Nearing

The date I once longed for is now quickly approaching and I wish that there were a way to stop time. I want to stop the world and just spend the next forever with my baby girl. Nothing is easy these days.... God's hand is present every day but my pain is still so overwhelming at times. Strangely enough, I would rather go through my day in sadness than to miss a moment thinking of and being with Elizabeth Ann. Time is just wasted if it isn't being spent thinking of my precious girl or praying in earnest for her.


What has been on my mind lately are the what would be the first things we would have done together??

- I would have shown you your room. It was going to be very cute. Shades of cream and brown with the cutest bedding set. A comfy chair for Mommy and Daddy to rock you in, lots of books about interesting things, clothes galore

-Gone to church. Everyone would have talked about how much hair you have (how could you not have bunches of hair with genes like this) and how sweet you are. You would have probably enjoyed the music too loudly but that's okay.

-Met your big brother, Dewey. You would probably not have realized that Dewey had sniffed every inch of anything that had come near you and already knew exactly who you were. You would have smiled a big baby smile the first time he licked your fingers or toes.

-You would have been passed around to every family member that lived within 100 miles. Every one of them would have tried to figure out who you looked like... Mommy or Daddy.

-So many more firsts during those first few days.....


My dreams are more disturbing now than they were and my sleep is difficult most nights. I've dreamed that she was born still and I never got to hold her. I dreamed that everyone I didn't want around was in the delivery room and it was just like a circus. I've dreamed that I didn't know that I was in labor and had her in a public place. Mornings are so hard for me because I've spent the whole night tossing/turning and having incredibly horrible dreams. Could anyone actually feel rested enough to get up and go teach children after these sort of nights?? I've woken myself up many times crying but not knowing why exactly. More bad dreams I guess....


I've also been frightened 2 times now because she has been so still and quiet. Both times, she didn't move at all for at least 10+ hours and I panicked. Jessica was sleeping with me one night (at the beach) and I kept her up most of the night waiting to see if I could feel Elizabeth move. When she finally did many hours later, I woke Jessica up to tell her the good news. I'm sure that Jessica slept less that night than she has in many moons.... Poor sister.


I fear not seeing Elizabeth Ann alive for even if it's just for a moment. I know that I will see her and hold her and have a chance to be with her but I want to smell her skin, see her open her eyes, watch her breathe, have her clench my finger in her fist, listen to her cry. These things are so important to me now.

It is so hard for people to understand that we no longer have "good" days. We have days where we don't cry as much or feel a little better but there are not many laughing, carry-free, happy-go-lucky moments in our life right now. God is walking with us, holding us, carrying us but the sadness is still present and sometimes overwhelming. We will try to put on a happy face as much as possible and go about our lives but say a quick prayer for us if you see that we are just not doing well enough to fake it these days. I had planned to work until the end of the school year if possible but each day is harder and I'm not sure how much longer I will make it. Today, I sat at my desk and cried for a long time. 2 kids and a school employee came in to deliver things to me and I'm sure they thought I'd lost my mind. It is not fair to my students to be here when I'm basically useless. Pray for me as I make a decision about what to do during the last few weeks of school.

Continue to pray for Elizabeth Ann!! I dream of what it would feel like to hear our doctor say, "She's perfect. You can go home with her in 2 days." What a miraculous moment to hear words like that from someone in the medical profession!! Help me plead with God for his mercy and grace to be extended to us and make Elizabeth Ann whole and perfect. I know how selfish it is to want an unaccountable, sinless baby to have to live in an imperfect and sin filled world but my heart wants her here with me and Jeremy.

We have planned to induce labor so that we can make better plans for her arrival. We will induce sometime in either late May or early June. Pray for our doctor's as they help us prepare for the induction and delivery date. Pray that we have kind and compassionate nurses and staff around us at all times during labor/delivery. Pray for our family and friends that may not have the opportunity to see Elizabeth Ann while she is with us.

Thank you for all of the kind comments on the last post. It helped me through a tough week. I will leave the "allow all" comments button on for now. Feel free to leave us a note of encouragement. We need them badly most days.

Love you all,
Johnna