A LITTLE UPDATE

Just wanted to give a little update on how things are going. I talked to Amanda again today and she is doing amazingly well. We laughed at how this has been the longest week of our lives and the shortest of hers. I LOVE how open and honest we are with each other. She has been so good to us and has reassured us several times this week that she is strong in her decision. She said again today "I hope your still feeling okay because I am"! I mean really how on earth does she have the strength to reassure me when I know it has been so hard for her. Words can not describe the love I feel for Amanda. She has made some bad choices but underneath all that is the most amazing, beautiful, strong, faithful, courageous person I have ever known. I have seen first hand how hard this is for her and yet she is handling it with so much faith and courage. Jon and I know with out a doubt the Lord will bless her for her sacrifice. I want little Lia to always know how much Amanda loved her. I am so grateful for this little miracle that will be in my arms in just a few short days. I feel such a bond and connection with her. I LOVE my boys and just like there is something special between me and the boys there is something amazing between me and her. My only wish is that I could give her a sister but I am not even going to got there!!!! I am so excited to have a little shopping partner. Our family is complete and my heart is so full. Any way I will post pictures on Monday when we get home. Please pray for Amanda, these last few days will be the hardest!!!!

BABY LIA IS HERE!!!!

Well our little Lia came into the world a little sooner than we expected. Amanda (Lia's birth mother) went into the Dr. for a routine check up on Wed. June 24th and was sent right to Davis Hospital for a C-section. She had been having contractions and they were putting a lot of pressure on her incision from her last C-section. Any way the Dr. was worried it might tear so he wanted to take her asap. We were not able to be there but she weighed 6lbs. 8oz. and was 18 inches long. We were a little sad we weren't able to see her be born but we were just glad to hear she was doing okay. She was taken off her ventilator that night and her feeding tube the next day. We got to go see her on Sat. night in the NICU. It was so nice of Amanda to let us see her and be with her in the hospital. Even if it was only for a few minutes. I couldn't help but just cry. It is so incredible to see your baby for the first time. I fell in love with her in that instant and knew she was meant to be our little girl. My heart was full of joy but it also ached as we could tell it was hard for Amanda to see us with her. It also ached because I knew I would not be able to take her home with me. So we held her kissed her and said good bye not knowing when we would get to bring our sweet baby girl home.
Our camera was not working very well so these are bad pictures. I think she is the cutest thing I have ever seen. She only weighs 5lbs. 13oz. now and is the most perfect little thing you have ever seen. Her head is bruised from her IV but other than that she is perfect and beautiful in every way!!! You would think by looking at the picture of me that I just gave birth!!! But nope just emotionally exhausted!!! I Love this little girl and I have only spent 30 minutes with her. Amanda called yesterday to let us know they were both being discharged, which was a miracle considering Lia was 34 weeks 5 day gestation. We were so happy they would be able to leave together. Amanda also informed us she will be taking her home for a WEEK!!! I know what you are thinking, trust me I have been freaking out. Of course I did the only thing I could do....I told her that would be fine and that we supported her decision. Then I got off the phone and cried and cried and cried!!! Amanda had a lot of complications in the hospital and had to have surgery to stop some internal bleeding. She hardly got to spend any time with Lia so now she wants to take her home to have that time with her. What can I say to that. I understand but at the same time it is so hard. My heart is telling me everything is going to be okay but my head is making me freak out. For those of you who get to take your babies home with no strings attached you really don't know how lucky you are. I would give anything to be holding her right now but God has given me a different purpose, and that is to be here for a grieving Birth Mother as she prepares herself to do the hardest thing she will ever do in her life. I truly did not think I had it in me to do this again that is why we did IVF. I have done this twice before and this has by far been the hardest situation yet. I have had to dig deeper than ever before to have faith in Heavenly Fathers plan. Jon and I have both had confirmations that she is ours but it is the hardest thing to rely on someone else to make the right choice. I know our Father in Heaven will help her through this time and that this time next week we will bringing home our bundle of joy. Until then I sit and wait and go absolutely CRAZY!!! I miss her and can't wait to share with her all this love I have for her. Amanda is amazing and we are in awe of her strength and her courage. She needs lots of prayers so remember her when you kneel to pray. Sorry it has taken so long but I wanted to know for sure when she would be here before I posted anything. I know it will all be worth it in the end!!!!! I look at my boys and know with out a doubt I would go through it all again if it meant having them. I feel the same way about Lia, I know she will be worth it!!!