G's birth story, Part 2

To read Part 1, go here.

After my mom told the family she would name baby girl, we laughed and told everyone we would have a name for them by the evening. We just wanted to see her one more time. Then we asked my mom what name she would give her. DH was in the kitchen area eating and feeding C his breakfast and I was down the hall fixing my hair. She started by telling us this story:

The week before Easter I was at one of the local parishes for confession. While I was waiting in line, I saw what appeared to be a tapestry of the image of the Divine Mercy. As I looked closer, I realized that in each square of fabric was an image of an unborn baby. Nearby was a sheet that asked people to name the unborn babies--babies who had been aborted. Since it wasn't my parish, I didn't write down a name, but as I stood there, I thought about what name I would give one of the babies. All of a sudden, the name G came to my mind. It wasn't a name I had thought about before, but I thought it was perfect. And then I thought, wouldn't it be something if (here she named DH & me) we named the baby G! I know you (DH & me) have never discussed names with me, but I thought it was such a pretty name. I thought wouldn't it be pretty to have her name be "G.G." Then I thought about it, and I didn't like "G.G" as a nickname, so I decided "C" would be a better middle name. "G. C." was better.

At this point in the story, I was glad I was in the other room and not trying to keep a straight face! I went in, looked at DH wondering if he wanted to reveal her name. We decided not to (although apparently my mom saw "the look" but then quickly dismissed it).

After breakfast, DH & I headed back to the hospital while my mom spent the rest of the morning with C. We decided that later in the day, DH would bring C & my mom to the hospital so they could both meet her.

We stayed in the family waiting room after we arrived at the hospital and gave baby girl her next feeding and watched while her hearing screening was done. It was a quiet day, holding and feeding her, watching her sleep and briefly open her eyes.

Mid-afternoon, DH returned to the hotel to pick up C and my mom. I waited while baby girl slept peacefully. When they arrived, DH brought C over to the bassinet and picked him up. He said "C - meet your new little sister! Can you say "G.M.?" At that point my mom got tears in her eyes and said "did you really pick that name?!!" When we told her we had, she said "I like that middle name the best."

Later that night (it was still Friday although it certainly felt like more than a day had passed!), DH took C and my mom back to the hotel and stopped to pick up dinner for us on the way back. We stayed as late as we could and decided again to get one more "good" night's sleep. On Saturday we watched all the baby safety DVD's mandated by the state and spent most of the day with her, and C and my mom again came for a visit. C was adored by all the nurses, who got a good laugh every time C would bolt out of the room and make a break for it down the hall. We're not sure where he was trying to go, except to perhaps explore! :) Again, that night, DH picked up dinner for us after my mom and C left, and that night the nurses were able to give me a room so I could spent the night with our sweet girl. She woke up every 2 hours or so--I didn't sleep much - I can never fall asleep easily, so she woke me up right after I fell asleep each time, but clearly I didn't care a bit! Early Sunday morning, DH picked me up at the hospital so we could get to Mass (Feast of the Divine Mercy) and so I could go back to the hotel to shower. We were back at the hospital before noon and we waited to make sure baby G passed her car seat test (she did!) and talked to the doctor and nurses and soon we were ready to be discharged!

Waiting for all the paperwork to be signed!

back at the hotel

proud big brother!

We did have to wait until after her follow up appointment and blood work the next morning before we could head to my parent's house. Fortunately the blood work the next morning was fine, and she weighed in fine at her appointment, so we ended up having C ride back with my mom and DH drove while I sat with baby G in the back seat.

We ended up getting clearance through interstate 3 days later (though I must confess my heart stopped when we got the call that we were cleared - we had just gotten to daily Mass that Thursday when my phone rang, and I saw our agency on the caller ID. I stepped out and called the agency back, and was so relieved when I was told that we had cleared interstate. I was so afraid G's birthmother had changed her mind! We still decided to stay a few days so that DH's family could meet her before we headed home.

Four (plus) months later... we are so in love with our sweet girl. We have been so blessed by the gift of her life!!

G's birth story, Part 1

I'm finally getting around to writing Baby G's birth story.. for some reason I thought I already did!

We received the call from our agency that G's birthmother was going to be induced on April 24th, the day after Easter (April 21st). Her original due date was May 11th, but we did anticipate an early delivery/induction since her birth mother's blood pressure was being monitored. We called my mom shortly after we heard from our agency - she was the one coming to help us with C. We decided in order to maximize DH's 2-week paternity leave that he would work all day Wednesday and we would head out that evening since G was to be born out of state. Tuesday was C's birthday, and we ended up just doing a family celebration (we were planning to invite some close friends over for dinner before we got the call for the induction), but he was quite pleased with his dessert and the opportunity to blow out candles. :)

I cancelled piano lessons the rest of the week, and focused on packing during C's afternoon naps. On Wednesday, as planned, we left Northern VA and headed out. Fortunately, though out of state, it was only about 3 hours of driving. C slept after an hour into the trip so it was a quiet drive; time for us to pray for a healthy delivery and for baby girl's birth mother. We arrived at the hotel, met my mom (she had arrived earlier and had checked in and gotten our keys), so we didn't have to do much but get C up to the room and put him to bed.

Thursday morning, we had to be at the hospital pretty early, and we met with one of the local agencies social workers, and DH & I were able to meet G's birth mother. She was already in triage when we met her, and while it was a short conversation, words cannot describe the emotions I felt when I heard G's beautiful heartbeat over the fetal monitor. It was truly a blessing.

We returned to the family waiting room (my mom and C were there with us), and the social worker suggested we head out for the day and to keep checking with her on how things were progressing, so we ended up leaving to get to noon Mass at a local church. After Mass, we stopped to get lunch, then headed back to the hotel to put C down for his nap. C slept for a good part of the afternoon and we periodically checked on how G's birthmother was doing. Right before dinner, the agency SW called and said G's birthmother had stopped responding to texts, so she thought we needed to get over to the hospital. She said we probably had time to get dinner, so we ended up just eating at a restaurant at the hotel next to us, and after getting C back to the hotel with my mom, headed back to the hospital. We camped out in the family waiting room again, and waited to hear news. The nurses at the hospital were absolutely wonderful - they had worked with our agency before, and were so supportive of the process, and us as adoptive parents. A little while later, the birthmother's nurse eventually came in and said she really thought it would be a while longer, and suggested we head back to the hotel to get some sleep. (Like that was possible!!! :)) We took her advice, and headed back to the hotel. (I think it was around 9:00.) My mom had put C to bed, so I took a quick shower thinking I wouldn't have time to do so when we got the call that the timing was close. We tried to get to bed quietly, but C woke up, so we ended up with him in our bed for about an hour until he settled down. No sooner had DH gotten him back in the pack-n-play than we got the call from the nurse. She said to hurry - they weren't sure if I would be allowed into the delivery room as G was born. C woke up again in all the rush of our getting out the door, and we had to wake up my mom who had just fallen asleep, but we were out the door as fast as possible. Fortunately C went back to sleep on his own, shortly after we left. I'm pretty sure we broke a few speed limits on the way!, but we got to the hospital shortly after 11. We had to go through the ER - DH parked the car, I ran in and explained why we were there. DH came in as the aide was filling out my ID badge and he walked us up to the floor. The nurses greeted as and asked if we had brought a camera. We hadn't, but fortunately had our phones! They took me back and put me in scrubs and had me wait in the hall - they still weren't sure I would be allowed in the delivery room. Here I am looking snazzy outside the delivery room in my scrubs!

It felt like forever, so I ended up texting back and forth with my family - and DH standing just outside the door to pass the time. It turned out that I wasn't in the delivery room for her birth, but the nurse came to get me just minutes after . While DH and I had narrowed down names, we wanted to wait until we saw her to decide. As soon as I saw her sweet face, I knew she looked like a baby G! :)

The nurse let me trim her cord, and I just stood staring at her until we took her to the nursery where we met DH. She was just so tiny! We watched while she was checked over, and when they weighed her - 5 pounds exactly!! The nurse gave us a souvenir birth certificate which was sweet. Here she was all bundled up. 

We fed her, took turns holding her, (continuing sending texts and photos with family!!) and then decided to head back to the hotel. We asked about having a room so that one of us could stay overnight with her, but they weren't able to give us one, at least not the first night. We decided to go back to get some more sleep and come back in the morning. We tried to time it so we'd only miss one feeding.

After catching a few more hours of sleep at the hotel, we woke up when C did and started getting ready for the day. During breakfast, one of my sisters texted and asked what her name was. Before DH or I could respond, my mom sent the family a message saying that if we didn't come up with a name, she was going to name baby girl! :)

To be continued... 

Our Daughter...

was born Friday, April 25th at 12:18 am. Exactly 2 years ago, the day we brought C home. She's a little peanut - weighing 5 pounds exactly and she was 18 inches long. We are with family now until we have clearance to head back home, hopefully at the end of this week or at the beginning of next. I can't post photos until TPR, but thank you SO MUCH for your comments and prayers!!

C is doing well - he doesn't like when we've had to leave him, but he's had fun with grandma and he likes to ask for "sister" and look at her and point out her eyes and nose. The first time he saw her his whole face lit up in a beautiful smile. I will never forget seeing that.

We are so in love!! :)

As for God, His way is perfect

A few weekends ago I had the opportunity to play for a wedding - I didn't personally know the couple, though I met the groom at the rehearsal I had with their friend who was singing for the wedding. The bride taught at a local Catholic high school and the chaplain of the school was the celebrant for the Mass. It was wonderful to see the many students who came to see her get married. The homily was absolutely beautiful. The priest mentioned the percentage of couples who now actually get married -- about 30%. He reminded this couple that they will be a strong witness. They should be the couple who, when friends of theirs are struggling, they will be sought for advice. For how to make it work. For how to accept challenges and crosses.

Weddings are so beautiful when the couple has put God at the center of their relationship. I think for those of you married, being at another wedding makes you remember your own. The vows you took. How your husband looked that day - how excited you felt as you began your vocation as a wife. The dreams you had. My dreams of course centered around the family we planned to have. The many children we prayed God would bless us with. For so many years we had to wait.

I also received an email last Friday from the farm where we purchase milk and meats when we are visiting my parents. The farmer had an email this week dedicated to his family and in particular his son who is engaged. The story of how the couple met clearly had God's hand all over it. Included was a photo of their engagement announcement. The scripture on the announcement was from Psalm 18.

"As for God, His way is perfect."

How fitting a verse for our second child.

We have been chosen again by a birthmother to be parents. Her due date was originally May 11- Mother's Day of all days - but the birthmother is going to be induced tomorrow- April 24th. Exactly two years ago, that was the day we received "the call" about C.

C will soon be able to wear the "Big Brother" t-shirt we picked out last week.

As I read the email from the farmer, those dreams I had as a bride and as a new wife came to mind. I thought I knew the course my path would take as mother. I didn't. It was hard. It was excruciating. It was anger and sadness and frustration and so many emotions all at once. But because eventually I stopped fighting, and asked what He wanted and not what I wanted, our family is about to change and grow again. His way often permits suffering.

I am also aware that we are again in the middle of Infertility Awareness Week. As joyful and hopeful that I am about this little girl, my heart breaks again for those of you still waiting. All of you will be very close to my heart as we wait out the 30 days until TPR.

But as we celebrated this past weekend - the suffering of Good Friday does lead to the JOY of Easter Sunday. For those of you still waiting, it may still feel like Good Friday. Do not give up hope.

His way is perfect.