Thankful Thursday - Nana and Grams Come to Play!

Nathan and I are so thankful to have such amazing moms!  When Elisha was born they both dropped everything to come and help us out with the transition from three to four. My mom (Nana) came to keep Judah while we were in the hospital and stayed for a few days after Elisha came home and then Nathan's mom (Grams) came in for the  next week - two whole weeks of being taken care of by our moms was great!  Not only were they here to love on and spoil the boys (and us but we know who they really came to see!) but we were also able to celebrate Christmas with them which was a treat considering we were not able to go to Atlanta this year.

We are crazy grateful for their love, service to us and complete spoiling of our family.  Words will not be enough to describe how special their time here was to us.  We love you!

 

Wordless Wednesday - Happy Birthday Jesus Cupcakes!

One Month!

My how the time flies - Elisha is one month old! This week we had both his one month check up and an appointment with the hematologist.

Elisha's One Month Stats - 9lbs and 12oz (yep that is almost 3 lbs more than when he was born!) that puts him in the 50th percentile and he is a little taller than average at 21 3/4 inches and the 55th percentile. We have a healthy growing boy on our hands...I was also told by the doctor that he is very strong - already holding his head up and turning from side to side - just like his big brother at his age.

Hematologist Update - We have been checking his platelets every week and have gotten GREAT numbers each week...this week was no exception!  He was at 380,000 platelets this week which has indicated that it is safe to move to bi-weekly visits.  We continue to praise the Lord for His provision of fantastic doctors and that He continues to be the Great Physician in the healing of our little boy!

Celebrating with the Crafts!

The Crafts...even though they are not technically family...they are.  Joey's has a December birthday so we celebrated his life and the life of Christ at the same time.  I am so thankful that we share the bond of Christ with this family - they truly sharpen, encourage and walk beside us in our lives. Happy Birthday Mr. Joey and Merry Christmas Craft Family!

Christmas Morning (in Pictures)

Chirstmas Eve - Botanical Gardens and Old Ebbitt

Merry Christmas!

Big Brother Special Outings

Over the past few weeks Judah has been able to go with Nathan on some special trips because he is the big brother.  We have tried to make this time special for him and to make the transition from being the only child to being a brother a fun time.  Judah has been amazing through it all - that is not to say that we have not had our moments.  For the most part Judah accepted the fact that Elisha is a part of our family as if he has always been around...I am very thankful that I prayers were answered and that Judah is a great big brother (we are praying that it continues!).

Update!

I am WAY overdue to update on Elisha's hematology appointment last week - actually he has already had TWO!  Life with 2 kiddos definitely changes the daily routine around this place (smile).

Last Tuesday Nathan and I took Elisha to have a consultation with Dr. Augubosh at Georgetown University in the Lombardi Children's Oncology and Hematology Clinic.  It was a long day (much longer than we expected - many thanks to Page and Sayde for letting Judah hang out with them!).  We were able to ask questions and Dr. Augubosh helped us to understand more clearly the reason for Elisha's condition and the process on making sure that he is completely fine.  We thought that we would be cleared last Tuesday but we still have a few more weeks before that will happen.  However, even though Elisha will have to be monitored for a little longer both last week and this week showed great numbers in regards to his platelets and his overall growth and health. In fact he has gained 2 pounds since he was born 3 1/2 weeks ago - his big brother better watch out!  We were also cleared to have his circumcision yesterday which was a huge check on the list of things that we wanted to be taken care of as soon as possible.   We are so grateful to the amazing care that the Lord has provided for Elisha during this time - his little body continues to heal and he continues to be a great joy to our family.

Wordless Wednesday - Judah's Very Own Christmas Tree

Our THANKSGIVING Story

Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples.  Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; Speak of all His wonders. Psalm 105:1-2

Thanksgiving is a day that will never be forgotten in this home and it is a day that will never be looked at the same as before.  Praise the Lord for the arrival of Elisha Giles Knight - 6lbs 15oz and 19 1/4 inches!

On Wednesday, November 24th, I went in for my 38 week check up where Dr. Engle told me that there was not much change and that I should not expect to have a baby before my due date - December 9th.  He actually went ahead and scheduled my induction date for December 22nd so that the beds at the hospital would not be full and we could be home for Christmas.  With the news from the appointment I went home planning to do a little Christmas shopping and Thanksgiving food prepping that afternoon.  Around 7:00pm I started to have some pretty strong contractions but thought that I had just over done it and that a little snuggle time with Judah while we watched Curious George was just what would stop them.  Nope...they just kept getting stronger and closer together.  Still I did not say anything to Nathan because after all the doctor told me that it would be December for sure! I got ready for bed and decided it was time to tell Nathan to be prepared...we just might be going to the hospital.  Even though I tried to make it through the night so that everyone could get just a little more sleep I could hold out no longer and at 3:30ish am we were on our way to the hospital (thanks to the Crafts for taking care of Judah until Nana could get here!).

We were admitted to the hospital about 4:00am and was around 3cm...I held out as long as I thought that I could and got an epidural at 4cm.  At around 8:00am Dr. Engle (yep same doctor who told me I would not have a baby until December) came into check on our progress and to tell me that he was going off duty but that Dr. Osmun (my favorite!) was coming on duty and would deliver me.  At this point I was at 6cm and the epidural was QUICKLY wearing off.  Dr. Engle told us that it would be around noon when Elisha would start to make his appearance. Well, around 8:20 am my water broke - the contractions came with a new intensity - Nathan prayed - my epidural was completely worn off.  Let's just say the next 31 minutes were completely worth it but physically the toughest minutes of my life.  Elisha Giles proved the doctor wrong AGAIN and was born at 8:51am. Happy Thanksgiving!

Many of you rejoiced with us at the news of the arrival of our second son and then you also prayed for us with great intensity (we are beyond thankful for all of the prayers lifted on our behalf around the world - yes the world!) when we were told that everything was not quite right.  Elisha was born with Thrombocytopenia which means that his platelets in his blood were low...his were VERY low.  Platelets are considered low at 100,000 and Elisha had 17,000.  The Lord was so good...the Neonatologist was present at the delivery because there was meconium in my water (pretty common) and noticed little spots on Elisha's body when they were giving him a bath (petechiae). This signaled her that there was something wrong with his blood. Praise the Lord that she was there and that she was paying attention!  Since his platelets were SO low she wanted to do another test from closer to his heart - the platelets dropped to 15,000.  So at around 3:00 pm Elisha was taken to the New Born ICU to be monitored and given a drug to help increase his platelets (IVIG).  There are many details about the drugs and the condition that would take too long to explain but let me say once again our God is so good and gracious - during this overwhelming day all my heart could think of was "Be still and KNOW that I am God."  Nathan and I prayed and waited.  Elisha's little body handled the drugs well and the next morning the platelets were up to 42,000 still low but better.  He had another dose of the IVIG the next night and once again we waited and prayed.  He was up to 79,000!  The next two days we prayed, waited, visited the NICU, went home and left our sweet son at the hospital in care of excellent nurses and doctors, and watched his platelets increase to 132,000 and then by Monday morning 225,000!  On Monday we took our little boy home...5 days old and already such a strong fighter and a powerful story to tell of God's sweet grace and mercy in his life. 

So see...our Thanksgiving will take on and even more thankful meaning from this Thanksgiving forward.  Even now I am not sure that I can express the full extent of my extreme gratitude to the Lord for granting life to Elisha.  There are so many things that could have gone wrong but the Lord was one step ahead  working EVERY detail out for this sweet outcome.  We give all glory and honor and praise to Whom it is due...the Lord.  We watched Him guide skilled doctors hands, bring people to their knees in prayer for our family, guard our minds and our hearts in Christ Jesus, use technology and medicine to make our son healthy,work on His perfect timetable and not ours, to grow our faith, and to open opportunities to share the Him and the gospel with those we came in contact with.

Thank you for praying...we ask that you continue to pray for our "clearance" appointment with the hematologist this week.  We have been given every reason to believe that this appointment will go fine and that Elisha will be considered completely healthy and with no lasting complications!

Wordless Wednesday - Brothers

A Glimpse...