That's the sound of Baby Gerke's heartbeat and we got to hear it today! The heartbeat was a little tough to find, but once the baby stopped moving all around the heartbeat was strong and very fast (according to the doctor). Scott was so nervous. I don't think he took a single breath while the doctor was searching for the heartbeat. I kept hearing a couple of beats here and there, but Scott wasn't hearing that. As soon as the doctor would start to hear the heartbeat, Baby Gerke would move away. But bottom line is that we heard the heart beat and the doctor said that puts us in the clear....we're in the safe zone!!!!
I do apparently have a small infection, but that is being treated with some antibiotics and should be gone in about a week. News to me, but glad it is something easily taken care of. Our next appointment is on August 10th. The day after we get back from out next vacation. Scott's boss has got to love him...he goes on vacation for a week, then has an appointment the first day back. No really his boss is incredibly supportive, so it's not a big deal! And if all goes as planned, looks like we'll be finding out boy or girl, the first week in September! It seems like so far away, but I know it will be here before we know it!
Monday, July 12, 2010
Sunday, July 11, 2010
If you're lucky enough to be at the beach...
then you're lucky enough! Or so the saying goes! We just got back from the Gerke family vacation to Duck, NC. It was a great time. Lots of time with family, hours spent in the sun, splashes in the pool and ocean, time playing games....what's not to feel lucky about!
Every alone moment Scott and I were able to steal, we reminded ourselves that our trip to the beach next summer will be very different. We'll have a baby in tow, which comes with so much more. More gear to pack, more time inside than out, but more importantly, more smiles, laughter, and love. We can't wait!!!!
The Gerke crew on the 4th of July
Every alone moment Scott and I were able to steal, we reminded ourselves that our trip to the beach next summer will be very different. We'll have a baby in tow, which comes with so much more. More gear to pack, more time inside than out, but more importantly, more smiles, laughter, and love. We can't wait!!!!
The Gerke crew on the 4th of July
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Big News!
Well many of you may know, but some of you may not. We have some exciting information to share!!! We are pregnant and expecting a little baby in January!!! God is absolutely amazing and we know He has answered ours and so many others' prayers over the past months. It has been fun to share the news with friends and family as we see or talk to them. The reactions have been the best! Most people scream only to be followed with tears (of joy, of course).
So far I'm feeling just fine. Typical pregnancy symptoms I suppose...a little nausea and fatigue, but other than that, not bad at all! We've been to the doctor a couple of times and seen our little nugget on an ultrasound a couple of times. So far the little guy or girl is growing and has a really strong heartbeat. We are planning to find out whether we have a little girl or a little boy, but won't know until late August, maybe September.
I know I haven't been the best at keeping this blog up in the past 5 months, but we were waiting for really good news to update the blog! So there's our really good news!!!! And just because we're already proud parents, here's one of Baby Gerke's first pictures. The little nugget was waving to us in this one!
So far I'm feeling just fine. Typical pregnancy symptoms I suppose...a little nausea and fatigue, but other than that, not bad at all! We've been to the doctor a couple of times and seen our little nugget on an ultrasound a couple of times. So far the little guy or girl is growing and has a really strong heartbeat. We are planning to find out whether we have a little girl or a little boy, but won't know until late August, maybe September.
I know I haven't been the best at keeping this blog up in the past 5 months, but we were waiting for really good news to update the blog! So there's our really good news!!!! And just because we're already proud parents, here's one of Baby Gerke's first pictures. The little nugget was waving to us in this one!
Friday, February 5, 2010
Healing
We are healing. At times it feels as if it was months ago...not weeks. I think we have to look at it in perspective. We received the terrible news when that little boy was 1 day old. As heartbreaking as that was, imagine if we had found out the next day when we had taken him back to the hotel, or the day after that when my parents had come to meet him, or even worse 10 days later when we snuggling him in our own home. It hurt terribly, but it could have been so much worse.
We are starting to look forward, not back anymore. Nothing about what happened could be changed, so there was no point in looking back. Our dream to become parents hasn't changed and we know that our dream will come true at some point. We have always known that we are not in control and that God has a plan for us. We just have to wait for His plan to be known.
We do thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, cards, e-mails, phone calls, encouragement, support, etc. Without all of you we wouldn't be as strong as we are! You have helped us heal and for that we are forever grateful!
Love to all!
We are starting to look forward, not back anymore. Nothing about what happened could be changed, so there was no point in looking back. Our dream to become parents hasn't changed and we know that our dream will come true at some point. We have always known that we are not in control and that God has a plan for us. We just have to wait for His plan to be known.
We do thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, cards, e-mails, phone calls, encouragement, support, etc. Without all of you we wouldn't be as strong as we are! You have helped us heal and for that we are forever grateful!
Love to all!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Sad News
Dear Family & Friends,
It is with extremely saddened hearts that we share that it appears our adoption has fallen through. We have known all along that this was always a possibility, but that in no way helped us to prepare for the moment that we were told Caleb would not be coming home with us. We continue to pray for the birthmother and her family as this is a difficult time for them as well. We will need time to heal and grieve, but we know that we will get through this. The adoption process has given us some thick skin, but we are still heartbroken. We thank you all for your prayers and support throughout this process and as we decide what our next step is.
Love,
Stacy & Scott
It is with extremely saddened hearts that we share that it appears our adoption has fallen through. We have known all along that this was always a possibility, but that in no way helped us to prepare for the moment that we were told Caleb would not be coming home with us. We continue to pray for the birthmother and her family as this is a difficult time for them as well. We will need time to heal and grieve, but we know that we will get through this. The adoption process has given us some thick skin, but we are still heartbroken. We thank you all for your prayers and support throughout this process and as we decide what our next step is.
Love,
Stacy & Scott
Monday, January 18, 2010
Less than a week
Little Caleb's due date is in 5 days. 5 DAYS!!!
We are ready, bags packed, house clean, work things pretty much sorted out. We are ready in every sense of the word, except we're probably not really ready. Can you ever be 100% ready? We have no idea how things are going to play out once we get the phone call. We don't know if he'll already be born or if his birthmother will just be going into labor. We aren't sure if we'll meet his birthmother and her family or just be working with the social worker. We don't know if we'll spend two nights in the hotel, or two weeks in the hotel. So MANY unknowns! If this process has taught us anything it is that we are not in control and that we just have to roll with the punches. It was a hard lesson to learn, but we've become pretty good at it. Who am I kidding, Scott has always been good at it, I'm still working on it, but we balance each other out, right?
The dreams have started coming. Almost every night for the past week I have waken up from the strangest dreams. They include RoboCop, a little girl named Anna, and most recently getting a text message from Scott that Caleb had been born. That one felt the most real. I woke up not sure if it was a dream or not, my heart racing. I shot out of bed to find Scott sound asleep at 2:30 in the morning.
This week is going to go on forever I'm sure, but we'll just try to stay busy and keep our minds off the "unknown" and think about how we'll "roll with the punches"!
Hope to post again within the next week with news of our new little boy!
We are ready, bags packed, house clean, work things pretty much sorted out. We are ready in every sense of the word, except we're probably not really ready. Can you ever be 100% ready? We have no idea how things are going to play out once we get the phone call. We don't know if he'll already be born or if his birthmother will just be going into labor. We aren't sure if we'll meet his birthmother and her family or just be working with the social worker. We don't know if we'll spend two nights in the hotel, or two weeks in the hotel. So MANY unknowns! If this process has taught us anything it is that we are not in control and that we just have to roll with the punches. It was a hard lesson to learn, but we've become pretty good at it. Who am I kidding, Scott has always been good at it, I'm still working on it, but we balance each other out, right?
The dreams have started coming. Almost every night for the past week I have waken up from the strangest dreams. They include RoboCop, a little girl named Anna, and most recently getting a text message from Scott that Caleb had been born. That one felt the most real. I woke up not sure if it was a dream or not, my heart racing. I shot out of bed to find Scott sound asleep at 2:30 in the morning.
This week is going to go on forever I'm sure, but we'll just try to stay busy and keep our minds off the "unknown" and think about how we'll "roll with the punches"!
Hope to post again within the next week with news of our new little boy!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
10 day countdown
Today starts the 10 day countdown. Of course there is no guarantee that the little guy will make his arrival in 10 days. It could be 12, 14 or even 17 days before we get to meet our bundle of joy.
Last week was my first week back at school and EVERYONE was asking, "Have you heard anything?", "Is he here yet?", or "Any news?" I know they are all being kind and supportive, but if we had heard that Caleb was making his arrival, do they really think I'd be at school? School did throw me a shower last Thursday, which was wonderful. I even got a little emotional when I thanked everyone for their support and excitement for us. For the time being I am at school trying to tie up loose ends before I'm out for 10 weeks. Tomorrow I tell the kids the kids the situation. I think I am more nervous about this than anything else right now. I know there will be lots of questions and I'm not sure how I'm going to answer them. I'm sure I'm worrying way too much, but if I wasn't worried about this, it would be something else.
Scott is also at work tying up loose ends. He has been so great at being the contact person for our out-of-state social worker. Every once in a while a wave of reality hits him...I love seeing that little smile he has. I know what he's feeling and thinking and I love him for it!
Saturday, my mom's friend threw a baby shower for me. It just about cleared out our registry, so we officially have most everything we need. The shower attendees were mostly family friends who've known me over half my life. There was even Ms. Pat who's known me since I was one. All these women were like 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. moms to me, so it was wonderful to be surrounded by their support.
Our "to-do" list is getting shorter and shorter. I supposed that is a good thing. It is probably even better that I am not adding more than I am crossing off. Each thing that I cross off brings me that much closer to reality. Of course I don't think that reality will really set in until we are en route. Right now, it still feels like it is months away. Not to say we are completely excited and ready to hold our son.
So looking back, this is quite the rambling, isn't it? Well I'd say that is a pretty good representation of where we are right not. Just going along hitting bumps here and there waiting for our little one to make his entrance! Check back often for news that he has arrived!
Last week was my first week back at school and EVERYONE was asking, "Have you heard anything?", "Is he here yet?", or "Any news?" I know they are all being kind and supportive, but if we had heard that Caleb was making his arrival, do they really think I'd be at school? School did throw me a shower last Thursday, which was wonderful. I even got a little emotional when I thanked everyone for their support and excitement for us. For the time being I am at school trying to tie up loose ends before I'm out for 10 weeks. Tomorrow I tell the kids the kids the situation. I think I am more nervous about this than anything else right now. I know there will be lots of questions and I'm not sure how I'm going to answer them. I'm sure I'm worrying way too much, but if I wasn't worried about this, it would be something else.
Scott is also at work tying up loose ends. He has been so great at being the contact person for our out-of-state social worker. Every once in a while a wave of reality hits him...I love seeing that little smile he has. I know what he's feeling and thinking and I love him for it!
Saturday, my mom's friend threw a baby shower for me. It just about cleared out our registry, so we officially have most everything we need. The shower attendees were mostly family friends who've known me over half my life. There was even Ms. Pat who's known me since I was one. All these women were like 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. moms to me, so it was wonderful to be surrounded by their support.
Our "to-do" list is getting shorter and shorter. I supposed that is a good thing. It is probably even better that I am not adding more than I am crossing off. Each thing that I cross off brings me that much closer to reality. Of course I don't think that reality will really set in until we are en route. Right now, it still feels like it is months away. Not to say we are completely excited and ready to hold our son.
So looking back, this is quite the rambling, isn't it? Well I'd say that is a pretty good representation of where we are right not. Just going along hitting bumps here and there waiting for our little one to make his entrance! Check back often for news that he has arrived!
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