Introducing....

Miles Pierson Rauch has finally joined our family!  He made his debut on September 22 at 3:40 pm weighing in at a whopping 9 lbs and 22 inches!  His arrival was anything but easy, but we are so thankful that he is safe and healthy!  So far, he is calm and content just like his big sister.  Lyla is liking her new little play toy :-)  She is very curious about him in a good way, thankfully.  For those who haven't heard our story about how Miles arrived, I'll give you a non-graphic overview :-)  Sorry, it may be a bit long...

Peter and I went to the hospital on Saturday at 1 pm to be induced, since I was already a week overdue.  I was already 4 cm dilated and the staff seemed to think that I would be a good candidate for induction. Seeing as I was extremely uncomfortable with every passing day, we decided to go ahead with it.  They started me on pitocin around 3 and then the waiting began.  The contractions started pretty quickly and regulated within a few hours, but they weren't crazy painful and when they checked they weren't being too productive either.  By 2 am, I was still only 5-6 cm dilated and was still able to talk and laugh through contractions.  They increased the pitocin and it finally felt like real labor was coming.  However, after hours and hours of extremely painful contractions, I still hadn't progressed any farther.  Around 10 am we made the decision to get an epidural to see if it would help relax me and help labor along.  At that point, I hadn't slept in over 24 hours and had very little to eat.  I never in a million years thought I would go along with getting a needle stuck in my spine, so that should tell you how bad the pain was :-)  Around 10am I got the epidural and my water broke soon after.  I was able to  rest during this time and felt a lot better.  So, I was hoping that the rest of labor would be easy and mostly painless.  I was wrong...  After several more hours, I had only progressed another cm.  The midwife broke another bag of water by his head at that point, and then it was like the epidural was doing nothing.  But the good news was, that within an hour he was ready to come out!

This is where the problems started...  Miles' shoulders got stuck in my pelvis.  I had 2 nurses pushing on my stomach as I was pushing to help him get unstuck, as he wasn't breathing throughout this time.  He was finally born, but wasn't responsive or breathing.  I sobbed as I cried out to God to give our son breath.  Thankfully, they were able to revive him quickly and we soon heard his little cry fill the room.  As they continued to check on me periodically, they realized I was still bleeding excessively but wanted to see if it would stop at some point.  We had to ask my mom, mother-in-law and sister to leave at that point when the Dr realized there was something more urgent than just blood loss.  There was a huge clot still in my uterus that she was unable to remove.  Within minutes the decision was made that I needed emergency surgery to prevent me from bleeding to death.  They warned of the possibility of a hysterectomy if they were unable to stop the bleeding.  Once again, I was being separated from my newborn baby, something I had not prepared myself for.  I left Peter with our hours old son and prayed fervently as they took me away.

Hours later I was in the ICU hearing that they were able to stop the bleeding and received 2 bags of blood and would be monitored to see if I would need more in the future.  Miles was put in the NICU so Peter could come be with me.   I spent the next 24 hours in the ICU, thankfully improving and showing signs that the bleeding was stopping and wasn't going to start.  Monday night I was finally able to get moved back to the maternity ward and be reunited with baby Miles!  He suffered a lot of facial bruising and a hematoma on his head from the trauma of his birth, but was otherwise healthy and well!  I am on a long road to recovery due to the loss of blood.  I was discharged from the hospital with levels that are less than half of what they should be.  It will take almost 6 months for my body to replenish what it lost and fully recover the levels it should be.  Aside from fatigue, headaches, shakiness and pain from his delivery I am on the mend.  We are just so thankful that God once again showed us His faithfulness in this situation as it could have turned out so differently in so many ways.  We appreciate all the prayers that were sent up on our behalf once again and are once again able to praise the God who saves and preserves life!

Settling in!

We have been enjoying our time in our temporary home!  Lyla loves playing outside...she prefers the dead leaves to the green ones, perhaps because they crumble :-)  She's also been enjoying looking out the window and door that we are able to keep open!  It has truly been a refreshing time being surrounded by corn fields and farms.

Peter started his new job last week, I think...I've kind of lost track of time :-)  The schedule is turning out to be better than we both expected.  He's taken up coffee to help stay awake during his 3 am to 11 am shift.  I knew he would cave some day :-)

I feel like we're finally ready for baby boy to come as well!  Most of the boxes are either unpacked or in the basement so it looks like home around here!  I've been able to do his wash and put his tiny clothes in the dresser so I feel like he can come anytime!  Little by little we're able to prepare for his impending birth...in 3 weeks!

Tonight we're meeting with a realtor to begin the process of looking for a home that will hopefully be where our kids grow up.  It's exciting yet terrifying all at the same time.  We know it can be a long and frustrating process, but we are trusting that God will lead us to the house we are meant to have.  He has provided so faithfully in every aspect so far in our life, so we can wait expectantly for what He will do now!  Please continue with us in prayer as we take this final step in restarting our life in the country :-)

Oh, and Lyla's next cardiologist appointment is November 26, along with a developmental study we signed up for when she was born.  We are trusting that everything looks the same with her heart and that God continues to heal her :-)

Moving on!

So...tomorrow we are moving!  God has answered a ton of prayers for us and provided in every way!  We finally heard 2 weeks ago that Peter was offered a job in Lebanon, doing IT work, the same thing he does now.  However, there was some negotiating needing to be done about benefits, seeing as though baby boy will be here soon!  Thankfully, the Lord continued to answer prayers and Peter was given some vacation days for the remainder of this year.

We will be renting a house in Wernersville until we're able to buy a house.  Things were too rushed to even think about getting that settled before we move!  Tonight we have settlement for our house which is a HUGE blessing because we won't have to worry about the house just sitting here, paying mortgage for it.

The past 2 weeks have been kinda crazy :-)  Last week we were in Tennessee with Peter's family for vacation, which was awesome!  I was limited in what I could do, especially since I was having a ton of timeable contractions for awhile.  I had to take it easy most of the week.  But, it was great to spend time with family that we only get to see a couple times a year!  However, being on vacation took a week out of our time to pack, so this week has been super crazy trying to get everything packed up.

At this point, we are mostly done packing, with only a few things left to do.  But again, it's frustrating not being able to do as much being 35 weeks pregnant.  We were also so thankful to my mom and sister who thought to have meals sent to us all this week to make our stress a bit less :-)  It has been awesome to not have to cook while being exhausted, pregnant and in the middle of packing!  Such a blessing that they thought of that!

We appreciate everyone's prayers...they have certainly been answered!  We are continuing to trust that God will lead us to a house within our budget that we will be able to buy in the near future.  Please pray for the move tomorrow, that we get the truck and everything goes smoothly!  Also pray for Peter as his new shift is from 3 am to 11 am.  It will be an adjustment for us all, but the Lord will sustain where He provides :-)  Thank you!

Waiting....and more waiting....

The last month or so has felt like we're in some sort of limbo.  We signed the agreement of sale for our house, with a settlement date no later than September 5.  This kicked Peter's job search into high gear.  Baby boy is due on September 14, so we're kinda cutting it down to the wire!  I've been busy researching OB doctors and hospitals for me, pediatricians and cardiologists for Lyla, looking for houses, looking for rentals, storage, moving trucks, etc.  I've also been trying to pack as much non essential stuff in our house as possible so that if Peter finds a job, we won't have quite so much to do.

Well...I'm not so good at waiting!  I never have been.  It's not that I don't trust God to work out the details...I just want to know them ahead of time!  It's extremely hard for me to not know what date we're moving, what job Peter will have, or where we'll be living...much less where our baby boy will be born!  My whole life there have been so many times when I'm in a season of waiting for something, or an answer of some sort.  Maybe it's the aspect of not being in control that bothers me, but I definitely like to plan ahead!

But, God is always faithful and we've gotten some answers this week!  Peter had an interview this morning in Lebanon and will hear back next week whether he is going to be offered the position or not.  God also closed the door to him working from home for his current company.  It's encouraging to know that there are a few answers trickling in, and that we can fully trust that God will work out all the other details as well!   (By the way...you all may be recruited to help us move and unpack since I can't do anything to help!)

Please continue to pray with us as we continue waiting on God's timing for all of these things, knowing that He is in control and already knows all the details I'm worried about!  Pray for wisdom and patience as Lyla has found her temper.  We want to teach her to live for God and honor Him, so we're learning along the way how best to deal with these sinful nature outbursts.  It's crazy how young you can see the sin in a child's life and how they don't even have to learn how to do it!  It comes naturally!  Friends, your prayers mean more than we could ever express.  Thank you so much!!

This is how we're trying to keep Lyla cool in the summer :-)  She loves the water and playing in her froggy pool!

1st Birthday!!!

Well...it's official!  Our baby girl is 1 year old!  I still can't believe it!  We had an amazing day on Saturday, with great weather, celebrating Lyla's 1st year of life!  She was surrounded by friends and family and loved every minute!  She got her own cupcake to eat for the first time.  I was surprised though, that she didn't dig in more :-)  She actually stayed pretty clean as she ate.  We are so thankful to my parents who hosted the party for us and made her party a success!  And Peter's parents helped with the food which we are very thankful for as well!

Just this past week Lyla started walking!  She is finally starting to understand that Peter or I don't have to initiate the walking.  She is letting go of the furniture and taking steps towards something she wants on her own!  She continues to amaze us!  On her birthday, she also started pointing to objects.  And yesterday, she started blowing kisses :-)  It's like her little brain is exploding with all these new discoveries and it's so fun to get to watch!

She seems to have picked up a cold (or is teething again) so please pray for her comfort.  She doesn't nap or sleep well because she's so congested.  And she screams and screams when I suction her nose to get the boogies out.  I feel so horrible doing it, but I know it's only one of many things throughout her life that I will have to do with her best interest at heart, even if it makes her unhappy.

Last, please pray that Peter will find a job!  We are relocating closer to our parents and the first thing that needs to happen is Peter getting a job down there.  We have already signed the agreement of sale for our current house and the latest we will be here is the beginning of September.  Being pregnant and expecting our little boy shortly after that is definitely a stress to me!  Please pray that things get worked out before that for us or that we're somehow able to stay here so I can deliver in Philadelphia.  Lots to pray about!  But they're all good things as we look toward the future of our family!

Reflections

Well, we are fastly approaching Lyla's 1st birthday!  I can't believe it's so soon already!  Since it is coming up, I figured I would take time before the celebrations to reflect on her 1st year of life.  Many of you have gone through this journey alongside us and know much of her story.

This time last year we were anxiously awaiting the arrival of our baby girl.  I think this might actually be the day I sliced my finger on a can (which is still half numb) and needed 2 stitches.  While in many ways it's easy to move on and 'forget' the hardship that we went through, the emotions and memories are still fully engraved in my mind.  I will never forget the absolute devastation as we learned our baby girl needed heart surgery at birth.  I didn't think I would ever stop crying.  Thankfully, God had placed us in an area where she and I could receive the best care possible.

I was prepared up to a certain point for Lyla's birth.  I knew all the details, I knew what would happen after she was born.  But when I actually stopped to think about what Lyla being born would put into motion, I was terrified.  Even thinking about it now, I'm crying because those emotions are branded on my heart.  While we knew God was in control, it was astonishing to watch how He would answer every single prayer we prayed, and even ones we hadn't thought to pray!  Never have I felt the presence of God so fully or completely as I did then.

Even though God had faithfully answered our prayers through her birth and surgery, it was so easy to doubt at the first sign that something might not be right.  After her surgery as we waited to see her, her surgeon was paged to the CICU.  My human nature kicked in and I started panicking, wondering what had gone wrong and if our baby girl was ok.  She was fine, the wrong machine had been ordered for a test and they wanted to see what the surgeon wanted to do.  I feel like people sometimes think that I'm some extra faith-filled person to have gotten through this.  I actually feel the exact opposite!  I feel and felt so weak and human and like I would never have enough faith to get through the first few weeks of Lyla's life!

To many, we have been through a lot in the past year, and we have.  But as we sat in the CICU, and as we now continue to hear stories of others, we know that there are many others much worse off.  Our baby girl will only require 1 heart surgery in her life (hopefully).  She was only in the CICU for 11 days before coming home.  Her recovery lasted about 8 weeks.  Her growth and development have not been affected by her condition.  For sure, it was the absolute hardest thing I've ever had to personally go through, but we have so much to be thankful for!  We have an amazing, beautiful daughter who is healthy and growing into an incredible little person!  I have said many times, I would never have chosen to go through something like this, nor do I ever hope to go through it again, but I honestly wouldn't trade it for the world.

We are eternally grateful to everyone who covered us in prayer and encouragement this past year...we couldn't have made it through without your support!  We are so much more equipped to encourage others because of what you've done :-)  Our journey with Lyla's health is not yet over.  As you know, there are still concerns that are being closely followed.  If only I could see this day a year ago, I could have faced her surgery much differently.  It is easy to look forward and move past what happened.  I can't wait to explain to Lyla time and time again how awesome it is that she has that scar!  I can't wait for her to find the Savior who so graciously spared her life!  Her scar is a constant reminder of all that God has done in her life.  More than anything I praise the God of the universe who saw fit to look down and answer our prayers and spare the life of our precious daughter!   I am so unworthy!  And yet He has used this experience time and time again for His glory :-)

Please remember our story, friends, when facing something unexpected and maybe unpleasant.  We do not serve a statue or a dead person, but a living GOD who watches over us all!  He is faithful and sovereign in all situations, even if we can't see it from where we stand.  His purpose in our life is so much greater than our own.  Praise be to God for He has done great things!

Hooray!

It continues that we have so much to be thankful for!  Last week was a busy week, but overall a really good one :-)  On Monday, Peter and I had the level 2 ultrasound for baby boy.  As we expected, there are no other concerns!  He's a healthy, active little boy!  I can't wait to meet him :-)  Peter's parents came to watch Lyla which was awesome.  Lyla had a great time with them and we were able to enjoy some extra time with them as well :-)

Thursday was Lyla's MRI.  Again, it was no fun watching her get sedated or waking up from the anesthesia.  It took her about an hour to fully come back to normal, but thankfully she doesn't seem to have any adverse reactions to the anesthesia.  She was able to keep the milk and juice down and we came home with a tipsy baby.  We were finally able to hear the results from the MRI today.  Praise God!  Our cardiologist started by saying that she was encouraged by the results!  Her heart is pumping normally, the thickness of the right side hasn't increased so isn't a problem, the pulmonary arteries are still narrowed (as is expected) but have grown since the last MRI, and the blood flow to both of her lungs is equal!  It was awesome hearing that news!  The fact that the arteries are growing means that they are pushing off the catheterization almost indefinitely!  Hopefully they will continue to keep up with her as she grows and won't be a problem :-)  The only other thing they're keeping an eye on is the pulmonary valve which is leaking, but not a major issue at this time.  They only want to see us back in 6-8 months!

I just feel so relieved that so many things that we've been worried about have been put to rest and God is being so gracious to us!  It's a huge burden lifted to know our baby boy is healthy and that Lyla is doing so awesome!

Please continue to pray for a lot of decisions that Peter and I will need to make in the next months.  We know that God is faithful and will provide a clear path for us!  Thank you friends!  We would not have gotten this far without your faithful prayers!