We are so thrilled to be welcoming another little blessing to our family! As much as we were definitely ready and excited to have another baby when I became pregnant, we were also very surprised it happened so quickly and easily...
When I became pregnant with Tycen and Shaylie, it was after a long year of trying to have a baby and finally getting fertility treatment (which is why we were blessed with twins :). When we first learned we were pregnant, we were shocked to find out that we had three babies! At about 10 weeks gestation, we lost one of the babies. As sad as it was to lose a baby, I felt the Lord telling me that someday we'd be blessed with a 3rd child.
When Tycen and Shaylie were born 3 months early and I learned that my uterus is abnormal (at the time of my c-section, they told me I had a bicornuate uterus), the peace of the Lord filled me with assurance that He has a plan for me and my children and I again felt Him telling me to not be afraid to have another child someday.
I also became aware that if I had carried all 3 babies into my second trimester, they may have all been lost in a late-term miscarriage. In fact, my doctors were absolutely shocked that I carried twins as long as I did with the uterine anomaly I have because most often even twins end in a late-term miscarriage. What an overwhelming blessing and assurance I felt that the Lord had protected my babies!! He created me, uterus and all, and he also allowed me to get pregnant with triplets, then taking one back and giving us twins, all the while knowing how His plan would unfold. I am in complete awe in knowing that as scared as I was at times with all my kids went through being born so early, I know that God had His hand over us and was protecting us all the way.
Last summer and fall, Scott and I started talking about having more kids. Before getting pregnant, though, I wanted to investigate my uterus situation further and see if there's any sort of treatment/surgery I should or could get. I also wanted to get several different professionals' opinions on what my chances would be of carrying one baby to full-term.
I ended up talking with 4 different specialists and also got a very specialized pelvic MRI last fall. This study revealed that I actually do not have a bicornuate uterus (two separate halves of a uterus that never fused) but intstead, I have a unicornuate uterus (one half of a uterus, with the other half never having developed). Essentially, it's the same size cavity as a bicornuate uterus, but we now know that our next baby would be in the same cavity as Tycen and Shaylie (which is important because we knew it could stretch large enough for two babies and two placentas).
I also learned that there is no treatment/surgery that is available for a unicornuate uterus. Most of the specialists were optimistic that I'd be able to carry one baby further than I carried two babies, but of course, they were not able to guarantee anything. I knew that no one would be able to tell me exactly how my second pregnancy would go, but always in the back of my mind, that is what I was hoping for.
As unsettling as the unknown about another pregnancy was, I knew deep down that I needed to only trust in the Lord. He doesn't want me to make decisions based on fear, but instead He wants my full faith and trust in Him. I prayed that He'd give me some sort of a sign (in addition to the ones I felt that he gave me when I got pregnant with triplets) that if it was His plan that we should have another baby, to make it clear to me.
When we went off birth control, I figured it may be months or even years before I ever got pregnant (if I ever got pregnant, provided my history of trying to have children). So, when I found out I was pregnant within two months of going of birth control, I knew the Lord was answering my prayer and giving me that sign--assuring me that this is His plan.
The night I found out I was pregnant, I was so shocked that I took all 3 tests that I had at home.
Scott then ran to the store and bought another brand, just to be sure (I know, we're crazy!).
I have to admit, I even took another test the next morning, just to be sure (this one was Scott's idea :). Well, needless to say, all 5 tests were positive and we're having a baby!
So, let the prayer chain begin...again :) I originally started this blog so that I could spread the word about how Tycen and Shaylie were doing in the NICU and to ask for prayers for their daily needs. I so greatly appreciate all the people who have prayed with us from the beginning and along the way! For this pregnancy, I would greatly appreciate prayers for a peaceful pregnancy, healthy baby and a delivery that is close enough to my due date that the he/she doesn't need to spend any time in the NICU. I have such a strong desire to be able to hold this baby right after it's born and take the baby home with us within a few days of his/her birth.
This pregnancy is going to be such a growing experience for me as I will be trusting daily in the Lord to protect this child. I know that God loves this baby so much more than even we do; He created this child. I know he wants good things for his/her life. And I also know that His plans far exceed my own. It will be a testimony of faith as I day by day, hour by hour and minute by minute seek the Holy Spirit's peace and guidance throughout this pregnancy journey.
