Roller Coasters

Roller coasters....I do NOT like them. I do not like the feeling of your stomach dropping and then wanting to jump out of your throat. I do not like being in a little tiny car that I can't control. I do not like the curves and loops and bends along the way. I only like being at the top of that first big hill for that split second before it all come crashing down, when you feel like you are on top of the world, and I like getting off. I've always disliked roller coasters.

I know parenthood is one big, crazy roller coaster ride for the rest of your life. I just wasn't prepared for the dips and loops to begin so soon. 

Jesse and I hopped on the roller coaster in August when we found out we were expecting. From that moment, we were just making that climb to the top. On January 18, 20 weeks on the dot, we went in to find out if baby Byrd was a Bonnie or an Owen. We made it to that first big hill when we found out that baby Byrd is a BOY!! Owen Wallace Byrd. 

We sat in the waiting room waiting to see our doctor, planning all of our future camp outs, kayaking adventures and fishing excursions (this would have been exactly the same if it was a girl, just with a few ruffles and some glitter thrown into the conversation.) We finally saw our doctor. She told us that she and the sonogram tech suspected that sweet Owen may have some arm anomalies but they were not 100% sure. We were scheduled to go see a specialist the next morning. Arm anomalies?? Exactly. I didn't understand that doctor talk either. She then explained that they could only see half of the right arm and the left arm looked short. This is where we begin that extremely fast free fall from the top of the roller coaster into all those curves, loops and bends you don't see coming. 

We spent the entire night reeling in what we were told, trying to wrap our minds around it. Sure enough, we went to the specialist and she confirmed what our doctor had thought. 

Owen has a humerus on his right arm and about a centimeter of radius and ulna below. His left arm is fully there, however his radius and ulna are appearing to be a little short and they could only see one digit on his left hand. Now it was real. Needless to say, Jesse and I were (and still are) very sad about this. Other than his arms, everything else, his brain, heart, organs, legs, all seem to be great and growing the way they should. We have no current explanation for what caused this. Our doctors do not believe it is genetic or chromosomal, just a fluke thing that happened very early on in the pregnancy.

We have been surrounded by so much love and support from our friends and family. We have read so many hopeful stories and know that Owen is going to lead a wonderful and full life. He won't know any different, being born with this disability. God chose Jesse and I to be the parents to this little boy and we are going to be the best parents in the world. Our plans for camp outs, kayaking adventures and fishing excursions will still happen, we know this. It will just be a little more of a challenge, and we are absolutely up to the challenge.

I just wanted to fill you in on our sweet angel. That is why I haven't posted in a few weeks. Jesse and I are doing better, but everyday is a new day. We try our hardest to stay positive. We know Owen is going to open our eyes to a new world, seeing things we never even thought were possible. We know he is going to such an inspiration to us and others and make his mark on this world in a big way.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  Philippians 4:13





xoxo,
Annie