Celebrating Life with Samantha

Bringing Samantha home with us was such a privilege and at the same time so scary. I was told that it was because of her heart condition that she was unable to breathe well and therefore she could not nurse, or grow very much. However, she did not require oxygen or a feeding tube which is very common with Trisomy 18 babies. We had the oxygen in our home and ready, just in case. I also was given morphine to keep in her diaper bag, just in case. How many people have to carry that in their diaper bag?! It was also hard for me to go to her newly decorated nursery and see her room and dresser filled with her things. Will she ever get to wear any of those clothes or play with any of her toys? We already had to go shopping for little preemie clothes because she just was so little.

We also had Hospice come once a week. Sandy was our nurse and she was one of the best things that happened to us. She was not only a Christian as well, which was incredible, but she also had the experience herself of loosing a child. Her little girl died at 3 years old from heart failure. She was such a comfort to me. She helped us prepare for the last day. And she also encouraged us to live life to the fullest with her- don't cancel those vacations... bring her! She was so practical too. I pumped every day for Samantha because I wanted to give her the best I could. But after 3 months I was so exhausted. She recommended to quit doing that! Formula was just as good and it's better for me to be able to function better. I needed someone to tell me that. Samantha didn't seem to notice the change much at all and it was soo much easier and I could sleep a little better.


We had so many visitors come all summer long. After the Birth Announcement email was sent, we had so many responses. To our disbelief, all these emails and letters were being sent back to us, literally from all around the world: people who were forwarded the email from other people and who were praying for us. We were overwhelmed with thankfulness. Visitors would lavish us with meals and would just want to encourage us, see her and hold her. We were strengthened through the kindness of God's people and it was nothing short of God's grace poured to us. I was so sad, confused and weary and I could barely pray more than, 'please help'. BUT GOD, was there interceding for me. It was the prayers and support of our family and friends that was my lifeline. It was like the Bible story in Luke 5:18-19: I was the cripple on the mat needing to see Jesus, and my family and friends bore my load on their shoulders and took me there themselves.



In August, we took Samantha on our vacation to Michigan to see my parents. We spent a week on the lake, boating and even camped. Samantha did great and we cherished the time we had together. Our little now nearly 7 pound girl was such a little trouper... I think she liked boating on Lake Huron the best. We were able to share her and her story with the people praying for her in my hometown church. There is a woman that attends there that fully sympathized with me. She had lost her baby at birth a few years ago. It was actually through this tragedy that brought her and her husband to a saving knowledge of Christ.