...for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you...

 "Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; our God is merciful.  The Lord preserves the simple (me); when I was brought low, he saved me. Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling; I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. I belived, even when I spoke, 'I am greatly afflicted.'"

I want to fill these pages with Psalms of praise and thanksgiving!!! My heart is so full!!! The Lord has indeed dealt bountifully with us. Three weeks ago we were told that, more than likely, we would never come home with a baby. On more than one occasion we were given the option of terminating the pregnancy, because the chances of Sadie living were slim to none. In three weeks, the Lord has heard the cries of His people and answered! Today there was no reason that the doctors could see that Sadie would not only be able to make it to birth but be able to survive on her own, outside my body. The chances of me even going into premature labor are very slim. At 24 weeks, Sadie is measuring 25 1/2 weeks. She is a good weight and size and her heart beat is strong. Her heart is the size it should be and all 4 chambers of her heart are in tact. Her stomach was COMPLETELY normal! The larger opening in the back of her brain measured just above normal, but the rest of brain was completely developed and normal. So, this "space" is no longer a concern or threat. The only two issues of concern are her heart and kidney, but even those at this point are not considered "lethal" as they were three weeks ago. We were told today that she never should have made it past the first trimester. The Lord is our Great Physician!!!

     Here is the lowdown with her heart and kidney: There is still possibly a small hole in her ventricle wall, so small, in fact,  that they aren't even sure it is a hole. She does have aortic stenosis, which will have to continue to be monitored to determine it's severity at birth. There is another condition that is common with Turner Syndrome called  coarctation of the aorta. The doctors have not yet determined whether or not Sadie has this condition.  If they find that she does, it would require surgery within the first few weeks of life.  This is another thing that the pediatric cardiologist will continue to monitor throughout the remainder of my pregnancy, along with the aortic stenosis. Sadie's right kidney is larger than it was 3 weeks ago. At this point, it is so full of fluid-filled cysts that it is taking up half of her abdomen. As she grows, this kidney could begin to put pressure on other organs. Also- when she is born and begins to breath on her own, it is possible that her lungs may not have room to expand because of the size of the kidney. Therefore,  they may need to remove her right kidney within the first couple weeks of life. There is also a possibility that the kidney would grow to a point that it actually retracts on its own and won't require surgery. Either way, her left kidney is strong and she can live with only one kidney. In conclusion, she may need surgery on her heart and/or her kidney (or neither). They will continue to closely monitor Sadie over the next few months. I will hopefully be able to deliver in Roanoke. There is still the possibility of delivering at Duke or UVA depending on what surgery or care she may need after birth.... But the point in all this is that I will be delivering a living baby girl named Sadie Robin Johnson!!!!  (Obviously we are aware that there are always  risks and there is always a chance of something going wrong... for all you skeptics out there)... but THE LORD HAS HEARD OUR CRIES AND ANSWERED!!!!  He has not let our feet stumble. He is faithful and merciful to His children!
We are in awe of our Father. He is the Sovereign Creator and we bow humbly at His majestic and beautiful feet! I can't even express to you how overwhelmed we are with the Lord's kindness to us! Sean and I both cried so much more today than we did 3 weeks ago, but they were all tears of joy!! Who am I that that He would be mindful of me!
         Oh, you who do not know this awesome God... Cry out to Him, for He hears our cries and He will answer! Call upon the Name of the Lord for salvation!  For those that are His children and are in the midst of a trial, do not question the power of the Lord, rest in Him, even in the midst of the storm. Find comfort in His Word. He will never leave or forsake His children. His Word is true. Again- I could fill these pages with Psalms of praise and thanksgiving... or I can point you to the Author of Life and to His Word. Go there and find Him. How awesome is the Lord our God!

         
"I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined His ear to me, therefore I will call on Him as long I live." Psalm 116:1-2

"Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your Name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!" Psalm 115:1