Something silly...

Visit http://www.yearbookyourself.com/ and get ready to laugh! Here's our family yearbook:

Bailey

Beckham

Greg

Shannon

Doctor Appointment Update

This morning we had the ultrascreen testing done at the high risk doctor's office. This test looks for indicators of Down's Syndrome and things like Trisomy 13 and 18. We also wanted to check on the development of the neural tube.

We are so excited to tell you that Baby Quatro has a beautiful head and body. The measurement of the nuchal translucency was a little higher than average (3.1 is "normal"). This measures the amount of fluid accumulation behind the neck of the baby. Today we measured at 3.7. The other indicator measurements all looked great. The nose bone is there (ummm....duh, have you seen what the child is genetically prone to inherit?) and the heart looks great. So, in a nutshell, the only strange reading was the NT test. We'll get blood work results in 7-10 days and then we'll discuss possible chromosomal issues (or hopefully, lack of issues!).

We aren't worried. Would I have preferred for everything to be 100% "normal"? Of course! However, we are simply thrilled that Quatro is a viable little one and that we will be able to bring a baby home with us from the hospital this time!

We tried to look between the legs but couldn't see anything. It's really early, but the tech said sometimes you can see. Our little one did not cooperate with us, so we'll have to wait a little while longer.

Thanks for your prayers! Keep them coming!

My sweeties

I want to share a picture of two of the sweetest people you will ever meet: my "little" brother Parish (who just celebrated his 30th birthday!) and my sister-in-law Vera. Without them I would have come undone this past year and a half. I am so proud of my little bro and the person that he has grown to be. He is a good Christian leader in his home and cares about his entire family. He is compassionate, kind, and one of the funniest people you will ever meet. Vera overflows with sincerity and thoughtfulness and always has me laughing with her stories. She has truly become a sister to me. I love both of you and can't wait until Thanksgiving!

Last week we met up with some of our friends from Little Rock. Jason, Amy and their kids Davis and Hannah came along with Stephanie and her kids Avery and John Henry. Steph's husband, John, was in Guam and couldn't join us. We missed him, but still managed to have a great time! All eleven of us stayed in 2 adjoining hotel rooms. We went to the Atlanta aquarium, to several restaurants and to a park. The kids had a blast and were very well behaved. It was so nice to feel like we hadn't even missed a beat with each other. Driving our separate ways on Sunday was tough, but it makes my heart happy to know that we'll see each other again soon. Love you guys!

Bailey, Davis and Avery at the aquarium

Stephanie, Amy, Jason and Greg "keepin' it real" in the Dirty South.

John Henry, Avery, Davis, Bailey and Beckham (not sure why Hannah's not in this one...)

Beckham at the aquarium.

Bailey and Hannah at the Beluga whale exhibit.

These three were like this the entire weekend. So cute.

Stephanie and kids. That girl is CRAZY!! We had so much fun!

Bobo and Tookie, my reason for getting up every morning.

My sweet Olivia Faith

Thanks to those of you who remembered us on Oct. 15th. It makes me so happy to know that Olivia is still remembered. Vera posted the sweetest message on Facebook. I hope she doesn't mind me sharing it with all of you...Isn't she a beautiful person? I was so touched by her words.

Tomorrow, October 15 is going to be a very special day for me and my family. October 15 is a National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Day. I didn't know about it till I read about it on one of the blogs I like to read. While I think about my niece Olivia often this is going to be another, 'official' way to honor her memory and those few precious hours of life. I also found out that there are two annual days for the remembrance of infant loss. First one was established in Arkansas and it was first recognized on September 6,2001. September 6th is also Olivia's Birthday. As much as I love to see coincidences in things, I truly believe that this was God's way of making Olivia's Birthday extra special. Tomorrow my prayers will be filled with thoughts of Shannon and Greg and all that they have gone through. I know that they miss Olivia and I miss a niece that I only got to hold for a little bit before she went to be with God. My prayers will also be filled with every parent who lost a child, who still carries that sadness and grief and sorrow and who will never forget what it felt like to feel a promise of life and then loose it. I wish I could leave a flower at every tiny gravemarker tomorrow for every baby that was lost. Vera

A few more things...first, please continue to pray for Brecken Hicks who made her entry into the world this week. She is having tests run to find out more about her kidneys. She is a beautiful baby and I am so happy for the Hicks family that she is finally here.

Also, please continue to pray for Jack Lee. He is now 4 months old and is gaining weight. I have had the honor of being with him a few times and he is the sweetest thing that you will ever see. His mom Amanda is such a strong and courageous person. She is so sweet and tender with her children. Pray that God will continue to protect little Jack and that he will grow, grow, grow!

Tomorrow (Friday) we go to the high risk doctor for an ultrascreen. Hopefully we will see that quatro's sweet skull has calcified and that everything else is normal. This is the visit that will help me breathe easier and FINALLY start wrapping my mind around the fact that we are going to have a baby!! It's been a mental struggle for me so far, so I am very eager for a good report. Our appointment is at 10:15 am so pray that we will have a very boring, uneventful appointment. I can't wait to get a glimpse of our little one! We won't find out the sex of the baby at this appointment. I promise I'll let you know ASAP when we find out. :) Hopefully we'll know before Thanksgiving!

Meet quatro...

Here's quatro King at 10 1/2 weeks. What more is there to say? God is so good.

Our little "alien" waving hello!
In the ultrasound video we could already see arms and legs kicking around. A-mah-zing.

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(Mark your calendars for sometime between April 10th and April 17th! It'll be a scheduled section.)

Sunrise by Nichole Nordeman

If I had the chance
To go back again
Take a different road, bear a lighter load
Tell an easy story

I would walk away
With my yesterdays
And I would not trade what is broken for beauty only

Every valley
Every bitter chill
Made me ready to climb back up the hill
And find that . . .

You are sunrise
You are blue skies
How would I know the morning
If I knew not midnight?

You’re my horizon
You’re the light of a new dawn
So thank You, thank You
That after the long night, You are sunrise

There’s a moment when
Faith caves in
There’s a time when every soul is certain God is gone

But every shadow is evidence of sun
And every tomorrow holds out hope for us
For every one of us

You are sunrise
You are blue skies
How would I know the morning
If I knew not midnight?

You’re my horizon
You’re the light of a new dawn
So thank You, thank You
That after the long night, You are sunrise

You alone will shine
You alone can resurrect this heart of mine

You are sunrise
You are blue skies
How would I know the morning
If I knew not midnight?

You’re my horizon
You’re the light of a new dawn
So thank You, thank You
That after the long night, You are sunrise

You are sunrise