10 Years of Loving You!❤

Today is your 10th birthday! Our sweet, happy, strong, beautiful girl! You love all things horses, swimming, reading & biking.

We can’t even imagine our lives without you in it! May you forever know how loved and wanted you are, how hard we fought for you. May God use you mightily precious one!

Early 2011 brought the exciting news that baby #7 would be joining our family in September. For the very first time we took a video when we told your siblings. A couple of never forgotten comments included, ” Hey, you bought a new thermometer!”, when they opened a present with the pregnancy test in it. Another, ” Dad!!! Did you know about this!” 🤣🤣🤣

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.
Psalm 127:3 ESV

So thankful to have those memories as we had no idea at the time how precious this pregnancy and you were about to become.

Late February, at about 10wks pregnant, I found a lump in my left breast but it took almost 2 months to have an ultrasound as no one suspected anything serious. I was a low risk for breast cancer, had nursed all of my babies and was still nursing your brother at the time.

The day of my ultrasound finally arrived and is forever etched in our memories. The day that changed everything for us, the day that began a journey that would bring us immeasurable heartache and joy, often in the same day. The technician took a long time, took lots of pictures then left the room to get the radiologist. Thankfully Daddy had come with me that day and they asked him to come in the room. We both knew having the doctor come in on a scan was not good news. He advised us to start planning as what he saw was most definitely cancer and that I needed a biopsy and to see a surgeon asap.

In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.
Proverbs 14:26 ESV

Things moved SO quickly. Being young, pregnant and having a very aggressive looking cancer had our health system moving like we’d never experienced before and for which we are so thankful.

I was booked to see a surgeon the following day and had a core biopsy the day following that.

Meeting my surgeon was the hardest day of our whole journey. The day we had to fight for your life, the day we were told by both the surgeon and obstetrician (in the office next door) that terminating the pregnancy was the only logical choice to save my life, that we had six other children to think about, that you could be “taken care of” at the same time as my breast surgery. We were heartbroken and devastated. Our now 17 wk gestation baby was not even considered a person.

(Just needed to note that beyond this rocky first meeting, we absolutely adore, appreciate and trust this surgeon. He has gone above and beyond for me several times . Always caring, compassionate, careful and professional. )

With prayer and talking we knew God wouldn’t have given you to us to then turn around and ask us to take your life at our own hands. We chose to go ahead with all available treatment for me while praying His hand of protection to be upon you. An amazing organization ‘Hope for Two’ was a huge support. Partnering me with another big family mom that had cancer while pregnant but was now a few years on the other side.

And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children God has given me.”
Hebrews 2:13 ESV

Biopsy results took 2 weeks to come back. Time moved unimaginably slow during this wait. We all hoped and prayed that the ultrasound was wrong, but God was preparing us for the worst.

But as soon as those results came in, and I had a confirmed cancer diagnoses, everything moved very quickly again. I was booked for surgery the very same week, May 13th, 2011 a full left side mastectomy. I was now 20 wks gestation and had an ultrasound for you. Showing you perfect and healthy in every way.

Surgery day was beautiful, a day that I have never felt the perfect peace of God like ever before or since. There was no fear or nervousness, only complete peace and assurance. People all over the world were praying over this entire day.

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
Isaiah 26:3 ESV

The only tears I shed that day was when the OBGYN came into the recovery room to do a quick ultrasound and told me you were a girl!!! After 5 boys, you were the second daughter and baby sister we had all waited, hoped and prayed SO long for. You came out of sugery happy and healthy.

Over the next few weeks, as I recovered from sugery our entire church, community, friends, family and prayer warriors around the world rallied around us. There was even a meeting and schedule set up because so many people wanted to help us. God mightily used His people to be our hands and feet.

Surgery lab results showed I had invasive ductal carcinoma with 4 (of the 12 removed) lymph nodes involved. It was growing quickly. A plan for chemo and radiation were put into place.

The summer was spent recovering from surgery, having 3 of 6 chemo treatments, endless appointments and watching my tummy grow! The IWK kept a close watch on your growth and the blood vessels in your brain to make sure you were tolerating each dose of chemo. You were showing some signs of stress after treatment #3 so an induction at 36 wks was scheduled.

You were our only baby to be born at the IWK. I’m used to walking into the hospital and delivering a baby fairly quickly. My body was not ready so two days of uncomfortable, unproductive labour through induction found me begging for my first and only epidural. It was wonderful! We finally got some rest only to be awoken early in the morning of September 2nd, ready to push. Everything was happening fast, everyone was telling me not to push, as they weren’t ready! A NICU team filled the room, as we had no idea what your health would be. A few seconds later you arrived, 7lbs 4oz and perfectly healthy in every way. The doctor quickly looked you all over and handed you to me. The room cleared as quickly as it had filled, knowing their expertise wasn’t needed. PTL!

Life with a newborn, six other children and also homeschooling was unbelievably hard. My last 3 chemo treatments were more aggressive, my white blood count dropped dangerously low. A drug to boost my WBC, a daily needle I had to give myself, worked but the side effects were horrendous. It makes you feel like you have the worst flu ever. Terrible exhaustion and unbearable body aches filled my days. We could never have made it through without the help and prayers of so many. So thankful for each one that blessed our family through this time, I was unable to even think most days.

With chemo and a short recovery period behind us, 6 weeks of radiation started in December. We moved the family to Halifax for this time. God orchestrated every detail, from our amazing MLA offering his own personal apartment in downtown Halifax, proper parking for our big van at half the cost of normal, a fundraiser to cover all of our expenses and people helping in so many countless ways.

We made those 6 weeks an adventure for you and your siblings. I walked to the hospital for my daily treatment but made sure we did something fun each day too. The apartment building had a pool that we enjoyed almost daily, along with many trips to The Discovery Center, museums, Canada Games Center, The Oval, Costco, friend/family visits and more made for a fun adventure. I was tired but felt much better with chemo behind me.

Here we are 10 years later! You are healthy in every way!

May you always know the journey that brought you here, to us! We are beyond blessed to be your parents! May you always be a testimony of His goodness!

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.
Psalm 37:5 ESV

Thank you God for giving answers, providing protection and unconditionally loving this precious soul! May you forever draw her close to you and watch over her!

I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
Psalm 89:1 ESV