I will be 29 weeks tomorrow. (w00hoo!!) Yesterday we had our weekly visit with Joey. Matt and my mom came, since we were having the 4D ultrasound. We listened to Luke's heart beat, and all was good. I couldn't believe I didn't gain weight, since we had gone out to eat at Cheesecake Factory, so that was good. The tech did the U/S and measured his head, and checked his heart, and overall growth. She said he weighs (a whopping) 2 lbs 15 oz, the biggest baby I've carried so far! (Tobi was 2 lbs 3 oz, and Layah was 1 lb 4 oz) She said that Luke was head and feet down, so he's in a pike position, much like what you saw in the ultrasound picture a few posts back. She said his knees were by his head. I didn't think that sounded to comfortable! I thought about it and realized what I feel sometimes bulging on one side must be his little booty sticking out! We saw him sucking on his lip, so for now,I guess it's safe to say he's not gonna be a thumb-sucker! She turned the U/S machine to 4D and tried to get a good look at his face-in between his legs. We got a few good shots, and 2 of them appear that he's smiling. One of them, his eyelid looks cracked open, which I didn't realize they opened their eyes in the womb, but the tech said that they do. I'll get the pictures up here as soon as I can. So, no action- which is what we want-no activity but a growing belly, safely holding Luke inside.
The devotional I read today was interesting. It had a story of a man that told his doctor that he thought his wife was going deaf. The doctor told him to conduct a simple test. When the man reached the front door of his home, he called out, “Darling, is dinner ready?” Hearing no response, he walked inside and repeated himself. Still no reply. On the third try, when he was just behind her, he finally heard her say, “For the third time, yes!”, (proving the problem is usually the man, and not the woman....NO, I'm kidding!) The verses that were related to this story were Isaiah 42:1-4, 23-35. The Israelites thought God was deaf when the problem was actually them. Sometimes I think that is us. We keep saying, "God, you're not listening. I need this to happen, or I need that, or please do this or do that this way not that way..." and we have to remember "The Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God” (Isa. 59:1-2). " Sometimes we are the problem, getting in the way of the Lord's blessings, sometimes it's because of sin, sometimes it's because we try to tell God how it should be, and sometimes we don't like His response, and act as though He's not answered. I am definitely guilty of this, as I am somewhat a perfectionist and like an order, or plan to go accordingly. Like many, I like control over events in my life. So when things don't, sometimes it makes me question if He's paying attention to what I'm going through...and honestly, sometimes question if He cares. He is paying attention and loves us more than we can know , and if we are sensitive enough, through prayer, worship, just spending time with Him and in His word, we will be able to discern what His response is.
Many of you have read previous post where I mentioned my friends Johanna and Amber. Johanna lost twin boys in March at 18 weeks after she had a 30+ hour labor due to her water breaking. Amber has lost 3: an ectopic pregnancy in 2004, which left her with one functioning fallopian tube, a son Adam at 19.5 weeks in 2005 due to a bacterial infection, and most recently a little girl, Camry Grace at 22.5 weeks due to an incompetent cervix. Both of these women continue to walk this journey of grief, all the while, trying to get pregnant again. Amber recently told me that they found an ovarian cyst-which she named. (I know humor sometimes helps one cope). She's on high doses of birth control in hopes that the cyst might shrink, as they are trying to get in a position of trying fertility meds. Her PMS is torturous because of the hormones. Please pray for her healing, both physically and emotionally. The emotional roller coaster is very draining. Please pray that she will be able to start the fertility drugs soon, and they will be effective. Johanna has had a difficult time lately. She currently has an ectopic pregnancy, and has gotten an injection in hopes of trying to dissolve it to avoid surgery, as she continues to get her blood drawn to check for the pregnancy levels, in hopes they will come down. She says the shots make her feel terrible and bleed very heavily. She feels "at the end of her rope" . She is angry and frustrated and depressed-which is all understandable, as she says "all we want is a healthy baby to bring home with us, nothing more". I know this feeling all to well. Please pray with me for her healing as well, and that the Lord will give her the Peace that passes all understanding, that He'll give her hope, in knowing He only wants her to have life, and abundant. Pray that she will see it is not of the Lord that this is "attack" is happening to her. We live in a fallen creation where there is a spiritual battle going on all around us, and sometimes there are "casualties" where we are deeply affected by the enemy's attack, since they want to harm what the Lord holds so dear-us. Finally, today, a co worker and friend of mine, emailed me a request to pray for a family-The Prescott family, Owen and Jessica. Jessica went into labor and is 26 weeks with a girl, Sayla Grace. They were able to stop the contractions earlier, but it seems that this is no longer the situation. Obviously, this is very close to my heart, since Tobi came at 26.4. Please pray for all women. For Johanna and Amber will be able to conceive and birth a child into this world, healthy and full term, and Jessica's baby girl to stay in the safety of her womb, a bit longer, as every day is a big deal at this gestation. Thank you all so much for your support and prayers. I wouldn't have made it through all of this without your prayers and Him holding me. I've said this before, but if you are a mom, kiss your children and hug them extra tight tonight, being reminded just what a miracle each child that is born is.
Faithfully His,
Mika
The devotional I read today was interesting. It had a story of a man that told his doctor that he thought his wife was going deaf. The doctor told him to conduct a simple test. When the man reached the front door of his home, he called out, “Darling, is dinner ready?” Hearing no response, he walked inside and repeated himself. Still no reply. On the third try, when he was just behind her, he finally heard her say, “For the third time, yes!”, (proving the problem is usually the man, and not the woman....NO, I'm kidding!) The verses that were related to this story were Isaiah 42:1-4, 23-35. The Israelites thought God was deaf when the problem was actually them. Sometimes I think that is us. We keep saying, "God, you're not listening. I need this to happen, or I need that, or please do this or do that this way not that way..." and we have to remember "The Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God” (Isa. 59:1-2). " Sometimes we are the problem, getting in the way of the Lord's blessings, sometimes it's because of sin, sometimes it's because we try to tell God how it should be, and sometimes we don't like His response, and act as though He's not answered. I am definitely guilty of this, as I am somewhat a perfectionist and like an order, or plan to go accordingly. Like many, I like control over events in my life. So when things don't, sometimes it makes me question if He's paying attention to what I'm going through...and honestly, sometimes question if He cares. He is paying attention and loves us more than we can know , and if we are sensitive enough, through prayer, worship, just spending time with Him and in His word, we will be able to discern what His response is.
Many of you have read previous post where I mentioned my friends Johanna and Amber. Johanna lost twin boys in March at 18 weeks after she had a 30+ hour labor due to her water breaking. Amber has lost 3: an ectopic pregnancy in 2004, which left her with one functioning fallopian tube, a son Adam at 19.5 weeks in 2005 due to a bacterial infection, and most recently a little girl, Camry Grace at 22.5 weeks due to an incompetent cervix. Both of these women continue to walk this journey of grief, all the while, trying to get pregnant again. Amber recently told me that they found an ovarian cyst-which she named. (I know humor sometimes helps one cope). She's on high doses of birth control in hopes that the cyst might shrink, as they are trying to get in a position of trying fertility meds. Her PMS is torturous because of the hormones. Please pray for her healing, both physically and emotionally. The emotional roller coaster is very draining. Please pray that she will be able to start the fertility drugs soon, and they will be effective. Johanna has had a difficult time lately. She currently has an ectopic pregnancy, and has gotten an injection in hopes of trying to dissolve it to avoid surgery, as she continues to get her blood drawn to check for the pregnancy levels, in hopes they will come down. She says the shots make her feel terrible and bleed very heavily. She feels "at the end of her rope" . She is angry and frustrated and depressed-which is all understandable, as she says "all we want is a healthy baby to bring home with us, nothing more". I know this feeling all to well. Please pray with me for her healing as well, and that the Lord will give her the Peace that passes all understanding, that He'll give her hope, in knowing He only wants her to have life, and abundant. Pray that she will see it is not of the Lord that this is "attack" is happening to her. We live in a fallen creation where there is a spiritual battle going on all around us, and sometimes there are "casualties" where we are deeply affected by the enemy's attack, since they want to harm what the Lord holds so dear-us. Finally, today, a co worker and friend of mine, emailed me a request to pray for a family-The Prescott family, Owen and Jessica. Jessica went into labor and is 26 weeks with a girl, Sayla Grace. They were able to stop the contractions earlier, but it seems that this is no longer the situation. Obviously, this is very close to my heart, since Tobi came at 26.4. Please pray for all women. For Johanna and Amber will be able to conceive and birth a child into this world, healthy and full term, and Jessica's baby girl to stay in the safety of her womb, a bit longer, as every day is a big deal at this gestation. Thank you all so much for your support and prayers. I wouldn't have made it through all of this without your prayers and Him holding me. I've said this before, but if you are a mom, kiss your children and hug them extra tight tonight, being reminded just what a miracle each child that is born is.
Faithfully His,
Mika
I am going to pray for your friends. I will put them on my blog as well. I can't imagine their pain. I am so glad you are healthy and well and everything is going so good. My girls are so excited for you. They still pray every single night for baby Luke. We long to meet him. Love ya girl.
ReplyDeleteThank you for continuing to lift up all of us from whom pregnancy and motherhood have proven a difficult journey.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Amber Moore