35 weeks 4 days and counting

Time sure flies when every time you try to use the computer on your lap your hands become numb!  I have tried to sit down to post or really do anything on the laptop and find my fingers and hands getting numb after only a few minutes.  Just another fun side effect of pregnancy I hear :).

There isn't a lot to tell about the babies until this Thursday's Ultrasound.   Since my last update we met with the doctors and decided to schedule a c-section for sometime between 36-37 weeks.  The only date Dr. Sean Esplin was available was July 8th so that is the special day. (Which is also the birthday of another dear friend!) He is one of the perinatologists we have met with at IMC and happens to be the cousin of a dear friend in our ward.  After meeting him a couple times we felt very comfortable with him delivering our babies since my regular OB is not able to deliver at the U hospital.  At first we were hoping for something closer to July 2nd but after discussing Baby B's condition further we all agreed giving both babies another week would make them stronger to fight any aliment that they may face.  Also, July 2nd -5th is holiday time and some of the best doctors at Primary Children's would be on vacation. So we are hoping I don't go into labor on my own before July 6th just in case we need those doctors.

I met with Dr. Esplin yesterday to discuss the day of delivery and what to expect with a c-section as well as what to expect with the babies care after delivery.  He said that Baby A will have a pediatric team in the same room as us to look him over and see if he needs any additional help breathing or if he is ok on his own.  If all is ok we will be able to hold him right in that room.  Then he said Baby B will be handed through the "window" into the care of the neonatal ICU doctors to see what issues he/she will have and we should know within 30-40 min if there were lungs enough to sustain life or if the baby will pass away.  If there are enough lungs developed, then over the fiirst couple days we will find out if the kidney's are slightly damaged and will be ok or if they were severely damaged and the baby will need a transplant.  They will also try to find the blockage to take some pressure off the kidneys as soon as they can.  We meet with a neonatal doctor this Thursday to find out exactly what they will do and how they decide what next steps to take depending on multiple outcomes. We also want to find out how long we can anticipate baby B being in the hospital for each outcome.

As you can imagine, we have experienced many emotions throughout this journey and in the past week we have experienced many more.   The anticipation of this day is finally here, we have a set date for delivery which makes the end more real.  We are so excited (and nervous) to be parents and can't wait to meet these 2 spirits that have been growing inside me the past 9 months but at the same time a bit cautious knowing the outcome of baby B could vary so much.  Brad and I have talked a lot the last few days about what we have experienced so far and what we have learned.  First of all, we have learned we have no control over what happens next, it is all up to our Heavenly Father and His will for us and our family.  Second, we have had good days and bad days, answered prayers  and unanswered prayers, hope and fear, faith and discouragement.  And what we determined from all this, is that without trials we wouldn't learn anything, we wouldn't know or understand our purpose in this life, we wouldn't develop faith or have a reason to strengthen our testimony in our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  Life is definitely a test and how we react to each challenge or trial we face helps determine who we are and helps us to become stronger.  As much as we want life to be easy it wouldn't help us learn and grow.   I feel like I am rambling but I hope this makes sense to at least one person or that our children will look back on this and learn something from our experience.  I know our marriage has been strengthened throughout this experience as well as our testimony of prayer and the power of the priesthood.  Every day we both look at each other and think we couldn't love each other more and then a day later we feel that same way again, as cheesy as that sounds it is true. What a blessing to be married to my best friend and love him more today than I did almost 8 yrs ago on our wedding day, even with each of our faults.

Finally, we are so blessed to have a gracious Heavenly Father who loves both of us and lets us know on a daily basis that He is aware of us and knows what we are experiencing. A caring and inspired home teacher that has, on many occasions, given both Brad and I priesthood blessings when needed.   I am grateful for a loving husband that helps me to be calm when needed, exercises his priesthood when needed, helps me to talk things through, and will also share his feelings so we feel like we are a team walking side by side throughout this journey and not going through this alone.   Family and friends that continue to inspire and support us as the time draws near. We are lucky to have so many wonderful people in our lives and the knowledge of the gospel to remind us we are not alone and that our Heavenly Father's plan is perfect.

We will have the majority of our family there on the 8th - parents, siblings, etc... just in case.  We are still hopeful for a miracle but we have faith that whatever happens is in the best interest of our family. Thanks again for the continued prayers and support... keep them coming!