Six Weeks To Go

We are about six weeks away from meeting our little girl! While I am excited for her arrival date, her fast approaching arrival also causes some anxiety. For those who don't know yet, we found out at our 20 week ultrasound that our baby has spina bifida. Spina bifida is a congenital disorder where some of the vertebrae overlying the spinal cord are not fully formed so they remain un-fused and open. The spinal cord can actually protrude out of the back and is surrounded by a fluid filled sac. The opening in the back is usually closed surgically by a pediatric neurosurgeon within 24-48 hours of birth. Soooo... as we get closer to meeting our daughter, we are also getting closer to sending our newborn off to surgery right after we meet her. Needless to say this wasn't exactly my dream for how to kick off my adventure in motherhood. In the days following the diagnosis, as I tried not to sink into the mire of "why me", I kept thinking about this verse.

Isaiah 55:8-9“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

Many years ago my parents were fighting the "why" questions as I had been diagnosed with leukemia. They could only see what was right in front of them- their little girl was sick and could possibly die. Instead of letting the "what ifs" of my uncertain future crush them, they entrusted me to God and waited to see how He would work in all of this.

Obviously I'm still here! There were some tough years, but God healed me and allowed me to make it to this day were I'm about to be a mother. Being sick was just part of living in this broken world, but God took that and wove it into the fabric of my life to make the person I am today. Now Joel and I are the parents that have to refuse to let all the "what ifs" of our daughter's future overwhelm us. We have to entrust her little life to God and believe that He can take what seems so terrible now and use it in her life - and ours - in ways beyond what we could imagine from where we stand now.

We are encouraged that the spinal defect is as far down the spine as possible, which will hopefully mean a better outcome. She will have to be delivered by C-section at the University of Minnesota Amplatz Children's Hospital. We don't have the exact date yet, but we'll post it when we do.

As you think of it, please be praying for our little girl. We have been praying for a miracle for her spine. Pray for Joel and I too as we learn to trust God with our baby.

Thank you so much!

Amy