Jonah

Today marks exactly 1 year since we found out we were expecting our little bundle of joy, Jonah. For those who may not know, we thought our family was complete. We were in a stage of our lives where we were done with the baby/toddler stage, and were quite happy about it to tell you the truth. Just 6 months prior, we moved from the St. George area to the Salt Lake area, and in the process had given away all of our baby stuff. Andrew, our youngest, would be entering Kindergarten the next fall, and I would have some "free time" each day to get things done. It's funny how when you're just getting comfortable in a situation, the Lord decides to shake things up a bit. At first, I was in denial. There was no way I could be pregnant at this stage of my life. I was 39 years-old for crying out loud!

The ironic thing is that we had struggled with infertility for the first six years of our marriage. I remember wondering if I would ever have the opportunity to be a mother. After a miscarriage and years of fertility drugs and treatments, we were finally able to conceive our first son, Alex. The other children came a little easier, but we still needed some medical intervention. I had two more miscarriages in between my girls, and then we were blessed with a "surprise" pregnancy that didn't end in miscarriage...Andrew. Because of these experiences, one would think I would be overjoyed with a second "surprise". I am ashamed to say that it was a very difficult pill for me to swallow. Dealing with severe morning sickness and fatigue only made it worse. I prayed frequently for peace that this was part of His plan for me. It didn't come right away, but one day while at a doctor appointment, I found what I was looking for. I was having an ultrasound because of my risk of miscarriage. On the screen, I could see a tiny alien-like creature that looked more like a gummy bear than a human. I suddenly felt a rush of peace and love for the little life growing inside me. I knew, without a doubt, that this child was meant to come to our family at this time of our lives. Suddenly, the physical challenges I was going through didn't matter so much anymore.

On October 9, 2013, we welcomed our little bundle of joy to our family. Weighing in at 7 lbs. 4 oz., he was the smallest of our bunch. He has been such a blessing, and so very loved by our entire family! I cannot imagine what life would be like without our sweet Jonah.

3 months old