All I Want For Christmas....

As we opened our piles of Christmas cards, the recurring comments were, "I can't believe they're all looking at the camera!" Or, "How are they are ALL smiling?" You see, all I want for Christmas is ONE NICE FAMILY PICTURE. I would even settle for a picture of the children. I would probably be OK with pleasant expressions. You know, I would likely accept a picture where everyone is simply looking at the camera. But, here's what I got......

Yet, in spite of the fact that I just cannot get even one good picture, these kiddo's surely do bring me J-O-Y. So, these candids from December will simply have to do.

The highlight of Taerik's month has been our neighbor's Christmas lights, which shine directly into the nursery window. Each and every night, we have to "ooh" and "aah" over them. 

We took the kids swimming on Christmas Eve. Keira would have launched herself off the diving board, if given half a chance, however the little boys spent most of the morning like this. 

And because I am regularly taking short little video clips of the triplets, I put this little collage together from some of their toddler tricks.

6 Week Ultrasound

This afternoon, at 3:00 PM, Rob and I went for our 6 week ultrasound. Due to my hcg levels not rising normally, Dr. Keenan suggested that we had about a 50/50 chance of a viable pregnancy. Today we learned that, while one life had indeed implanted, it did not continue to grow. The ultrasound showed one, empty, six-week gestational sac. Though our hearts are saddened at the loss of life, God has given us so much peace about this. All along this journey we have maintained that we are not doing this for our personal desires. Rather, we are following the path that we so very clearly believe God has asked us to travel. This is our sacrifice of obedience to Him. Since October, that sacrifice has included 112 pills, 77 injections, 5 blood draws, 4 ultrasounds, and several thousand dollars. (And yes, I counted.) The words of David in 2 Samuel 24:24 ring loudly in my ears this evening -

"I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing."

 Our current plan is to return for our two remaining embryos in May. This will allow my body some time to rest and will get us through several major commitments this spring before starting up all over again. Thank you so much for all your prayers! They are working!!! Numerous times I have commented to Rob that God has given me such a sense of peace. There have been no tears over today's news, but rather an increased trust in God's sovereign plans! And that is a GOOD outcome!

Beta #3

We went into today's blood test fully prepared to hear that my hcg levels had gone down and I could stop taking all meds as I await a miscarriage. We were already making plans to go back in January for our remaining two embryos. So, we were quite surprised to hear the nurse say that my levels had actually risen from 359 (Monday) to 681 today. Technically, these numbers should have doubled (718) and they are still considered low for 16 days post-transfer. But, the fact that they are rising certainly leaves a good possibility that one (and we're pretty sure it's just one) baby is still growing and developing inside. Dr. Keenan is ordering an ultrasound for late next week to look for a heartbeat. Until then, we continue to wait.....

"It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth."

(Lamentations 3:26-27)