One Year Ago...

Exactly one year ago today at 11:13 in the morning, I gave birth to my sweet miracle, Ella Grace.  I know people always say that the first year goes by fast, but it really did.  So much has happened in this last year that time just flew by. 

I am having trouble seeing the computer screen through my tears as I write this.   If it were not for Ella, I may not be alive today.  The Lord sent her to me to save my life.  She was a miraculous gift from God.

You can read the miraculous story in this blog post.   It is worth reading if you haven't read it yet.  It will bring tears to your eyes and remind you to trust in the Lord always.

Sanctity of Life Sunday

We live in a time when it has become necessary to have a day dedicated to the preservation of human life.  A day designed to convince people in this country to value the lives of babies, the elderly and the poor.  

I have shared that in my own life, I struggled with the decision to continue a pregnancy.  You can read the whole story in this blog post (click here).  So I fully understand that the decision to continue a pregnancy is not always easy.  I can relate and empathize with those that are in a difficult situation.  

Many of you, like me, may have heard a message in church this morning reminding you that life is precious.  You may have also heard verses like

Psalm 139:13

"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb."

We had a church member share her testimony about her decision to have a baby even when the pregnancy was unexpected.  My hope is that there was someone in that sermon this morning who will remember hearing this testimony if he or she is faced with a similar decision.

I read this Article where a pastor shares why he hates preaching on  Sanctity of Life Sunday.  He hates that we live in a country where people have to be reminded that an unexpected pregnancy is a human life. That a child with a disability is still precious in the Lord's sight.  Society paints a different picture.  Look at the example set by our own President:

When the highest political office in our country thinks of an unborn child as a punishment, one can understand why we need a Sanctity of Life Sunday.  I pray that one day Sanctity of Life Sunday will no longer be necessary 

That is a strange blog title

My sweet Ella Grace is the reason why I gave my blog the title, "Some of the Best Things in Life are Mistakes."  Getting pregnant with Ella was a mistake.  I know some of you cringed when you read that, but it is true.  She wasn't planned and was a complete and total surprise, a shocker!!   She was the best mistake I ever made!!

Some people have "ooops" pregnancies or unplanned pregnancies but my pregnancy with Ella was nothing short of a miracle.  After having my son Lucas, I had a tube tying procedure as a permanent form of birth control.  It was advertised as being 99.9% effective.  Well, we were the .1%.  The procedure failed.

I had difficult pregnancies.  No, difficult isn't a strong enough word- atrocious, terrible, horrendous.  I had a condition called Hyperemesis Graviderum.  It is very rare and most people haven't heard of it until recently when Princess Kate was diagnosed with it.  It is a severe form of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.  I lost 20% of my body weight and fought dehydration the entire time.  I was in and out of the hospital dozens of times during my pregnancies.  So after having Lucas we decided that I would have my tubes tied.  My body could not go through that again.

God had other plans.  Needless to say, I was in shock when I discovered that I was pregnant 7 months after having my tubes tied.  My son Lucas was just 9 months old.  I was depressed as well as shocked.  I cried for days.  I could not imagine being pregnant again so soon after having my son.  How would I take care of a baby while vomiting all day.  In my misery, I prayed for a miscarriage.  I didn't know what to do.  

God was in control!  I trusted Him and the pregnancy continued.  My husband Aaron was so supportive and knew that this baby was a blessing. It was more difficult than the other two pregnancies.  I lost so much weight that my baby stopped gaining weight.  The doctors decided to induce her at 36 weeks so that she would have a chance to grow.

Ella Grace was such a sweet little baby.  She was a peanut leaving the hospital at just 5 pounds.  I looked at her and knew that every bit of the suffering was worth it.   The mistake was a blessing. 

 Little did I know holding that little baby that she would save my life.  In that picture above, I did not know that I had breast cancer.  I was 37 years old and had no breast cancer in my family history but I had breast cancer.  At this young age, I would not have had a mammogram for many years and I would not have had another breast exam for at least a year.  Six weeks after having Ella I went to my OBGYN for my postpartum checkup and the lump was discovered.  It was discovered that early because of Ella!

The cancer was removed, a full hysterectomy performed and radiation administered.  I am cancer free.  The Lord knew back in the Summer of 2011 when I got pregnant that this baby would save my life.  I spent that summer wondering why the Lord would allow me to be pregnant and it took a year but the Lord answered me loud and clear.

I learned that I need to trust God in all situations no matter how difficult they may be.  Ella is a constant reminder that God loves us and that He is in control.

Ella Grace and me on her 3rd Birthday (March 2015)