Three Weeks

We can not believe that has been three weeks since the Lord has taken our Hope Asaiah home to be with Him. I have been conflicted about this blog. I have wanted to share what we have been going through and then I want to just be private and hold onto my husband and kids and cry. The emotions and pain have been hard. The physical pain of going through a c-section and then not having a baby in my arms has been hard. Something I wrote to a friend in an email today struck me and I decided it was time to share a little. As far as keeping this blog going I'm not sure? But for now here it goes....



These past three weeks have been , by far, the hardest of my life. Someone said that they wished that I had not had to go through the pregnancy and be so sick and in pain for all that time just to lose her. I have to be honest. I have had moments that I have cried out to God, "Why? Why did we endure that time and pain for you to take her?" But that thought goes quickly with this thought, "Thank you , thank you Lord for allowing us that time to hold our sweet girl. Thank you for the precious love that you have for us that we were able to see her beautiful face and hold her and kiss her." I am so very thankful for that one hour and 15 minutes that she was here and would do it all over again in a heartbeat.



I did not know that my heart could physically hurt this bad. I find that it is so hard to try and explain the physical and emotional pain. What is amazing is even in hurt and pain I can TOTALLY feel God's loving arms wrapped around me. Softly He is saying , "I know how you feel, I've been there. It's ok to hurt, I've got you." Our family is experiencing that wonderful peace that passes all understanding even in our grief and pain. I am so thankful. It is so hard to understand why things happen. Why do young children lose their mommy to cancer? Why do drunk drivers survive a car accident when the person they hit dies? Why did God choose to take Hope? I don't have any of those answers and never will. What I do know without a shadow of a doubt is that ..."we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him..." Romans 8:28 That isn't an empty promise. This is another promise that I am holding onto... "weeping may remain for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5b I am thankful that my God is with me in the joyful times and in the pain and grief. I find great comfort in that.



Thank you again for all of your prayers. We are so very thankful for the family and friends that have been serving us.

Ultrasound 4-26-10

The technician was able to get a great picture of Hope's little fingertips. You can see her cheek by her thumb.

The kids love this picture of her foot. We all can't wait to smooch her little toes.

There's our sweet girl's profile. Just sleeping away. Always a joy to be able to see her so much.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. " James 1:2-3

Just the day before our ultrasound our pastor started a sermon series from the book of James. God's timing for James 1:1-8 to be taught just the day before Hope's ultrasound was well....perfect. Isn't His timing always that way? Andy and I got up Monday morning with just a complete joy and peace knowing that God is in total control of all things and our daughter is in the best hands ever, her maker and creator!!!

On the way to the visit we had a great time of talking and preparing. Our technician for the day was very sweet and helpful. Hope was sleeping and just casually moving around and stretching here and there. It was so sweet to watch her stretch her little hand and see all five fingers spread out and then quickly go back to a fist on top of her forehead. We are so blessed to be able to see baby Hopie as much as we do. (that is her nickname given by the two littles) Here is what the latest is..... The hygroma was 1.8 this time, last apt it was 1.7. Her heart still looks wonderful and we rejoiced that her kidney has gone down in dialation! The fluid in her brain measured at 11.1 and last visit it was 12.2. So that went down a little, but the doctor said it can go either way and will keep a close eye on the measurements. Today was the first time they measured the amniotic fluid. I measured at 22.9 and 25 is the concern level. So they will be watching that very closely as well. We are not sure what that means, but we have learned to not ask questions and "worry" about things that we do not need too. We just continue to pray for our doctors that the Lord pours out His wisdom on them, please pray this with us!!!

As for contractions.... I am doing well with the two medications. We only have about 2 or 3 contractions an hour now. That is SO much better. Each week we see as a huge milestone and are so very thankful. We are half way through week 28 and when we really think about it long enough we are blown away by God's goodness and love for us. We know that we are still going to be facing trials in the up and coming weeks, but we also know that God is in total control. He has proven Himself faithful time and time again. I am thankful for the journey that He has our family on. We are learning to really trust in Him and give over all control, like we had any to begin with. :) We love you all and are so thankful for your encouragement and love through this.

Quick Update

I went to the OB today for a "quick" check to see if the new med is working. I told the doctor that I still contract on the medicine. So she did an exam to see if anything had changed. Good news is that I am still only 1cm dialated but now I am 40% effaced. Just a little change. I was thankful it wasn't more. So now I am to take motrin with the medicine for the contractions. They are hoping that the two together will help settle things down. We will see. :) Andy and I have Hope's ultrasound this next Monday. We have a nice list of questions to ask the doctor about the latest witht the fluid on her brain. Happy Monday to him!!! :) I am so very thankful that God has provided us with these wonderful doctors. Please pray for God to give them wisdom as they take care of Hope and make plans for the near future.

update

Since our OB appointment last Thursday, things have been a ride! My poor family. :) On Thursday the doctor checked me and I have started to dialate from the contractions that I have been having. When she checked me that morning I was 1cm and everything else was ok. She told me to take Procardia every 4 hours no matter what and then come back in one week. Well... I had an allergic reaction to that med and was still contracting about 5-6 contractions in an hour. So... back to the labor and delivery triage we go. (I brought my own belts with me this time, the nurse was very thankful!) After watching the contractions on the monitor they gave me a shot of another medication and waited. The doctor checked me again and now I was a "solid" 1cm and now 20% effaced. They sent me home with a RX of the new med and I am to take it every 4 hours. I am still contracting here and there. When I get to the 5-6 contractions in an hour I lay down and wait it out. I will be going back to the doctor this Thursday. We are praying that this new medication will help keep Hope in mommy's tummy for a little longer.

Ultrasound 4-12-10

Today was our 26 week ultrasound, yes 26 weeks!!! We are so thankful that God has brought us this far. Today's appointment wasn't as full of good news like the past apts have been. But we are choosing to praise God in the good news and praise Him in the "bad" news. A lot easier said than done though I have to admit. Let's start filling you in on the good news. She is growing very well and is already 2 pounds and 4 ounces. A little side note, her feet are huge!! The tech just got her two feet in view and we both couldn't believe how big they are. They are very long and skinny. Her heart is looking great and everything is looking proportioned. The doctor was encouraged by her growth and said that so far her umbilical cord does not seem to be hindering her growth. Now with the prayer requests. Her kidney is still dilated, but we will just keep watching. Nothing in a horrible range just yet. They did focus a lot on her brain today and said that she does have a level of fluid in the Left Ventricle that he is concerned about. They do not like to see anything over 10 and her levels were measuring at 12.5. As far as what this means, we just don't know yet. Instead of going back in a month he will do another ultrasound in two weeks to measure the fluid. From there we will either wait and watch or possibly order a fetal MRI to take a closer look at things. I know I don't need to ask, but please pray for Hope. Pray that she is not in any pain from the pressure that the fluid could be causing and that this will not cause permanent damage. We would also ask that you pray for wisdom for the doctors. We know that none of this is a surprise to God and He has it all under control. I go in for an appointment to the regular OB on Thursday and I will hopefully be able to ask her some questions about this newest situation. Dr. Sorenson is very helpful and I am looking forward to talking with her. A side note: I am contracting a lot. So today the doctor gave me a prescription to help calm them down. I was so thankful that they are able to help us with that.

Resting in God's Mighty and capable Hands,

Andy and Jenn

Week 24

Did you hear it??? Did you hear the big sigh of relief that Andy and I had when we realized that today we are 24 weeks!!! That means that the medical community consider Hope "viable" and if needed they will intervene and help to keep her in mommy's tummy. This was a huge milestone that our entire family has been counting down for. Hope is still doing wonderful. She moves alot. Nathan and I were chatting about how active she is and he said in his 8 year old wisdom, "mom, what if she is just a girl version of Ben???" We both looked at eachother and did the Home Alone grab of the face and yelled. (Ben is VERY, VERY busy and keeps us all on our toes all day long.) Daddy, Hannah and Nathan have all felt Hope kick. Elisabeth is a little bitter, every time she puts her hand on my tummy Hope stops moving. She is already teasing her older sister.

So Hope is doing great, but mommy can't seem to get these kidney stone issues under control. I was back in the hospital on March 18th. I was having tons of painful contractions and they were very steady with a lot of back pain. I knew I wasn't in labor, but I also knew I was hurting and needed some help. We actually got to go to Labor and Delivery this time!!! The contractions were registering on the machines, but I was not dialating. Good news. The doctor said the kidney stones must have moved and was causing the contractions and pain. They sent me home with pain pills and said drink tons of fluids. Other than putting in an IV and flushing tons of fluids, that is all they can do at this point. So...another waiting game. Waiting for the kidney stones to pass. Oh please, oh please pass. It is tiring for my entire family to have mommy contracting everyday. Probably because it makes this mommy not able to sleep, and very, very irritable. All part of the fun.

The Best Appointment....so far!!

We think she looks like a Price baby here! Round pretty head and a pointy chin!!!

Yes, I look tired because I am :) That's what happens when your friend comes for less than a 24 hour visit.

Children, look away. Do adjust the dial on your screens, my belly has really gotten this big!!!

Today was the "big day". I went to the specialist and had Hope's big heart ultrasound. At the last ultrasound the doctor had said that her umbilical cord only had the two vessels instead of the three and that could be caused by a heart defect. The hygroma could also be caused from a heart issue. So I went into the appointment knowing that it could be a difficult appointment.

So here's a little back story before we get to Dr. Howard's office early Monday morning. When we lived in Indiana we had wonderful friends that became "family". The Crone's and Price's were ALWAYS at each other's birthday parties and events and just always at each other's houses. Our kids are bestfriends and it has been very hard to be apart. Well... Elisabeth turned 10 this past week and the Crone's surprised her and came to her birthday party this past Sunday!!! It was the best thing to hear the screaming and jumping up and down!!! Big Blessing for the kids. The big blessing for me was that my friend, Edie, got to come to Hope's ultrasound. What a blessing that my good friend was able to be here for this big day!!! Of course Edie and I stayed up WAY too late last night and dragged ourselves out of bed to get ready for the early appointment. We drove to Duncan Donuts and got her a coffee and then we got on the road to the doctor's. I was feeling a little nervous about today's visit and wondering what would be found. There seems to be just so much that we have "digested" during these past few months. I tried not to guess at all of the possibilities. Edie and I had a good time just goofing around waiting for my turn.

I had a new tech today and she was the sweetest ever. She was very friendly and so talkative, I know this is a surprise but I love that!! :) When the ultrasound started and Hope appeared on the screen I couldn't believe it. She had gotten so big!!! The tech thought she was sleeping because her little arms were over her face and she was very still and so sweet. She was able to get some great pictures of her heart and her other organs. Wonderful news and BIG praise, Hope's heart looks great. Blood flow was wonderful, chambers clear and great. Everything looked wonderful. Then the doctor came in and he had his turn. Hope woke up and was all over the place, it was actually kind of funny. He finally was able to get good pictures and he confirmed that she was doing wonderful. He asked if I had been drinking Miracle Grow?? I asked why and he said, she is in the 81% range on the growth chart!!!! She is measuring big and wonderful. She is about 1 pound 2 ounces now and looks absolutely beautiful. Here is the best part..... the cystic hygroma is measuring 1.3!!! It was 1.7 last visit. This is a huge answer to prayer. This is a quote from the doctor, " except for the hygroma this baby looks totally healthy." That was music to my ears and just another big testimony of God's healing hand and grace. I can not say how much we appreciate your prayers and support. We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the prayers that are being lifted for our daughter are powerful. They are what is keeping our family going right now. Thank you.

Doctor appointment

I saw our new OB yesterday. I was so excited to go, silly I know. Andy and I had been praying for a doctor that would be able to see me and deliver Hope. Even though I have been going to the high risk doctors almost every two weeks they are just watching Hope and her issues very closely. They will not deliver her. So... we were in big need for an OB. We met Dr. Sorenson when I was in the ER for the kidney stone fun. After sharing our hearts about being Christians and wanting to fight for our daughter's life , she shared her faith and Andy asked if she could be our doctor.

The appointment itself went really well. The doctor was wonderful, she remembered me and Hope's situation and was ready. I still have protien in my urine, +1, so she will be watching that closely. Right now my 24 hour urine doesn't show preeclampsia, but the levels are going up a little. She will probably order more 24 hour collections in the future. The nurse called Hope a very active baby and a "stinker". Everytime she would finally find her heartbeat Hope would kick and move and was all over the place. I told Andy that she is strong and is a fighter in there. That's a good thing! Her heart rate was good and they were pleased.

Here is the best part of the entire visit. I was getting ready to leave and the doctor said, please let me know if there are any specific things you need prayer for and I will pray. Then she asked if she could pray right then. She laid hands on me and prayed for the pregnancy, for Hope's healing, and strength for our family. I was just floored. Not only did God answer our prayers for a doctor who would care for me, He went above and beyond. Oh how He loves you and me!!!!

Hope's Life Verse

Ok, so I am being presumptious by giving Hope her life verse before she is even born. But, I am her mommy. She can change it when she knows the Word and decides one for herself. :) I don't know about you, but when I find a Scripture that speaks to me or one that someone gives me I underline and date it. Needless to say, there are alot of underlined Scriptures in my Bible. This verse was given to me on January 22, 2010 from a very good friend for our baby. We were just going through the process of the amnio and waiting for the results. When she emailed me this verse I wrote it on probably 3-5 index cards and put them up and carried one with me. I was just doing my Bible study and flipped by this page. Elisabeth was sitting by me reading her Proverbs for the day and I said, "sissy, I need to read you this verse. And remember, God's Word is true. He keeps His promises, He can not lie." After reading it to her we talked about it and I thought more on it. Yep, this verse is for Hope. Andy and I already see her as a miracle, as we do our other 4 kids that we were told we wouldn't be able to have. For Hope, she has been a miracle to us in so many ways and she is not even in our arms yet. With her pregnancy we have been humbled in unimaginable ways, miracle. We have been able to share with non-believers in the medical field our feelings on life begins with conception and this life we have been given is a gift from God, miracle. Hope is thriving and strong despite us being told she would not make it past this date, and this date and so on, miracle. The amnio came back normal, miracle. The cystic hygroma went down a point, miracle. Through this huge trial Andy and I have been growing. Sometimes it feels like we are going backwards, but... The truth is, our faith is being strengthened daily as we have no other choice than to lean totally on the One true living God, miracle. There are SO many more things that I can list, but I'll let you take some time to reflect on the many miracles that God is doing in your own lives. So... I can say with confidence that for now this is Hope Asaiah's verse!

"He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted." Job 9:10

I cannot wait for the day that she is born and we will put this verse on her little bed in the hospital for all to see! What a testimony this little girl is!!!

Ultrasound February 15

Here is the latest picture of Hope Asaiah. She was very sweet and kept putting her little hand by her face. You can see her hand above her head.

This visit went really well. The ultrasound was the full anatomy scan where they check on the organs and take measurements. From what they could see so far, everything looked good. Her heart is still a little too small to be able to see details, so that ultrasound was scheduled for March 15th. The cystic hygroma has measured 18mm for the past three ultrasounds and this ultrasound it measured at 17mm!!! Huge praise!!! Hope is weighing about 7 ounces now and measuring where she should be. Both kidneys were a little dialated, but nothing to be concerned over. The umbilical cord only had one artery and one vein, when a normal cord has two arteries and one vein. They will watch her growth rate closely because of this. They need to make sure she is getting enough blood and oxygen.

Over the weekend Andy and I spent some time in the ER. Long story short, after hours of contracting and dialating (only a finger tip) they found that I have a small kidney stone. The great thing about this whole thing is that we found our regular OB that will be able to deliver Hope. She is a christian and we liked her. She also works alongside with our specialists, which is wonderful. She is already familiar with them and knows the "process". Our specialist is just watching Hope and her progress, but nothing else with the pregnancy. They just consult. So this is another answer to prayer.

Thank you for your continued prayers for our family.

17 weeks, 5 days

The kids love this Baby Under Construction shirt :)

Well here it is....the belly! I have been told the past few days that my tummy has "popped" out. I didn't really believe it was that big of a deal until I saw these pictures today! Yikes!!! But it is a good yikes. :) It means baby Hope is growing. We like that. I can feel her kicks more often. Especially after I eat oranges, my new craving! I can not get enough oranges and apples. Yummy. We have another ultrasound on Monday at 9:15 am. I will hopefully be able to post the ultrasound pic, the last one was way too dark. Please be praying for that appointment. I am looking forward to seeing Hope and praying that we get some good news.

Romans 5:3-5

This was the prayer at the end of my Beth Moore study this morning. Isn't it amazing that when we spend time with the Lord, He is more than ready to pour into our lives! I love that. I pray that this encourages you today. I have really been reflecting on the verses in Romans.


"Lord God, help me to see that times of difficulty or decision in my life are meant, by your sovereign love and mercy, not to pressure me into impatience but rather to grow in me patience and endurance. This in turn produces experience and proven character, which ultimately grows into a hope that does not disappoint, because Your love is being poured out in my heart through the Holy Spirit You have given me." (then read Romans 5:3-5)

"Nesting"

Today a friend said, "Girl you are SO in your second trimester!" That would be because my little tummy is starting to poke out. (I will try and post a pic tomorrow Lauren!) This makes my two girls very happy. They are always touching and talking to Hope. We love that. The second reason she said that is that I am really wanting to get things ready for Hope Asaiah's arrival. We have been told that she most likely will come early , so that just makes me want to get moving even more. So..... furniture will be moved around a little. And then the fun. Going through the clothes, blankets, burp rags, etc. and seperating it. Very exciting. Anyone want to help????

Psalm 118:24

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice AND be glad in it."

This verse has given me such encouragement. I find that I am reciting it throughout the day. I remember singing the fun song in church as a kid. But now, with what we are facing as a family and individuals it has new meaning. Here is the way it is speaking to my heart.

The first sentence is fact: This very day, today, is the day the Lord has made. What a wonderful thing. God made THIS day. He already knows what is going to happen with this day, He made it. There is comfort in that. The second part I didn't catch until I started to really meditate on it. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. This is totally a choice that you and I make each and everyday. We can choose to rejoice in this beautiful day that God has made just for us, OR not. I have to continually remind myself throughout the day to rejoice AND be glad in this very day that my loving Father created for me. Honestly, there are days where it is really hard to rejoice. I get so caught up in my own thoughts, worries, trials, etc. But then God brings this wonderful verse to mind. When we choose to see what God has blessed us with it is easier to rejoice in God and this day!

Thankful...

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. " John 14:27

I was reminded today from a good friend that when we can't pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us. I am so thankful. I have had a hard time sleeping the past few nights. Even though we have been given so many wonderful words of encouragement from so many of you, the negative words from the medical world have been wreaking havoc on my mind. Between contractions, and thoughts that are NOT from the Lord I toss and turn all night. My husband encouraged me to return to the Word , that is where our help comes from. That is where the only Truth is! I would encourage all of us to open the Book of Life and read just a verse and meditate on the sweet Words from the Lord. A passage that gave comfort to me today was Isaiah 61:1-3.

Ultrasound 2-1-10

Today I was able to see our beautiful Hope Asaiah. She is growing right on track and the doctor was pleased about that. I was thrilled to hear that the cystic hygroma is still at 1.8cm. It is the same size from the last appointment two weeks ago. Of course, the doctor wouldn't say that was good. BUT, I take it as good news. :) Her left kidney was dialated so they will be watching that. The doctor said he wasn't concerned about it and that there is no obstructions from her kidney to her bladder. I'm not too sure what that means at this point. They will just watch and see. Other than that she looks great. Hope looked wonderful and I was thankful for a good "report". Thank you for continued prayers. I have another ultrasound on February 15th and can't wait to see our miracle again.

p.s. We are at week 16!!! We count each day a joy and a gift!

It's a .....

"Do you not know? Have you heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:28-31

We are so blessed to be under the wings of our Mighty God. The past weeks have gone quickly and God has provided peace for us while awaiting the results of the amnio that was done on January 19th. We were able to speak with the genetic counselor at length today and given our results. She started off by saying that all of the results are in and final. She said that all the results are normal and the baby does NOT have any chromosomal disorders!!! This news was such a relief and almost surreal. What a blessing that we see as a miracle. We were told by both sets of doctors and nurses that we had a 75% chance of miscarriage and chromosomal disorder. Our journey with the medical community has not been easy. We have been told over and over again things like, "when we terminate" and "when we lose the baby." It has been difficult to just trust God with each day we have with the baby. Making through the first hurdle of being clear on chromosomal level is such a blessing, so wonderful, that we could never describe it or thank God enough. Your prayers and encouraging notes and calls have encouraged us so much to keep going, to keep trusting God. The counselor spent some time explaining more about the cystic hygroma on our baby. She looked in the chart and compared the notes from both ultrasounds. When measuring the hygroma, they measure the thickest part, not the length. Our first measurement was 11.2mm and at the second it was 18.5mm, which means it is growing. At this point, we just wait and pray that it will resolve. We do still, however, need to rule out more things to see what could be causing this issue in our baby. We were told that with a cystic hygroma they have "brackets" that the pregnancy is put it. Low risk, high risk, etc. The highest bracket is anything 6.5mm or larger. Since ours measured 18.5mm we are considered on the extremely high risk level. Of course she gave us her percentages and said we still have a 50% chance of miscarrying anytime for the remainder of the pregnancy. We are choosing not to focus on that and are just thankful for each day.

What's next:
We have the option of doing genetic test that only looks for 5 specific genetic diseases when there are hundreds of possibilities. We are leaning towards not doing this test, as we can find most of the answers as the pregnancy progresses through ultrasounds, and the test is not very conclusive. An ultrasound is scheduled for this Monday morning to do a quick check on heart tones and to measure the cystic hygroma. For the remainder of the pregnancy we will be followed closely by ultrasounds. The specialist will be measuring the hygroma and watching the baby's organs as they get bigger. As we progress there will be specific ultrasounds that are done at certain weeks of the pregnancy. We appreciate and covet your continued prayers for this precious life that God has blessed us with. We will rejoice in everyday that we are given with this child.

Here is the best news that we found out today. We are having another daughter!!! Her name is Hope Asaiah which means: trust in the future Yahweh has made. God had given us this name months ago (about 3 months before we knew we were going to have another baby) and we are confident in who we can place our trust in! Now we can specifically pray for Hope by name!!!

Much love,
Andy and Jenn

Encouragement

"He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted." Job 9:10
This verse brings me so much peace and encouragement. I am so thankful for God's Word. During this trial friends and family have blessed us with verses that have been so helpful. It feels like loving arms being wrapped around us. We would like to share the verses that we have been blessed with as encouragement. We pray they will bless you as they have blessed us.

Baby Price at 14 weeks

Amnio Update

We are continually humbled by your prayers, love and support. We continue to pray for our unborn gift, that God’s Mighty Healing Hands will touch him/her.

On Tuesday morning we had the amniocentesis. I will be honest, I was VERY nervous. The thought of a six inch needle going into my belly right where my baby is that is already struggling was not very appealing. Tuesday morning I woke up early and went straight to the Word. I put on some praise music as I got ready and just uttered little prayers as best as I could. I packed a bag with two Bibles, a devotional and all the cards that you wonderful people have sent us. We got to the office in plenty of time and started the check in process. It looked like we were not going to have to wait long and then a little snag. They had to draw my blood and run it stat before the amnio to make sure everything was ok. I thought, ugh more time to sit and have too much time in my own head and thoughts. I went to my bag of goodies and just spread it all on my lap. I looked up the Scriptures from the cards, I spent a lot of time in Isaiah and just meditating on His Truth’s. As I was reading an overwhelming sense of peace washed over me and I was ready. I actually stood up because I just knew, God was with me and just then the nurse called my name.

In the room the technician started with the ultrasound to make sure my body was ok to have the procedure. The doctor came in and he took over the ultrasound. The nurse prepared my tummy and we all got ready. When Andy grabbed my hand another wave of peace and comfort came over me and I was actually able to goof off with the doctor and relax my stomach muscles. The procedure itself was shockingly not horrible. The blood draw beforehand was ten times worse! The contractions that I have had after have been very painful and exhausting. But that is to be expected. As far as the amnio itself we will not have the results for 7-10 business days. When we get the results we will be able to make a, “what to do next” list. As far as the baby the hygroma has not gotten any bigger. That is a praise! The doctor said that a couple of things can happen.

· The hygroma will continue to grow as the same proportion of the baby. If that happens it will eventually cause the baby to go into cardiac arrest.
· The hygroma could “resolve”, he didn’t really lean towards this one! But we would like too!!!
For now we just wait until the results come in. This part for me personally is trying. A part of me wants to know if our baby has a chromosome disorder, and another part of me does not. But, I know that God is totally in control and as we have been reminded over and over He has already numbered this child’s days.

We ask that you continue to lift our child up to the Lord. We know He is moving in our lives and Andy and I are SO thankful. I have included a picture of our blessing that was done this past Tuesday. It is a very good picture of the cystic hygroma. (we don’t have a scanner, sorry!) When looking at the picture the baby’s head is on the right and then the body going to the left. The hygroma starts in the middle of the baby’s forehead and goes to the baby’s back. Two weeks ago it went to the base of the tail bone, this one showed it only went a little past the shoulders. That is very encouraging to us. It also wasn’t as wide. The last was double the size of the baby’s head width. Now it doesn’t seem to be as wide. I am hopeful!!! One thing we have learned is that the hygroma is not something that is not growing on the outside of the baby. This is actually under the baby’s skin and his/her skin is being stretched out to that size. That is a very hard thing for Andy and I to swallow.

Again, thank you for lifting this child and pregnancy up in prayer. Thank you for praying for Elisabeth, Nathan, Hannah and Benjamin. Their worlds have also been rocked. It is hard for them to have mommy on the couch all day long. We know that God is protecting their hearts.

We love you all,

Andy and Jenn

We are very appreciative of the love, prayer, and support we have received the past few weeks from all of you. The number of emails and phone calls is overwhelming and encouraging, and many of you have asked for more updates. We humbly send this note out to update you on Jenn and the baby.
Jenn is resting as much as possible. If she stands too long or moves too much, she cramps and feels miserable the rest of the day. She spends all day resting, which is fine with me and the kids, because we want Jenn and the baby to be healthy.
We have the amniocentesis scheduled on the 19th at 8am to provide us with more information regarding chromosomal abnormalities. I would love your prayers for that test specifically for the safety of the baby and for Jenn’s nerves and safety during the test.
My other babies, Elisabeth 9, Nathan 7, Hannah 5, and Ben 3, are wonderful, and they have handled the time without Mommy as well as possible. We have been able to do some homeschool again and are hopeful the cold snap is over here in Knoxville so they can get outside for some play time. Please pray for our kids in that they have all the love and attention they need.
My workplace has been very supportive and giving, allowing me time to do what I need for my family. Cornestone Church has covered us in love and support with meals and child care. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Our perspective is this. God is very kind to us. Each day that Jenn carries the baby is a blessing to us. Each day that I get to huddle close with my wife and kids is a blessing. I know we are all precious to Him. (we are officially 14 weeks along!)
Please pray for the people of Haiti. We know nothing of pain and suffering. I cannot imagine being there, losing family and friends and having my country completely devastated.
God bless you guys,
The Prices
Psalm 118:24 This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. (One day at a time!)

First Ultrasound

Thank you all so much for your prayers, love, concern, food, and care during Jenn’s pregnancy. We need your prayers more than ever right now.
Today Jen n had her first regular ultrasound with our new OB. We brought along Elisabeth so she could see the baby and enjoy the experience. During the ultrasound, the technician became very quiet and told us that a nurse would normally review the ultrasound with us, but she found something of concern and our doctor would need to review the ultrasound with us. One hour later we are sitting in our OB ’s office and he gently but firmly informed us that the baby has an abnormality and very serious condition and that we needed to see a specialist immediately. Dr McCollum told us that our baby has a cystic hygroma. While we were sitting at his desk he called the specialist and told them we were coming. We tried our best to not let on too much in front of Elisabeth. Our wonderful friend Anne Graves dropped everything and raced to ParkWest hospital to pick up Elisabeth so we could go to the specialist alone.
We drove across Knoxville to the UT Medical Center and waited anxiously to see the perinatologist. We prayed and talked and cried due to the sudden news and the unknown as we waited for about 2 more hours. While waiting, a friend sent Psalm 139 to my iphone to remind us of God’s sovereignty and how He knew us while we were yet in our mother’s womb. God is in control. We need to cling to that chapter and God’s faithful word. He loves us.
The technician at the specialist’s office performed a preliminary ultrasound and didn’t say much. The doctor finally came in and started his ultrasound and immediately became concerned. He found a large cyst growing on our baby’s head that has grown all the way down the length of our baby’s body. He told us right away that our baby had a serious condition and began listing the potential issues and concerns. I don’t want to confuse the issues, so I will list them below.
Diagnosis:
Part 1- Part 1 is a for sure thing. The baby has a cystic hygroma, which is a cyst full of lymphatic fluid, growing the full length of its body. The width is the same size as the baby’s head which really alarmed the doctor. The visual of our little baby was just about more than Jen n and I could absorb.
Part 2- Within the cyst there is another growth that is associated with a 75% chance of the baby having a chromosome abnormality. We need more testing on this part to determine what and if there is a chromosome abnormality.

Preliminary prognosis:
The doctor was very honest about our baby’s issues. History shows that babies with this size cyst usually miscarry at some point during the pregnancy. He also said that even if we do deliver the baby, it will not be healthy and will more than likely face a myriad of health issues and probably a very short life span. He asked us more than once if we would consider aborting the baby, but we are determined to let God determine the outcome of our baby’s life. The list of potential syndromes and disorders and the treatments and dangers of each is just too much to list
We met with the genetic counselor and she and the doctor recommend that we wait a few weeks for a couple of reasons. First, give time to see what the cyst does. In some cases it can decrease in size, or get larger. Because this cyst is often related to something to do with the baby’s heart we need to wait till Jen n is 14 weeks to be able to see the heart structure and any “issues” that may be there. Another reason we need to wait is so that the doctor will be able to perform an
Outlook:
The outlook is tough. The news we received today shocked us and forced us to consider major life decisions and emotions on a level in which are ill prepared. To be honest, our spirits our low. We are already weary from the move and Jen n’s tough pregnancy. In the end though, our pain and fear drove us to our Lord. God is good no matter what our circumstances. God never changes. God loves us as much today as He ever will. We choose to praise Him and as His children, boldly ask for healing and mercy.
We are scheduled for the amniocentesis on the 19th. In the meantime, Jen n will rest, we will love and protect our kids, Andy will work hard at this new job, and we will trust the Lord. We are sending out this detailed update so that we can focus on what is ahead for us. I wish we could call everyone and update you personally, but time and energy are short for us right now. Please know we love you all.
Prayer Requests:
- Jen n. For physical strength, rest, and trust in God. That her nausea and dizziness would go away.
-Our baby. Safety. Complete healing.
-Our doctors and nurses. Wisdom. Guidance. That they would see God working.
- The Price kids. Elisabeth, Nathan, Hannah, and Ben (they are precious).
-Andy. That I protect, lead, serve, and love my family. I need God’s guidance. I need to do my job well.
-Our hearts. We need to focus on God’s goodness and the truths in His word.
Love, the Prices