Our family has been beside ourselves with happiness ever since we found out we have a baby on the way!  Our happiness was dashed for a few weeks, and I’m not going to lie, depression crept in when we heard what no one wants to hear.  They suspected something may be wrong with our little bundle of joy.  Sadness swept over us, and tears fell like rain.  We prayed with all of our might, and then we waited for the testing to be done and for the results.

We were referred to a specialist in a big town, which was intimidating for us country bumpkins. However, we managed to find our way, not without a few wrong turns and feeling like a fish out of water in this town we knew nothing about.  Frustrations were running high as we finally reached the doctor’s office for the ultrasound.  Once inside, we waited for the tech to complete the extensive 2D ultrasound, and we did have a few moments of pure joy as we watched the baby on the screen flip and turn in Mommy’s tummy.  We smiled, we laughed, and we were overjoyed in those moments.

Then more waiting …

The tech needed ten minutes to transcribe for the doctor, and then the doctor would come right in to meet with us.  We sat there nervously trying to talk about anything to keep our minds occupied.  Silently I prayed to myself between grasping at any conversation material we could think of.

Just then you could hear footsteps outside the door and a hand on the knob as it turned to reveal a short middle-aged African American woman smiling back at us.  She greeted us, then went immediately to the ultrasound machine where she did a few more things of her own as we watched in silence wondering what was found.

A few minutes went by, but they felt like hours as we waited for her to speak.  When she did begin speaking, she asked why we were referred to her.  I explained that they saw something suspicious on the ultrasound in the doctor’s office, and they suspected the baby might have Down Syndrome.  The doctor asked if we had blood testing done, and we explained that we were awaiting the results and that the doctor indicated it would take the 2D ultrasound AND the bloodwork to make the final determination.  With that taken into consideration, the doctor paused for a moment, then said that everything looked good as far as she could tell, and she did not see any cause for concern.  They offered further testing, which my niece declined.  The doctor inserted her clause before letting us exit, “However, it would still take the bloodwork and the 2D ultrasound together to confirm.” 

A wave of relief filled the room and washed over ALL of us as “Thank God” escaped my lips.

We almost danced out of the doctor’s office that day.  Surely we were floating on a big, white, fluffy cloud as high up as you could see with your naked eye, right?  Because it sure felt that way!

What WONDERFUL NEWS!!!

WE jumped ONE hurdle – like a horse trotting and breaking into a gallop right before he reaches the poles, and up, up, and away he goes launching himself right over and onto the other side …

Now to receive the bloodwork results …

And within a few days, those came in, and once again we were rejoicing because the bloodwork did NOT reveal the extra chromosome that would have indicated Down Syndrome.

Our hearts leaped for joy and our souls danced over the moon with this news.  Our little baby was going to be just fine.  Praises, praises, and more praises to God above!

We can finally move on to happier days ahead!!