Living in the Shadow of a Miracle {Still 28 Weeks Pregnant}

I’m still pregnant, and I’m treasuring every moment.

My reality of birth and early motherhood is changing. 

My perspective on the next several months is changing.

My priorities are shifting like a clock gone wild. 

But, my God is not changing, shifting, or letting life spin out of control. David and I are truly okay. We’ve spent a weekend planning and re-planning and realizing that our planning may do little good.

More than anything, we’ve spent a weekend praying. Friday night we began to anoint my belly with wonderful tummy oil (Burt’s Bees is definitely a favorite) and “Valor” essential oil. We rubbed and talked to Abby and beseeched our Heavenly Father and listened to worship music and rubbed my belly some more. While I’m so grateful for the doctor’s diagnosis as it allows us to prepare and carefully monitor Abby’s blood/oxygen/nutrient flow, we are not victims of the diagnosis. We are still two parents preparing with great excitement for the birth of our little girl.

It most likely will look different than we expected. If I’m allowed to labor naturally, I will be hooked up to way more monitoring devices than I would have preferred. We will constantly be watching her heart rate. I will most likely end up with quite a few more drugs in my system than I would have previously allowed. C-Section birth is also quite a bit more likely depending on when/if I need to be induced and/or how her body handles contractions with a potentially struggling/reduced oxygen flow.

This story may just read quite differently than expected. I shouldn’t be surprised. 

BUT…

I’m speaking life over Abby and perfect development over her brain and little organs. I’m praying for fat roles to cover her arms and legs and chin. I’m praying for a new cord and placenta or healing for the ones I have. I’m praying for astounded doctors and a story of the miraculous. I’m believing that this too will become beautiful in His time.

Thank you to all who are reaching out and offering prayers and support. We will need quite a few practical things in the coming weeks if she does need to be delivered soon. I am working on that list. I know meals, groceries, gift cards to restaurants near the hospital, cleaning help, and baby supplies are on the top of my list. We may need to meet two insurance deductibles if Abby needs NICU care, but I’m sure God has got those finances already figured out. I’m not sure how this will affect my teaching position or David’s full-time schooling schedule, but we know it will be okay. We will need our community more than ever and can’t express how grateful we are for all of the hugs and prayers currently being sent our way.

Hoping to post quite a few more of these photos of a BIGGER and BIGGER belly in the coming weeks…