Sunday, May 31, 2009

what's in a name?

(Thank you, sweet blog reader, Samantha! - April's name
written on the sands in Devon, United Kingdom.)
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What is a miracle?

Well, according to Merriam-Webster:

1: an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs
2: an extremely outstanding or unusual event, thing, or accomplishment
3: a divinely natural phenomenon experienced humanly as the fulfillment of spiritual law

According to me:

My daughter.

Am I biased? Hmm... Maybe. But, I don't think so.

Many asked here about April's name. Others have e-mailed as well and asked why I chose to name her April Rose. I have touched on this before, but never in detail like this...

So, for starters, I love "flower" and "season/month" names. (Is that strange?) Some of my favorites: Autumn, Summer, Rose and Lily. For quite a while, I was thinking my girl would be a "Lily"...

In fact, back in March I had it narrowed down to "April" and "Lily." D and I talked about it a bit, though, he let me ultimately choose. I still think "Lily" is beautiful and it was a (very) close second choice, but "April" took the top spot when in March our Dr. and Genetic Counselor told us that we were "very close to meeting her." Initially I just thought it would be really special to have my April girl, named "April Rose," and with all the Dr.'s assumptions and my own fears, I believed their word, and "April" it was.
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2 months later and that name choice has come to mean more than I could have ever imagined.
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See, we all know that April Rose was not an April baby. But April changed my life.
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April was the month that my faith, my priorities, my existence, entirely, changed. I am a completely different person today, and if I'm honest with myself, I would not chose to return to the person I was before. - Renewed faith, a kicking little girl, a faster heart rate, a smile on the sonogram screen. Oh, April has come to be the definition of a miracle to me.

I haven't always been as strong (and again, I don't feel too brave or strong anyways) as I am today. Even when I chose to start blogging... I was much more afraid, and was still grasping at my own plans, not His. I wanted my miracle. My entire concept of hope was little more than what I wanted. My hope was not in Him.

April, both the month and my girl have changed who I am. And blogging about my thoughts, what is on my heart and what the Lord is doing in my life, despite the accusations and those Mr. Anonymous comments, has taught me that life isn't about being sinless, or ever eloquent... Life isn't about my wants and my hopes... It isn't even about if April lives or dies... It is about being faithful. Always.

And in tears, as I write this, I have to say that though I am far from perfect, I know what it is like to trust Him, when it hurts so much, and life makes no sense. And, I am oddly thankful that I know what that is like.

April Rose will be a June baby. That is a miracle. And every day for the rest of my life, regardless of what happens, I will know and live that.

June?!

That was "impossible." And yet, it is (unless, April comes in the next 2 hours!).

"April" will be a month that I will never live out the days of, the same. Ever. Because every April, whether I am strolling my little girl down the street, or walking hand in hand with her on this earth, or visiting a grave marker, it is the month I started to really live this life.

And "Rose" is a symbol of love and beauty, and there isn't anything more beautiful, or anything I love more, on this earth, than my girl. Rose is also the past tense of "rise," and if April meets our Maker before what we would like to think is "her time," well, besides how much I will love imagining the smile on Jesus' face when He welcomes April home, I will love knowing that my April Rose, rose.

dear mr. anonymous

Many of you comment anonymously, and have explained that you like to leave your private life, well, private! So, even some of you who do have a blog, have chosen at times to comment here anonymously. It makes sense, and boy, do I feel ya! Unfortunately, I am now disabling anonymous comments. I know, I know...

Actually, I am quite okay with it.

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of talking with this (Mck)Mama about the ugly side of blogging, and she said something that has stuck with me long after we got off the phone...

She told me (I am paraphrasing of course) that she used to read and then delete a lot of anonymous comments, but she came to a point in which she wasn't going to have that kind of "secret relationship" with her anonymous/negative commenters. Meaning, those commenters would see that their comments were not published, but obviously read. So, it is like they were talking with her, but no one else knew. She has since done away with the secrets and publishes/keeps up the good with the bad.

I hope that some day I will be that strong; taking in all the negative and then publishing, but for now, at this point in my life, I have decided that this morning I read my last anonymous comment (at least for now). You can read it too:

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Dear Mr. (or most likely, Mrs.) Anonymous,

I am appalled. Truly.

However, I do not feel the need to explain myself, tell you how you are wrong, or defend my daughter's life or myself in detail (been there, done that).

I am sorry (sincerely) that you are so miserable that you have to go around to blogs and leave hurtful comments to people already hurting, most likely in an attempt to make yourself feel better. That isn't a place I would wish on anyone.

Here are a few verses I personally find encouraging, that I want to share with you:

  • "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve my life; You stretch out Your hand against the anger of my foes, with Your right hand You save me." - Psalm 138:7

  • "The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." - Proverbs 18:10

  • "Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning." - Psalm 30:5

The word is true.

Sincerely,

April's Mom (Funny, my name is not Becky as you guessed? assumed? thought?)

Oh and P.S. - Miracles can happen. They already have. And I am glad that you have recognized this as a theme throughout my posts. - It is where my heart is. It is what I hope and pray for.

Will it happen? - Well, if this was all fiction, and I could choose my next chapter - Absolutely. But, since I can't, I do not know, and that is where my faith comes in. "God is our God for ever and ever; He will be our guide even to the end." (Psalm 48:14)

Friday, May 29, 2009

head held high

This post was retrieved from Bloglines as the cache had been cleared and it couldn't be found via the original blog cache.


Remember when I let you ask away back over here? Well, I read your questions, life happened, and I never got to answering them, aside from ones I have addressed for other reasons in my posts. So today I picked out a bunch to answer and here they are!

There were manyvariations of bothof Michelle's questions!

For starters, yes, both D and I work. He has taken a lot of time off (his work has been incredibly understanding) lately, but had a good amount of vacation time stored up. As for me, I have the luxury of working from home, but more on that later.
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The second part of Michelle's question: No, we do not have a designated room for April.

Because we didn't expect to get to 25 weeks... Then, didn't expect to get to 30, and so on, we just never really planned for the future in those kinds of ways. Just very recently we went out and bought a few basics, as well as a few outfits (sometimes I just can't help myself!), but it is a very hard balance...
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We have received several items from people (blankets, outfits, etc.) like you (thank you!). And so, if a complete miracle comes our way, we will be set for a few days at least! Then, we will be off to Target I suppose.

I guess you could say we are living one day at a time, and while yes, I (and D even more than me) have been tempted to buy bigger items, like furniture, we have not done so at this point.

Not a scrapbook, Jenifer, but, what I ultimately hope to do is turn this blog at some point into a book, like thesehere. I recently saw this site and this is definitely something I will be looking into!

Okay, many questions in one here! I will answer the last 2 and start with the last...

This may sound cliche, but D has grown to be the most patient, kind, loyal, honest, amazing man I've ever had the privilege of knowing. Months ago, I never would have said that, hence the "grown to be," but it is true. What attracted me to him initially? - I will be honest with you. He is hot. Ha. Seriously though, he is one of those rare, gorgeous (he will hate my use of that word in his description!) men and that is what initially drew me in, but his outward attractiveness only scratches his surface.

I have said it before, but D could haveeasilywalked away from this entire situation. Instead, he never left, even when for a while, I was seriously pushing him away. He has walked the hardest road of my life, alongside me and our girl, despite the statistics, the odds, or the fact that he doesn't "owe us" anything. In a word, D is a man. An amazing one, and I am so thankful for him.

As for what I would say, or my message to other single, or unmarried, pregnant women. Sin is sin. I am not minimizing my sexual sin here, but pregnancy is not the sin. Not so long ago I still really struggled with this myself. - The separation of consequence from sin, as well as the ability to be okay in my expanding skin.

Today, I am there. Comfortable and more so, with my head held high. Pregnant and unmarried? - Yes. But, life is always a beautiful gift. Yes, of course, I am a sinner. So are you. Good thing God paid it all on Calvary, huh?

Easy one Jessi. I would want to meet Christ and I would want to ask Him how He could give His life for a sinner such as myself (it is so, so unreal when you really think about it).

I actually have quite the job. In fact, it is exactly what I would want to do, if I could do anything. I plan on letting you all in on some of that, at some point, but not yet. But, to be vague for now, I have a dream job. And no, I am not an author (many of you have e-mailed/commented and asked!), but maybe one day I could write a book. I do also love to write...
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Oh my! No way! I had several people ask me this question and it kind of surprises me! No, D and I do not live together. We never have. And if April is born healed that would not be grounds for D and I to live together either. The only man I will ever live with is my husband.

Good question Molly. One I don't think I have ever addressed in such detail. April has been diagnosed withLobar HPE.Of the more severe degrees of HPE, Lobar is the least severe.
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We do not really have (or need) "extra measures" put in place for the birth due to April's conditions. Really, home birth is safe! (do I sound like a broken record here?) All joking aside, our midwife has delivered other babies who have had a poor prenatal diagnosis, and is very knowledgeable. I feel more confident with her and our birth plan than I would in a hospital.
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Sadly, the most difficult recent part of all of this has been the negativity I have heard from others. I havemuchbetter things to do with my time than defend myself or correct people who think I am a liar, or that April isn't really sick, etc. I think part of why that is so hard for me is because it devalues who April is/her life and as her Momma, I hate that.
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Outside of the blogging world, and personally speaking - The hardest things for me are the (what feels like) millions of unknowns. It is so hard to live each day, completely, totally in His hands, but when you are sincerely walking blind, that is exactly what you have to do. Along this journey, that has been very difficult, but it has also taught me so much. I can say that I havesurrendered, and mean that in every way, these days. It is an excruciating thing, but it is also beautiful.
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The biggest lesson I have learned, specifically through my blogging/online experiences is that God can use anyone.
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I am just a normal girl, who a year ago was living pretty normal life. For some reason this happened to me God chose me. - Proof that God can use anyone, no matter where you have been.
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I think we often think God can only use those "perfect" Christians. Or, at least I used to think that. What I have learned, pretty much overnight, is that there is no such thing as a perfect Christian. I guess I'm finally realizing that nobody has life or God or anything else for that matter figured out. We never arrive or get to a destination or reach a point when we sail smoothly on from there. We are imperfect, and I have said something similar before, but I know personally, I am totally incapable of living life without completing falling on my face.
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Thank God, for God, right?
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I have been completely humbled to get e-mails, comments, prayer requests, etc. Humbled that God is using me and April to bring Him glory. What more could I ask for?
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So, in short - The biggest lesson I have learned in the last few months is that God can use us all. And I think He will, if we really let Him.

Yeah, I agree - Not a lot of modesty. However, yes, D will be right next to me throughout it all. This was something I initially wrestled with, because no, we are not married, dating, etc. But, we are her parents and April's birth may be the most significant event in our girl's life that we experience with her. We do not know what will happen, but we will be welcoming April into this world, together. And, I am not condoning the past, but to be blunt, D's already seen it all folks.

To answer Ali (and others) questions about anonymity, etc. see this post. I explain my thoughts in relative detail.
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Otherwise, just trust me, I have my reasons, and as I have become a little more seasoned in the blogging world over the last few months, I've gotta say - My reasons have doubled, if not tripled!
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Like, I have mentioned, there is an ugly side to blogging (whether you are anonymous or not), and much to my surprise there is a recognition that comes with blogging (whether you want it or not!), that I have witnessed without even putting my full name or picture out there.
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Many people choose to remain anonymous when they blog, or use nicknames in place of their full names, and many of those who do not, wish they would have (I have heard). My blog is highly personal and for now I think, "B" or "April's Mom" should suffice.
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Many questions above, in one, but here goes... Yes, I plan on introducing the world to my April Rose.
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Now, about how I "stay so strong:" Wow, thanks, but most days I don't feel that way at all.
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In a song Angie Smithwrote with the help of a few others, after the loss of her sweet Audrey, she says:"People say that I am brave but I'm not. Truth is I'm barely hanging on." - Those 2 sentences most easily sum up how I feel. I don't feel brave or strong or anything special. I feel like I am barely hanging on, most days. And on the other days, well, my strength comes only from Him.
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Regarding my faith and if I ever get mad at God. Yes, I do. I yell. I cry. I lay around, a lot, and am sad and upset. This is all really hard. But, God has drawn me closer to Him than I have ever been, and while I have my moments, at the end of the day I am His, and I know whatever plans He has for me, for April, even for friends, family, etc. - While I don't understand them, He does. And since He knows me better than I even know myself, I can rest assured in Him, and I do.

Yes, Shelby. That does mean something! At my very last appointment and a record weight gain of 3 lbs (I blame that on the chinese food) I look to be measuring around 30 weeks. I will probably have more accurate details on this topic after my appointment on Monday.
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And, while the growth is awesome. No, it hasn't made the Doctor's rethink much. April's conditions were determined by way of amniocentesis, which is as accurate as you can get. So, no, they are not second-guessing their initial findings, but my midwife is rejoicing with us with the growth.
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We all know miracles can happen, regardless of the tests.
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No, I have not been tested to see if I am a carrier, but am not incredibly worried about this. Our Genetic Counselor has explained to us that recurrence of a Trisomy 13 baby is so, so low; less than 1% in fact.
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If D and I wound up together in the end (aka married) we would want to try to have more children, I am sure. If God did not bless us with biological ones, I would be open to looking into adoption, of course (I personally find adoption a real parallel to the way in which Christ adopted me into His family with the gift of salvation, etc.). But, these things are far down the road and honestly I am not too concerned with a recurrence of another Trisomy diagnosis, because as I have already stated, it is so rare.
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No, Rachel, we didn't have a boy named picked out. We did not name April until the end of March, in large part because we were certain April would be, well, an April baby! Ha! Joke's on us, huh?

Whathaven'tI craved? Ha!

Pre-pregnancy I was an extremely healthy eater (and still strive to be). However my 3 biggest "cravings," to which I have completely given into have been:

1. Beef! (I usually never eat beef. I prefer turkey meat; ground turkey, ground chicken, etc.) These days, though, I am constantly cooking up burgers, tacos, etc. all with beef, beef, beef.

2. Ice Cream... I cannot get enough. I am surprised I have not gained more weight just from the ice cream alone!

3. Watermelon Kool-Aid. Yes, I feel like a kid again.
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Okay, that's all for this edition!

this will all make perfect sense someday. or not.

This post was retrieved from Bloglines as the cache had been cleared and it couldn't be found via the original blog cache.

For starters, I want to say thank you. I appreciate so much your comments, e-mails and prayers. While I have been spending less time on my computer and more time with my girl, I have to admit it was nice to log in, just now, and feel so much of your support. Thank you. You truly have become my friends. What a blessing.
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Now, there were 2 comments I wanted to address. No, no, not negative ones. But medical ones. So here goes... (* just click on the text below to enlarge if it is too small for your eyes!)
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Kelly is right. There are children who live with Trisomy 13. I am not sure I would say "quite a few" though. Many babies (of those who are born alive) with this diagnosis die within their first few days or weeks. Actually, here are some statistics that I have found on a few different sites:
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The median survival time for infants with Trisomy 13 is 7 to 10 days.
30% of infants with Trisomy 13 live to one month.
91% die within the first year of life.
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(I can't tell you much I hate those odds).
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According to our Genetic Counselor only about 5% of babies with a full Trisomy 13 diagnosis (what April has) live over 6 months. Yes, some babies and children with less severe forms of Trisomy 13 can live many years. I have seen many sites with stories and pictures of these little (and sometimes not so little!) miracles. I have heard the personal stories of such as well, as I am a member of an online T-13 Support Group. But with April's combination of Trisomy 13 and Holoprosencephaly, no, we have never been given much hope.
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We were told very early on to terminate due to both of these conditions, as well as her lack of growth (sick cells = no growth) and low heart rate (heart problems are very common in babies with Trisomy 13). Of course, you know, we chose against that, and here we all (still!) are today.
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I know that God is in control and I have never clung to the words of our Doctors, Counselors, or even our midwife (even though love her). Doctors are not God (no disrespect meant by this comment), and April has already beaten the medical odds in more ways than one.
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I do hope, but what I hope for is no longer "my miracle" or merely for April to live. It isn't really about what I hope for, or what my hope is in, it is who it is in, and I hope in Him.
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Next up...
Dina is not alone in this question. It is one I am e-mailed about almost daily. I have answered it before here and here, as well as a few other places I am sure, but here is the crux of it...
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D and I had a horrible time with our Doctor. Constantly being talked to about termination, induction, etc. gets to be a little draining (do you sense my sarcasm here?) In short, enough was enough. After an appointment that pushed me to my limit (which I blogged about in detail here), D lovingly suggested "another option." After a few conversations with each other and then with a few midwives our decision to change our plans was an easy one.
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Home birth is a very safe option and one in which I have grown to be completely comfortable with, and whether in the end we meet April after a live birth or not, have 1 minute, 1 hour or 1 day with her, we want our girl to just feel loved and be in our arms, not on machines and in Dr.'s and nurses arms. And to quote from a previous post: If God heals her? If she is well, but needs something that isn't available here (at home)? - Well, we are only a short drive (or even quicker ambulance drive!) to the hospital.
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Hope that helps.
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And now, this exhausted gal is going to bed, but not first without praying. And can I ask you to pray too?
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These two requests have been brought to my attention for next week's "His will Wednesday"post, and usually I would wait and post them on Wednesday, but honestly they have been on my heart a lot today, so here they are:
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Meet Jennifer - Jennifer's husband Dean has been out of work for about a month due to illness. He has been very dizzy, his equilibrium off, feeling unstable on his feet, etc. The Doctors aren't sure what is wrong yet, but Dean had an MRI earlier today. Tests like these, as so many of us know (even tests to rule things out) are very stressful. Will you keep this family in your prayers? (And Jennifer, let me/us know when there is an update!) Click here to visit Jennifer's blog.
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Also, there is a 6 year old boy from one of my reader's communities named Noah Gentry, who drowned last night at a country club swimming pool. There were several other students and parents and lifeguards involved in this situation and many hurting hearts. Will you keep Noah's family and these others in your prayers?
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And of course, I could use your prayers too. These days are the hardest of my life and I covet your prayers during this time...
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Thank you friends...

Thursday, May 28, 2009

grow, baby, grow!

This post was retrieved from Bloglines as the cache had been cleared and it couldn't be found via the original blog cache.

Hi, friends! It's Raechel again. B asked me if I wouldn't mind giving you all an update with details from her midwife appointment yesterday so she can rest her heart and mind today. I am, of course, glad to oblige.
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As many of you know,yesterday marked 41 weeks for B and baby April Rose. B's midwife came to the house for a check-up and was happy to report that there is weight gain (for B), uterine growth (for April - hurray!) and that April's heart rate is doing great in the 120's. B was a little discouraged to learn that she has not progressed at all physically beyond the 3cm that she was last week.

So, those are the stats. And, I know that you all are buzzing with questions of what all this means, aren't you? Again, I am happy to oblige.

Here are the main things I imagine you'd like me to address:
  • Is it possible April is breech? No - We would know if she were! She is in a great, head-down position for birth. Praise God!
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  • Then why does B's belly look so tiny for 40+ weeks? Yes, judging by the photos that B shared with you all of her cute little belly, she is definitely measuring small. I know she has mentioned this lots of times in previous posts, but those of you who are new to this blog have certainly expressed your alarm and disbelief at the size of that 40-week belly. Let me assure you (as someone with training and experience as a birth doula, as well as a mommy who also had a very small belly with her own trisomy baby last year) this is very normal.
Quick break for a science lesson:everyone has 23 pairs of chromosomes, numbered 1-23, totaling 46. When there is a third chromosome attached to a pair, it is called a trisomy (hence the "tri"). April has her genetic "misspelling", as they call it, on her 13th chromosome. She has trisomy 13. (And, yes, it has been diagnosed through amniocentesis.)
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Side note:the smaller the number of the chromosome affected, the more "lethal" or "incompatible with life" as doctors call it. Trisomy 21 is also called Down Syndrome, and many people with trisomy 21 can live for a long time. My Evie had trisomy 9. She passed away at 32 weeks gestation, which is much longer than most babies with trisomy 9. April finds herself somewhere in the middle, with some chance of life outside the womb.
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Back to the science lesson:April's cells are, of course, affected by her genetic makeup and (as is typical in trisomy situations) they are not dividing and multiplying (which causes growth) like a healthy baby would. She probably weighs a little over 3 pounds right now - the size of a baby at perhaps 26 weeks. This is why B's belly is measuring so cute and tiny.
  • How much longer can B remain pregnant with April?(Many of you have actually said that it is "impossible" to be pregnant past 41 weeks. Not true! Many, many women deliver at 42+ weeks if they are patient and allow their bodies to begin labor naturally.) The truth? The only thing that limits how long a baby can remain in utero is how the placenta is aging. As long as the placenta is healthy (and the baby isn't growing too large), it can support the baby and the pregnancy. (Did you know that in Europe, a woman's gestation is actually considered 42 weeks rather than the American 40 weeks?)
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  • So, how old is B's placenta?That's what we're wondering as well. B has an ultrasound scheduled for this coming Monday in which we will be able to see how the placenta is handling things and if it is, indeed, becoming too old. B's midwife is actually wondering if perhaps she may have her EDD (estimateddue date) off just a bit. B has been measuring small from the get-go, and since she didn't know she was pregnant right away, this is also a possibility.
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  • At what point will B decide to induce? B and her midwife have certainly discussed induction as a possible necessity, though not "induction" as many mamas know it. At least not yet. B has a great midwife with lots of great, natural labor-inducing tricks up her sleeve.
Rest assured that B is in knowledgeable, capable hands and that B and Aprils health are under close observation and frequent evaluation. Really, the longer April can remain inside her safe and warm Mommy (who is taking EXCELLENT care of her, I might add!), the better! Especially since she is continuing to grow. The larger she is, the better she will be able to handle labor.So, grow, baby, grow! And, thanks be to God for these extra days!

Thanks, everyone, for your concern and your prayers. It is great for B to have you all! Please pray specifically this week for April's heart rate to continue to be strong and that she will continue to grow. Also, as you can imagine, these are scary and quite uncertain days for B. It is rarely far from her mind that this is very likely her last week to be pregnant with her sweet daughter. These past several months she has been learning to live one day at a time, and now, she is finding that it is really one hour to the next and often one moment at a time.

Your encouragement and support is so appreciated. We will be sure to keep you updated as new information is presented.

Grace & Peace,
Raechel

becoming educated

This post was retrieved from Bloglines as the cache had been cleared and it couldn't be found via the original blog cache.

I actually chose to step away from my blog today, but logged in just now to check out a few other people's blogs I follow, and in the process had some comments to look over...
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I know, I know, I should always "let my gentleness be evident to all." But, I think you will all agree after reading this, that this comment merits a response:
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Of course this person has no profile or blog, so is basically anonymous, and I won't waste too much time on this, other than to say I am so thankful that my dear friend (and Birth Doula) Raechel will be posting a little update here in a few, as well as some "education" on some of these issues!
("sriggs" is not alone in her lack of knowledge on such things).
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Folks, women go past their due dates all of the time. Especially first time Mom's.
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And, I don't write about April? Hmm... False. She is all I think about, and I would venture to say I have blogged about her in about 95% of my posts, if not more.
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But that is neither here or there. There is an ugly side of blogging and this is it. If in your ignorance, you believe "Doctor's don't allow women to go past their due date," or believe that I am merely "leading you all on," then feel free to stop visiting. I won't take offense. Actually I would prefer it. But if by chance, you would like to become educated on our situation, stay tuned... Raechel is just finishing up the next post.
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For now, I will go back to relaxing and poking my little girl...

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

the results show post

So... It was a close race...
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This morning my inbox was flooded with people all around the half million mark. I was certain that this momma had it at 500,001, but then I opened up the winner who had it, exactly, and she knew it! I should have seen her e-mail sooner, since it was entitled: "Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner! - 500,000th hit!" Ha!

Way to go Jennifer!
You did it, and had the photographic proof to back it up:

Now, Jennifer doesn't have a blog, or I would link her, but she is a blog follower, obviously! And aside from "blog follower" I thought I would share a little more about her right here - Jennifer is married to the, and I quote "man of my dreams, Nathan," and they have 3 little ones (aren't they gorgeous?)...

Ella (4), Abram (4 1/2 months) and Ada (3)

Jennifer found my blog through one of my personal friend's blogs (small world), and says... "I keep coming back to pray for you and because I am so excited for you about your home birth. We delivered our first two at a hospital with a midwife and those births were just fine. But we decided to have Abram at home and it was the best decision of our life! I wish more people would choose home birth and that it was more widely accepted!" - Amen, sister!

Since Jennifer is a mother of two beautiful little girls, I thought this would be the perfect giveaway:
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Introducing BUBBALou Bands
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These one of a kind, adorable and completely customizable headbands are so precious. Lisa, the Mom and woman behind BUBBALou is a fellow Christian woman who loves creating these one of a kind accessories! When you take a look in her shop (which I hope you will!), note that anything you see up can be totally customized with the colors of your choosing!

Jennifer, you are getting one for each of your girls!

And everyone else - How could you pass these up? Click here to visit BUBBALou Bands on Etsy.com or click here to visit Lisa's blog.

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On a more personal note, if you don't follow me on Twitter, I did have a mid-wife appointment this afternoon and do want to blog about that, but right now am going to choose a little television and a lot of sleep over blogging. Tomorrow I will post all about it. But, for now, please keep me in your prayers. Today was a very difficult day, full of fears and emotions.

Oh, and a few more requests from other blog readers, like you: (to add to yesterday's "His will Wednesday" post) Please pray...

Meet Kent and Kari - On Saturday, at 32 weeks pregnant with their first child, Kari woke up in a severe amount of pain and made it to the hospital just in time. She was found to have severe pre-eclampsia/toxemia and they found their son, Michael, had already passed. If she hadn't made it there quick enough, she wouldn't have made it either. This couple is heartbroken, and Kari is still physically struggling high blood pressure and heart rate. Please keep Kent and Kari in your prayers as they deal with the shock from this loss, Kari's physical recovery and the future funeral plans, grief, etc.

Anonymous - This young woman has grown up in the "picture perfect" family, with parents who have sacrificed so much to provide the best for her and her sister. A few years ago her parents finally bought their first house; their dream house. Then, in February, without any warning this young woman's father (a 60 year old General Manager with a Master's degree) got let go from his company. Now, almost 5 months later, he's slowly slipping into depression. While their house isn't about to be lost, this man's spirit is. This entire family needs our prayers; for a job, for strength in the interim, for comfort amidst the sadness that not only this man is feeling, but his wife, and his daughters in having to see this man suffer in this way, and for a touch like only our God can provide.

Meet Bianca - Bianca's sweet daughter, Linden is almost 9 month old. She has Down Syndrome and a repaired heart defect called AV Canal defect. Baby Linden had open heart surgery in November of 2008, when she was just 11 weeks old. All was looking good until her second to last follow-up appointment, when her Cardiologist saw some mitral valve leakage. Now it appears that Linden has a defect in the anatomy of her heart which most likely won't correct itself with medicine. This will mean that she'll eventually need yet another open heart surgery (possibly in a few months). Since being put on some new medications recently, Linden has showed some improvement in the amount of leakage. Her Mom is seeking prayers for continued improvements with meds. Click here to visit Bianca's blog.

Thank you friends...

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

my first ever contest and a few pretty things

This post was retrieved from Bloglines as the cache had been cleared and it couldn't be found via the original blog cache.

Okay, so if you haven't seen my prior post below, read it here, or just scroll down. - You don't want to miss it... It includes the "His will Wednesdays" post (on Tuesday), as well as some stuff on my heart, and yes, an April update.
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But real quick... A half million.
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Yeah, I am just under 10,000 hits shy of reaching this half million mark, which is pretty crazy (and humbling). So, I am having my first little contest of sorts (kind of like what I have seen this Mama do)...

I have been given some cool little "giveaways" from a few different companies. Nothing major, but little by little I plan on highlighting some of the companies behind the giveaways. And I figured I would start with the half million hit (or closest to it).

So, if you hit it (my stat counter is at the bottom of my page) and can prove it, e-mail me here, and I will contact you if you are closest, and will send you a cool "mystery prize." - Well, mystery for now, until I know what is closest suited for the winner, and until I highlight the prize/company right here, once this contest is over.
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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

For now, 2 companies that I just have to highlight (and no, these are not the giveaways, they are just amazing!):

Gracious May Shoes
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These are, hands down, the cutest shoes I have everseen. Grace, the woman behindGracious Maywas "gracious" enough to make little April a pair, and they are so beautiful. You probably saw this picture before, but let me just share it with you again...

This photo doesn't even do these little things justice. If you want an adorable pair of little shoes for your sweet girl or boy, you have to check out Gracious Mayhere.

and

Hooked on You - Hand Crocheted Hats

Just this afternoon I received a beautiful letter and hat for April from Veronica over atHooked on You, and well I am hooked! - It is beautiful and I am officially declaring one of these amust havefor any Mommy...

I love the flower, but she does stripes and solids for the little men in your life too. Clickhereto head on over to Hooked on You.

Thank you Grace and Veronica!

(and don't forget -500,000!)

(And oh, P.S. - Since a few of you have asked previously about how this would work and now I have actually done this... Here is the deal: If YOU have a small business (or large one) and are interested in being highlighted/introduced right here, and would be willing to donate an item for this purpose in exchange for a little recognition, just e-mail me!)

HIS will Wednesday Tuesday

This post was retrieved from Bloglines as the cache had been cleared and it couldn't be found via the original blog cache.

Confession:I am scared and worried and uncertain and all of this is very hard. Oh, and I am probably not as together as I seem to be.
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Okay, Confession #2: I used to struggle every day, sometimes every hour. Lately, I am strugglingevery few minutes. I am so nervous for what will happen. I am so wanting to know the answers. I am, most of the time, pretty impatient; wanting to see how things will play out, so that I can attempt to prepare myself.
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Oh, how foolish I am, huh? I mean, I willneverhave the answers I desire, in the time frame that I am hopeful for. God teaches us about this throughout His word, one verse I am sure many of you are familiar with...
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"Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of it's own." - Matthew 6:34
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I find that verse so interesting (really, I am pretty sure that my thoughts on it could make up an entire blog post of itself). The "warning" that God gives us is profound, and for me, serves as a reminder of how totally out of control we are vs. God's all-knowing nature.
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Folks, so many of us, in this community are struggling. There is illness, fear, sick children, infertility, marriage issues, unanswered questions, tragedy, etc. The pain and hurt associated with these things are real, but, whether for the good of bad, do you know how quickly things change?
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Okay, let me tell you...
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Months ago I went in to an ultrasound appointment for a glimpse of my little girl, and just hours later, after tests and tears and a trip to a specialist downtown, I was told "I am sorry, but..."
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24 hours can change everything.
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And while that is a more negative example, there are of course, those every day miracles too... Like, when I was told for a few weeks, myonlychance of meeting April was to induce. And then I hear ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum, a bit later... 130 beats per minute. Now, how isthatpossible?
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Well,24 hours can change everything, and God is in control,notus.
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Okay, I am going to get totally "preachy" here...
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Remember the children of Israel? Manna falling from the sky? - That manna was aneed, and yet...
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"The LORD said to Moses, 'I'm going to send you food from heaven like rain. Each day the people should go out and gather only what they need for that day.'" - Exodus 16:4a
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Onlywhat they need for the day?
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Why?- Why would God instruct these people back then to only collect what was absolutely necessary? And why shouldn't we worry about tomorrow, when tomorrow holds real, legit, fears and troubles and circumstances?
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Sure, okay, because we may not be here... Because He could return by then... Because a miracle could come our way... But, maybe also becausewe must come to see Christ(the same one who rained an actual need for survival down from the sky, and who knows what we need for the next hour, day, week, etc.)alone as the supplier of our every need today.
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That is hard, isn't it? ... Hard when we so desperately want to be in control... When we want to fix things... When we want answers. Oh, trust me, if I am preaching to anyone, it is myself on this subject.I am the queen of impatience and anxiety.
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Today as I publish all of these requests below from so many hurting hearts, and we lift these people up in prayer, I know that I am praying forHis will, as well as for the needs oftoday. And I would ask that when you pray for me and my girl (there is a *medical update* at the bottom of this post), that you would pray for me, right now, today. That I will have the kind of strength, and trust and comfort that only God alone can give, to help me make it through the next day, hour, even minute.
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God cares. He is concerned about our lives, our needs, etc. But tomorrow's fears, uncertainties, tests, circumstances, and on and on, are not needs...Until tomorrow.
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Will you pray with metoday for these families and individuals below?

Little Bentley - I have been asking for prayers for this little one for several weeks. Bentley went in for open heart surgery last week and is doing great. Praise God! The latest update is that she is medically ready to be discharged but needs to stop vomiting first. The doctors believe the vomiting has been caused by her medication, and are hopeful this will be under control soon. Once Bentley gains weight for two consecutive days, her family will move her and themselves to a nearby hotel for seven days, and then HOME! Please continue to keep this baby girl and her entire family in your prayers. Click here to visit their site!

A Prayer Request for the Family of Bruce O'Krepki - Bruce is an 18 year old that went overboard on a cruise this past weekend. Please pray that they are able to find him. Pray for this family as they wait. Click here to read more about this story.

A Prayer Request for the Stewart Family - Please pray for this precious family as their son was born this past weekend and lived for just a few short hours. Surely this family would love to know you are supporting them with prayer. Click here to visit their blog.

Meet Jessie - Jessie adopted her son at birth last March. This was an open adoption and she is requesting prayer for her son's birth mom. The birth mom is struggling right now, looking for a job and having a tough time. Please pray that Jessie would know how to best support her. Click here to visit Jessie's blog.

Meet Debi – Debi and her husband both lost their jobs in February and for financial reasons, each had to go and live with different family members. Debi needs to move out of the home she is staying in right now, and needs prayers that she is able to find another place to live soon. Her husband was able to find a job, so now we need to pray that can be reunited and be a family again quickly.

Meet Becky - Becky's daughter, Jordan, is currently 16 weeks pregnant. She has previously lost a child to miscarriage. On Sunday Jordan began bleeding and cramping and was taken to the ER. At this point, the baby is still alive, but this little one and her parents need prayers.

Meet Heather - Continued prayers are needed for Heather and her entire family. Heather and her husband have two boys (ages 6 and 7), but have had four consecutive miscarriages between their boys and their current pregnancy. They have made it further this time (about half way through) than any of those four pregnancies, but those losses are still very fresh in their minds. At a recent ultrasound/appointment they were told there were several choroid plexus cysts found in the baby's brain (these can sometimes be related to Downs Syndrome). Heather will need to go to a Perinatologist for a Level 2 ultrasound next. She is extremely nervous and needs prayers for strength, as well as continued trust in God during this uncertain time.

Meet Sara - Sara is seeking prayers for her marriage, as her husband is struggling with a gambling addiction and is spending more and more time away from home/her.

Meet Kayla - Kayla's cousin Jeremy who is like a brother to her lost his little girl on Sunday, when the church van backed over her. She was just shy of 3 years old.

Meet Cathy - Cathy and her husband have recently been going downhill within their marriage. There are a lot of issues, a lot of sadness, and a lot of hurt. Cathy is seeking prayers for strength and understanding.

Meet Christina - Christina's 18 month old son Joshua has severe Bilateral Hydronephrosis and his latest evaluation did not go well. It was learned that Joshua now has kidney damage and his left kidney is much larger and swollen than it has been previously. The next step is more testing. Click here to visit Christina's blog.

Meet Astrid - Astrid and her husband need our continued prayers. They are in their final weeks of their pregnancy (after 2 years of trying to conceive!), and are dealing with a lot of financial issues. They are seeking prayers for strength and the Lord's provision.

Meet Andrea - Andrea is pregnant with twins, one of which has been diagnosed with Holoprosencephaly.

Meet Amy and Philip - Amy, is the mother of Phillip, who recently underwent major brain/spine surgery. Philip is still struggling. His pain level is very high, especially in the incision areas. He is also experiencing some swelling. He is not ready to move to the next hospital but that is in the works. Additionally, Amy, who has also been battling Breast Cancer is needing to have another breast surgery but is having to to put her issues on hold while tending to Phillip. Click here to visit their family blog.

Meet Juliana - Juliana had surgery earlier this month. The Doctors are still seeking answers. Also, pray for Juliana's husband who is having a hard time with his wife being sick. He is scared. Click here to visit her blog.

Meet this California Family – A California couple, including two children, were on their way home from a relatives funeral when a tree fell on their car. The Dad was impaled by branches and was seriously injured. The Mom broke her neck in 3 places but is doing well. The father is self-employed and is expected to be out of work for a year. Please pray for healing and the meeting of financial needs for this family. Click here to read the news article about this incident.

Meet Becky – Becky's brother-in-law, Charles, recently flew to Zimbabwe to attend his father's funeral. Please pray for him and his family as they grieve. Also, pray for Becky's sister and their two children as they go through the next 10 days with Charles being gone. Pray for peace as the country is very unstable.

Meet Camryn - This 5 year old little girl has been fighting Cancer, and is having her first radiation treatment today. Click here to visit her family's blog.

Meet Ani – 8 months ago, Ani gave birth to twins. Her twin "A" was diagnosed in the last two weeks of her pregnancy with SVT. The other twin "V" had severe heart defects and multiple other issues. "V" was not to survive. For reasons known only by God, "A" went to be with Jesus and "V" has survived and is a living miracle. Click here to visit Ani's blog.

Meet Amanda - Amanda is an unwed woman who recently found out that she is 6 weeks pregnant. She is seriously dating her boyfriend of 2 years, but is very concerned as to how both sets of parents will react. She is seeking prayers for strength and wisdom, and forgiveness.

Meet Jen - Jen and her family of 5 are in need of financial assistance. They have fallen behind on their mortgage payment and their mortgage company is unwilling to work with them, but they have recently had a few new options open up for them. Jen is seeking open doors and strength.

Meet Jonathan - Jonathan was initially diagnosed with a brain tumor and then further diagnosed with Anaplastic Astrocytoma, stage 3 type Cancer. Click here to visit his family's blog.

Meet Isa - At age three, this sweet girl has been diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; ALL, and has a long road of treatments ahead of her. Click here to visit her family's blog.

Meet Nathan - Nathan's wife was recently diagnosed with Breast Cancer. There are upcoming tests and still a great deal of answered questions. This family has three children under the age of five.

Meet Tiffany - Tiffany and her husband, Zach, have been trying to conceive for 3 years now. They have recently started some new endeavors for fundraising for treatments they plan to start in the next few months. You can read about these fundraisers on their blog. Tiffany's mother also needs continued prayers for her health with a brain aneurysm and brain tumor. Right now a big concern is the amount of pain her Mother is in. Tiffany is seeking prayers for this pain to be lessened. Click here to visit her blog.

Meet Stephanie (or "Nie") - "Nie" was in an almost fatal plane crash with her husband. Though they both survived, they are going through a lot of surgeries and physical therapy (Stephanie just recently had another graph surgery). They are both recovering for now, at home, with their four children. Click here to visit this family's blog.

Meet Megan - Megan's son Evan, was found to have Shone’s Complex after birth. This basically meant that his left ventricle was too small. He had open heart surgery at 1 week old and God chose to work a miracle. Evan is now 11 months old amd this family is seeking prayers for continued miracles for their little man. More details and updates can be found on their blog which you can visit here.

Meet Myah - Myah's daughter, Faith was born with Anencephaly. After living a miraculous 93 days, she went home to Jesus a few days ago. Please pray for this strong mother who chose life, despite the odds, as she now grieves the loss of her sweet girl. Click here to visit Myah's blog.

Meet Rosie and Derek - This couple has been married for over 6 years and are struggling with infertility. Click here to visit their blog.

Meet Jamie - Jamie is awaiting the birth of her fourth child. She is seeking strength and health.

Meet Sadie - Sadie ia a little girl who has Cancer. She is currently undergoing chemotherapy, but is doing well, considering. Click here to visit her family's blog.

Meet Caroline - Caroline is a 27 year old single woman who is struggling with being alone. She desires a husband and a family and is struggling as so many of her friends now have husbands and families of their own. Caroline is seeking prayers for strength as welll as continued trust in God's plans for her life.

Meet Ben - Ben was diagnosed with Leukemia a little over two years ago. He is currently in remission, but is still going through chemo. Click here to visit his family's blog.

Meet Kristy - Kristy's Mom had an MRI about 2 weeks ago and they found "something" in her bone. This Wednesday/Thursday she is going in for another MRI, as well as a bone scan. A biopsy may shortly follow that. They are concerned this could be Cancer. Kristy is concerned for her Father, who tends to be pessimistic. This family needs our prayers during this time of uncertainty. They are also in the middle of planning her sister's wedding so this is just intensifying everyone's already stressed nerves. Click here to visit Kristy's blog.

Meet Karen - Just a few days ago Karen began miscarrying at 14 weeks. She is seeking understanding between her husband and her, as well as peace and comfort through this time.

Meet Owen - At just 16 months old, Owen was diagnosed with T-Cell Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (T-cell ALL). He started Maintenance Chemo last May. Click here to visit Owen's Caring Bridge page.

Meet Kristina - Kristina and her husband have been trying to concieve for more than 3 years, and they have been doing infertility treatments for most of them. They had an appointment with their infertility Dr. a few days ago and Kristina will soon be having another surgery (she just had another one 8 weeks ago). She is seeking prayers for God's peace as well as strength. Click here to visit Kristina's blog.

Meet Nicole - Nicole is 25 weeks pregnant with a precious little boy; Kyle Joseph. They have been told he has Meckel Gruber and will not live but minutes after birth if he makes is through the birthing process at all. Click here to visit this family's blog.

Meet Brittany - Brittany's boyfriend is in Afghanistan and she hasn't talked with him in a week. She is seeking prayers for both his safety and all the soldiers out there with him.

Meet Vanessa - Vanessa and her family are in need of prayers about an adoption they are about to start pursuing. They have hit some roadblocks with timing, finances, etc. and have some decisions to make. Click here to visit Vanessa's blog.

Meet the Spohr Family – Madeline, the Spohr's 17 month old daughter passed away on April 7th from complications due to prematurity. Please pray for her parents as they struggle through their grief. Click here to visit their blog.

Meet Josh and Tina - Josh and Tina recently lost their son who was born still, after being diagnosed with a lethal birth defect inutero. This couple needs our continued prayers as they grieve their loss and seek direction for the future. They also have a young little girl, Ella who was born with a high-risk birth defect herself. Ella is needing prayers for continual progress in gaining weight and getting stronger physically, along with development of skills for eating and drinking. Click here to visit this family's blog.

Meet Rebecca - Rebecca and her husband Caleb are adopting baby boys from Ethiopia. All of their paperwork and money is in, they are simply waiting on God's timing for a referral. They would love to get a referral before the end of June so they can get the boys this summer. If the referral comes later, the rain season closes the courts and they won't be able to get the boys until after Thanksgiving. They are anxious but trusting God's perfect timing to put their family together.

Meet Samm - Samm's son Deqlan has won his battle against Neuroblastoma, a Cancer of the sympathetic nervous system. The hope and prayer is that he remains free from this disease. Deqlan also has Autism. Click here to visit Samm's blog.

Meet Meredith - Meredith is seeking prayers for infertility issues as well as the adoption process. Her and her husband are in the waiting process for a domestic adoption and just starting the process with international adoption. They are seeking strength and a peace from God in knowing the direction they are to take. Also, her Mother-in-law is very sick. Click here to visit Meredith's blog.

Meet Melissa - Melissa and her husband have tried for two years to conceive a child with no success. They just completed their first IVF cycle and just recently found out that they are not pregnant. They are seeking comfort and strength during this time. Click here to visit this couple's blog.

Meet Lisa - Lisa's son Matthias has Autism and is struggling with the effects of this. Click here to visit Lisa's blog.

Meet Cassie - Cassie and her husband have been married 7 years and are still struggling through infertility.

Meet Chelsey and Bryan - Bryan, who was recently diagnosed with stage 3 Rectal Cancer began chemotherapy and radiation last week. Click here to visit this couple's blog.

Meet Gabby - Gabby continues to need our prayers. She is a 17 year old girl who is dealing with medical problems as well as adjusting to life outside of a hospital. She has a Doctor's appointment today and is seeking prayers that she has gained enough weight, so that they can do a trial off of her IV feedings. Click here to visit Gabby's blog.

Meet Tyler - Tyler is a 1 year old little guy who was diagnosed in December with stage 4 Neuroblastoma Cancer. Click here to visit Tyler's Caring Bridge page.

Meet Lianna - Lianna and her husband have been trying to concieve for almost 4 years now. After 2 failed IUI's and 2 failed IVF's, they are still praying for God's plan to be revealed to them. Click here to visit Lianna's blog.

Meet Michelle - Last June Michelle and her family lost their 17 month old son, Brayden. Michelle has been having a hard time in her grief journey. Looking ahead to the upcoming "anniversary" is proving very difficult, as this family struggles to know how to honor Brayden, and balance celebrating his life, alongside the pain of the loss. Click here to visit Michelle's blog.

Meet Becki - Becki recently lost her sweet daughter Olivia to Trisomy 18 inutero at 28 weeks. Please remember this family in your prayers. Click here to visit Becki's blog.

Meet Camryn - Camryn's Mother passed away last week. It was unexpected and she is very shaken up, as are her young children.

Meet Ashleigh - Ashleigh and her husband Justin have been trying to get pregnant for 8 months and it is wearing on them. They do have a little girl who is 2, but never thought it would be so hard to get pregnant with a second little one. Click here to visit this family's blog.

Meet Cyrena - Cyrena's husband Tony recently left for his 3rd tour to Iraq. This family has 3 young children that are missing their Daddy a lot! Please continue praying for this family, as well as Tony's safety. Click here to visit this family's blog.

Meet Christy - Christy's family is in the process of adopting three children from Ethiopia, two of which have signficant chronic medical conditions. They have five children at home already. Things are moving very rapidly and so earning the funds for the adoption is of utmost importance. Click here to visit this family's blog.

Meet Rebecca - Rebecca and her husband Tim have been in the process of a domestic adoption for the last 4 months. After several meetings with the Birth Mother, as well as a Social Worker, they were planning on becoming first time adoptive parents last week. Once the baby was born, the Birth Mother changed her mind. Though Rebecca and Tim are understanding of the Birth Mother's decision, they are very broken over the loss that this change of events equals for them.

Meet Hallie - Hallie's baby boy Camden is struggling with chronic, non-antibiotic responding, ear infections. He is scheduled for surgery on May 29th. Click here to visit Hallie's blog.

Meet Noah - Noah is a sweet 5 month old baby boy who has suffered multiple injuries since being shaken by his daycare provider earlier this month. Noah has been having seizures, and there is concern regarding brain damage as well as eyesight loss. More detais of his story are on his family's blog. Click here to visit it.

Meet Raina - Raina is asking for continued prayers for her and her family. Additionally, she is asking for prayer for a very good friend, Pam and her family. This past weekend Pam's best friend Janice (who led her back to the Lord), passed away due to being tragically overprescribed pain medication. This family is in shock, and to make matters more complicated, they were just given the news that Pam's three week old granddaughter McKenzie has Lymphoma.

A Prayer Request from Tracy - Tracy's sister-in-law was diagnosed with Breast Cancer 18 months ago. She's been through every imaginable treatment from losing both breasts to the strongest of chemotherapy and different kinds of radiation/thermal radiation. The Cancer persists. She found out a week ago that it has spread to her lungs, liver and muscle/skin in her hip area. The only treatment left for her is an experimental treatment... She is only 44 years old and has two children and a husband.

Meet Erin - Please pray for Erin's family and their future, that they will make right decisions and handle their choices with God's will in mind. Also, they are expecting their second baby in January. Pray for strength, peace and energy as they have a 14 month old already. Erin is also asking for her friend "C" that has a lot going on in her life right now. Click here to visit Erin's blog.

Meet Stacie - Stacie's daughter was born last June at only 24 weeks gestation, weighing 1 lb, 1 oz. After a very long stay in the NICU she finally went home, but since has been in and out of the hospital multiple times. This family is seeking prayers for their day to day life and for their miracle daughter.

Meet Riley - Riley is a little fighter who needs our continual prayers. Riley's veins are obstucted again and he will be undergoing another Cardiac Cath. on June 1st. Once the narrowing will stop, he can be listed for a heart transplant. Click here to visit his little place on the web.

Meet Heather - Heather's family is sick! Possibly a virus, fifth's disease, etc. Her children have high fevers, red rashes, etc. Click here to visit Heather's blog.

Meet Alyson - Alyson's son Avery was born with PPHN and almost did not make it. He has been struggling with putting on and keeping on weight ever since. He has been doing better lately in some areas, but is having a hard time with some of his new medicines (belly aches, etc.). Avery's next Cardiologist appointment is on June 9th and Alyson is praying that all of his heart and lung problems from birth continue to be a thing of the past. Click here to visit Alyson's blog.

Meet Rebekah - Rebekah is about to say goodbye to her kids for the summer (they will be staying with their Dad). She is seeking prayers for travels/safety. Additionally, Rebekah is giving birth in about a month to a baby who she will be placing for adoption. She is seeking comfort and peace in that decision. Click here to visit Rebekah's blog.

Meet Owen - This little guy is currently waiting on a heart for a heart transplant. Click here to visit his family's blog.

A Prayer Request from Samantha - Samantha's cousin's baby boy named Tyler was born at just 28 weeks gestation, a few weeks ago. He is currently doing well,but needs our continued prayers for good health and growth. Click here to visit Samantha's blog, where she is posting updates on little Tyler.

Meet Cheryl - Cheryl is seeking strength for a very difficult decision she will be having to make in the next few days.

Meet Pablo - This young boy is continuing a battle with Cancer. Click here to visit Pablo's family blog.

Meet Brittany - Brittany's boyfriend, Josh's father recently passed away from Brain Cancer and his mom is extremely lonely. Brittany is also seeking prayers for herself to have strength for Josh and his family when they may not have it.

Meet Cathy - Cathy is trusting that God will bless her son and daughter-in-love with a child. Click here to visit Cathy's blog.

Meet Tracy - Tracy has had 6 miscarriages within the last 2 years and the Dr.'s have never been able to figure out why. She is now pregnant again (almost 9 weeks), but is underrstandably nervous (and of course, also excited!) because of the past. Click here to visit Tracy's blog.

Meet Maddie - Maddie is a young little girl battling Infant Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Click here to visit her family's blog.

Meet Erica - Erica and her husband need our continued prayers. They lost their little girl, Angel Skye last year when Erica went into early labor at 18 weeks. They are now pregnant again and are being told that their unborn baby will not survive after birth due to a few different complications. Click here to visit Erica's blog.

Meet Danielle – Danielle's daughter, Soli, was born in December at just 25 weeks, weighing only 25 ounces. She has chronic lung disease and major issues with feeding. Next week she will be having a G-tube placed so that she can eat and get nutrition. Please pray that the surgery will be a success. Click here to visit Danielle's blog.

Meet El – Please pray for El as her ex-husband is remarrying in a couple of weeks. She has believed that God would reunite them, so when he began dating one of her friends she did not panic. Now that he is marrying her friend, she is dealing with feelings of betrayal by them and God. Her heart is breaking.

Meet Chelsea – After dealing with secondary infertility and a miscarriage, Chelsea and her husband were thrilled to learn they were pregnant with "A". In February, at 34 weeks, Chelsea developed severe complications and "A" passed away before they had a chance to meet him. Now, they are trying again to get pregnant (It took almost a year to become pregnant with "A"). Please pray for peace as she struggles with the unknown, that they will conceive sooner than later and that their hearts would continue to heal from the loss of "A". Click here to visit her blog.

Meet Logan and Cathy – This couple lost their triplets last year within 18 days of birth. They have recently gotten pregnant again, please pray for this pregnancy and for their peace.

Meet Carrie – Carrie's nine month old daughter, Hannah, was diagnosed with a very rare, fatal, genetic metabolic disorder for which there is no treatment. She is on a mission to find something, but the brain deterioration of this horrible disease has already begun. Please pray. Click here to visit her blog.

Meet the Shepherd family – Due to economic difficulties is has been difficult for this husband to keep a job. He has been finding things to fill in and now has an opportunity for a full time job. Recently they have agreed to take on two more children from another family member, adding on to the three children they already have. Please pray that God would provide and that they would know the direction to take.

Meet "Poca" - Please pray for this foster child and her family. This 4 year old is being ripped from the only family she has ever known. Click here to read more about this story from a social worker who care, or click here for the news story.

Meet the Family of Baby Nevaeh - Nevaeh; a 14 month old little girl lost her battle with several heart issues just last month. Nevaeh's mom, Jamie, has been having panic attacks and some other heart issues. This may be related to the stress of losing her precious daughter. Click here to visit Nevaeh's Caring Bridge page.

Meet Katelyn - Katelyn is a first grade teacher who is asking for continued prayers for one of her students who was diagnosed with an Arterio-Venous Malformation (AVM) earlier this year. This is basically a tangle of blood vessals/capillaries. This student's AVM is located in an inoperable part of her brain. It is too deep and too large for them to surgically fix. It has also been discovered that she has an aneurysm that has not ruptured but ultimately will. There is no quick/probably fix. The aneurysm could rupture at any time and given the location of it in her brain and the involvement of the main cerebral artery it would most likely be catastrophic, if not fatal. This student's mother is a single Mom with three small children.

Meet Brittne - Brittne leaves for Basic Military Training for the Air Force on June 1st. She is seeking strength and guidance. Click here to visit Brittne's blog.

Meet Hannah - Hannah is a 10 year old little girl who is fighting Breast Cancer. Click here to visit her family's blog.

Meet Cara - Cara's husband, Reese, is currently going through chemotherapy for Testicular Cancer. His prognosis for a full recovery is very good, but it is a tough and long road, especially for their three small children. Click here to visit this family's blog.

*** MANY people continue to request prayer for these sick babies and their families... If you do not yet know about them click on their link to read more about their circumstances...

The Freeman Family -Click here to visit their blog.

Baby Stellan - Click here to visit his family's blog.

Abby -Click here to visit her family's blog.

Baby Jonah -Click here to visit his family's blog.

Baby Peyton -Click here to visit his family's blog.

Gavin - Click here to visit his family's blog.

Baby April - You are already here. Thank you for praying, and now for a medical update: No new progress. We have a mid-wife appointment tomorrow. Many have e-mailed and left comments asking about induction, etc. since we have now gone past the due date. We are not looking into that route, at this time. Since most first-time mom's tend to go late (vs. early), and everything seems okay and I have progressd 3 cm on my own, our mid-wife is perfectly comfortable letting us go about 2 weeks past the date. More time = more possible growth, etc. If we get too far past, we will look into some other options. For now, we are waiting on Him, and I am hoping things continue to progress, naturally.

*** Anonymous Requests: Please Pray...

  • For a woman who is five months pregnant, with complications. The baby's brain is not developed and it is taking a huge toll on this family.
  • For a woman whose sister just had a little one last week.
  • For a woman who has been sick for years. The Doctrs have been unable to pinpoint what is causing her symptoms. Due to the paina it is difficult for this woman to be a Mother, at times, to her daughter. She is seeking a healing touch and strength and wisdom for those treating her. Additionally, this woman is asking for prayer for her coising who is in the Army and currently overseas.
  • For a woman whose in-laws are splitting up; that their hearts would soften and that they would stop feeling like divorce is the answer. This woman is seeking prayers for their hearts to be changed; that they would turn towards God and gain a desire to work on things, together.
  • For a woman who is pregnant with a baby due at the end of July. This is her third child; the second being stillborn. She is also asking for prayer for healing after finding out that her husband was unfaithful.
  • For a family's son "B" to be healed from Eosinophilic Esophagitis and for their daughter "A" to recover from brain damage.
  • For a man, "C" who recently found out that he is HIV positive.
  • For a single woman who recently had an abortion and continues to struggle with the aftermath of ger situation.
  • For a woman who was 20 weeks pregnant with her baby boy, and unexpectantly went into labor and delivered him still.
  • For all of the countless "unspoken" requests on so many people's hearts.

"Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven..."

(If you have a request for next week's "His will Wednesday" post, e-mail me here with your requests. Please make sure to let me know if you want me to include your name and a link back to your blog, or not. Thank You!)