There Is A Plan

First of all, let me start by saying what a blessing all of you have been to us! We never expected such a response from our little blog! Thank you to all of our friends and family, and also, thank you to all of those whom we have never met, but still take the time to pray for Baby Jake every day. You have truly blessed and encouraged us with your prayers and encouraging words. We would also like to thank the girls who linked our blog to theirs. That was so very kind of you to do! :)

Monday was our first check-up since meeting with the doctor to discuss our "options". We prayed not to be anxious, as we have received three different diagnoses in our last three visits. Philippians 4:6-7 says "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. So, that's what we did and in we went!

The technicians and our doctor check all of Jake's body every time we see them. This is to make sure that he is developing normally in all other areas and to check for anything they might have missed, such as anything unusual about his fingers, facial structure, or other organs. As of Monday, everything looks perfectly formed! He weighs 1 lb and 5 oz, and is right on track for his growth at this point. His head measured a little larger than "normal", but we expected this, as he does have swelling. His ventricles today measured 17 mm and 25mm, a small increase from the last time they were measured. ("Normal" ventricles measure under 10) I put the word normal in paranthesis here, because, when it comes to brain development in utero, there are only guidelines. We have been diligently praying that the ventricles would decrease in size, however, it was not God's will for them to decrease at this time. Dave and I know that we must be careful to gaurd our hearts against this kind of dissapointment. Proverbs 3:5-6 says "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." We have to trust that He is in control and His will prevails in Jake's life, and in ours as well.

Many of you have written to us and told us how amazing we are for the way we are dealing with all of this. While we are honored, please know that we are not any different than anyone else. We still do, and I know will continue, to have days when we feel overwhelmed and anxious. Like all other parents, we want what's best for Jake. It is only natural for us to wish that Jake didn't have to go through any surgeries or NICU stays, but that may not be what God has ordained for his little life. One of our favorite verses lately is Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart..." . Not only did God know Jake before he gave him to us, he knew Dave and I, and picked us to be his parents. We are so grateful for this chance! We cannot wait to meet him!