And the results are in...

Well, we had our 6 1/2 week ultrasound today.  Before I give away all that excitement, I want to introduce you to the baby we're dying to meet, and I want to introduce that little one by name.

You'll just have to take my word for it when I say we have not and did not spend an exorbitant amount of time agonizing over names for our children.  If you know us well, you know that we have been notoriously oppositely-minded when it comes to names that we like.  I liked Sadie, Adam hated it.  I liked Hunter, Adam hated it.  And so it continued.  Eventually, we just tabled the discussion until we were closer to our baby's actual birthday.   

So, imagine my surprise when Adam came to me with a name he loved for his little girl.   As soon as he said it out loud...I knew it was her name.  It's perfect. 

So, without further ado, our first born baby girl will be named:

Addyson Rose

Her first name, Addyson, means awe-inspiring, noble, God is just, and in God's image.  It also means Child of Adam (a fact instrumental in Adam's initial attention being drawn to it).  We hope that her first name will always remind her that her life was spoken into existance by God, that she was created in His image, and that her life is precious to the Father.  "So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." Genesis 1:27

She will carry the middle name Rose, just like her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother before her.  We plan to call her Addy.  

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After we had that nailed down, we started talking about little boys.  Adam and I got online and started looking around....and before long, we had found the name for our baby boy.  

So, without further ado, our first born baby boy will be named:  

Elijah James

Elijah means the Lord is my God, and has Biblical roots to the Old Testament prophet Elijah. Elijah was a man who followed God, who faced trial and hardship, and who cried out to God and was rescued.  The Lord is our God, He is faithful to His children, and we hope our baby boy's namesake will always remind him of the Father who is mighty to save.  

James is the middle name carried by both Adam and my older brother.  It is also the first name of Adam's grandpa.  We plan to call this little one Eli.  

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And there you have it.  We don't know or care if we'll have an Addy or an Eli first, but we look forward to the day when we'll get to welcome each one into our family.

Okay :)


So today.  They always say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here you go...

 

We've got one beautiful baby in the oven :)

The baby is on the left, and the yolk sac, which provides all the baby's nourishment until the umbillical cord forms, is on the right.  Right now, our baby is only the size of a grain of rice, but already amazing things are happening in there.  Just look at all that's happening this week:

• The arms and legs develop - These limbs are stretching out more and more.
• Brain is growing well - Did you know that over the course of the remaining months that the baby's brain will develop over 100 billion neurons?
• Lenses of the eyes appear - If you could catch a glimpse inside, you would notice the baby's appearance becoming increasing like a newborn's.
• Nostrils are formed - The position of the nose seems to shift into its proper place as well. Soon, the nerves running from the nose to the brain appear.
• Intestines grow - Initially these are actually located outside the baby's body within the umbilical cord.
• Pancreas - The baby is now equipped to deal with digestive enzymes and take on processing the insulin and glucagons the body needs to function

That blows me away.  The miracle of life is unfathomable.  


Today was absolutely miraculous.  Soon after our doctor started the ultrasound, he suddenly froze the wand and pointed to the screen. Look right there, he said.  We both looked at the screen as a tiny white dot thudded rhythmically up and down, up and down on the screen.....it was our baby's heart, beating inside of me.  There aren't words to describe that feeling. 


We also got to hear the heartbeat.  We heard our baby's heart beating at 132 BPM, which is perfect.  It was the most beautiful sound in the world.  I wish I had recorded it, so I could share it with you all here.  As it is, you'll just have to trust me.  It was amazing, it took our breath away, and my heart soared in thanksgiving to our Lord and Savior, who created this precious life and has delivered it safely to us.  


What we learned today is that this baby looks perfect in every way.  Its crown to rump measurement was absolutely spot-on for 6 weeks and 4 days, its heart was beating at the perfect rate, the yolk sac was well-formed and the baby is developing right on schedule.  Our doctor was so thrilled with how the baby looked that we have been released from OHSU's care.  I'll admit, that's kind of bittersweet for us, because I love those people and will never forget how God has used them to bring us hope, and to grow this baby inside of me.  They will always be a part of our life.  


As I write this post, my mind is wandering back to another time in my life, not very long ago, when my heart was breaking at the thought of never having a child.  I remember that emptiness, the feeling of loss, and I remember writing these lyrics as I cried out to God...begging for His peace, while simultaneously placing my trust in His almighty hands.  I meant this words then, with all my heart, but as I write them again today the meaning is new.  God has walked us through the valley, and He has placed our feet on the mountaintop.  We trust You, Lord. No matter what. 


No matter what, I still love You.
And no matter what, I'm gonna need You
I know that You can find a way to keep me from the pain
But if not, I'll trust You.  
No matter what

Thank you for praying for us, for our baby, and for this journey.  Adam and I are excited to share every step with you as God prepares us to receive this precious life.  We ask that you please keep praying.  We are wholly in love with this baby Breitenstein, and know that this baby will be born into a network of people who have prayed for and loved on it long before its birth. What a priceless gift.  From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you.