join us in prayer that the genetic test is wrong and, that if it is right, that God will heal our little girl before she is born.

Although most days are filled with happiness and “peace that transcends all understanding,” we are still human and have breakdowns from time to time.  As the days draw closer to the next ultrasound, our hearts have a tendency to grow more anxious.  This fear is always rooted in the unknown.  We constantly have to fight the fear of not knowing what we are facing.  The truth is, while it is unknown to us, it is not unknown to God. We are confident that He is writing our story, and we trust Him.

I (Jennifer) like to remind myself of an excerpt poem called “Footprints.”

“Lord, You told me when I decided to follow You, You would walk and talk with me all the way.

But I’m aware that during the most troublesome times of my life there is only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why, when I needed You the most, You leave me.

He whispered, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you never, ever, during the trials and testings. When you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.”

The doctors have told us all along, that even though our ultrasounds have been normal that the baby is still developing and things can show up and that the ultrasounds are not always 100 percent accurate and that they still hold the blood test superior.  We will not know anything for sure until the baby is born and receives genetic testing.  However, with each normal ultrasound our chances look better and better.  In the same sense, we do not want to be naive and want to be well prepared as well and feel that God has made doctors, people and support groups available to help us and want to take full advantage of this wonderful blessing.

God has been so kind to connect us to a new friend who lives in the local area, and who has a baby girl who was born with full Trisomy 13.  Her baby is thriving at 18 months old!  Having walked this path before, she has been instrumental in giving us great counsel around our options as it relates to physicians, hospitals, assistance programs, and even the right questions to ask.  She has better equipped us to know how to fight, so that, should our baby have Trisomy 13, we can ensure that she has the best medical care available.  And, thanks to her, we are getting connected with several Trisomy support groups.  These support groups have also been of enormous benefit.  We have found them to be a great source of encouragement and a great resource in helping us better understand the way forward.  The disposition of so many in the medical community has been disappointing, but not surprising.  We are learning that there is much preparation that must be done.

When I (Andy) contemplate all that is ahead of us, I am easily overwhelmed.  Over the last few weeks, the Lord has brought to mind a favorite song of mine – “God Moves in a Mysterious Way“.  These words minister to me, and serve as a reminder that, no matter the circumstance, God is “working all things together” in his sovereignty, and my role is simply to trust his heart for the things I don’t understand.

God Moves in a Mysterious Way

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm
Deep in His dark and hidden mines
With never-failing skill
He fashions all His bright designs
And works His sovereign will

So God we trust in You
O God we trust in You

O fearful saints new courage take
The clouds that you now dread
Are big with mercy and will break
In blessings on your head
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense
But trust Him for His grace
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face

So God we trust in You
O God we trust in You
When tears are great
And comforts few
We hope in mercies ever new
We trust in You

God’s purposes will ripen fast
Unfolding every hour
The bud may have a bitter taste
But sweet will be the flower
Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain
God is His own interpreter
And He will make it plain

So God we trust in You
O God we trust in You
When tears are great
And comforts few
We hope in mercies ever new
We trust in You

Original words by William Cowper… Additional words by Bob Kauflin

As I mentioned at the start, our next ultrasound is on this upcoming Tuesday September 16^th at 11:00 AM.   We’d be grateful for your prayer during this time.  Of course, we are praying that the initial test was wrong, and that we will continue to get a good report.  We would also appreciate your prayers as we plan for our baby’s arrival.   We have much planning and preparation ahead of us.  Here is a list of specific items:

• For continued good report at this week’s visit
• For wisdom in decisions we must make regarding our baby’s care during and after birth.
• For preparations we need to make at home to get ready for our baby’s arrival.
• For continued good health for Jennifer as she enters the back half of the pregnancy.

We would love to hear from you – particularly if you have specific prayer requests.  We take to opportunity to pray together each morning and evening, and would count it a privilege to pray for you.  You can respond here on the blog, or send either of us a message on Facebook.

Thanks so much for checking-in with us, and for carrying us on your heart.  We will post another update late Tuesday after the appointment.

Andy & Jennifer

Greetings!

First, on behalf of the two of us, I want to express our gratitude to each of you for checking-in on us.  We are so grateful to each of you for carrying us on your hearts, and for the encouragement you have been to us.  We are humbled by your care for us during this season.  As promised, I wanted to give you an update on our appointments today.  It’s been a GREAT day!

We visited the perinatologist this morning at 11:00.  First, the ultrasound technician comes in and does a complete scan.  I gather that the protocol is that the technician is not permitted to speak to anything she sees during the scan, other than to point out the various parts of the baby that she is looking at and measuring.  We always find this unnerving.

A short time later, the doctor comes into the room and looks at the baby on the monitor in greater detail.  She scans each of the vital parts, and studies them intently.  This is also unnerving, as we wait for her to speak to what she is seeing.

Jennifer and I chatted about how we were feeling on the way to the appointment this morning, and in the parking garage before we prayed together and headed-in to see the doctor.  We both admitted to being frightened about what we might learn.  But, despite moments of anxiousness, we both are confident in God’s providence regarding our baby.  We know that we don’t get to choose what comes our way.  We hold out our child with open hands, hoping that God will allow us time with her, all the while trusting in His sovereign plan for us and for our baby.

Now, back to the doctor…

When she completed the scan, she said that it was a “very reassuring” scan, and that she was “optimistic”.  She noted that the weight and growth of the baby were normal, and that all structures (heart, brain and other organs) appear normal for 20 weeks.  She looked at the blood flow of the heart – both within the heart and to other organs, and it looked great.  She said that if she did not have the testing showing the risk for Trisomy 13, she would tell us that she didn’t need to see us again.  However, as she stated, and as I have mentioned before, the doctors defer to the Panorama screen, because as a test that looks at DNA, it is more reliable than the ultrasound.  So, because the risk for Trisomy 13 remains, the protocol is to return for an ultrasound every four weeks until the baby is born.  As the baby continues to grow and develop, so also could symptoms or other markers that would confirm the initial testing.

As we head into the evening, we are grateful for a good scan today.   We are grateful for friends and family who have carried us on their hearts and prayed for us.  And, we are grateful for the sustaining grace of God, who has carried us during this season.

Our next scan is on September 16^th, which is the Week 24 scan.  We will post here if there are updates between now and then.  In the meantime, thank you again for your continued prayers and your support.  We are grateful for you!