Hi Everyone,
For the 2nd time this month, we are writing to share some GOOD news! This afternoon, we had a follow-up echocardiogram to check the progress of our baby's heart development. Thanks to our daughter's kicks, punches and twisting, it took 2 1/2 hours of scanning to obtain the pictures they needed. The official statement from the pediatric cardiologist was something like, "I'm not saying that you're all free and clear, but this is definitely a better picture than we were seeing last time." To translate- "Somebody's been praying, because things are looking up!"
To be specific, we've been following the size of the first portion of the aorta and the left ventricle with great interest. If the aorta stayed as narrowed as it looked before, it would need open heart surgery to reconstruct it immediately or soon after birth. If the left ventricle continued to stay small even as the body grew, it would risk a condition known as "hypoplastic left heart syndrome," which could be fatal or require even more dramatic surgery or even heart transplantation.
Today, the first pictures of the aorta looked so good and close to normal that they spent 40 minutes trying to get a different angle to confirm that fact! They were unable to get the exact confirmatory angles they wanted, but were optimistic that the coarctation has "definitely NOT worsened, and appears to have gotten some better." We also learned that the left ventricle is still smaller than expected for this stage in development, but nothing near the range of being "hypoplastic." The fact that the left ventricle remains small leads them to suspect a small amount of coarctation is still present, but we won't be able to tell until birth.
Simply put: by the end of our first echocardiogram, we were on a trajectory toward open heart surgery immediately after birth and ran the risk of potentially fatal hypoplastic left heart syndrome. After the improvement seen today, hypoplastic left heart seems extremely unlikely to develop and open heart surgery may not need to be immediate, if it's necessary at all. In addition, if she ends up needing surgery, it might be a much simpler operation than they previously expected.
As you can imagine, we are thrilled! In the days after we first received the news of our daughter's diagnosis, we believed that God wasn't done knitting her together, and asked you to pray toward that end. Indeed we are seeing evidence that the One who says He knits her together, isn't limited to fetal development timelines. Thank you for continuing to stand with us in prayer as well as for your encouragement and support. Our daughter's life and future are literally being changed as you pray.
Gratefully yours,
Matt, Sara and Baby Girl Harms
Wednesday, August 3, 2005
Saturday, July 30, 2005
Elizabeth Archives - Pregnancy Update
Dear friends and family,
Our prayers are being answered. Based on last week's ultrasound, we know our little one is growing! Though she still has a short femurs and humeri (signs of short stature - associated with Turner), overall, she is in the 66.7th percentile! At this news, my OB responded that she was "delighted with her growth! That's really good for a baby with Turner." I'm sure it can't hurt that her parents are a little above average for height. :)
She's still really active, which is an important signal to us that she's thriving. Since still birth is still a higher risk for babies with Turner, her daily kicks and twists, though beginning to feel a bit more like an alien in my belly, are extremely reassuring.
Next week we'll go in for a follow-up fetal echo (heart ultrasound). We continue to pray that her aorta is getting stronger and healthy and that the left side of her heart would grow to it's proper size. Thank you so much for your continued prayers, encouragement, and well-wishes. We are daily being blessed by our community of friends and family.
Have a wonderful weekend,
Love,
Sara (for all three of us)
Our prayers are being answered. Based on last week's ultrasound, we know our little one is growing! Though she still has a short femurs and humeri (signs of short stature - associated with Turner), overall, she is in the 66.7th percentile! At this news, my OB responded that she was "delighted with her growth! That's really good for a baby with Turner." I'm sure it can't hurt that her parents are a little above average for height. :)
She's still really active, which is an important signal to us that she's thriving. Since still birth is still a higher risk for babies with Turner, her daily kicks and twists, though beginning to feel a bit more like an alien in my belly, are extremely reassuring.
Next week we'll go in for a follow-up fetal echo (heart ultrasound). We continue to pray that her aorta is getting stronger and healthy and that the left side of her heart would grow to it's proper size. Thank you so much for your continued prayers, encouragement, and well-wishes. We are daily being blessed by our community of friends and family.
Have a wonderful weekend,
Love,
Sara (for all three of us)
Sunday, June 19, 2005
Elizabeth Archives - Pregnancy Update
Hi there,
So after much pestering, we finally got around to taking an updated "pregnancy picture" and since 6 weeks has passed between the last one and this one, I think it's apparent, our little one is growing! She's kicking all the time now, and sometimes I poke her back and get a response. I doubt she's really aware of our little "game" but it's fun to imagine her shadowboxing in there...Speaking of the little boxer, I've also attached a picture of her, taken in 3-D, during our fetal echocardiogram. (one blessing in doing all these tests!) If you're not able to see her, (it's a bit like those pictures you have to cross your eyes to see...) here are some clues...her head is at the top of the picture and her belly below. we're looking at her left side and front, and her left arm is reaching up to "shade her eyes" while her right leg is curled up in the background. Hope that helps...
We had our follow-up ultrasound last week and it went smoothly. Unfortunately it verified that all the abnormalities are still there. The left heart is still small, the ascending aorta is still small, the Cystic Hygromas are still there and seemingly stable (not growing or shrinking much - good news). Unfortunately they also were able to conclusively identify inferior vermian agenesis (non-growth)...the cyst in her cerebellum is still there.
Not much is known about any link between Turner Syndrome and the cerebellum issue, so it's likely not associated, and in fact, there is also limited knowledge about the impact on her mental development after birth based on the discovery of the agenesis, so we'll just have to wait and see.
Though we were disappointed that there wasn't any change in her symptoms, Matt and I are doing pretty well. We don't have any more tests for a while, and have decided to turn our attention to a little painting and furniture moving while I can still participate. Today we celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary as well as Matt's first Father's Day, though Matt's on call and I led worship at church, so we played it low key until we can really celebrate with a little getaway in July. In a few weeks I'll fly out to Winnipeg to meet my very first niece...Eiley Katherine, and soak up all the mothering advice I can from my big sister and Matt will wrap up his 2nd year of Residency...Just 2 more to go!!
We are grateful for your continued prayers for us and for our daughter. So far no name yet, but we'll keep you posted!
Hope this email finds you doing well,
Love,
Sara (and Matt & Baby H.)
So after much pestering, we finally got around to taking an updated "pregnancy picture" and since 6 weeks has passed between the last one and this one, I think it's apparent, our little one is growing! She's kicking all the time now, and sometimes I poke her back and get a response. I doubt she's really aware of our little "game" but it's fun to imagine her shadowboxing in there...Speaking of the little boxer, I've also attached a picture of her, taken in 3-D, during our fetal echocardiogram. (one blessing in doing all these tests!) If you're not able to see her, (it's a bit like those pictures you have to cross your eyes to see...) here are some clues...her head is at the top of the picture and her belly below. we're looking at her left side and front, and her left arm is reaching up to "shade her eyes" while her right leg is curled up in the background. Hope that helps...
We had our follow-up ultrasound last week and it went smoothly. Unfortunately it verified that all the abnormalities are still there. The left heart is still small, the ascending aorta is still small, the Cystic Hygromas are still there and seemingly stable (not growing or shrinking much - good news). Unfortunately they also were able to conclusively identify inferior vermian agenesis (non-growth)...the cyst in her cerebellum is still there.
Not much is known about any link between Turner Syndrome and the cerebellum issue, so it's likely not associated, and in fact, there is also limited knowledge about the impact on her mental development after birth based on the discovery of the agenesis, so we'll just have to wait and see.
Though we were disappointed that there wasn't any change in her symptoms, Matt and I are doing pretty well. We don't have any more tests for a while, and have decided to turn our attention to a little painting and furniture moving while I can still participate. Today we celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary as well as Matt's first Father's Day, though Matt's on call and I led worship at church, so we played it low key until we can really celebrate with a little getaway in July. In a few weeks I'll fly out to Winnipeg to meet my very first niece...Eiley Katherine, and soak up all the mothering advice I can from my big sister and Matt will wrap up his 2nd year of Residency...Just 2 more to go!!
We are grateful for your continued prayers for us and for our daughter. So far no name yet, but we'll keep you posted!
Hope this email finds you doing well,
Love,
Sara (and Matt & Baby H.)
Saturday, June 11, 2005
Elizabeth Archives - Pregnancy Update
Dear Friends and Family,
Sara and I cannot express our gratefulness for your thoughtful emails, cards, words, and tears. More importantly, your prayers for daughter's health and for our strength have buoyed our spirits immensely. We feel loved on every side and surrounded your network of support. We appreciate each member of that web as never before.
As the diagnostic process progresses, we plan to send out brief updates about our daughter's condition (and our mental health). In the last week, the result of our karyotype testing has definitively shown a diagnosis of Turner Syndrome. The cells in a normal female contain two copies of the X chromosome, while in Turner Syndrome, one copy of the X chromosome is missing. It is caused by a malfunction in cell division very soon after the sperm fertilizes the egg. The results of missing one X chromosome are highly variable, ranging from stillbirth to only short stature and infertility. Given the early presence of lymphatic blockage and blood vessel abnormalities seen on our ultrasound, our baby is most likely on the more severe side of the syndrome. More time and more ultrasounds in the coming weeks will clarify just what we can expect.
A few prayers are already being answered!
~ We have begun to feel our baby kicking on a regular basis (in utero Tae-Bo classes?). This has helped tremendously with our bonding process.
~ Meetings with my work colleagues have gone very well and I will be able to take the time necessary once our baby is born.
~ As we have prayed for our daughter and her future, we are encouraged by the knowledge that God has a specific plan for and call on her life. Turner Syndrome doesn't have to exempt her from that, and we are filled with greater hope than we expected.
Please continue to pray for:
~ Healing of her heart (Want to get specific? The left ventricle is hypoplastic, the aortic valve bicuspid and the aorta itself is coarcted).
~ The disappearance of the cyst in her cerebellum by our next ultrasound.
~ Complete resolution of the fluid collections that indicate her lymphatics aren't working properly.
~ Continued understanding from the colleagues who cover for me when I leave for each doctor's visit.
We are praising God for each of you! We are holding up pretty well considering, and aren't screening our calls so rigorously anymore. So if any of you were hesitant to call, don't be!
Love,
Matt, Sara and Baby Girl Harms
Sara and I cannot express our gratefulness for your thoughtful emails, cards, words, and tears. More importantly, your prayers for daughter's health and for our strength have buoyed our spirits immensely. We feel loved on every side and surrounded your network of support. We appreciate each member of that web as never before.
As the diagnostic process progresses, we plan to send out brief updates about our daughter's condition (and our mental health). In the last week, the result of our karyotype testing has definitively shown a diagnosis of Turner Syndrome. The cells in a normal female contain two copies of the X chromosome, while in Turner Syndrome, one copy of the X chromosome is missing. It is caused by a malfunction in cell division very soon after the sperm fertilizes the egg. The results of missing one X chromosome are highly variable, ranging from stillbirth to only short stature and infertility. Given the early presence of lymphatic blockage and blood vessel abnormalities seen on our ultrasound, our baby is most likely on the more severe side of the syndrome. More time and more ultrasounds in the coming weeks will clarify just what we can expect.
A few prayers are already being answered!
~ We have begun to feel our baby kicking on a regular basis (in utero Tae-Bo classes?). This has helped tremendously with our bonding process.
~ Meetings with my work colleagues have gone very well and I will be able to take the time necessary once our baby is born.
~ As we have prayed for our daughter and her future, we are encouraged by the knowledge that God has a specific plan for and call on her life. Turner Syndrome doesn't have to exempt her from that, and we are filled with greater hope than we expected.
Please continue to pray for:
~ Healing of her heart (Want to get specific? The left ventricle is hypoplastic, the aortic valve bicuspid and the aorta itself is coarcted).
~ The disappearance of the cyst in her cerebellum by our next ultrasound.
~ Complete resolution of the fluid collections that indicate her lymphatics aren't working properly.
~ Continued understanding from the colleagues who cover for me when I leave for each doctor's visit.
We are praising God for each of you! We are holding up pretty well considering, and aren't screening our calls so rigorously anymore. So if any of you were hesitant to call, don't be!
Love,
Matt, Sara and Baby Girl Harms
Monday, May 30, 2005
Elizabeth Archives - Pregnancy Update
Dear Family and Friends,
After a very emotional week, Sara and I are writing today to enlist your prayers for our pregnancy. Prior to Wednesday’s routine ultrasound, ours was considered a “low risk” pregnancy. Based on what they saw, we’re now being followed by a obstetrician, a peri-natalogist, a pediatric cardiologist, a geneticist, and possibly a pediatric neurologist. With all the doctors’ visits we’re facing in the coming months, we are so grateful to live only a block from their offices!
First, the good news- the ultrasound revealed that we’re having a girl, and already appears to have Sara’s button nose! Unfortunately, it also showed three major “red flags:”
-lymphatic fluid building up under the skin of her neck (called a cystic hygroma)
-a small gap in between the forming halves of her cerebellum (called vermian agenesis)
-a very small, improperly formed aorta (called aortic coarctation)
Together, these problems suggest the possibility of a “chromosomal abnormality,” caused by extra, or missing genetic information. We are undergoing analysis of the amniotic fluid to examine this possibility. If one is found, the chances that she may die prior to delivery become much higher. Regardless of the chromosomal testing outcome, the most serious of these defects seems to be the aortic coarctation. If unchanged from the current state, our daughter will undoubtedly require urgent open-heart surgery in the first hours to weeks after being born. Repeat ultrasounds and an MRI in the months to come will help clarify the risks.
If anyone is interested in the medical nitty-gritty, feel free to poke around the internet. But please don’t share your findings with us; we are working hard enough to take our thoughts captive and to keep our minds from running-away with the “what ifs.”
Psalm 139:14-16 says: "For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be."
We believe these words to be true despite the roller coaster week we've had. We serve a God who creates all life, sustains all life, and does ALL things well. God is already carrying us gently during this time, sustaining us through the prayers and support of our family and friends. We're asking you to pray as you feel led, but also for several specific things:
* God has begun to knit our little one, and we believe he may not be finished yet.
* Pray that God will heal her heart (the left side and her aorta is too small).
* Pray that the cyst in her cerebellum will not be found upon 2nd ultrasound.
* Pray that God would shrink the fluid collections and cause her lymphatics to work properly.
* Pray for wisdom in communicating this information to my "bosses," as I may have to take extended paternity leave rather than the 2 weeks vacation already scheduled. This will be a BIG burden on my colleagues, and so we need favor with them.
* Pray that both of us would continue to bond with our little one, face our fears with strength, and know God's grace in the coming days, weeks, and months.
Finally, we are also exercising discretion in spreading the news about our daughter’s health problems. Careful timing is required at the hospital and at ALCF where many people know about our pregnancy. Please use this same sensitivity, as neither of us are ready to walk into a throng of well-wishers at work or church.
We are grateful that we have such friends to turn to during times like these.
Love,
Matt, Sara and Baby Girl H.
After a very emotional week, Sara and I are writing today to enlist your prayers for our pregnancy. Prior to Wednesday’s routine ultrasound, ours was considered a “low risk” pregnancy. Based on what they saw, we’re now being followed by a obstetrician, a peri-natalogist, a pediatric cardiologist, a geneticist, and possibly a pediatric neurologist. With all the doctors’ visits we’re facing in the coming months, we are so grateful to live only a block from their offices!
First, the good news- the ultrasound revealed that we’re having a girl, and already appears to have Sara’s button nose! Unfortunately, it also showed three major “red flags:”
-lymphatic fluid building up under the skin of her neck (called a cystic hygroma)
-a small gap in between the forming halves of her cerebellum (called vermian agenesis)
-a very small, improperly formed aorta (called aortic coarctation)
Together, these problems suggest the possibility of a “chromosomal abnormality,” caused by extra, or missing genetic information. We are undergoing analysis of the amniotic fluid to examine this possibility. If one is found, the chances that she may die prior to delivery become much higher. Regardless of the chromosomal testing outcome, the most serious of these defects seems to be the aortic coarctation. If unchanged from the current state, our daughter will undoubtedly require urgent open-heart surgery in the first hours to weeks after being born. Repeat ultrasounds and an MRI in the months to come will help clarify the risks.
If anyone is interested in the medical nitty-gritty, feel free to poke around the internet. But please don’t share your findings with us; we are working hard enough to take our thoughts captive and to keep our minds from running-away with the “what ifs.”
Psalm 139:14-16 says: "For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be."
We believe these words to be true despite the roller coaster week we've had. We serve a God who creates all life, sustains all life, and does ALL things well. God is already carrying us gently during this time, sustaining us through the prayers and support of our family and friends. We're asking you to pray as you feel led, but also for several specific things:
* God has begun to knit our little one, and we believe he may not be finished yet.
* Pray that God will heal her heart (the left side and her aorta is too small).
* Pray that the cyst in her cerebellum will not be found upon 2nd ultrasound.
* Pray that God would shrink the fluid collections and cause her lymphatics to work properly.
* Pray for wisdom in communicating this information to my "bosses," as I may have to take extended paternity leave rather than the 2 weeks vacation already scheduled. This will be a BIG burden on my colleagues, and so we need favor with them.
* Pray that both of us would continue to bond with our little one, face our fears with strength, and know God's grace in the coming days, weeks, and months.
Finally, we are also exercising discretion in spreading the news about our daughter’s health problems. Careful timing is required at the hospital and at ALCF where many people know about our pregnancy. Please use this same sensitivity, as neither of us are ready to walk into a throng of well-wishers at work or church.
We are grateful that we have such friends to turn to during times like these.
Love,
Matt, Sara and Baby Girl H.
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Elizabeth Archives - Pregnancy Update
Dear Ones,
Yesterday, we went for our routine fetal ultrasound after finding out the wonderful news that we're having a baby girl, and were saddened to learn that there are several serious abnormalities with our baby. We had an amniocentesis and an echocardiogram of her heart today in order to get more information. Right now, we don't have many answers, just a lot of questions, fears and run-away thoughts. We'll share more details as more information becomes available. We wanted to let you know early to enlist your prayers for our daughter.
We're pretty emotionally drained right now and very sick of crying, and we'll probably be screening calls for the next little while. Will you pray for us?
We love you,
Sara
Yesterday, we went for our routine fetal ultrasound after finding out the wonderful news that we're having a baby girl, and were saddened to learn that there are several serious abnormalities with our baby. We had an amniocentesis and an echocardiogram of her heart today in order to get more information. Right now, we don't have many answers, just a lot of questions, fears and run-away thoughts. We'll share more details as more information becomes available. We wanted to let you know early to enlist your prayers for our daughter.
We're pretty emotionally drained right now and very sick of crying, and we'll probably be screening calls for the next little while. Will you pray for us?
We love you,
Sara
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Elizabeth Archives - Pregnancy Update
Hi everyone,
Here's a not-so-great-but-it'll-have-to-suffice scan of our first ultrasound pictures! We got a freebie ultrasound from my friend (and nurse) at the First Resort clinic in SF. The baby is 17.5 weeks here, and is about the size of a pickle. :) the images aren't perfectly clear, so I'll to tell you what you're seeing.
In the top left picture (labeled 1) The baby is lying horizontally on it's left side, facing us. Its teeth and nose make up the bright spot in the middle of the picture, and its arm is above that with its hand probably cleaning out its ear. :) the belly is directly to the left of the nose/mouth area.
In the bottom left picture (labeled 2) it's a little sketchy, but again the baby is lying horizontally on its left side, and you can imagine that after the last picture, we moved down the body and now we've got the belly and if the baby's in a tucked position (modestly hiding his or her genitals from view) we're seeing the front of the legs from the knees down.
moving counterclockwise, the bottom right picture (labeled 3) is the clearest shot of the face. Again, the tyke is lying on its left side and facing us, and you can make out the nose and teeth beds (the bright spots in the middle of the screen) and can also see the eye sockets. Again, he/she appears to be touching her ear with her right hand and his/her arm is up near his/her face.
Finally, the upper right picture (labeled 4) shows the brain and in the original picture, you can also see the ventricles and the germinal matrix! (neuro speak for parts of the brain).
We're pretty much thinking he or she is going to be pretty darn cute based on these preliminary photographs...and who can blame us! We'll be getting the official ultrasound from our doctor on the 25th of this month, so hopefully we'll be able to make out more features on what is sure to be a better machine.
Thanks for sharing our joy!
love,
Sara (for all three of us)
Here's a not-so-great-but-it'll-have-to-suffice scan of our first ultrasound pictures! We got a freebie ultrasound from my friend (and nurse) at the First Resort clinic in SF. The baby is 17.5 weeks here, and is about the size of a pickle. :) the images aren't perfectly clear, so I'll to tell you what you're seeing.
In the top left picture (labeled 1) The baby is lying horizontally on it's left side, facing us. Its teeth and nose make up the bright spot in the middle of the picture, and its arm is above that with its hand probably cleaning out its ear. :) the belly is directly to the left of the nose/mouth area.
In the bottom left picture (labeled 2) it's a little sketchy, but again the baby is lying horizontally on its left side, and you can imagine that after the last picture, we moved down the body and now we've got the belly and if the baby's in a tucked position (modestly hiding his or her genitals from view) we're seeing the front of the legs from the knees down.
moving counterclockwise, the bottom right picture (labeled 3) is the clearest shot of the face. Again, the tyke is lying on its left side and facing us, and you can make out the nose and teeth beds (the bright spots in the middle of the screen) and can also see the eye sockets. Again, he/she appears to be touching her ear with her right hand and his/her arm is up near his/her face.
Finally, the upper right picture (labeled 4) shows the brain and in the original picture, you can also see the ventricles and the germinal matrix! (neuro speak for parts of the brain).
We're pretty much thinking he or she is going to be pretty darn cute based on these preliminary photographs...and who can blame us! We'll be getting the official ultrasound from our doctor on the 25th of this month, so hopefully we'll be able to make out more features on what is sure to be a better machine.
Thanks for sharing our joy!
love,
Sara (for all three of us)
Sunday, May 8, 2005
Elizabeth Archives - Pregnancy Update
Hi friends and family,
Just a quick note to say hi and I hope you are all doing well. Everything is going well in our corner of the world. Last month we had two glorious weeks of vacation, and we got to visit family and a few friends in Seattle and Clovis, and Scott's Valley. Unfortunately it had to end, and Matt is back in the thick of things at work, and looking forward to the end of his 2nd year and beginning of his 3rd in a few months. I've picked up 5 weeks of work through First Resort (my former company) and that is providing for a nice little fund for Baby Harms' bedroom nook. I'm really enjoying the chance to speak to the teens again. This next week I'll be at an all girls Catholic school speaking to Juniors. During a class last week, as I was telling "my story" and recounting my first date, one of the girls asked, "How did you get guys to treat you so well??" It's amazing how low the standard has become for how a guy should treat a girl. So I got on my soapbox. :) (after explaining to them what a soap box was and feeling really old) and told them that they didn't have to date any guy that walked by, and instead, could have standards about the type of guys they would date, and set expectations about how they wanted to be treated. You would have thought I was telling them for the first time, that the earth was round. They were completely inspired with that thought. It feels good to feel like some of what I say is sinking in.
As far as the pregnancy goes, things are moving along nicely. This morning, Matt gave me flowers to help me celebrate my first Mother's Day as a mother-to-be, and I have to say, I could get used to this! I think I'm starting to feel the baby move a little, and a few weeks ago we heard the heartbeat...that was amazing. The baby is now 5 1/2 inches long, weighs about 6.5 ounces, and his or her bones are beginning to harden. Our little one also has fingerprints already! Isn't that cool? In a few weeks we'll get an ultrasound, though we think we've decided that we want the gender of our little one to be a surprise. We'll see if we can wait!
Well, we love you guys and appreciate your prayers for us and Baby H in the months ahead. I've attached a picture so you can see that I am finally beginning to look pregnant! I couldn't be happier.
Much love,
Sara
PS - did you know that an average of 10, 501 babies are born every day in the US? just a little factoid I picked up in my reading...
Just a quick note to say hi and I hope you are all doing well. Everything is going well in our corner of the world. Last month we had two glorious weeks of vacation, and we got to visit family and a few friends in Seattle and Clovis, and Scott's Valley. Unfortunately it had to end, and Matt is back in the thick of things at work, and looking forward to the end of his 2nd year and beginning of his 3rd in a few months. I've picked up 5 weeks of work through First Resort (my former company) and that is providing for a nice little fund for Baby Harms' bedroom nook. I'm really enjoying the chance to speak to the teens again. This next week I'll be at an all girls Catholic school speaking to Juniors. During a class last week, as I was telling "my story" and recounting my first date, one of the girls asked, "How did you get guys to treat you so well??" It's amazing how low the standard has become for how a guy should treat a girl. So I got on my soapbox. :) (after explaining to them what a soap box was and feeling really old) and told them that they didn't have to date any guy that walked by, and instead, could have standards about the type of guys they would date, and set expectations about how they wanted to be treated. You would have thought I was telling them for the first time, that the earth was round. They were completely inspired with that thought. It feels good to feel like some of what I say is sinking in.
As far as the pregnancy goes, things are moving along nicely. This morning, Matt gave me flowers to help me celebrate my first Mother's Day as a mother-to-be, and I have to say, I could get used to this! I think I'm starting to feel the baby move a little, and a few weeks ago we heard the heartbeat...that was amazing. The baby is now 5 1/2 inches long, weighs about 6.5 ounces, and his or her bones are beginning to harden. Our little one also has fingerprints already! Isn't that cool? In a few weeks we'll get an ultrasound, though we think we've decided that we want the gender of our little one to be a surprise. We'll see if we can wait!
Well, we love you guys and appreciate your prayers for us and Baby H in the months ahead. I've attached a picture so you can see that I am finally beginning to look pregnant! I couldn't be happier.
Much love,
Sara
PS - did you know that an average of 10, 501 babies are born every day in the US? just a little factoid I picked up in my reading...
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Elizabeth Archives - Pregnancy Announcement
It is with great joy and anticipation that Matt and I announce that we're expecting a little one come October! I just passed the 10 week mark, and after a bout with morning (actually ALL DAY)sickness, I've found some safe remedies and I'm feeling better. We are delighted to cap off 3 grandchildren this year for the Peterson Family, and bring the first Baby Harms into the world (we'll at least in this branch of the Harms Family).
Those of you who've visited us may be asking...where in the heck will they put a BABY in that little apartment?!? We'll, wonder no longer. My spatially gifted husband has already got the plans to repurpose our walk through closet to be a baby's room. We are grateful that we won't have to move anytime soon. We love our neighborhood, our neighbors and the simplicity of our life here.
Matt is persevering to finish his 2nd year in Residency in June and sees the light at the end of the tunnel...only 5 months of call next year! He's enjoying Neuro and would appreciate your prayers as he still needs to decide the area of Neurology in which he'd like to specialize.
I'm absolutely loving my job as a homemaker and have been busy sewing, cooking and in general feeling blessed to have this season at home to prepare for my next full time job. :) For the spring and early fall, I've accepted some opportunities to speak with my former organization, though I'll only do that part time.
We hope this email finds you doing well and would love to hear from you when you get a chance!
Love,
Matt & Sara (and Baby H.)
Those of you who've visited us may be asking...where in the heck will they put a BABY in that little apartment?!? We'll, wonder no longer. My spatially gifted husband has already got the plans to repurpose our walk through closet to be a baby's room. We are grateful that we won't have to move anytime soon. We love our neighborhood, our neighbors and the simplicity of our life here.
Matt is persevering to finish his 2nd year in Residency in June and sees the light at the end of the tunnel...only 5 months of call next year! He's enjoying Neuro and would appreciate your prayers as he still needs to decide the area of Neurology in which he'd like to specialize.
I'm absolutely loving my job as a homemaker and have been busy sewing, cooking and in general feeling blessed to have this season at home to prepare for my next full time job. :) For the spring and early fall, I've accepted some opportunities to speak with my former organization, though I'll only do that part time.
We hope this email finds you doing well and would love to hear from you when you get a chance!
Love,
Matt & Sara (and Baby H.)
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