Light Bringing Gift of Jehovah

These past days have brought us so many reasons to be thankful and added opportunities to trust in Our Rock and Fortress.

Monday night I went into the ER for preterm labor contractions. Both baby and contractions were monitored for a couple of hours and a test was performed to indicate preterm labor. The test came back positive and so I was given a shot to stop contractions and put on strict bed rest until further notice.
Jack and I went back to the doctor yesterday for an ultrasound and three other tests. Baby couldn't have looked better on ultrasound...baby was 1 pound 12 oz, and was measuring right on schedule for 25 weeks. It was so precious to see our little one again! We were also given great news that I had plenty of amniotic fluid and my cervix was long and closed. We are awaiting the test results today, but are very hopeful that they will come back negative with the diagnosis being preterm contractions and not preterm labor. I learned that there is a big difference! :o)
We are so thankful for this little bump in the road. God has been so faithful to us by giving us amazing peace and hope. We haven't been fearful or anxious, which is such a testimony to the power of prayer and the Holy Spirit.
I will keep you posted on our test results............

Week 24!

Ultrasound!

On Tuesday we went in and had our ultrasound. It was such a neat experience. The little babe was resting and so he/she wasn't moving around too much. It has its little hands up by his/her face almost the whole ultrasound. It will be interesting to see if our little one sleeps like that after he/she is born. Baby was in the 63% percentile for weight and the heartbeat was 147 bpm. They did move our due date up 4 days to June 4th. I have gained 10 pounds in the first 21 weeks and I am actually starting to look pregnant! We are so thankful that everything went well and baby looks good!

Reflecting on God's goodness

So far 2009 has been filled with amazing reminders of God's goodness. After we got home from spending a wonderful 9 days with Jack's family in Minot, we received a notice in the mail indicating that we were selected to receive a $3000.00 grant from Steven Curtis Chapman's organization, Shoahannah's Hope, towards our adoption expenses. WOW! We also got a letter from our adoption agency letting us know that in 2009 our adoption expenses would be increasing $500.00. Wouldn't you know that that same day we got a check in the mail from some dear friends our ours for $500.00. These evidences served to remind us that God's hand is leading us and He is providing for our needs. A year ago we were really at a loss trying to think how we could come up with almost $20,000 to adopt....here we are a year later and God has provided all the money we need to adopt our son or daughter. Jack and I are just overwhelmed by how God has provided for His will in our lives!

In addition to our praises on the adoption front, today marks pregnancy week 19. It is hard to believe that next week we will be half way done with this pregnancy. I think that I have felt the baby move, but I am a little uncertain since I have never done this before and I am not exactly sure what it feels like. We have our ultrasound scheduled for January 20th....can't hardly wait to see this little one up on the screen. :o)

Blizzard and Snow Days!

So we officially are having our first blizzard of the season. It started snowing last night and hasn't stopped yet. We have snow drifts in our backyard as tall as I am...which makes it very hard for Charly make his way down the deck to do his business. The blizzard isn't supposed to end until tomorrow morning...school has already been cancelled! So that means a snow day for me and a work day at home for Jack tomorrow!! Little blessings from above!

Pregnancy Week 15!

More blessings of 2008!

Well it seems like God is growing the Keller family by leaps and bounds! After contacting our adoption agency, we learned that our paperwork has been over in Ethiopia since October 22nd! That means that we would be able to get a referral of an infant boy next month...the only thing is that since we are pregnant...we will have to be put "on hold" until June. After Baby Keller is born, we are able to go off of "hold" status to receive and accept a referral. After that, it will be 4-6 months until Baby Hope's homecoming! That means that we will have two children under one years old at this time next year! Although we are thankful for the precious time that we will get to spend with our biological child...we are so very anxious to bring our little boy/girl home from Ethiopia. Since we started the process last October...the entire process will take a little over 2 years. We trust that God's timing is perfect and so we believe that God is preparing us to receive a double blessing...everyone tells us that we will be "busy". I can't think of a better "busy" to be...I have dreamt about being a mommy since the time I can remember and both Jack and I look forward with longing to hold our two precious children in our arms!

There won't be just two Keller babies next year....three Keller babies will join the family in 2009. We found out that our brother and sister-in-law are also pregnant and due in July. Oh how sweet to experience the miracle of this baby too! God is so good!