I'm Free!

I'm free! Well, not sure for how long...but so glad to be home for now. As Daniel already posted, I was instructed to up my medication Tuesday which made me feel pretty crappy. Then towards the evening on Tuesday night I started feeling full out contractions - so we were told to go to the hospital. By the time I got there, the contractions were getting worse pretty fast and had gotten to two minutes apart...so they immediately gave me a shot which worked to stop the contractions, but made me VERY shaky and made my heart race. Thirty minutes later they gave me another one because the contractions started again...so I got even more shaky, etc. At one point my heart rate was 140 beats per minute!! They did not like that - and I didn't either!

So I just continued to feel worse...until about 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon. I saw the high-risk OB who talked to us for a long time about how they weren't worried about Braelyn...cause she seems great...but they were worried about my heart rate. They kept me overnight again and lowered my medicine dose which helped slow my heart rate...and I started feeling better. This morning the high-risk OB came in and was very pleased that my heart was beating in the normal range...and happy that Braelyn's heart rate had lowered to normal as well. I am dilated to 1 to 2 cm...but not in active labor, so they sent us HOME!! I have not wanted to be home so bad this whole pregnancy! LOL!

I just woke up from the best two hour nap of my life! Daniel has been busy washing clothes from our hospital bags and re-packing...he is such a wonderful husband! He was such an amazing partner to have at the hospital. I am so thankful that he was able to be there for me...I love you Daniel!!

Thanks to everyone for your continued prayers. We really need to stay stable for at least two more weeks...

Update on Rachel

Dear Followers,

Last night, Rachel was told to up her medication from 1 pill to 2. She was told if she felt anything wierd to call and probably go to the hosiptal. Well, needless to say, we went to the hospital last night. She was hooked up for monitering and was having contractions about every 2 minutes for a while. They gave her some shots which stopped the contractions and then put her on a new pill every 4 hours. I fell asleep somewhere between 12 and 1 when everything calmed down. I woke back up just before 7 and Rachel's heart was beating at 130 beats per minute. She is now on an IV and feeling kinda sick. We will stay there the rest of the day and we don't know much more. Jamie is out there with her right now and I have come home to get a few things, feed the dog and fish, and shower. I will let everyone know more when I can get back online. Thanks for the prayers!

Daniel

Baby Update #5

Had our weekly ultrasound today. Everything looked exactly the same as last week, so they let me go home rather than making a stop at the hospital. Yay! Braelyn looks like she has a head full of hair! It looked like little feathers on the ultrasound. It was sooo cool!

We go back on Wednesday for a doctor's appointment, and return next Wednesday for our weekly ultrasound. The doctor told us today that they breathe easier at 34 weeks, which is only one week and 5 days away! (If I counted correctly...) She also said that girls seem to do better than boys if born early...so yay for Braelyn! She is a girl!

We weren't able to get any good pictures today because her head was really far down as always...and her face was towards my back. I think she is ready to meet everyone! Haha!

Thanks for the continued thoughts and prayers. We are definitely more anxious with each day, but the good kind of anxious. We are very excited that we will soon meet our baby girl!!

My Wife

Dear followers,

This is my (Daniel's) first ever post! I have enjoyed watching Rachel post things and reading all of the responses. We are very excited as Rachel will be off bedrest only 3 weeks from now after what has already been 14 weeks on bedrest (since 10-19). She has been amazing through all of this and really has tried to keep a positive attitude through all of this. It has been really trying on her and I am really proud of how she has responded. I love her and know all of you do.

On another note about how wonderful she is, she also allowed me to look into and purchase a fish tank! We had one before (10 gallons) and could never sustain it for a long time. Now we have a slightly bigger one (only 55 gallons, but it was the same price as a 29 gallon) and have had it set up for 6 days now thanks to her brother Jason. We will keep you posted on how long we can keep this one sustained.

Til next time!

Baby Update #4

Well, we had our weekly doctor's appointment and ultrasound today. Good news is that Braelyn continues to look healthy and happy! Not so good news - the situation with my cervix continues to get worse. They sent us to the hospital for observation again...and sent us home 2 1/2 hours later. Thankful that we are at home...just need to make it 3 1/2 more weeks!!

Thanks everyone for your prayers and support! We appreciate you all so much!

Cookie Attempt - It's the thought that counts...right?

Need a laugh? I'm pretty sure this might give you a few. So - I, Rachel, was attempting to be a sweet wife today by making some of Daniel's favorite cookies. Yes - I know it is completely bending the rules of bed rest (so no comments about it please), but I wanted to brighten his day and cheer him up a little bit. He deserves it!! So, I laid out all of the ingredients and went back to the couch for a while. Then I got up to just melt some of the ingredients and stir in the oats...and returned to the couch for a while. (Notice how careful I am about not being up long...) Then, I got up and formed them into cookies. Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies....yum!!

Everything was great! I wasn't in any more pain than normal...and really excited that I had succeeded...until...

I went to put them in the fridge to cool and harden, and I somehow knocked over a bottle of coffee creamer in the back of the fridge. It took me a few minutes to realize what had happened. All I knew was that I heard something that sounded like water pouring into a cup...and then I noticed that one of the trays of cookies had white liquid filling it up!!! Oh yes!! DISASTER!!! If that wasn't bad enough, I started hurting a little more than I have been and had to go back to the couch...

So now my wonderful husband, who has been so amazing throughout this pregnancy and is the best husband in the world, is going to come home to ruined cookies and a disgusting spill in the fridge to clean up. Some wife I am - huh?? HAHA! I am pretty sure I am never going to live this down...Love ya Daniel!!!

Little One

With a few suggestions from Daniel, I wrote this poem for Baby Braelyn. I have never done anything like this before...and was pretty nervous to post it for everyone to see. Daniel, however, encouraged me to put it on our blog...so here it goes. Hope you enjoy!

"Little One"

Little one, little one

Do not be afraid

You are safe where you are

For you are God-made

Little one, little one

I can't wait to meet

Each moment that passes

Brings hope so sweet

Little one, little one

Moving so free

I sit ever so still

Just waiting for thee

Little one, little one

My heart skips a beat

Each moment I feel

The gentle kick of your feet

Little one, little one

Hands so small

Little do you know, that in them you hold

The hearts of us all!

Baby Update #3

Hello all! Not much new to say today, which is great!! : )

Had an ultrasound this morning as usual and everything looks the same as last week - Good news! Bad news - it's not better...lol! Overall we are very pleased that it is still the same. The doctors have said that they have done everything they can at this point with medicine and such, and that it is just a waiting game now.

We are all packed and ready to jump in the car at any moment - and with our luck...that means Braelyn will stay put until 40 weeks...haha! The pain is really getting annoying, but not forming a pattern or getting worse at a rapid rate as of yet. I totally don't remember what it feels like to not hurt - AH!!

Overall, I feel like I am doing really well with all of the emotions and fears that are associated with this situation. God is truly using this situation to form me into a better person and I can't wait to be able to use what God has taught me! Obviously there is no way for me to not have moments of fear and frustration, but God is using those moments to make me stronger and to make our marriage stronger. I am LOVING growing closer to God and Daniel!

Until next time...

Baby Update #2

Hey everyone! Just wanted to let you know that we are going to have to pull the "No Visitors" card for a while. I am in quite a bit of pain and am needing to rest as much as possible. Due to my restrictions, I am unable to answer the door and be much company...

We appreciate all of your thoughts and prayers during this time. Cards, emails and calls are greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Baby Update!

Well, today was a super eventful day! We had our normal ultrasound appointment at 3:15 and a doctor's appointment following that. Then we found ourselves in a hospital room at Williamson Medical Center on the OB floor!! Atleast we can say that we had a mini-hospital tour...emergency room...elevator...hallway after elevator...and room 222....lol! They monitored me for a little over an hour, and gave me the first of two steroid shots to help Braelyn's lungs develop faster. We go back tomorrow night for the second of the shots. (hopefully that is all we have to do...). We are praying to make it atleast five more weeks or so. I was very pleased with the staff at the hospital and feel very good about delivering there in a few weeks. I have an ultrasound appointment next Monday as usual.

We really don't have any news other than that. Braelyn looks great - which is worth all of this!! I am so glad that I was able to come home for atleast a little while longer. I think I better go ahead and pack a hospital bag...cause Daniel and I were super bored tonight...lol! Checklist for hospital bag has begun. Item #1 - UNO; Item #2 - Phase 10 Dice....lol!

Till next time...

What I Have Learned...

Wow! The past three months have been the hardest and most rewarding months of our life...



I, Rachel, have learned so much about myself that I probably would have never realized until much later in life. What have I learned? Well, I almost don't know where to begin. Before we learned of Braelyn's coming, I was a very reserved person. I probably doubted myself 90% of the time and beat myself up constantly. I tried so hard to make everyone happy - that I completely forgot about myself. I was literally hiding from ME - and I had gotten pretty good at it! I hid from Daniel, my family, my friends, and myself.



Now that I have been forced to be with ME all day - every day - for three whole months...I have begun to discover who God made me to be. I am slowly shedding the fear and doubt that Satan did so well to place in my heart. God has given me a love for him and for myself - and I think it shows.



Trust me when I say that I can't take credit for any of this! I have had some amazing people in my life who have been the hands and feet of Jesus. Thanks to some wonderful godly women, I took the time to truly look at who I am and who I am able to be. Thank you Kristi, Cindy, Pam, and Mindy for helping me find my true self! If it were not for you guys and book club, I know that I would not have the strength that I do now.



I have already mentioned in previous posts how wonderful my husband, Daniel, has been through everything...but I had to get it in here as well - because he is THAT amazing!! I truly can't express how much I love him and will always appreciate his thoughtfulness and support!! Thanks Dan!



Of course, my family has played an equally significant role in all of this. Thanks mom and dad for always being there for us in all the ways that you have. For visiting and acting like everything is normal...for fixing us meals...for helping us financially when we didn't know how we would make it...and for always having smiles on your faces. Thanks Jana, Jason and Jamie for always stopping by and just chillin with me. It has been great to just have company. And Jason, you know how much we love our lights!!! Haha!



And of course all of the people from church and school that would be pretty impossible to list out here - but they know who they are. Thanks for all of the meals and visits over the past three months! We appreciate everything that God has done for us through you!



Well, I know this was long - and technically we still could have almost three months to go...but I had to get all of this out. I am just so appreciative-I can't hold it in any more! God is wonderful and has been wonderful to us throughout our lives! He gives us just what we need, and doesn't give us more than we can handle. (Even though at times - I'll be honest - I feel like I can't do this anymore...) God has used this situation to form Daniel and I into better spouses and better parents...and we can't wait to continue this amazing journey!



We love you all!