My First Post!!

I have been thinking of doing this for a while now just to keep friends and family posted on what is going on around here. I ran into a friend yesterday and we got talking and she said that I should start a blog, so here we are. Thanks Melanie!!

I look back on the last two years of my life and am amazed at how faithful God has been. Let me back up a little more and give you a bit more information.

I was 28 years old and really had been praying about God bringing a man in my life that I could marry. I really had no idea the journey God would soon lead me on!

I wanted a Christian husband who loved the Lord with all of his heart and had a desire to want to help people. I even threw in my prayer, that if he was a pastor, I would be okay with that.

Long story short, I met my husband(who is a pastor, funny how God works isn't it?) thru eHarmony in May 2004, he proposed in August of 2004 and we were married in January of 2005.

We decided to wait a year before were going to try to have kids and in April of 2006, I found out
I was expecting #1. That pregnancy progessed very well until I was about 33 weeks along when I started showing signs of preeclampsia. I was hospitalized a week later and our son,Samuel was born at 34 weeks and 6 days on November 16th, 2006. He was taken to the NICU where he stayed for 2 1/2 weeks. He did not need any assistance breathing or anything else other than to learn how to eat on his own. He was 5lb 4oz and was 18 inches long.

MUCH to our surprise, I found out I was pregnant with #2 when Sam was 6 months old. This pregnancy started out okay, but at my first appointment, the doctor was already concerned with my blood pressure. At my third appointment, she put me on medication and by the beginning of October, I needed to be put on another medication. At the end of October, I was transported down to Freodert Hospital where the baby and I were closely monitored.

They were not really sure how long I would need to stay in the hospital, so they said maybe on Monday I could go home, well everyday that changed and after a few days I knew I was in for the long haul. Actually, I knew the baby would be delivered early, I was just praying that we could make it to 34 weeks.

Well, Sunday they came in to draw some blood and a short time later they came in and said we need to take the baby. The day before I had asked to talk to some of the doctors from the NICU to get an idea of what we may be dealing with. I was really hoping they would come while my husband was there but they did not come until 9:30pm and he had gone home.

Even though I was physically alone in the room, God was with me and I cannot explain the peace that I felt wash over me. It is a feeling I will never forget.

Emma Faith was born November 4th, 2007 weighing in at 1lb 8oz and 13 1/2inches long. She had a very rough start and there were a few times during that first month we did not know if she would make it. Because of God's mercy and grace and the prayers of so many people, our baby girl is alive and well today.

We thought we were on track to come home close to her scheduled due date but she had to have surgery in January of 2008 for Necrotizing Enterocolitis(NEC) and laser surgery for Retinopathy of Prematurity(ROP). Because of the NEC, she also had to have 3 more surgeries.

After 5 1/2 long months we were able to bring our baby girl home on April 14th. She did come home with a NG tube and an ostomy bag which we learned how to change and how to place the NG tube. We were a nervous wreck at the thought of this baby coming home with us after all these months. The hospital staff was so supportive saying that she really would thrive at home.

And thrive she did. Her brother Sam was very intrigued by her and was so gentle and sweet with her. Amazing for a little 1 1/2 year old! He would give her kisses and try to put her pacifer back in her mouth and just sit and smile at her.

We were able to wean her from the NG tube after a month or so and at the end of May, she went in for her last surgery to reverse the ostomy that she had. She recovered really well from that and aside from some HORRIFIC diaper rash, she was back to herself in no time.

It has been amazing to watch her change so much, even in the last month or so. She is behind in some areas, like crawling and in some areas of talking but overall, she is almost right on track for her adjusted age of 10 months.

So that is a general overview of our last four years and we are looking forward to the New Year and all of the changes that will bring!

God Bless!

Jodi


PS
The picture of the girls doing dishes are my stepdaughters Shayla(12) and Felicia(10).