From Sorrow to Joy

From sorrow to joy... From loss to blessing... From faithful obedience -  to petitioning -  to reward. This is the miracle story of our tubal reversal baby: Lydia Elizabeth.

Born 4wk 3 days early. 4lbs 11oz 17.5 in. 12:36 am September 21, 2015. 

Lydia’s Miraculous Birth Story

 Lydia: a woman who heard God’s Word and put it in action

            The desire to add to our family started with a loss. When God revealed to me that our foster kids were headed back home in September 2013 – my grief began. We had nurtured these darling children for 3 years solid – with no over night visits. Why now God? Then, time flew by and they were delivered ‘home’ on Christmas Day 2013. My depression (Bess) set in hard. I knew God wanted us to have more kids – to raise in the ways of the Lord. But DCFS would not place any kids with us. I called, I waited – no kids came for 8 months. Then, to make matters worse, after moving to our new small farm, DCFS would not approve our small home. Our license was removed – no longer was there even any hope to foster/adopt – not here in USA – not from anywhere without DCFS approval. I cried out to God. And strangely, an option arose from North Carolina – tubal reversal. Yes, we had purposely had a tubal ligation done after Faith and now, are we crazy enough to reverse it? Chances of success range from 0-75%. God provided the finances and in December 2014 we boarded a plane for a two day ‘vacation’.

  Here we are returning from NC.

Lydia came into our lives only 1 ½ months after surgery – January 28^th, 2015. It was a rough start. The first trimester I was labeled ‘a threatened miscarriage’. But every time I drove the 1 ½ hr drive to Breese – her heart beat loud and strong. We chose Breese – a far drive compared to the closer hospitals nearby. Breese, a Catholic, strongly pro-life hospital, was where Caleb was born. I love the atmosphere. I love the doctors who will not perform abortions even with diagnosed ‘unwanted’ genetic discoveries. I love the administrators who decorate with verses and crosses in each room and having a Chaplin on staff to pray for you at any time. These things I would not find in the South – where we live. 

                                                          

                                                          Lydia's first picture - 5 weeks!

Second trimester was a breeze (pun intended). 

Third trimester started and people asked me, “I bet you want that baby out”. And I always say, “Oh no, easier in here than not and it’s what’s best for the baby.” This pregnancy was the best I ever felt. I chopped wood, chased cows, fed pigs, drove and dumped a grain truck. I felt unstoppable. 

                   Pepper - my $1 chicken - sits on my belly - just one week before it was ' time'.

Then, sitting at my neighbors house – playing Scrabble (and because I lost the game J) – my water broke! I was only 35 weeks and 4 days. So, I didn’t believe it had really happened. I called Breese and they said: hurry, come in. I insisted I didn’t think it was anything, I’d be wasting their time, my husband wasn’t home…etc. However, the nurse kindly and persistently encouraged me to come. She said, “It’s slow tonight. And I’m getting the room ready – so now you have to come.” I told my kids to be good and Daddy would be home in a half an hour. This was Sunday, September 20^th, 2015 around 6:30pm. (I had another, kind friend persuading me via text to go in NOW).

            Once there, the Dr. talked me through the options of having a C-section or VBAC (since baby was premature). I told her I’d do VBAC until Tim called me and gave no option but a C-Section due to the risks the Dr. listed. So, then we waited for Tim to get there. He took 2 ½ hours to get there. The medical staff kept asking me where he was. Turns out, the tire on his truck exploded!!! The tire man said he had never seen a tire explode before like that – ever! At 12:00am – September 21, 2015, we walked into the operating room to what we all assumed would be a quick and easy operation. I asked the Dr to pray and her words still ring in my ears, “Lord, guide my hands…”

Before she cut me open, the ultrasound showed baby head down. By the time she cut me open, the baby had moved horizontal as far up to my chest as possible. Time ticked by. The eyes of the nurses looked startled. Tim was told to sit and stay sitting. A nurse said, “8 minutes.” I started to cry. I knew time was crucial and it wasn’t supposed to take this long for a C-Section. My body was being rocked back and forth. Finally, a nurse said, “It’s a girl; sorry Daddy –you can’t hold her.” There was no cry. What seemed like an eternity, was only a matter of 3 minutes – then a small cry broke the tension – and everyone in that room cheered! Our baby had to be resuscitated and miraculously only 2 minutes later she was on my chest nursing. 

As the Dr. sowed me up, she gasped, “The placenta!” My placenta was deformed. Something you usually can’t diagnose nor discover until it’s too late called: vasa previa with a 95% infant mortality.  The veins of the placenta form on the outside – going into labor, my water breaking, carrying to term, too much activity, the Dr. cutting wrong, or just anything – could have busted a vein and she could have bled out. The absolute miracle of Lydia is undeniable. She was unplanned and not even a hint of her in our minds – 10 years ago. She was quickly brought into this world by the skillful North Carolina Dr.’s hands and God’s perfect intervention. And now, I was carrying a ticking time bomb – all 8 ½ months along. What a blessing!

Picture of the placenta and its vein deformation.

Lydia - smiling the day she was born.

Our family is now complete. The Dr. had to make a drastic decision to save Lydia’s life and my uterus is officially not able to carry any more children. However, we are overjoyed with this amazing miracle – and all of our ‘big’ kids too!!!

God is amazing! Thank you Jesus.   

                                                   Lydia - the day we left the Hospital - smiling again! 

LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for you have done marvelous things, plans made long ago in faithfulness and truth. Isaiah 25:1

Those who weep while they plant will sing for joy while they harvest. The one who goes out weeping, carrying a bag of seeds, will surely return with a joyful song, bearing sheaves from his harvest. Psalms 126:5-6

Bye - for now - says Lydia.