Baby Luca... Part 3

More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. ROMANS 5:3-5

Saturday July 24.... 7:00 am

After tossing and turning a lot of the night I woke up early and was unable to go back to sleep. My mind was going a million miles an hour. I thought there were so many things I needed to plan out. What to bring? Where to stay? When will we leave? 

God is so amazing.... All this time he had been preparing me for the road ahead... He already had our path laid out for us and already knew what we would be facing and that we would need to rely completely on Him for our comfort, trust, and peace. The more I cast my anxieties over to Him, the more peace I had. 

A couple days before finding out the news of our ultrasound... God, in His providence led me to read a story of a couple whose baby was born at 34 weeks (how far along I currently was)  and had major complications after she was born. The sweet baby ended up passing away after being in the NICU for ten days. Reading the blog and birth story of this sweet little angel was preparing me for the road I would soon walk... Only I didn't know it at the time. This beautiful couple relied completely on Jesus during their trial and the loss of their baby girl. They had such peace and assurance through all they went through and I knew this could only be possible through Jesus. They grew closer to God through this than anything they've ever went through and their lives were changed for the better. Their story can be found on bethanymenzel.com 

God was preparing us in so many more ways than this and as I look back it is so clear to see His grace and love through everything. 

As the day went on Mike and I decided to talk with my grandparents about the news and see if my grandma would be willing to help us with jase on our journey... When we went to her house to tell her she said that my mom already did and that she would come be with us for however long we needed. Her sacrificial love and service has helped us beyond my wildest dreams. We also reached out to our pastor and his wife and asked them to meet with us for prayer and guidance... When we met with them we found out that they knew someone whose baby had gastrochesis four months prior and was doing great! We were able to pray with them and received so much comfort and good counsel about the road ahead of us. I loved how my pastor told us that trials and suffering were to be found all over in the bible and that God uses them to draw us and change us! That we shouldn't waste it. There's so much to learn from our trials and suffering. There's so much of God to be seen through them. 

1 Peter 5:10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

James 1:2-4 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

I shared how I had spent so much time praying during my pregnancy that I would be content with whatever Gods plan and purpose was in my pregnancy and for my baby... And that now I have fears about the what ifs and the unknowns. After meeting with them I had so much more confidence in not having to know what would happen because I was completely trusting that God knew and that His plans are for good! I was confident that He was sovereign over every possible thing that was going to take place and that had taken place already. He formed this sweet baby in His design for His purpose and I knew there was no mistake about that. 

Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. 1 Peter 4:19

Saturday 7:00 pm

Contractions were happening all day long but when I sat down to eat dinner they increased in pressure and became very close together. I had taken the meds that the dr gave me to stop the contractions but they didn't seem to be doing much. 

I called the hospital and told them what was going on and they said I should come in to be monitored. After arriving at the hospital, the contractions slowed down and I was not dilated at all. They decided to monitor me for a while longer and then ended up sending me home again. 

That night Mike told some of his family and friends the news of our baby and our family friends who live in the Seattle area responded with STAY WITH US!!!! Even knowing that our stay would be long and our 18 month old would be with us the whole time... Things were staring to fall into place so easily. It was so obvious that God was divinely working! 

Sunday July 26 7:28 am 

I texted my midwife that my contractions were even stronger today and that I felt them low in my back. I decided to take a bath to see if it would slow them down... In the bath they kept coming and were even closer together. I thought this was the real deal. I told Mike that I was scared because we weren't in Seattle and we had nothing packed or ready and if I had the baby here we would be immediately transported by air to Seattle... But God wrapped His comforting arms around me and I felt a total peace. I felt peace that whatever happens... HE IS IN CONTROL!! I knew for certain that if I had my baby there and even more complications arose from it that it was ok because God does not make mistakes and He already planned my baby's days and time of birth before the foundation of time. 

I got out of the bath and told Mike to pack some bags just in case and I told my midwife that the contractions weren't slowing down. She decided to come over and check to see if I was dilated. After checking me I was dilated to a 3... We grabbed what we could and threw it in two suitcases and headed for the hospital. (A 30 min drive away) Soon after arriving I was checked again and was dilated to a 5... There was no stopping this baby from coming now!