How Blessed We Are!

Day #159. It's been 130 days since we found out we were pregnant again. I know I say it in every post, but I just can't believe we are already this far along. Up until about week 10, it seemed like every single day drug on and slowly passed as we were waiting to reach the end of the first trimester, waiting to feel like we were in a safer "zone", and waiting to be able to find the heartbeat at home. Since we have reached the second trimester, days and weeks are flying by and before we know it, Jackson will be in our arms, Lord willing. And I think I have a hard time consistently updating my blog now; just wait until he is here! :)

A LOT has happened in our lives since the last post at 18 weeks. Jordan got to feel Jackson move for the first time on April 9- 18 weeks 6 days. We were driving to our caring group meal that Saturday evening, and as he started moving, I showed Jordan where to put his hand on my tummy and he felt a few nice, strong kicks! At least we call them kicks, I guess they could be punches? That was such an exciting time! We also learned that evening that, in our state, abortion is legal at that point in pregnancy. As we felt Jackson moving around, it was a somber moment realizing that people could and have killed sweet little babies the same age as him. Since then, Jackson is still moving around a lot, Jordan feels him more and more often and several family members have been able to feel him too! He moves throughout the day, and every evening when I lay on the couch we can feel him move. I can't help the smile that spreads across my face each time. Maybe it is coincidental, but sometimes, if I hold my hand on my stomach for a few minutes he will start to move in that spot. I like to think it isn't just a coincidence, but who knows :)

The next week we left for vacation. We had a wonderful time, saw new parts of God's beautiful creation, and enjoyed our time together. I was nervous just about the whole time; I was so worried something would happen to Jackson while we were there- I guess that's what mothers do- worry about their babies. My worry was relieved every day, though, when I would feel him move or listen to his heart beat. We had a doctor's appointment the week we got home and everything is still good! He is still growing, heart still beating, and always moves during an ultrasound. It was both exciting and weird to feel him move and see him move on the screen at the same time. We also had an appointment prior to the trip and still had the doctor's approval to go. She just said one thing, "make sure you don't fall". Because of Jackson, of course, but also because of the blood thinning medication I was on. I wasn't going to do any strenuous hiking, no long distance, no difficult paths, so I didn't think I would fall. Leave it to me- day 1 of vacation, first photo site, flat, wide, short path to see a waterfall meet the ocean and I fell. I am still not really sure what happened other than I lost my balance and could not regain it. It was definitely a slow motion, old person fall which we laugh at now. But at the time, I was terrified and hysterical. I only hit on my knee and hip and arm- on the side, not on my stomach. I found the next bench, sat there and cried. And couldn't stop crying. As if the fall wasn't embarrassing enough! The end of the trail was only about 50 more yards and I refused to go any farther. I told Jordan I would just see the waterfall from his pictures rather than walking any farther. I laid on the bench -the way that I lay in the evenings when he always moves- and prayed and prayed that he would move and prayed that everything was ok. He did end up moving which gave me some relief, but I was still worried. The moment we got to the hotel that night I checked his heart rate and checked it everyday after that. And, everything is fine. I had a scrape and a knot on my knee for the rest of the trip but nothing that hasn't healed by now. Once we felt him move and checked his heartbeat, we began to laugh with relief at the fall and both agreed that we would not tell our mothers until we got home! We knew they would worry the rest of the trip!

Prior to going on our trip, I always research Pinterest for things to do/see at the park we are visiting. I came across the blog of a couple who have had some of the same struggles as us bearing children. Throughout the time they were waiting to become parents, they would also travel to National Parks to get away, hike, camp, relax, etc. Once they got pregnant, they wanted maternity pictures taken at Yosemite. Her pictures were so beautiful! I showed them to Jordan and wanted to take some while we were there- even though we were only at 20 weeks. So, we spent about an hour before supper one evening taking maternity pictures. It was fun and I know we will cherish those pictures forever!

We came back from vacation and hit the ground running! Focal Point started the next week so we had some final prep work to get done that week. And it's always busy returning to work and playing catch up after vacation. We also had a family reunion of sorts (Decoration, for those who know us well :) ) that coming weekend and dear friends who would be our house guests for the week were arriving. We were then hit with the sad but joyful news that Jordan's Pawpaw had finished his race and had gone on to meet the Lord. Plans changed, friends helped, arrangements were made, family gathered, and a time of reminiscing and rejoicing was had. Focal Point began, early mornings, late night, full days, and before we knew it, the week was coming to an end. As we laid Jordan's Pawpaw to rest, I couldn't help but think about the passing of one life and the coming of another. Both joyful, but one a little bittersweet. We have both lost our Pawpaws in 2016. We both were blessed to have grown up with all four of our grandparents living and we wanted our children to be able to know all of our grandparents as well. We pray that Jackson will be blessed to know, love, learn from, and grow up with all four of his grandparents around, and we know that because of our Pawpaws and our other grandparents that we have been blessed with godly parents, faithful families, great memories, and a legacy of Christian service that we pray we will pass down to Jackson. While he won't meet our Pawpaws on this side of eternity, we pray that he will live in such a way that he meets them on the other side and spends an eternity in Heaven with the whole family. How blessed we are with such an opportunity. Let's all take advantage of it.