Time flies

Since my last post a lot has happened...

We experienced something no woman should ever have to experience when we miscarried our second baby on February 18th, 2014.

Mama was diagnosed with breast cancer in the summer of 2014 and had a lumpectomy followed by two chemo treatments and over 75 radiation treatments.

Mama was hospitalized from Hands and Foot Syndrome that was chemo induced and had surgery on her hand for carpal tunnel that was chemo induced.

We traveled to NYC with a 13 month old back in March of 2014.

We found out we were expecting our third child, Joyanna Paige Sanders.

We experienced a few scares with that pregnancy when the doctor told us she had IUGR (Intrauterine Growth Restriction) due to an artery restricting more than it should. I was hospitalized the day before Halloween due to the IUGR and ogliohydraminias (low fluid levels). After 5 days, I was released but instead of biweekly appointments for dopplars and growth scans and BPP's, I had to go to daily appointments. I even had to see a perinatologist. At 37 weeks, Joyanna was born and was a healthy 5lb, 18inch baby girl without any issues. I was unable to VBAC due to the complications (the risk was incredibly too high) however, not having a NICU stay was an act of God because the doctors were definitely worried.

We found out that the plant my husband works at was closing for good by 2016.

Our sweet Raegan began pulling her hair out in August and by November it was completely gone. My little angel was bald. What caused this, we can speculate on all day long and it broke our hearts and even caused anger. We tried everything you can imagine from dolls with hair, horse toys with hair, fuzzy pillows, scratch sleeves, redirecting the behavior, and everything in between but in her sleep and in the car seat, we could not stop it. Currently, her hair is growing back slowly and she does not mess with it. We are praying that it was just a temporary behavior and not trichotillamania.

Raegan became a full blown toddler who changed sooo much and has been so busy and active.

Whew, what an eventful 2014. I just thought 2013 was an adjustment with a new baby and losing my Daddy.

Through it all though, God has been so faithful. We have seen miracles occur as with Joyanna our miracle baby and with Mama completing her last round of radiation on New Years Eve. Praise God for her having a mammogram this summer and her doctor catching the lump early.

 "...to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved." Ephesians 1:6

We are so undeserving of everything we have. We are not guaranteed tomorrow and what we consider to be sadness and suffering is nothing compared to what we deserve. Christ died. He bled. His blood was shed for me. An eventful year just made our little family trust in Him more and rely on Him more. He drew me closer to Him through all of the joy and sorrow.

God is good.