5 Weeks Today!

Just wanted to give everyone a quick update on how things are going!

First of all, we were OVERWHELMED by the response to our good news last Friday! We literally could not believe all the enormous out-pouring of love from all of our sweet friends and family. Last Friday's blog was viewed over 500 times...I can't even believe that! I cannot tell you how much it means that our precious children are already so loved and prayed for before they even take their first breath! We are SO BLESSED! Thank you all for your incredible response to this blog and for walking beside us every step of this journey. This journey is far from over so I hope that you will continue to pray for us as we move forward. I am still planning on blogging...but it will definitely be fewer and farther between! Our appointments are now a little farther apart, but I will be updating this with every bit of good news and excitement as we get closer to our dream of parenthood! So many of you have commented on how much you have enjoyed reading...so I will keep on posting! Thank you for the love and support!

Back to Friday...I blogged before all of my test results came in, but I did want to tell you that my Progesterone level was right on track and my Estradiol level was way up! That was the level that had recently been low. So we were so thankful that both levels were good and that the patches and shots are still doing their jobs! I am still on 3 patches and still taking nightly injections of Progesterone. As far as I know, I will continue doing this until around the 12 week mark. San Antonio is keeping up with all of my progress and monitoring my medications until we make it to 12 weeks. I am so thankful that they are...we love them!

On Friday, my HCG level was at 243, which is what indicates pregnancy. Yesterday I had to go in and have this level checked again. We were THRILLED to hear that it had gone up to 1144! HCG levels vary a lot from woman to woman, but the big thing the look for is that it should be doubling every 48-72 hours. Since my level MORE than doubled twice in 4 days...that is a GOOD sign! Means this baby or babies is in there and holding on!

We are so blessed with every positive report and cannot stop praising God for his awesome power! Derek still looks at me all the time and says "Baby...you're pregnant!"  Just saying the words outloud is AMAZING! Precious Derek has been waiting a LONG five and a half years to say it and hearing those words just don't get old!!! We have all been up in the clouds since Friday and I don't know if we are coming down anytime soon...HA! I will say that I am already feeling some sickness...possibly because of all the hormones along with the pregnancy. But every feeling is just a reminder of how faithful our Father is so we are embracing it all! God is so good!

What is next? San Antonio has scheduled my first sonogram for August 6th which will be done here in San Angelo. On the sonogram, they will be checking to make sure the pregnancy has occured in my uterus and that the embryos did not travel somewhere else to attach. They should also be able to see whether it is one baby or two babies...which I know everyone is anxious to know! Honestly, we have prayed from the very beginning that God be in control of this whole situation. We told God that we were open to whatever children He had planned...whether that be one or two. We know that God's plans FAR EXCEED our own and that He has been planning this WAY before we ever began. We will welcome whatever children He has in store for us and will praise Him all the way! We are anxious to know, but we are at peace with whatever it will be! We have so much JOY during this time that every single step is SO much fun! Hopefully, they will be able to find the heartbeat(s) at the sonogram too which we are really looking forward to!

We ask that you continue to pray, right along with us as we continue on! We have been constantly thanking God since Friday, as I know so many of you have too! Please pray that my body continues to respond to the medicine and that I am able to provide a good home for these sweet bab(ies) until March! We are so blessed by your friendship! We love you all!

 "May he give you the DESIRE of your HEART and make all your plans SUCCEED. May we SHOUT for JOY over your VICTORY and LIFT up our banners in the name of our God."  Psalm 20:4-5