Baby LeVan 8/23/2009

Last summer we decided that we were ready to start a family, so we started trying last July. My goal was not to get pregnant in July, but in August. (If it happend in July, that was ok) My plan was simple and flawless...get pregnant in August, have the baby in May when Jon was done with school. Then I'd be able to have his help with the newborn baby all summer long. We didn't want to tell people that we were trying. We (or I) wanted it to be this big surprise that totally took people by surprise. I had these plans of trying to keep it from our families for as long and I could and on a certain holiday to tell them and catch them off guard. Well, God had a differnt plan than mine.After not getting pregnant in August, I was really upset and ready to stop and wait until next August. I had my perfect plan and it didn't work out. I know that God knew the desires of my heart and how I was thinking...why wouldn't he allow me to get pregnant in my timing? I was even more upset when Jon said that he thinks it would take us awhile before we got pregnant. I thought about it and decided well, if I got pregnant in September, Jon would still be home for a couple of weeks during the summer before returning to school. As the months went on and the same results came we found ourselves in a lot of prayer. We know that God is faithful and would provide. We then began to wonder, does God just want us to focus on the kids at youth group and not have children? Does he want us to adopt? We just kept praying and trying to follow His leading. The discourage had not yet set in.At the end of April we were hit with an unexpected "blow". One of the youth that we had been working with found himself becoming a father at a young age. We love this young man and know that God has a great plan for his life, and are happy at the steps he is taking in becoming a responsible parent. And this is were the jealousy and frustration began. We confided in a few youth sponsor about our struggle with getting pregnant and now with our bad attitude. Why is it that loving couples who desire to have a family can't get pregnant and those (not specifically this young man, but people in general) who don't want the baby can have them? This was a time our faith was being tested. Not only were we still asking all of the above questions, we began to ask "should we start getting test for infertility"? If something was wrong with one of us, is it better to know that one of us were infertile? Could we handle this? How would it affect our marriage? But what if there was something wrong and it was an easy fix, then wouldn't we be foolish not to at least seek help? Finally, we (I) set our pride aside. We decided that it was time to take things to the next step. It was no longer good enough for just us to be praying and the few people we had confided in, it was time to share our struggle/desire and request prayer from our families and church family. We didn't want to burden our families with the news that we've been trying for what felt to be such a long time. We knew that they would be sad for us and hurt for us. But after much thought and prayer we let both the church family and our families in on our situation. The overwhelming support and encouragement has been amazing, and we've been able to see that the power of prayer really does work.At the end of May we met with our family doctor and he said that Jon would begin testing first. He was the easiest to test and rule out if there were any problems. We waited a little while before Jon went and got tested. (June was just a little bit of a crazy month). At the end of June, Jon made the fun trip to the lab. (Anyone who has to go through this our hearts go out to you). It was awhile before we got the results back...I think it was God's sense of humor.One day in July while I was at work, I just started feeling really wierd. I had already had a headach for two weeks and counting, but now I had to go to the bathroom every 15 minutes and I was so thirsty and found myself making really goofy mistakes. I honestly thought I was starting to get a UTI again. For some reason over lunch I decided to take a pregnancy test...and it was positive. I began to shake and knew it was not true! It says 99.9% accurate, and I knew that I was the .1% that was the error! After work I went to Target to get a couple more tests. I went into the handicap stall and took the test. I couldn't wait. It was positive too...and again it was wrong. I called a friend to have her talk some sense into me and I continued to tell her that she was wrong. I think that I knew deep down that it was right, I was pregnant, but I had to make sure. So a total of 5 tests later I decided that I really was pregnant and it was safe to tell Jon. (I just didn't want to get his hopes up just to crush them).As I was coming home from Target Jon called and said that he got his results back from his test and that he was picking up OG for dinner and lets go eat down by the river. This would be the perfect time to tell him the good news. But then I thought, oh I hope his test results don't come back saying that he is sterile...b/c I know differently. (There was some problems at the lab with how they processed things that did make us question how accurate the results would be).I stopped by Boarders on the way home and purchased a journal. I wrote Jon and note in it just encouraging him that God will provide a family for us in His perfect timing and what not. I then turned the page and put the date and wrote Dear Baby LeVan, your daddy is just now finding out that you are joining our family... (My parents kept a journal and wrote to my while they were pregnant with me. I had always thought this was a neat idea and I enjoy looking back at what they wrote. I knew that I wanted to do this for my child too).We went down to the river for dinner and Jon shared his results (which were really good, obviously). I then gave him the journal and he read it and said thank you. I asked him to turn the page and as he read it he began to cry. We just sat and cried our tears of happiness and prayed prayers of thankfulness.We knew that God would provide and that it would be in His perfect timing, NOT ours. We are so thankful for all the prayers, encouragement and support we've received. Please continue to pray for the little baby that is developing inside of me and that it's a happy, healthy baby.I'm due March 16th, 2010! We had an ultrasound done at week 9 and got to hear the babies heart beat and see it move it's little arms and legs and then go to sleep. It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen and heard...and yes, I creid, even to my surprise. (I thought it would be Jon who cried). I'll be going back at week 12 for another ultrasound. I can't wait to see how much more the baby is developed. We do plan on finding out the sex of the baby, but that won't be until week 20...so 9 more weeks to go.Thanks again for everything and to those who have started blessing us with baby supplies. You have no idea of the gifts you are giving. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! The baby's room is getting cleaned really well, repainted (by Jon) and crib getting set. (I can't be patient and wait...it's go, go, go). We are looking forward to the baby's arrival.So, this is the story so far. Thanks for reading.Love, Jon and Kristin