1:34,000

Our second trimester blood work came back and our risk for Down's, Trisomy 18, and Neural Tube Defect have been identified:

Down's: 1:34,000
T18: 1:100,000
NTD: Negative

We drew another sigh of relief at last Friday's 19 week appointment. We are feeling so incredibly grateful to be able to sit here, nearly half way through our pregnancy, still pregnant, with a healthy baby.

To be honest with you: I didn't know pregnancy could ever result in a healthy live baby for me. I remember after our third miscarriage when I would come in contact with newborns, I would smell them, I would look at them closely - examining their elbows, their eyelashes, their blinking eyes ... and I would gaze in awe. How in the world could God use pregnancy to create a human being that actually survived. With so many losses, to me ... pregnancy = abnormal baby = miscarriage. Many times, I would grab my own arm and think to myself ... if I made it through gestation and birth then surely I can have a baby that can?

Now, there are no promises that our blood work guarantees a healthy baby - but things are looking awfully good.

In other news, at the appointment, I've learned that in 19 weeks I've gained 5 pounds and blood pressure and urine litmus look good.

One week from today ... we are highly anticipating our big 20 week ultrasound!!!