Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Chapter 17 ( A Million Bucks )

Chapter 17 ( A Million Bucks )

Wow...... I can't believe the summer has come and gone so quickly! I have been shut up in the house for most of the summer with our sweet baby girl. We wanted to keep her in until she got her shots.


Well..... She had her 2 month shots today, even though she is now 3 1/2 months old, but should really only be about 3 weeks. (Confusing, right? ) Her check-up went wonderfully!!! Her heart and lungs sounded great and she weighed in at 9lbs. 15.6 ounces!!!! Can you believe how chubby she is? We are so proud. I vow I will never let her go on a diet! Too many people have prayed for every little roll that sweet girl has :) She was on the growth chart for weight, and she measured in at 21 inches long. Her motor skills are ahead of schedule. She is doing her best to try and turn over. Our tough cookie only cried a little when she got her 3 shots in her little legs. The icing on the cake to the whole checkup.....Dr. telling us, "She looks like a million bucks! "

We are so thankful to hear those sweet words. We know that so many people have been lifting her up in prayer. We will never be able to thank everyone enough for all the gifts, cards, calls, visits, and prayers they have extended to our family over the past few months.

Now that we have received a clean bill of health, we will be able to get out of the house a little more. Perfect timing, since I will be returning to work tomorrow. What a wonderful summer break we had! Before this year the perfect summer consisted of at least one spa vacation and lots of visits to the beach. Well, I haven't been soaking in the sun once this year, in fact I think I have only been out of the house a handful of times.  I can't remember the last time I had a massage or facial. I don't have a glowing tan, I don't even look well rested. The bags under my eyes are real, but so is my smile. This has been the perfect summer.

More updates soon.........

Monday, July 9, 2012

Chapter 16-In God's Time

Chapter 16 ( In God's Time)

So......I've been working on parts of this blog for quite some time in anticipation of this day. Today is July 9th, 2012. This is the estimated due date of our daughter, Dani Marie. Doctors say she should have been born sometime this week, possibly today. God said, He wanted her to be celebrating her 3 month birthday this week instead. This may not seem like a huge deal to some people, but to me it is just more proof (as if I needed any) that God runs on His own schedule.

If things had gone according to plan, according to what is considered normal......I shiver to think.... I would not be holding this miracle baby in my arms right now.

You see.... Dani Marie's birth mother was still able to conceal her pregnancy even the day she delivered. She was still able to keep this pregnancy a secret, and therefore she was not influenced by others persuading her to possibly make another choice, other than to give Dani Marie up for adoption.
She would not have been able to keep her growing belly a secret much longer.

She also told me from her own mouth, that if she had not gone into early labor, she may not have been able to go through with the adoption.

So, while any Internet resource site, medical journal, or health professional may tell you it's not advised for a baby to come into this world at 27 weeks. This means the mother is only a little over 6 months pregnant, and the risks are severe.

For Dani Marie, this was the perfect time to be born. This was the only way she could come to us, and we know with our whole hearts that she was meant to be our daughter. God knew we needed her, and He knew she needed us. He knew that despite the latest research, July 9th was not the date for Dani Marie to make her arrival, but April 12th would be the day that she forever changed the lives of so many people.

There is a saying that was given to us on a little canvas while we were still in the NICU, it is...

" They tell me you were born premature, my child,
But this is only partially true....
For in my heart you were right on time.~

At the top of this little canvas are the smallest footprints you can imagine. I can't help but cry when I look at this. Today of all days, today which was the planned day for my sweet baby to come into this world, I am so in awe of those tiny footprints. They remind me that only God's timeline matters, only his plan is perfect.

His plan for her was never easy, but God knew he had created a fighter in this baby. He knew she would find all the strength she needed to grow and thrive, He knew in watching her strength that Daniel and I would gain our own.

I know that waiting for something your heart desires can be agonizing, but I know first hand that God's plan is so perfect. He doesn't promise it will be easy, He doesn't promise us we won't hurt, but He does promise us that He knows the plans He has for us, plans for HOPE and a FUTURE.