Rainbow

Have you ever had something you have wanted to do for a LONG time? It's either been on the calendar for months, or something you have been trying to achieve or take off a to-do list for a while? The time comes and your elation is almost paralyzing? That's me right now. I've thought about this blog many times over the last nine months. The many titles that have come and gone, the many things I have wanted to share, either scribbled on a far away note or lost in the notes on my phone, it's been an ongoing thought, but there has been one special blog I have dreamed about writing and sharing for awhile and I'm elated to be in that place with you now!

Mayla and Arabella are happy to announce......There is a baby in Mommy's TUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!

Mayla We have a new book for you...

...called 'Big sisters are the Best'. Want to know why this book?

There is a BABY in mommy's Tummy!! TO which Mayla responds, 'A REAL BABY'!

"I want to hear it," She says!

AND THE JOYOUS Journey Begins as Big Sisters together!

OH MY HEART!!!!! She's SOOOO PROUD!

"ARABELLA, THERE IS A BABY IN YOUR MOMMY'S TUMMY"

Our Rainbow baby is coming, it's been a long season of storms. One of our 4 year old Daughters FIRST responses was, 'We have been praying for 90 years for this!!!!!!!!' The perspective is adorable and the longing has been intense for all of us. We love her honesty and openness she shares each day, even if they tug at our heart strings. On almost a daily basis she utters the words, 'Mommy if this baby stays alive......' or 'Mommy, if we get to bring this baby home from the hospital.....' She already realizes that each day is a gift. On her own she came up to me the other morning, gave the baby morning hugs and said, 'what a celebration that baby is still with us!' 

We have given our little Baby Ellis the womb name Baby Zek, for many reasons. We named all our babies in german and this was baby number 6, yes that's always fun to answer at the doctors visits, "6th pregnancy, 3rd birth and one living child", so.....in german the word is sechs, if said incorrect it doesn't sound so great, so we figured that was out, but if we could shorten it, that might work....Zek came up. During the time I was studying about Ezekiel in the bible and decided to look up what that meant and it's God Strengthens. HOW perfect! I would need a LOT of God strength to run the race before me. 

Baby Zek is an amazing 13 weeks and so far doing awesome! We had an early ultrasound that couldn't have been more perfect. Measuring just right and everything looking good! The ultrasound was emotional and the rad tech printed off the pictures and back to the waiting room I went. Sitting there holding that gift in my stomach and the gift in my hand I began to weep. As I stared at the ultrasound pictures I was captivated and could not take my eyes off the miracle we had been given. All I could say was, "Thank you Jesus, It is yours, Thank you Jesus, It is yours." 

We heard the sweetest sound, the heartbeat, last week and that too sounded perfect! Thank you Jesus that you chose us. 

Tomorrow is a HUGE day and we are asking for a TON of prayers. We have an appointment with Maternal Fetal Medicine; We will be going back to a place that holds a lot of emotion. It's where we found out about Arabellas anencephaly, which we will be checking tomorrow on this child and also a few other things. The excitement to see our bouncing bundle on the screen is off the charts, but the flashbacks have already started in my mind and the pain of losing Arabella quickly swells to the surface as well! Prayers for peace, for the baby to cooperate and for an all around good report would be greatly appreciated! 

I know not everyone gets their rainbow and my heart breaks for those families. I know not everyone even gets to experience life before a rainbow and my heart breaks for them too. Everyone is given a different story and the beautiful thing is what we can learn from each other and how it takes each story to make the world a special place. I love what I have learned from my family friends of 10 and my single friends and my mommy friends struggling with her kids or the fact that she has no kids. We are all hurting in some way and we are all blessed in many ways. The key is to help the ones hurting and to celebrate the blessings. Today we have Baby Zek and we celebrate. Arabella taught us to celebrate everything and it's ingrained in us, deep! Tomorrow through the parking garage, the elevators, the all too familiar examination room and consultation room, we will celebrate what we have been given.

"You give life, you are love

You bring light to the darkness

You give hope, You restore

Every heart that is broken

Great are you, Lord" -All Sons and Daugthers Song Great are you Lord