We're back...

Hello all! Happy Saturday! Today was a fun day for the Powells!! Landon had his first t-ball practice and was so excited to wear a real batting helmet like Jeff Francoeur (Braves right fielder and Landon's favorite player). He was even able to choose 7 as his number...life is good! Tanner had a fun morning playing on the playground with a friend and then they came down to visit and have lunch with me. After a nap Greg took them swimming and hopefully got some good video to share...If it worked I'll be sure to post it tomorrow!

At a friends suggestion, we purchased web cams. Tonight, for the first time in 3 weeks, I was able to see and listen to stories and prayers while they were in Landon's room. It was so wonderful to watch them read for a minute, and then start wrestling, then be settled down by daddy, then read, wrestle, settle, repeat. Some things never change! :) Landon had a fun time hamming it up for the camera and Tanner kept leaning up and kissing me on the screen. I sure do love my boys!

Tomorrow is a big day - we will have made it to 24 weeks!! It is a big milestone as that is when a baby is considered viable. Obviously, we hope not to meet this little one for many more weeks, but we are enormously thankful to have made it this far. All I can remember is Greg making an August calendar for me to mark off days while I was still in recovery from my surgery. It was such a sweet idea but I remember feeling so defeated when I realized that it was a whole 3 weeks before we even made it to "viability". Now here we are and I actually made a September calendar today since we only have one August day left! I am so thrilled that we have made it this far, and believe it or not, it doesn't even feel like it has been a whole 3 weeks (of course, I'm not sure Greg would agree).

We so appreciate all of your prayers, calls, and help with the boys, food, etc. You'll never know how thankful we are for all of you and your well wishes. God has definitely blessed us through you!

Love, Kristen (and Greg, the boys and P3)

First day of preschool

Today was Landon and Tanner's first day of school. Daddy and Nana had everything laid out and ready to go when Grandmommy arrived to drive them to school. They got to the church just as the tornado sirens sounded and a torrential downpour was falling. During the mad dash inside, Daddy's umbrella was collapsed, actually bent in half, by the wind, therefore soaking Daddy and Tanner. Grandmommy and Landon didn't fare any better. They entered the school to find all the parents and children lining the halls in preparation for a tornado...quite exciting. Thankfully, it passed quickly and the skies soon cleared. Both boys had a wonderful time, and were exhausted when Grandmommy and Nana picked them up.

I had a nice visit with the boys for about an hour after school. They had a picnic in my room and we had some snuggle time. It just never gets any easier...I used to spend all day long with my boys and now I get maybe an hour a day. I just have to keep telling myself that I have an important job to do. Landon asked me tonight if the doctor could just go ahead and take the baby out so I could come home. It was so sad to hear him...and I had to tell him that it's not the baby's fault that I can't come home, it's just that Mommy's body is tired and needs help doing it's job. He didn't seem to buy my explanation, but I am praying that God will help both boys handle my time away and that we will seamlessly return to our routine once I am home and healthy again. I am told that this will merely be a blip on the radar of their little lives, and I hope and pray that is true. Poor Greg has to deal with their tears at night when they are missing Mommy...and then has to hear it from me too!

I had a poster sized photo collage made of Greg and the boys and have put their pictures up everywhere I can...The nurses and techs and even housekeeping comes to visit when the boys are in...the boys love the attention and I think the staff has fun seeing little ones around! The care here is wonderful and the food is really very good...which is nice b/c now they have me eating 4 meals per day and want me to have snacks in between to gain some weight. I have lost a bit since being admitted, and though they aren't really worried, they would like to see the scale go the other way. I just have no idea how I'm NOT gaining...I am a member of the clean-plate club at almost every meal and it seems that bed rest=chocolate in most peoples' minds (not that I am complaining)! Oh to have that problem during non-pregnant times! I think a lot of it might be that I was a bottom-feeder, eating what the boys left over, and now I am eating well balanced, healthy meals...go figure!

Again, thank you for your prayers and well wishes...we so appreciate them and you all!

Love, The Powells

So have I mentioned that God is good??

And I do mean REALLY good!! We had our weekly ultrasound today. I have tried to be respectful of those of you that really don't want too much information, but at the risk of making some of you uncomfortable...I feel like a little more detail may help you realize exactly how important and effective your prayers have been. I shared that upon my initial evaluation that my cervix had already thinned and actually started to dilate. For frame of reference, a normal cervix at this stage of pregnancy is typically between 30-45mm. Mine was 2mm. Not paper thin...but pretty stinkin' close to it! Anywhoo, after the cerclage surgery I measured in at 37mm, which was wonderful and basically a miracle. First week review showed that I still had 33-34mm of cervix and the stitch was secure. So even though I had shortened 3-4 mm, that was still a good review. As the perinatologist indicated, worst case scenario and I lose that much each week, that still would have given us a good 10+ weeks for P3 to cook.

Okay, now that you have the whole back story...here comes the amazing part. Today I had another scan to see what I measure 2 weeks after the surgery and bed rest. I will be honest and admit that I was very anxious to hear the news...and I asked the sonographer to give me good news. Good news is an understatement. It seems that the bed rest is indeed working, as are the prayers, and my cervix now measures 40mm!! Unbelievable! We are thrilled and so encouraged! I am still not having any contractions, blood pressure is good and no signs of infection, so it looks as though our biggest worry over the next 3 months will be being patient waiting for P3 to make his/her grand entrance!

Tomorrow is Landon and Tanner's first day of school and they are so excited! Greg is going to take some photos and I will post them so you can see our handsome big boys!

We so appreciate your prayers and love being able to share just how effective they are!

23 weeks!

Today is 23 weeks!! God is so good! Tomorrow I will have another scan to check that there have been no changes in cervical length. I still haven't had any contractions, so we are optomistic that things will be unchanged, and with continued bed rest, P3 will have a lovely home for several more months to grow and develop!

So today I went to church...no, not really, but I watched Andy's last week's message...The series is called "5 Things that God uses to Grow your Faith" and I was so looking forward to the series. The introduction was great, and the cool thing is that there are 5 weeks of "the things" and that will take me right up to our 28th week...pretty incredible. So, without giving away too much (you can check out the series at http://www.fivethingsgoduses.com/) I was amazed to see just how many of those "things" we have been experiencing in the past 2 weeks. Obviously, we are in the middle of some pretty "pivotal circumstances" and we believe that God has had His hand on everything that has and will happen, including our doctors. Greg and I were struggling through our decision to do the cerclage procedure or not and Dr. Eller, very patiently and compassionately, reviewed everything with us. It was as if God had hand-picked Him to be our surgeon and I can't tell you how freeing it is to know that your surgeon is trusting God with the outcome too! "Providential relationships" is another one of the "five things"and we think our Perinatologist fits that description to a tee! I am super excited to hear the rest of the series...and look forward to God growing our faith through this time!

Today Greg and I had a meeting with the Neonatologist to discuss just what a preterm birth could look like. Never, in all the time these past 2 weeks, have either of us considered, even for a moment, that P3 wouldn't be born healthy. It was tough to hear percentages and to verbalize our wishes, but again, we truly trust that not only will we make it to "viability" (24 weeks) but well past that to deliver a healthy baby. We ask for your prayers, especially over this next week, that P3 will be patient and sit tight for another 10-12 weeks at least. Of course...right now the record here at Northside HRP is 101 days of bedrest...you all know how competitive I am... if I could beat that record then that would make P3 a 38 weeker! How great would that be?

The boys had a wonderful weekend with Daddy and Nana. Landon did a great job at his t-ball skills assessment and had fun too! They are excited to start "school" on Tuesday and seem to be doing well except for a bit of aggression towards one another and a bit of acting out. I am told that this is a very natural reaction to something as big as having mommy in the hospital for a long time, but it still breaks my heart to see. But for the most part...they are still the best of buddies!

We continue to be amazed and humbled by the help and care we have received from all of you! We so appreciate you and your prayers and well wishes and look forward to the day that we can celebrate a healthy P3 with you all! May God richly bless you as He has us through you!

Love, the Powells

What a week...

Things still seem to be going well. The baby is active with a heart rate in the 150s and I have not had any contractions since being in the hospital! Huge praise there! Dr. Eller, the perinatologist who preformed my procedure, is very pleased with how things are progressing and is looking forward to reading my next scan on Monday to confirm what he suspects...that the cerclage is a success and should help P3 have a toasty home for several more months! Today, Dr. Wooten, the OB who delivered Tanner, came in on rounds and shared that he too was cautiously optimistic about the success and even an altered long term plan! According to both doctors, as long as I am having no cervical change or contractions there is a strong possibility that I could be sent home sometime around 32-34 weeks for continued bed rest...but I would be home! Both doctors also advised that we hold off on the rescue steroids until delivery was eminent, as it is really most helpful when administered 24 hours-1 week before delivery. It is supposedly a wicked shot so I'm not overly disappointed to wait a little! Besides if all goes well and I go to term...I won't need them! The fact that they aren't jumping at the chance to give the steroids is a further indication in their faith in the cerclage...which is encouraging.

This week has been exciting for the boys as they both got to visit their new classes and meet their teachers. Landon is happy to have two buddies he already knows in his class and Tanner was just thrilled to finally be going to school like brother! Another first tomorrow is Landon's 1st day in real team t-ball...complete with uniforms and cleats. Does it get any better than that for a 3 (almost 4) year old? I'm not sure if Greg or Landon is more excited!

We are so blessed to still have Greg's mom with us-it is so nice that the boys can be in their own home and be in their "normal" routine. She is planning to stay with us for at least the next week and also plans to come back to help when my sister Lisa delivers. (Please keep her in your prayers too as she is due Sept. 15th and has been on anti-contraction meds for several weeks already). We are hoping her baby can wait till at least September, although it seems really excited to meet us. Lisa is also on bed rest (at home) and my mother has been able to help out with her kids now that Nana is here for us. In my humble opinion, grandmothers make the world a much nicer (and easier) place!

Thank you so much for your continued prayers and encouragement. I so enjoy your visits and phone calls. It is hard to believe that I've already been here for 12 days! The boys and Greg are being loved on by our neighbors and friends and family with dinners, offers for help driving them to school, etc. God is so good. He is showing His care for us through all of you and we are so humbled and appreciative! We'd love to hear from you and as always, feel free to stop by my hospital room for a visit...I'll be here!

Love, The Powells

All right, all right, I'll do it!

Right...so I have been having a crazy time trying to get our updates out on a regular basis (you'd think that I could get it done seeing as I am in the bed all day, but...) Anywhoo, after much encouragement from a few friends, I have decided that a blog might indeed be the way to go. I have absolutely no idea what I am doing, so you all get to go through my learning with me!

Today I have my first support group here on the High Risk Perinatal floor. It is a weekly meeting where we get to gather with other patients (you mean there are other people here besides me?!) and visit. I think it will be fun and encouraging to meet some other mommies and maybe get some pointers on how not to end up in the looney bin from boredom! I have to say, I am really looking forward to it!

The boys are back at our home, which I think will be good for them. It is always fun to visit GM and Grandy, but I really think they enjoy being on their own turf with their own toys! I am so hoping that they will go easy on Nana...they sounded pretty riled up this morning! They both have open house at their "school" this week. Tanner will start Mothers Morning out T/TH and Landon is starting preschool T/TH/F...they are really excited. I wasn't originally going to enroll Tanner, but we decided to b/c he so wanted to go with Landon last year...that was really a God thing b/c 1 week after we enrolled him, we discovered we were pregnant with P3!

Since we have had so many serious entries so far...I've decided to include videos of the boys at their swimming lessons for fun! They (and Greg and I) really enjoyed the pool this summer and they really took to swimming! Landon is starting stroke instruction and has freestyle, backstroke and (almost) breaststroke! Greg said that Sat. at the pool he kept swimming to the wall, popping out and saying "Just like Michael Phelps!" He is also into diving under to grab his diving sticks from the bottom of the pool. Tanner's favorite is to do "ring around the rosie" and to jump off the side, swim to you and then as soon as you lift him out of the water, turn and point to the ladder and say "ladder" and swim back and climb out...just to repeat it until the whistle for adult swim blows! The funniest part is that at 2, he doesn't really "jump" yet, usually just 1 foot at a time...so he actually looks like a little drunk man stumbling off into the water! I wish I had thought to take video of that to share!

Thank you all for your sweet messages and emails...you don't know how encouraging it is to get them...and I really appreciate you!

Love, Kristen, P3 (and the fellas!)

Praise Report...God is Good!

Hello all...

Today we are 22 weeks, 1 day and we have wonderful news to share...after the critical first week, the procedure seems to be a success and we are holding steady! P3 looked great on the ultrasound this morning and the m/f specialist was very pleased with the way the stitch looked and was holding, so we are relieved and very thankful! Our original treatment plan (complete hospital bed rest til P3 arrives) still stands, but after the crucial 24 week scan we will receive the first of two steroid injections that will help the baby's vital organs mature faster. A second round of steroids will be given at week 28 and as long as my cervix is unchanged they may change the treatment plan to bed rest with wheelchair privileges! It may not sound like much...but I and we, are thrilled!

Landon and Tanner had a great week last week with Grandmommy and Grandy and a crazy busy weekend with Daddy...including a guys night Braves game and fireworks show Friday with a friend and his Daddy (they got home at 1am)! Their Nana came into town on Sunday to help this week and they are so excited...yet another adventure! We have been blessed with wonderful offers of help and feel like we are close to nailing down a weekday schedule. Please pray that thay continue to enjoy the adventure of new visitors and school and that God would protect their little hearts and spirits when they start to realize that Mommy is staying at the hospital for a while. It is heart wrenching when they cry when leaving and most of the time I have to join in, but the other day Landon came over and started rubbing my hand and cheek and said "It's okay Mommy. You take care of P3 and I'll take care of Tanner and I'll see you tomorrow." And I guess the best thing is to realize is that the Lord is taking care of us all...and we'll be fine.

I have been moved to room 118, which is wonderful...I can actually see the sky and a few trees! But there is a new neighbor in my old room so I felt like I needed to let ya'll know so she doesn't get my phone calls (I'm a little stingy with them!) My new phone is 404-459-1118. And, as always, if you are in the neighborhood, please stop in...I'll be here!

Thank you again for all your prayers and encouragement...Please know we can feel them!

We love and appreciate you!

Greg, Kristen, Landon, Tanner & P3

Update on P3

Thank you all so much for your prayers, calls, offers to help and amazing friendship.

We'll give everyone a quick update:

This morning, Kristen underwent the cerclage procedure and the Surgeon/Perinatologist deems it very much a success. After initiating the procedure, it was readily evident to him that we had made the right decision and he believes that we now have a significantly better chance of a favorable outcome (carrying the baby long enough for P3 to develop strong lungs, brain, etc.). Kristen's caregivers have indicated that they will be watching her very closely over the next few days to ensure that there is no post-op infection or increased contractions, but our nurse this evening mentioned that, given the success of the procedure, it may be possible for Kristen to be on bed rest at home after a few weeks, depending on how things progress. We're not sure what would be best for her if given that option, but we are just so thankful that this is a consideration. Kristen is pretty sore and uncomfortable, but thankful, relieved, optimistic and determined to do everything in her power to bring home a healthy baby in a few months.

God's grace, protection and leading has been so evident through all of this so far. We are both so thankful for all the support we have gotten from all of you already!! From initial shock at the news we received on Monday wondering what this all meant and how we would be able to care for the boys while Kristen is in the hospital, God has blessed us with so many offers and options and dramatically improved our outlook on this process.

We are preparing like K will be here for at least a couple of months,as we are piecing together a schedule of caregivers for the boys and decorating her room with a countdown calendar. The most difficult part of this for her as time passes (besides missing her boys) will likely be boredom and K is so grateful that so many of you plan to come down for visits.

Thank you all once again for all of your prayers and encouragement and Praise God for His love and leadership.

Please, please, please continue praying for no infection, all the right decisions by K's caregivers, a healthy baby and Kristen's continued strength, determination and faith!

Love,

Kristen, Greg, Landon, Tanner and P3

Surprise!

Our latest news, which we have been a little slow in sharing, just because we have 2 active little boys...is that we are expecting again. Our due date is December 21st, though since I have a history of huge babies that have a tendency to get tangled in their cords, my doctors had suggested the week of 12/7 for a scheduled c-section.

So, breaking news as of yesterday at 10:30 when we went in for our standard 21 week ultrasound, is that the baby looks wonderful and healthy but my cervix was undetectable. I was sent directly across the street to Northside Hospital for evaluation by a Maternal/Fetal specialist who confirmed that my cervix was indeed completely thinned and also that I was actually dialated to 1.5cm. Basically what this means is complete bedrest, in the hospital, until P3 (what the boys have named the baby) joins us. Obviously, we are stunned especially since part of the reason both boys were sections was because my cervix refused to dialate! After another eval. by the M/F specialist today, it was suggested that I undergo a procedure called a cerclage...which is basically where the surgeon stitches my cervix closed in an effort to slow or stop dialation, therefore buying us more precious time for our little one to continue growing. There are some risks to this procedure including infection and rupture of membranes, but after many conversations and much prayer, Greg and I decided that I would go through with the procedure tomorrow (Wed) morning. We would so appreciate your prayers for a successful outcome...steady hands for the surgeon, no ruptures and no infection...and several more weeks of a safe, secure home for P3!

We have been so overwhelmed by the sweet messages and calls and so appreciate your prayers! Of course our first and foremost prayer is that P3 will sit tight and we can meet him/her (yes...it's a surprise) sometime in November! Please also pray for the boys...they are having a grand adventure staying with Grandmommy and Grandy for several days, but I'm sure the next few months will be hard on them. Tanner, for the most part seems blissfully unaware, but Landon seems to have grown up overnight...comforting me and reminding me that "sitting up is not bedrest!" And please pray for Greg who has the daunting task of doing his job and trying to care for the boys too. Thankfully, his new boss has been totally understanding and supportive and has offered the option of a shortened work week or teleworking to help us get situated...We are trying to work out the logistics of it all and are so blessed to have both his mother and my parents that are able to help for these first two weeks while we all settle in to our "new life". After that we are trying to figure out what will work best for the long term. They both start "school" the last week of August so that will be a new fun experience. And we have been pleasantly suprised by the options God has provided in the way of additional help. Please pray that we make wise decisions that will be the best for the boys and Greg and that will provide them with some semblance of normalcy during this time.

Our boys are wonderful!! Tanner just celebrated his 2nd birthday and is a joy! He thinks he is as big as his brother and can do the same things....and most of the time he can...although we have had our share of urgent care visits with destructo boy! He is a love and is always ready to "nuggle mommy", which I love!! Landon is 3 and looking forward to his 4th birthday in September. He is (usually) so loving and patient with Tanner and I am amazed by his level of understanding...he is very intuitive and sensitive and such an encourager! and thankfully, he still enjoys coming to snuggle with me too.

While it is easy to get overwhelmed, and I admit to my share of tears and felling sorry for myself and the boys...Greg and I firmly believe the God will be glorified in this situation. We are trusing in his provision and protection and look forward to the day we can hold our healthy baby...but we'll be patient and wait on His timing...It is amazing and overwhelming to consider that as much as we love our boys and this new baby...that God loves them even more and is holding them, and us, in His hands. He still does miracles even today and we fully expect to be sharing one with you all! God is good...all the time!

We love and appreciate you!
love, Greg, Kristen, Landon, Tanner and P3

PS...so if you happen to be in the perimeter area and stuck in traffic or something, feel free to drop in...I'm on the High Risk Perinatal floor at the Nothside Woman's Pavillion, room 101...though I have heard that since I'm going to be here for a while I'll soon be moved to a room with a view! My direct line is 404-459-1101.