Update #600793
House(s): We now live in the Jensen house and LOVE it. Rothmoor house still has not sold, please buy it :) We ended up getting a realtor, so we're hopeful that will help...and cost more $. At this point...we just need to get it off our hands so we can move on. I had a brilliant idea that someone could buy it and rent it out....so spread the word!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Let's get this done :)
Mayo: We went to Mayo Clinic this past Monday to see a perinatologist to try to get some more answers and a glimpse to the future of our baby making future. Dr. Rose was AMAZING! He was soooo knowledgeable, honest, helpful and compassionate. He said that aside from street drug use, drinking and smoking (which obviously, is me in a nutshell:) there is no rhyme or reason for what happened with Elijah or Zion. He said more often than not it strikes perfectly healthy people for no reason. Therefore, there are really no preventative measures. He said IF I did get pregnant I would need to be seen every week starting at 20 weeks. If my blood pressure started to go back up they would give injections to speed the baby's lung development...but that would only prolong delivery a couple weeks. (Because early onset preeclampsia, as with Elijah) is at least 40% likely to reoccur. So, there is a good chance we could only get to 30 weeks at best...maybe a 3lb baby. Which then presents it's own problems. Then there was the fact that both preecalmpsia and placental abruption are potentially fatal to the mother. After long discussions and thoughts from family and friends....we made the decision to NOT try again...ever. Too risky for my health and the odds of ever having a healthy baby aren't very good. We feel blessed that God gave us the heart for adoption and that we are OK with not having biological children, whereas some people would rather not have kids if they can't have their own. So, we are taking that and going with it. We are still hoping for a surrogacy try someday but for now.................
Adoption: We met with Jane tonight and found out that Jennifer and Jane had decided WE are the couple to adopt Jennifer's baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jane assured us that Jennifer does not want to/nor can she keep the baby and is excited to be able to give us a baby. We had met with our lawyer earlier this week to see what the process would entail. So here goes: we will hire a Certified Adoption Investigator who will meet with/counsel Jennifer and hunt down the birthfather to get his signature. There will be papers to sign...that's about it. We are planning to be at the hospital when the baby is born and bring him/her home then. Jennifer does not want to see the baby or have any contact after it's born. As with Grace's adoption there are a few waiting periods: the birthparents can NOT terminate their rights until 48 hrs. after delivery. Then they have 96 hrs. after that to change their mind...no questions asked. Once that period passes, we should be in the clear. Obviously, we will have a counselor working with her to do everything we can to ensure she won't change her mind. Jennifer is 37 (same age Grace's birthmother was when she had her) so is at a much easier age to handle these kinds of choices. We are optimistic that she won't change her mind. The harder part, for us, is waiting to get through the pregnancy. She is only...maybe 16 weeks along right now and we sure now how things can change. PLEASE, PLEASE join us in praying for Jennifer. For her decision, her mental health and for a health pregnancy. She is due June 17th and will deliver in Iowa City. We are cautiously excited, to say the least. She will have an ultra sound here in the next couple weeks and we'll get to find out the sex of the baby and see pics :)
And so our dramatic story goes....
God bless you for reading this and praying, and joining us on our journey.
