Q&A

*****UPDATE: I am quite impressed by the guesses! I have one more thing to get done before his name is announced...I was hoping to do it yesterday but we ended up in Charleston for the baby's echo at the last minute. So, once I gather my resources tomorrow, I will make his name known!!!

That brings me to answering Danielle's question about the ultrasound last week and, now, echo yesterday...the ultrasound last week went very well! We have had so many already that we were pretty calm going into it and baby boy got some great news! Everything looked great from their standpoint and we don't go back until the 29th for a regular checkup!
On the otherhand, the echo that I thought was going to be later in the month ended up working out to be yesterday morning at 8:30 in Charleston. So, we were out the door by 5:30 yesterday (Wyatt still in his jammies) and in Charleston by 7:30 to dress Wyatt in the van and then drop off some Easter goodies to 7C (moderate care) before the appointment. The echo went very well and Baby L's heart checked out great! The cardiologist did notice a small effusion (fluid) around the heart that was a little more than normal so I return in about a month for a follow up echo. He expects this effusion to resolve by the time we return and didn't see any other heart issues that would lead to it worsening. Yes, this was a huge disappointment to us but we have turned it over to God in prayer and ask that you do the same with us. I really wanted an "all looks great" and "never have to see this one again" visit but I am glad that we took the extra step to have the echo done. Prayerfully, our next visit will be his last. Okay...off to bed but I promise to get the needed info tomorrow to announce this precious little miracle's chosen and very much given name!


ORIGINAL POST

I've been looking back over comments left on previous posts and noticed several questions that I have neglected to answer...until now! I thought I'd take a post and respond since each of you has been more than friends to our family and, personally, I think that your curiosity should be satisfied!

When is my due date?

Our newest little miracle is due on August 26th (I think...you know these things change by a day or two everytime I go to the doctor) BUT I am having a scheduled c-section on August 18th! We just set the date last week when I went in for my 20 week ultrasound which showed us a precious baby boy sucking away on his thumb and refusing to sit still! I informed him that "mommy will be replacing that thumb with a binky" as they are so much easier to cut off and keep clean! And for those of you wondering why the 18th...it's simple really. If everyone except Scott has a birthday ending on the 8th then it makes it a whole lot easier for him to keep straight! (I'm 6/8, Wyatt is 4/28, Annabelle is 1/28 & Baby will be 8/18)! See, it just makes sense! And there is very little chance that I will "go" early- I don't labor or dilate even with 26 hours of drugs as was the case with my firstborn! Looks like that answers several questions, huh?

Which scriptures do I find helpful in getting through the difficult times?

There are a lot! My favorite, by far, is the 11th chapter of Hebrews. Each verse throughout the chapter gives an example of amazing figures of faith that did even more amazing things for His purpose and not a single one of them received an earthly reward for the tremendous sacrifice that was made..."These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect" Hebrews 11:39-40

I am certainly no Abraham or Noah and I am definitely not Moses' parents, but I have faced adversity and had to make a choice whether to follow God's Plan (which is usually painful many times but deepens my faith and relationship with Him all the more) or I have the choice to turn away. Trust me, I have wanted to turn way from Him many times but I can't. I don't know how to explain it really, I just can't. He pulls me back time and time again and reminds me that He is the Way and the Truth and the Light and that my Hope is found in Him alone. My fears, my pain, my loss, my grief and my anger aren't bigger than Him. So, I repeatedly lay them at His feet and continue on...still longing for what could have been but so much more thankful for what is and what WILL BE!

Other favorite scriptures of mine are: all of Psalm 40, Psalm 62:5-8, Isaiah 43:1-4, Jeremiah 29:11-13, Luke 1:37, John 16:33, Romans 11:33-36, Romans 15:4, 1 Corinthians 10:13, Philippians 4:6-7, 2 Timothy 3:7-8, 2 Timothy 1:7, Hebrews 4:14-16, 1 Peter 1: 7, 1 Peter 4:12-14, 1 Peter 5:6-10, 1 John 4:16-21, Revelation 21:4-5

Have I heard "Sissy's Song" by Alan Jackson?

I heard it for the first time on another blog (Two Boys with Love from Above) and just wept! I am a AJ fan...especially his ballads so I love this song and I love the lyrics.

Is Annabelle's CHD genetic/ can this baby have HLHS, too?

Annabelle's heart defect is not genetic it was perfectly planned...not a coincidence but a GOD-INCIDENT! (I attended MOPS last week and got that great word from Mrs. Padgett!) Researchers somewhere (I think in Boston) are comparing hundreds of DNA samples of HLHS babies from across the country, including Miss Priss, to see if there is a link somewhere but they have no clue what they are looking for. So, in other words, we'll probably never know what exactly caused it medically although I know that God planned it perfectly and hand-picked the precious little souls He would give these porcelain hearts to. Sure, there's always a chance of it happening again...when you've been the 1% to get HLHS of the 1% that are born with a CHD then you realize that anything is possible. But, the point is that we trust in God's Plan for our family and if we were to be given the exact same situation again, we would make the exact same choices.

Does this baby have a name yet?

Possibly! Now, it's your turn to answer my question...what do you think his name will be? (I'll give you a hint...it's starts with a "L"!) If you do know, please don't disclose it just yet...I've got a little something planned for it. God smacked us on this one, too!

And this precious photo is for you, Jan...