A Different Kind of Pregnancy

Here we are, with full hearts, celebrating 15+ weeks of pregnancy.

As if that weren't enough (and it is!), grace upon grace, I am just a normal pregnant women this time around. No high-risk pregnancy like with Jude, no twice daily injections of blood thinners or daily doses of progesterone hormones. Praise!

When we moved to Oklahoma, I spoke with my new doctor about what she thought was medically necessary for me to carry a pregnancy to term. I had some reasons to believe that the twice daily heparins shots and progesterone supplements on top of a daily aspirin and thyroid medication were not completely necessary. She agreed that I could most likely forgo the heparin shots and the progesterone supplements and just stay on thyroid medication and a baby aspirin. As soon as I found out I was pregnant she did some blood work to be sure.  I prayed that the Lord would allow these results to come back obviously positive or negative (not borderline as they had with Jude). He answered and we took the plunge - going heparin and progesterone free.

It was a difficult first few weeks! I mean, who in their right mind wants to "experiment" with a baby's life?  However, we decided to see it as an opportunity to put our trust fully in the Lord, realizing that HE is sovereign over my body and even over medicine. To see it as an opportunity to cherish the gift of conception and each day of pregnancy even if we don't get to hold a healthy baby at the end. An opportunity to believe that whatever happens, the Lord intends it for our good.

Praise God, he has graciously answered our prayers and those of those praying with us in these early weeks of pregnancy. Thus far, he has sustained this baby. I am watching a bump grow without any bruises or knots on it from shots!

And, yet more grace, we will be welcoming a foster baby into our home literally at any moment - We found out we were pregnant the same weekend we completed our foster care training!

I can not believe how much things have changed so quickly. But, my heart is full and anticipating much growth (family, physically, and spiritually) in the next few months!