 |
| Michele 23 weeks |
Sunday, February 20, 2011
A Little More Real
Hitting the 24 week mark this week is making everything become more real. At times it's hard to grasp that our little boy will be here before too long. After much debating on when to wait to do certain things, we've let our guard down a little and began to think preparation for bringing him home. We have looked at nursery furniture, started to try to plan a shower, and other little things that take time planning.
Monday comes time for another trip to doctor. This visit is for a regular ob appointment that they will do the usual checks: protein, bp, heartbeat, etc. It's also time for another screening for gestational diabetes. Michele continues to do feel very well and is starting to feel the occasional stronger kicks. We are coming upon the 25 week with some anxiousness that it will be surpassed. There's not too much to say right now....praying that peace, strength, and healthiness will continue to be granted to us.
I'll try to post some pics shortly!
Monday comes time for another trip to doctor. This visit is for a regular ob appointment that they will do the usual checks: protein, bp, heartbeat, etc. It's also time for another screening for gestational diabetes. Michele continues to do feel very well and is starting to feel the occasional stronger kicks. We are coming upon the 25 week with some anxiousness that it will be surpassed. There's not too much to say right now....praying that peace, strength, and healthiness will continue to be granted to us.
I'll try to post some pics shortly!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Positive Thinking
One thing that I don't like is to hear or read about people speaking on ALL the negativity in their life. Sure we may face difficult times and circumstances...that's part of life that we have here. Would we actually look forward to Heaven if our time on Earth actually was as good as it gets? I don't think so. We aren't meant to bring others down about how depressing our lives are...we need to lift each other up and focus on the positives. As I heard Joel Osteen's message on declaring what the Lord has done for you, it couldn't have been a more uplifting sermon for me. So as I may look at the bad things in life such as the precious people in my life passing i.e. my grandfathers, dad, and Gunner....I use those things to thank the Lord for all the things that have happened in my life that has made me the man I am today. God doesn't make mistakes, all things are for the glory of Him. Looking outside the box takes a little faith. Don't focus everything on the small dot (we are the small dot in a huge universe) Thanks Danl.
We do deserve goodness because God say's we are worth it. We were given the ultimate sacrafice because we are worth it. It's not being proud or boastful, it's simply understanding the word of God and trying to put it into action.
"Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell your deeds, they would be too many to declare"
Psalm 40:5
So when I start to ask myself "Why us?" I am going to try and remind myself "Why not us?" I'm thankful that God gave Michele and I the privilege of having Gunner for 13 days and being called his parents. I don't know about too much, but I do know God's plan is so much better than we can even understand, we just have to follow, trust, and have faith.
Declare the goodness of our Lord today.....I am!
Ronn
We do deserve goodness because God say's we are worth it. We were given the ultimate sacrafice because we are worth it. It's not being proud or boastful, it's simply understanding the word of God and trying to put it into action.
"Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell your deeds, they would be too many to declare"
Psalm 40:5
So when I start to ask myself "Why us?" I am going to try and remind myself "Why not us?" I'm thankful that God gave Michele and I the privilege of having Gunner for 13 days and being called his parents. I don't know about too much, but I do know God's plan is so much better than we can even understand, we just have to follow, trust, and have faith.
Declare the goodness of our Lord today.....I am!
Ronn
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Reminders
Valentine's day is right upon us and people celebrate in their own special way. V-day isn't something that we do anything particularly for, it's more of a reminder of what we do ALL YEAR long. Showing our love to each other isn't something that we need reminded of on one day a year, it's something that we do everyday. Reminders of our love are something that I think that has strengthened our relationship to what it is and what it continues to grow into. I believe Jesus gives us daily reminders of his love for us....although it might not be the big extravagant gift each day that we might think of, it's the small things that matters....constant reminders of his love. Some of our constant reminders to each other are our conversations to work, eating dinner together, or simply doing a small gesture to show each other that we care....those are our valentine moments and we experience them everyday.
Right now also comes a time that we once dreaded terribly. Milestones of first birthdays for so many of our loved ones. So many people were expecting around the same time as Gunner was born, and we just knew it would be more reminders of that he wasn't here to celebrate with us like we once anticipated. We often talked about how we didn't know how we were going to be able to face these milestones. "SLAP" How many times have we questioned "How are we going to do it?" or "How will get through all this?". A big slap right in my face is what I felt.....then arms wrapped around me and I heard a small voice speaking to me saying, "My child, I told you that you will never walk alone. For I am with you from darkest times to the brightest times. You will always have Me as rock to lean on when you are weary and I will carry you through the storms." Just another reminder. So.....we did what we continue to do, we knew God was in control and simply followed His path. We have been led through a journey that most couldn't begin to imagine and we know without Him we couldn't have made it. With this in mind we are grateful for friends and families that are celebrating the birthdays of their little ones, as I am grateful that we were chosen to be parents of a precious little boy...our warrior, Gunner. I am also grateful to be chosen parents of another little boy that we can't wait to meet and see what God's plan is for him.
As another reminder I have a final thought of the poem, Footprints in the Sand by Mary Stevenson
One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,
other times there were one set of footprints.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,
other times there were one set of footprints.
This bothered me because I noticed
that during the low periods of my life,
when I was suffering from
anguish, sorrow or defeat,
I could see only one set of footprints.
that during the low periods of my life,
when I was suffering from
anguish, sorrow or defeat,
I could see only one set of footprints.
So I said to the Lord,
“You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you,
you would walk with me always.
But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my lifethere have only been one set of footprints in the sand.
Why, when I needed you most, you have not been there for me?”
“You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you,
you would walk with me always.
But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my lifethere have only been one set of footprints in the sand.
Why, when I needed you most, you have not been there for me?”
The Lord replied,
“The times when you have seen only one set of footprints in the sand,
is when I carried you.”
“The times when you have seen only one set of footprints in the sand,
is when I carried you.”
So today, do a reminder for someone just to show them that you care and love them. Also, look for the little reminders that you are loved by others. Be reminded of God's love.
Continued prayers!
Ronn
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Off to a GREAT start this week
Sunday began the start of a great week. After missing a week of church, we both were in great need to go and hear His word and Praise Him. We actually began something that we had been discussing for sometime....but never found ourselves there, we attended Sunday School. Wow! What a blessing that was to go and dig deeper into the teaching and love of Jesus Christ. It wasn't scripture that was new to us, but it was a reminder of things we tend to forget or not think often of. The lesson was on The Good Shepherd, and it was a lesson that can grab hold of you and give you chills. I often feel like the lost sheep and The Good Shepherd will go and lead me back into his flock. It's such a security in KNOWING that He loves us that much, that he can call us by name and show us greener pasture. Serving the Lord is something that I look forward to showing and sharing with our son. No gift is greater that we can we give him than that of raising him in a Christian home.
Sunday didn't end worship time for us, nor should it for anyone. Roundtrip from Pikeville to Lexington, our radio couldn't seem to turn off the dial of The Message radio station. For those not familiar, you can find it on Sirius/XM radio, that features awesome contemporary Christian music. Some of the messages that come from the music are incredible. Driving on the mountain parkway I almost found myself having a revival inside. Just so amazing some of the songs were written for me or about my life.
Dr. Visit
Hadn't been too long since the last appointment, and thank God everything looked relatively the same. BP=good, no protein, strong baby heartbeat were once again an assurance that things are on the right track. No change to Michele's routine is necessary and we will once again make our trip in two weeks for another checkup. After some lunch and a long wait due to short on staff today, we got to have another ultrasound. This time they were checking the cord blood flow, uterine artery flow, and aortic arch. The scans all came back normal in that the blood flow was strong and consistent; this was an important scan as it can detect any early abnormalities that pre-e/HELLP may be starting. With pre-e the flow is restricted and the growth of the baby is hindered. With u/s we were also able to get a quick profile glance of our baby boy once again...always exciting!!
No u/s are scheduled at this time, just wait and see. Dr. appointment is scheduled for two more weeks and that will make Michele 24 weeks gestation. As the nerves try to settle in at the 25 week mark (Gunner's arrival), we are going to try to remember that we have A Good Shepherd. We know that when we feel like the weight is getting heavy we must "let go and let God".
Until next time....we are keeping faith and know all is in the hands of the Great Physician!
Continued prayers.
Sunday didn't end worship time for us, nor should it for anyone. Roundtrip from Pikeville to Lexington, our radio couldn't seem to turn off the dial of The Message radio station. For those not familiar, you can find it on Sirius/XM radio, that features awesome contemporary Christian music. Some of the messages that come from the music are incredible. Driving on the mountain parkway I almost found myself having a revival inside. Just so amazing some of the songs were written for me or about my life.
Dr. Visit
Hadn't been too long since the last appointment, and thank God everything looked relatively the same. BP=good, no protein, strong baby heartbeat were once again an assurance that things are on the right track. No change to Michele's routine is necessary and we will once again make our trip in two weeks for another checkup. After some lunch and a long wait due to short on staff today, we got to have another ultrasound. This time they were checking the cord blood flow, uterine artery flow, and aortic arch. The scans all came back normal in that the blood flow was strong and consistent; this was an important scan as it can detect any early abnormalities that pre-e/HELLP may be starting. With pre-e the flow is restricted and the growth of the baby is hindered. With u/s we were also able to get a quick profile glance of our baby boy once again...always exciting!!
No u/s are scheduled at this time, just wait and see. Dr. appointment is scheduled for two more weeks and that will make Michele 24 weeks gestation. As the nerves try to settle in at the 25 week mark (Gunner's arrival), we are going to try to remember that we have A Good Shepherd. We know that when we feel like the weight is getting heavy we must "let go and let God".
Until next time....we are keeping faith and know all is in the hands of the Great Physician!
Continued prayers.
Monday, January 31, 2011
21 Weeks
We are growing nearer and nearer to the point that Gunner was delivered. I know the next month + will be nerve-racking on both of us. As Michele put it, "I feel like a time bomb, just waiting to go off". The question is.... will she make it as long as she was with Gunner (25 wks), a more safe point of 28 wks, or the optimum of 36 weeks??? Each week we face is another milestone we've reached, with sights set on another week. The next medical update we will have will be in a week. Another u/s is scheduled for precautionary monitoring and then have the regular appt. with the ob. We are now starting to go every 2 weeks.....keeping the Mountain Parkway busy and miles. Appointments are starting to become normal enough now that we look forward to going, it's just another chance for us to gain more reassurance that everything is going good. Keep the prayers coming our way for both health and traveling mercies!
Something that has been particularly interesting and a joy to do is listening to our little boy. We have an at-home heart monitor (not sure the technical term), similar to the one the nurse uses during our visits. We are able to listen to sound of his heartbeat and get a reading of his heart rate. It's not something that is necessary for us to do, but it is nice to keep check on him and feel that much closer to him. He certainly is the active one....sometimes he is pretty hard to track down with the monitor.
The naming process has really stumped us. Being teachers makes it hard, always relating it to another child. We want a name that isn't commonly used, possibly a G name, and to have a strong meaning. ANY SUGGESTIONS?
Continued prayers for all 3 of us!
Something that has been particularly interesting and a joy to do is listening to our little boy. We have an at-home heart monitor (not sure the technical term), similar to the one the nurse uses during our visits. We are able to listen to sound of his heartbeat and get a reading of his heart rate. It's not something that is necessary for us to do, but it is nice to keep check on him and feel that much closer to him. He certainly is the active one....sometimes he is pretty hard to track down with the monitor.
The naming process has really stumped us. Being teachers makes it hard, always relating it to another child. We want a name that isn't commonly used, possibly a G name, and to have a strong meaning. ANY SUGGESTIONS?
Continued prayers for all 3 of us!
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Thinking About My 2 Boys
There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about Gunner. Looking at babies that were born around the same time reminds me of the things Gunner would or should be doing. Jealousy isn't something that I would characterize it with, just HARD. The wonder about how he would smell, look, and act like all come to mind. Even the crazy thoughts "I bet Joy would watch over him" or "Rudy would have loved to play with him"........btw Joy and Rudy are our dogs. I wonder.....what kinds of things he would've liked?, what kind of 1st birthday party would he have had?, what kind of cake would he have had? With thoughts of Gunner, it's the "What would've happened".
With Baby Boy #2 it's the thoughts of wonder. We aren't dwelling on that fact that we may face all the obstacles we have in the last year all over again...thinking more along the lines of anticipation. Will he have Michele's feistiness or my quiet nature? Who's hair, skin, smile will he have? Will he be a sports fanatic or book worm? All of it is neat to wonder about, but NONE of the above matters at all...we just want a healthy boy that we can bring home. Michele says that he already has one of my traits, a true night owl. I wonder if she can handle having another one in the house, hahaha. I'm sure she'll welcome that with open arms.
I guess I'll end my continuous thoughts for the day and leave it at this? What similarities/differences do the 2 brothers have? Both ultrasounds were taken about the same gestational time.
With Baby Boy #2 it's the thoughts of wonder. We aren't dwelling on that fact that we may face all the obstacles we have in the last year all over again...thinking more along the lines of anticipation. Will he have Michele's feistiness or my quiet nature? Who's hair, skin, smile will he have? Will he be a sports fanatic or book worm? All of it is neat to wonder about, but NONE of the above matters at all...we just want a healthy boy that we can bring home. Michele says that he already has one of my traits, a true night owl. I wonder if she can handle having another one in the house, hahaha. I'm sure she'll welcome that with open arms.
I guess I'll end my continuous thoughts for the day and leave it at this? What similarities/differences do the 2 brothers have? Both ultrasounds were taken about the same gestational time.
 |
| Gunner |
 |
| Baby Boy #2 |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)