Week 24

What a week! Though this week was a hard one, I'm grateful for being pregnant. Warning: I am about to stand on a soap box! Just wanted to prepare anyone reading this.



The week started with a conversation that I never in my life thought I would have. Background Knowledge: At 24 weeks not only were we faced with the issue that Gabriel had heart and kidney problems, we learned that the piece in the brain that connects the left and the right was missing. At this point, this gave us a 1 in 6 chance that the issues with Gabriel were chromosomal and non conducive with life.



Here is the conversation:(This is a recording to the best of my ability to remember...you will understand the jest.)



OP (other person): When did you know there were Trisomy issues with Gabriel?



M (me): At 20 weeks they found a heart issue, and at 24 weeks they found a brain issue that meant Gabriel had a 1 in 6 chance of being labeled with a chromosome disorder like Trisomy.



OP: Why didn't you get an abortion then?



M: What, excuse me? (Thinking I had heard the OP incorrectly)



OP: Why didn't you get an abortion when you found out about the brain. Didn't you want your baby happy?



M: Well, we were given the option, but we were told that to do the abortion we would have to go to Kansas because Oklahoma and Texas do not do the procedure past 24 weeks, and I was 24 days. But this was something we never considered. We would NEVER have an abortion.



OP: Why not, you knew your baby wouldn't live a quality of life. It would have been very hard on everyone. The baby would not be happy.



M: (Now crying) I would never have an abortion. I would not do that to my baby.



OP: But were you thinking about the baby?



M: (Even more upset) I would never carry around the fact that I CHOSE TO KILL MY OWN BABY! For me to choose whether they lived or not would never be my decision to make but God's. I would never chose to kill my own baby! What if the doctors were wrong? What if I killed the baby and the baby was supposed to live! That would haunt me everyday, not knowing.



OP: I'm so sorry that is not what I meant. It sounds like you all had hope. I'm so sorry, please forgive me.



M:I forgive you. (I wish I had said, yes we have hope in Jesus, but I didn't.)



Of course I forgave the other person, but I have to say that opinions shouldn't always be shared. My sister said it was good to have gotten raw and open with this other person. That maybe they took away that life is valuable and not something to take lightly.

Another situation happened that I realize that words are very powerful. I am grateful for this friend enlightening me on this and not looking at the negative but the positive. Words can heal or hurt, and also keep us grounded. We have to be careful not to take others' words and project them into our lives. Friends should be able to listen to one another and not take the reality the friend is sharing and try to make them our own. Its a balance between sharing thoughts and being sensitive to others' feelings. One that I am always thinking about, but may not always do a great job. What I have learned tonight that no matter how hard I try to not say anything that would hurt another, the responibility also lies in the hearer to take what is said for the positive and not look at it from the negative.

I'm grateful that my friend took my words as a way to stay grounded, because I could see how easily it could have invoked fear. This friend is one of the most inspirational people I know and always looks at the positives! Love you friend!! Thanks for showing me this lesson whether you realized it or not.



Need to leave the above be...Onto baby news. On Christmas night the baby was kicking hard enough that I could see my shirt move where the baby kicked. Johnny still hasn't felt or seen the baby, but it should be any day now. It likes to play hide and seek, because since Christmas night when the baby kicks or moves I can see it on my belly. Cool stuff!



Speaking of kicking, last week I wrote of the kick that hurt my ribs. Well the day after Christmas, the pain was so bad that when I tried to cough I cried. Johnny is having to hold a pillow around me when I feel like I have to cough. We are going to wrap it in ace bandages and I'm not going to be doing much of anything the next 4 days. Thank goodness, I am not having to teach 5/6 year olds this week.

**Its so funny to me how pictures taken with the same camera can come out so different. Who knows why my week 24 pic is so small?

Week 23

Merry Christmas! Happy Birthday Jesus! Thank you for coming as an infant and dying on the cross, so we may know the Lord and have life everlasting!!

Last Friday night, Johnny got us tickets to the Nutcracker. Baby was dancing away the whole program. Afterwards we were laying on the sofa watching a movie and baby kicked so hard that I jumped! It scared Johnny. It was a really hard kick.

The next morning my ribs were sore. I didn't think anything of it until I kept saying how sore they were and wondered what happened. Johnny asked if it could have been from the kick. Sure enough, it is in the exact same spot. I looked it up online and called a few friends and I am inferring (like this term Rosa Parks friends) that the baby kicked so hard the little darling bruised me. Crazy!

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas! Blessings each and everyone one!

Week 22

Officially in full maternity clothes this week. Shirts and pants... Johnny was super cute about it. He simply said, "I think your done with those. (meaning my regular sweaters, shirts.)" This coming from the guy that swore with our first pregnancy that maternity clothes were a way for stores to make more money and they were not really needed!

Baby is doing really good! Kicks and moves a lot. I feel like Johnny will be able to feel any day, but when I call Johnny to come feel, it is like the baby knows and completely stops. Then Johnny leaves and baby starts up again. Lil' stinker.

The foundation has been laid on the house. Johnny has been trying to find framers. On our way!!

Week 21

Told my students today that we are having a baby. Boy are they excited! They all got to ask if question if they wanted. Some made statements. Here are the Top 5.

5. When the baby is 5 like us will you bring them to school with us?
4. Did you know that the baby will cut out and then they sew you back?
3. Will you bring the baby to visit us? So sweet.
2. Women push babies out of their wa wa.
1. Mrs. Gaffney, how can you be having a baby? Your belly is so little.

**I also found out that lots of their moms are having babies (so not true) and that one is not having a baby, but just fat. I'm sure the moms would all appreciate this!

Concrete is being poured for the house today. Pictures to come with this!!

Week 20 part 2

Baby Gaffney is.....HEALTHY!! 100% perfect as Dr. Nilson said.

Baby weighs 15 oz already. Almost 1 lb. It is amazing how time flies. Due date is still April 20th!

In other good news, Johnny has a new baby too.

Prayerfully there will not be a RV in this baby's future! We pour concrete on Thursday so please pray for weather.

I'm not sure why the baby picture is smaller than the house pic, but it was the only way to get it to work. Just grateful for both!!

I'm feeling great, joy does come in the morning. It is so cool to see God redeeming so many areas of our life that we have been in waiting mode for... Love him!

Blessings all!

Week 20 part 1

What a difference 4 weeks can make. Crazy with how the belly grows!! Having difficulity posting pic, but will soon.

The U/S was rescheduled. There was a car accident, and Dr. Nilson had was called into the hospital. Please pray for mom and baby. Scary. The appointment has been rescheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 7th at 8:30 am. I will post the news on Tuesday afternoon.