From the most stressful week of my life to the most blessed...

On August 26th Matt and I went in to my 18 week appointment to find out whether or not our baby was a boy or girl. What we didn't expect what the news that she *might* have a hole in her heart. We were devastated and worried. I tried to hold back my tears (unsuccessfully) as my doctor told me they weren't sure but that I had to go to a specialist and have them check out her heart further. The weekend went quick as Matt and I celebrated with our friends and family that we were having a GIRL, whose name is Leah Joy. But there were also tearful conversations with family over the news and numerous prayer sessions with God over the baby's heart.

The new nurse in my office, Linda, has a baby with a hole in her heart so she took care of getting the insurance approval and making the appointment with the specialist for me. It can take weeks to get in, but since she went in there every month for her entire pregnancy, she pulled some favors for me and got us in within a week. She called me daily with updates on where she was in the process, and was also praying for Leah. She was truly and unexpected blessing!

The week of my appointment was an awful and extremely stressful week at work. I was contemplating quitting my job because the stress of the baby and the stress of work was too much for me. The night before the appointment (Wednesday) we prayed for God to heal Leah's heart if there was a hole or to just let it be nothing. We went to sleep, but I woke up twice by 2:45am and couldn't go back to sleep. At 3:15am I got out of bed to get a snack and as I was walking down the stairs I thought, I wonder if I can't go back to sleep because I'm supposed to pray?... so I did. I got down on my knees and prayed again for Leah (more like pleading) and for the Holy Spirit to give my heart peace so I could sleep and not worry. I went back to bed and fell asleep, not waking up again 'til it was time to get ready for my appointment. When I was walking down the stairs I couldn't stop thinking of Psalm 147. God was pressing it on my heart that I needed to read it right away. I told Matt who was in the kitchen, and sat down to read it. (It isn't normal for me to make complete sentences in the morning, let alone have a certain scripture I feel God wants me to read!) And I could hardly believe what I read... "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds..." I felt as though God was telling us that he healed Leah's broken heart, and that we didn't have to worry.

A few hours later we were at the specialist's office, and were brought tears of joy this time, at the ultrasound tech showed us all 4 walls of her heart and couldn't find a hole anywhere. He checked to make sure she had ten fingers, ten toes, her spine, lungs, kidney, brain... you name it, he checked it. EVERYTHING "looked as it should." Praise God for taking care of our baby!!! I don't think we've ever felt so blessed. :)