goodies for the rooms


food for my house for before the rehersal.


Invitations to my house for before the rehersal.


Confirm guests


Office guests





Menu for rehersal dinner


guest count


tablecloths


siverware


napkins


serving pieces


candles


candleabra


flowers for table





Boston Butt


Baked Beans


Slaw


Potato Salad


Cheesecake





Shrimp


Remoulade


Salad


Fruit


Cheese


Meatballs


Spinach Dip


Artichoke Dip



Soft Drinks

I like 99 balloons, Better than I ever imagined, and The Atypical Life, beautiful blogs.

Things to do

Plates, napkins, silver for reception and rehersal dinner.
Serving pieces
Tablecloths
Invitations
Help for both
Punch
Drinks
Candles
Lights
Cleanup
Clean House
Plant Yard
Tables
Set up chairs and tables for both
Tablecloths for both
Flowers for both

Heartbeat

I got to hear that little heartbeat again today. The lump in my breast that I have not mentioned to anyone because I just wanted to keep it between God and me is probably just fibrocystic breasts. Dr. Myatt did not appear to be concerned. I am so relieved. I didn't think God would add that to my plate, but His ways are not mine, His plans are not mine.
Thankfully, in all things, His plans are better.

It is a good thing I am not in charge of my life. I would make it all roses. I would leave out the thorns. But the thorns have brought the most blessings and growth. I would have missed all that.
I would have left the thorns out of my children's lives, too.

Lord,

I need some help with my heart. You know the problem. In case anyone ever reads this, I don't think I want to tell them the problem. It involves others and should be kept private. Please send me the help I need.
I think that will suffice. You know how to answer. I am expecting an answer today.

I love You!

Cheryl

Precious Lord and Saviour,

Thank you so much for Isabella Grace. I love her so much. Her wiggles and kicks are beautiful and precious. I see babies and think of her. My arms ache for her. My heart is full of her. I can't believe You gave me this precious miracle. I can't wait to meet her.

Thank you for her fiesty little spirit, evident even in the womb. She cracks me up! Thank you for forming her and shaping her.

Guard and protect her from all harm in my womb and after she arrives.

Heal her now from the calamities that have come.

I believe You have a perfect plan but I also believe it is to give her to me.

I submit to You even if this is not Your plan. I love You and know You love us both.

Thank you, Lord for all You are and all you have done!

In Jesus Name,

Cheryl

Hmmmmmmmmmm.............
I went from not being able to imagine that I wouldn't hold her to petrified that I wouldn't.

Isabella had a weird week where she really didn't move much. I was so afraid every day that something had gone wrong. She moved some every day, but there weren't those constant little kicks and wiggles that keep me going. I also put on some fluid weight that scared me.

Her activity levels are back up, but my confidence isn't.

I can't wait until next week. Another sonogram. I am praying for resolution of the cystic hygroma.

It's been a long time since I have posted.
A lot has been going on.
I started back to work full time in December and found out I was pregnant.

It has been a strange road to travel.

For weeks after I found out I was pregnant, I waited to miscarry because of my advanced age. Holding my breath and afraid to hope, unwilling to let this baby into my heart because I didn't want to deal with the loss.
At around 11 or 12 weeks, I decided maybe I should make an appt. Maybe I really was going to have a baby.
There (I know who now) she was on an ultrasound. Heart beating away normally.
A scan was sceduled with a maternal fetal specialist to see that all was normal with the baby.
I was still holding my breath, despite being told that the chances of anything going wrong at this point were slim, around 1 to 2%.
At that scan, I found out that Isabella Grace had a large cystic hygroma which is, in simplified form, an immature lymphatic system that has not fully connected with the circulatory system to empty.
She was in grave danger of going into hydrops, a collection of fluid that leads to congestive heart failure.
They couldn't see her heart and face, so we couldn't rule out cleft palate and heart defects. She had an echogenic bowel, which is another soft marker for chromosomal defects.
Of course, I was offered a termination of pregnancy.
Until now, I didn't realize how many pregnancies were terminated due to a poor prenatal diagnosis.
It appears that at any defect detected on a sonogram around 99% of mothers terminate.

That still breaks my heart.

Sarah and Rachel argued over the baby's name for a while. Rachel was pulling for Audrey Isabella(noble strength and God's promise) and Sarah liked Mary Grace.
They compromised with Isabella Grace.

The last scan showed all organs and extremities normal, with no sign of echogenic bowel. Dr. Tucker's pronosis went from almost no hope, to cautiously optimistic.
The hygroma was smaller or the same.

Isabella is very active most days. The days she isn't she scares me. I love all her wiggles and kicks.
I imagine holding her all the time. I talk to her all the time and tell her how much I love her.

I can't imagine not holding her at this point. Only one more week (well and a little half) until she is considered viable outside of the womb.

I have never counted weeks 0r agonized over when a baby might be viable before. With my others, I never even considered that they might not make it to term normally.

Nonetheless, God has a plan.

I have seen how praying for Isabella has the potential for developing the faith of others. She is already a miracle.
She is to GOd's glory.