Update On Our Little Princess

God is so good!  Over the past several weeks God has told me to just “Have FAITH, BELIEVE, & TRUST HIS GRACE.” 

This morning while reading Beth Moore’s book, Believing God, these words jumped off the page to me:

“Remember, faith is never the denial of reality.  It is belief in a greater reality.  In other words, the truth may be that you are presently surrounded by terrifying or terribly discouraging circumstances.  The reason you don't have to buckle to fear & discouragement is the presence of God in the middle of your circumstances."

I would be lying if I said I was not fearful or discouraged lately, but I truly practiced resting in Him.  And my friends, I am so blessed to be able to say that my God is mighty to save!  His faithful mercy & amazing grace are resting over my sweet girl! 

During my sonogram Monday, I was told that the 10cm bloodclot was now 6cm.  Almost half the size!!!  Taralyn is growing at a normal pace & looks great.  She even had her hand propped behind her head, like a true little princess!  LOL  I will have another sono in 2 more weeks, hopefully it will be completely gone!!

Thank you so much for your prayers & kind words.  God bless!!

My Prayer For My Unborn Daughter

Lord,

Thank You for the precious gift of this sweet baby.  I come to you in Jesus’ name & lift my unborn daughter up to You.  I praise You for choosing me to carry her.  Father God, You knit her together in my womb & You have fearfully & wonderfully made her.  Your works are wonderful (Psalm 139:13-14).  You alone know what is best for her & what she needs & I release her to You to care for & protect.  For Lord, I know that in all things You work for the good of those who love You (Romans 8:28).  Teach me how to pray and guide me in exactly what to pray for.  Help me not to impose my own will, but to seek Your perfect will be done in my daughter’s life.  God, I know You do not grant requests that are not Your will.  I pray that my belief maybe strong enough to be in-line with Your will.  Your Son said, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith & do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go throw yourself into the sea.’ And it will be done.  If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." (Matthew 21:21-22)  Guide me in Your ways Lord, comfort me so I am not afraid, but just believe (Mark 5:36).  For it is only by faith that You release Your healing power.  If it is Your will, I ask that you heal my body & dissolve this blod-clot so that my sweet Taralyn can continue to grow in Your grace & knowledge.  I boldly pray & ask for a miracle so that You may be glorified both now & forever (2 Peter 3:18).

Help me to not live in fear, but in the joy & peace of knowing You are in control.  Remind me not to be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer & petition, with thanksgiving, present my requests to You.  Give me the peace which surpasses all understanding, guard my heart & my mind in Your Son Jesus Christ (Philippians 4:6-7).  Father, when I am weak you are strong – Your grace is sufficient for me (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). 

Tomorrow, I will have another sonogram to see how my sweet girl is growing & hopefully discover that this nasty blood-clot has completely dissolved.  I’ve spent the past several weeks learning & practicing to rest in Him – Literally!  I’m trying to make the best of this situation, praying, reading God’s word, & spending quality time with my boys.  I’ve been reading The Power of the Praying Parent (*Parts of my prayer above is taken from this book*) & Beth Moore’s book, Believing God.  The Lord has brought me to this stillness in my life for a reason - I pray I rely in Him no matter where this path leads. 

Tickled PINK!

Sugar & Spice & Everything Nice

That’s What Little GIRLS are made of!!!!

Yes!  After 5 boys in a row, a little princess is on her way!

And of course, she is already quite the drama queen. . .

At 13 weeks Big Daddy took me to the ER after I began bleeding heavily.  I cannot explain the flood of emotions that consumed me as I knew the possibilities of what that much blood meant at the end of my first trimester.  The odds were not looking so good.  On our way to the hospital, honestly expecting to be told I was having a late miscarriage, my heart was breaking as the past began to haunt me with memories of a very similar situation with my pregnancy with Talon (our son who was born prematurely at 20 weeks).  I felt so abandoned . . .

“Lord, I’ve been down this road!  Remember?!  Oh please, don’t allow me to feel that pain again.”

I also knew it was God’s will that was best for my baby.  I did all I knew to do –             I cried out to my God!

At the ER it was discovered that I was in fact still very pregnant with a healthy appearing baby who was very active & had a strong heart beat.  But we were told I had a small “subchorionic hemorrhage” (a blood clot), which was also confirmed my OBGYN a few days later.  I was put on bedrest & within a couple of days the bleeding had completely stopped.  Praise God!  The clot was expected to pass or be absorbed within a few weeks. 

Three weeks later . . .

You know the look on someone’s face when they are about to give you some bad news?  Well that was the look I saw on the sono-tech’s face (who is also a friend of ours & has been the same sonographer for each of my pregnancies – yes, all five!  & let me tell you, there were lot’s of sonograms during those pregnancies!!) as he looked at the screen.  - The clot was no longer small.  It was shockingly “HUGE!”  Tears filled my eyes, but I was not about to loose hope or faith. 

Lord, she needs Your GRACE!

As I walked out of the room the office manager & I began to make small talk over a separate situation God had called me to.  I made the comment that sometimes God asks us to do something, but it isn’t always the act of doing it, but the willingness to obey Him.  As she heard me openly share my faith she asked me to sit with her so she could share a story with me . . .

Seventy years ago, her mother-in-law’s first baby was very sick & at 2 months old the doctor’s expected him to die.  By God’s grace, the baby improved after a blood-transfusion.  A year later she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.  After only 20 days her sweet girl died.  A couple years later she delivered a healthy baby boy.  She loved her boys so much, but there was a hole in her heart & yearning for the daughter she had lost.  She so badly wanted a little girl.  A few years later she gave birth once again to another healthy baby boy.  As the nurses laid the baby on her, assuring her everything was okay, she persisted that something was wrong (keep in mind this took place during a period in history when there wasn’t prenatal care or sonograms).  She felt like she was having another baby.  Moments later, she delivered another baby!  A healthy baby GIRL!

As I listened to this story, I felt the Lord putting my fears at ease – He is in control!  And He works everything for the good.  I’d lie if I said I haven’t struggled with fear, but the Lord has been so faithful reminding me of Philippians 4:6-7

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer & petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts & your minds in Christ Jesus.” 

As our former pastor preached, “I’m at peace not because I trust nothing will happen, I’m at peace because I know God is walking with me.”  This time is definitely a time for growth in my faith & trusting in God’s Grace. 

I’ve continued to remain on strict bedrest & have been ever so blessed with the generosity of wonderful friends & family who have graciously brought meals, watched my kids, & even cleaned my dirty house.  I cannot tell you how much I have felt the presence of the Lord throughout the past several weeks. 

Monday I will return to the doctor for another sonogram.  Please pray with me that if it is God’s will the bloodclot will be completely gone!!