The Miracle of Life

It's official - Riley is going to be a big sister!! Corey and I had decided when we got married that we wanted our children two years apart. But, I have always heard that if you want to give God a good laugh, tell him your plan for your life. So, we weren't exactly sure if God's plan would be the same as ours. But, thankfully, he heard the desires of our heart and is blessing us with the miracle of another child!!

I went to the doctor on Tuesday, and it was confirmed. Our next little miracle is due on July 4th - an Independence Day baby!! And, to make this even better, Corey's brother, Clay and his wife Kellie found out they are also pregnant and are due on July 2nd!! I don't think we could have timed this any better if we tried! So, the Brown family will be expanding once more.

But, back to my doctor's visit on Tuesday. I went in expecting the usual - confirm that I'm pregnant, give me a tentative due date, and set up my next appointments. But, that was not the case. You see, when Riley was born, I experienced a cervical tear during delivery. While my recovery was slightly longer than average, I was back to myself fairly quickly. And, since her birth, I really haven't thought twice about any possible side effects. But, now that Baby #2 is on the way, there are some concerns about how my cervix has healed. If it hasn't healed properly or if it is weak at the sight of the tear, there is some risk that it will become incompetent during my 2nd trimester or early part of my 3rd trimester, causing me to deliver prematurely.

So, instead of waiting until 18 weeks for an ultrasound, I will be having them fairly regularly to monitor my cervix. The first of these ultrasounds was on Tuesday and let me tell you it was nothing short of a miracle. Riley and I were able to see this new life, little heartbeat and all, as clear as day on the monitor. And, at this point my cervix is looking great (if that is possible)!!

So, as our new little miracle continues to grow, I covet your prayers over this pregnancy. Specifically, that my cervix would be completely healed and strong enough to endure a full-term pregnancy and that there would be no complications with delivery. I will keep you updated as we progress...