Pink...yes, it's what you think

8 Doctor visits + 7 weeks of bed rest + 5 ultrasounds + 3 hemorrhagings + 1 ER visit = much to celebrate that we are having a GIRL!!!

I'm 18 weeks along and the past 13 have been a roller coaster. 

Doug and I had been trying to get pregnant since he got back from Afghanistan, but the Lord's timeline has always been different than mine when it comes to conceiving.  In fact, a miracle occurred while we were in Florida vacationing in October.  I asked Doug for a Priesthood blessing because I had come down with a cold and didn't want it to spoil our week at Disneyworld.  Unexpectedly in the blessing, Doug said, "At this time, I command your body to conceive."  I immediately felt God's love poor out upon me and both Doug and I couldn't believe those words came out of his mouth.  We both knew that was a gift from Heavenly Father.  We were so excited!  Until a few days later I began bleeding heavily (5wks).  I asked Doug to get me a pregnancy test to see if I had been pregnant and was miscarrying since that's happened before.  Sure enough the test was positive.  We had mixed emotions as we were trying to wrap our head around the blessing and now the intense bleeding.  Well, the bleeding stopped the next day and it was a whole week until it came back again. I was standing working on a craft project at our Relief Society Super Saturday and whoosh, the massive bleeding began again (6wks).  My heart sank, but since this was a busy day, I just kept going.  I just wanted to crawl in bed and cry but I had too much on my days' agenda.  Doug went hunting and I went to a photo shoot and we left our disappointment for the next day.  Well, the next day, the bleeding stopped.  Then my least favorite aspect of pregnancy was heavily upon me and I spent my days super sick, barely able to function at all.

  How could I not be pregnant?  I felt pregnant, the intense nausea was a sure sign.  Then on Thanksgiving day I was cramping all morning so I stayed in bed. Around 1pm I rolled over in bed and began pooling in blood.  This time I was very concerned so we left our 20 house guests and went to the ER.  There the doctor diagnosed me with early stages of miscarrying.  He checked me and said I was dilated to 1cm and 70% effaced.  My heart sunk.  We returned home to our family enjoying a fabulous Thanksgiving Feast.  It was hard as I just felt awful, but at the same time was so thankful to have family support there.  That night Doug's mom reminded Doug that his brother Jon (who was there in our home) has the spiritual gift of healing and it says so in his Patriarchal blessing.  I knew I immediately wanted a Priesthood blessing from him.  So Jon, Doug, Kawika, Ben, and Scott all layed their hands upon me and Jon gave me a beautiful blessing. He blessed my body to heal, to rest, the baby to have health, and that one day I'd be able to take care of my family again.  I went to bed feeling peace, pulling on every ounce of faith I had in God's plan.  The next day I went to my doctor's office and there they checked me and said I was not dilated, nor effaced.  They found a good heartbeat!!!  Yay!  They put me on bed rest and by the afternoon the bleeding was gone.  I've seen the doctor frequently as they've monitored the size of the sub-chorionic hemorrhage.  

I felt the Love of the Lord through so many women from church.  One time a friend just dropped off some fresh squeeze orange juice because she remembered from a conversation long ago that I liked it.  Little did she know it was the only thing I craved and helped with the nausea.  She didn't even know I was pregnant.  I had women offer to clean my home, watch my children, make us meals, bring me books, sit with me and talk, etc.  I KNOW that Lord was looking out for us and blessed us in our time of need.  The Christmas Spirit was full of Christlike love.  I'm so thankful for a Heavenly Father who loves me and blesses me to feel His love.  I know He has a deep love for all His children.  

My most recent doctor's appointment was full of good news.  I've healed significantly and was able to be given clearance to get off bed rest.  Thank goodness because the last couple of weeks I've been fighting negative thoughts and trying to remind myself of all the beautiful blessings around me.  I still have some restrictions, but am thankful to be up and moving.  Also, the spot of concern on the baby's abdomen was hard to detect on this last ultrasound...will have a 4D ultrasound on the 30th at Vanderbilt  to closely examine baby, but it gave me hope that maybe the baby wont have any complications...we'll see.  And then I found out I was having a GIRL!!!  Both Doug and I felt like it was a girl but to have it confirmed was amazing.  I felt the Spirit wash over me and my heart filled with joy.  I did feel bad that Doug wasn't there with me as he had to work, then headed to Coeur d'Alene, ID for job interviews.  So I planned a surprise pink party for him and the boys.  

Colt helped me put together the decorations and kept asking, "Mom, who's birthday is it?"  I said it's a party for your baby sister.  Colton told the primary back in November he was thankful for his baby sister.  None of the boys knew I was pregnant then...he must be in tune with the spirit.  When the boys came home from school, Jax said, "What?  You know what it is?  It's a girl! Talon, it's what you prayed for."  I had purchased pink shirts for everyone and had them on their chairs at the table.  They each quickly put on their pink shirts and finished helping blow up balloons.  Then dad walked in from work and was totally stunned.  He didn't know I found out and it took him a moment to take it all in.  After going to his room, saying a prayer, feeling grateful, he was able to put the load he's carrying  (job, moving, buying a practice, bank loans, etc.) to the side for a moment and party with us.  We had tomato basil soup, homemade croutons, strawberry spinach salad, strawberries and pineapple, and pink strawberry milk that we drank with our pink and white straws.  It was fun and we all celebrated the new addition to our family.  It's been a bumpy road and we pray it will be smooth from here on out. 

Names currently on our mind:  Sarah Ezralee McArthur or Ezralee Sarah McArthur