Breathe a Little Easier

I feel I can breathe a little easier these days. Friday, August 19th, we had our ultrasound with the perinatologist. (A perinatologist is a physician who specializes in caring for pregnant women and unborn babies who have a higher-than-normal risk of complications.) Thank you so much to all who prayed for us and our sweet baby. I woke up that morning a little tense....my hand very stiff in a fist and my jaw sore from sleeping with it closed so tightly. Yet, as I got out of bed and prepared for the morning ahead, I felt such a peace about the day. It can only be explained as a peace from our Savior (as I'm such a worrier by nature). Thank you so much for your encouragement and prayers.

It was a little nerve wracking as the radiology technician quietly took many, many measurements of our baby's bones and vital organs. I tried to read the measurements for myself, looking closely at baby's fibulas since that is where our sweet Hannah is effected. But, of course, I had no idea what I was really looking for :) The physician then came into the room and stated that he saw no concerns whatsoever! He suggested we could come back for one more detailed ultrasound around 32 weeks of pregnancy simply for our peace of mind, but he didn't see it to be medically necessary if we chose not to do so.

Once the doctor stated that our unborn baby appeared healthy, he then began asking quite a few questions about our Hannah. While he sees many different physical conditions in the womb, he had never seen anything quite like Hannah's. He was very interested in her bone structure and how her one little foot appeared. It was a little humorous that we talked so much about Hannah, all the while the appointment was for our unborn baby. But we're very happy to help physicians become more aware of Hannah's condition. Since it is a rare condition, many are unfamiliar with it. In fact, we did not get Hannah's official diagnosis until we took her to Shriners Hospital when she was two weeks old.

I find it difficult at times to put into words exactly how I feel. No one desires for their child to have physical concerns. Yet, I know without a doubt that if God so chooses to bless us with another child who has concerns, He will walk with us, guide us, teach us, and give us the grace we need to navigate the journey. After being blessed with such an amazing little girl in our sweet Hannah, I am truly honored to have her and can't imagine our little family any other way. I'm continually amazed at what God teaches me about Himself through our children, and I look forward to learning more through our newest addition...Caleb :)


The Radiology Technician completely surprised us by showing us this 3D image of our sweet one. Notice his hand behind his head as if in a relaxed position. He looks so much like Joshua here.


I was not at all prepared for the tears that flowed when I saw these two precious little feet. Brian gently reached over and held my hand as we looked joyfully at Caleb's feet and toes. This was an image we were never blessed to see with our dear Hannah.


Father, I am continually amazed by Your grace and mercy. Thank You for being our Rock. Thank You for being our Salvation. Thank You for being our Defender and our Hope. Thank You for our sweet babe, Caleb.