Fourth Ultrasound

The word I keep using to describe today's ultrasound is "amazing."

I think today it finally became a reality to me that this may actually happen.

Something about being farther than we've ever been in a pregnancy before,
something about seeing our baby so full of life and moving around inside,
something about the look of wonder on my sweet husband's face, and
something about our specialist releasing us to see a regular OB made it all begin to sink in.

Today we had to wait a long time to see the doctor. Well, it felt like a long time. It probably took about 45 minutes total between the time we got there and the time he walked into the exam room. The longer it took, though, the more nervous I became. Chuck and I didn't have a whole lot to say as we waited. He gave me reassuring smiles and told me how sure he felt that it was going to be okay. As soon as the exam began, I could see that the baby had grown significantly. When things came into focus and we saw the baby moving its little arms around, I finally let out the deep breath I'd been holding in. And some tears, too, of course.

Seeing that baby move was like a balm for my heart -- a heart that's been hurt so many times before in rooms just like that one.

All of your encouraging e-mails, texts, and comments mean so much to us on appointment days. I absolutely cannot wait for the opportunity to tell this little one how much he or she has been prayed for and hoped for. I hope that those of you who are still waiting truly know how much we pray and hope for you as well. You are in our minds and on our hearts so very often.

My goal for the next couple of days is to find a good OB in the area where we live. I have my regular OB/GYN from before, but I've decided to switch and I've been asking friends for recommendations. Dr G wants me to schedule the appointment for 2 weeks from now. Yes, I'm feeling sad that our time with Dr G is up, but I keep reminding myself that this is what we hoped would happen. This is the point we hoped to reach. And I know that he wouldn't turn us loose unless he felt good about how the pregnancy looks. That in itself makes me feel better.

Finally, I have decided to make our ultrasound pics available for those who wish to see them. You can click on the link below, and I'll put another one in the sidebar so it will always be there. Please understand that I totally get it that not everyone will want to see these images. That is absolutely fine. That's why I don't want to put them on the blog, but they will be just a click away for anyone who would like to have a look.

Pregnancy #7 Ultrasound Pictures

Thanks for the many ways that you support us and show us that you care! We are feeling more and more hopeful, and we are giving God all the glory.

Here are our current stats: Baby is measuring at about 41 mm, with a heart rate of 179 bpm. In just a couple of days I'll be 11 weeks along.