We need prayer

Today has undoubtedly been one of the most terrible days of our lives.  We were told that our third child will not live once she is outside of my womb.  She has a neural tube defect called anencephaly, which means she has not grown a brain or a skull.  She has a normal face and other body parts as well as a strong heart but of course, that will not be enough for survival.  The choices we were given today were to abort or go ahead with the pregnancy and maybe get a few minutes to hold our baby before she goes to be with Jesus.  

This happens due to the neural tube not closing properly around the fourth week of life.  Research has shown that often times it is caused from not having enough B Vitamins (folic acid) in your system in the early weeks of development.  However, this is typically when you find out you're pregnant and are just starting to take prenatal vitamins so they assured me there was nothing I could've done to prevent or stop this from happening.  Yeah like that makes me feel better.    

We believe that God is the author and finisher of life and for whatever reason He created our baby like this.  Like all things in life, good and bad, this in some way is for His glory.  But it still sucks.  Big time.  We are devastated and need a lot of love and prayer.  The thought of having a funeral instead of a birthday party is heart breaking to say the least.  To know the baby moving around inside of me, being nourished and kept alive in the safety of my womb will never suckle at my breast makes me want to just ball up and cry like a baby.  

We understand that this is something that people are going to have a hard time with; no one knows what to say to parents going through things like this.  So don't feel like you have to try to make us feel better with words because there just aren't any that will ever suffice.  A hug, prayers, and perhaps some listening ears at times will be the tools God uses to heal our family.  We don't know what the grieving process is going to look like or really what to expect --we just know it's not going to be easy.  Right now we're in a state of shock and disbelief.  But life must go on.  Thankfully we have many good reasons to rejoice when times are tough and two very fun kids who make us smile and laugh every day.  Eden and Jonas were the best medicine Joe and I could've had today.  

We are being placed under the care of a perinatologist and will have to be more closely monitored from here on out and should expect lots of appointments, meetings, and tests.  We were told our daughter can die at any time but that there is a good chance that she could go full term since her heart and other vital organs are intact and seem to be working well.  Obviously we don't know much at this point and we'll find out more as we go.  

Please pray for guidance, wisdom, peace, hope and that we will bring honor to God in these tough times.  

-Joe and Carly 

Here is a link with more information: http://www.anencephalie-info.org/index.php