Since many have asked….

It began on a Monday, like may other Mondays, I was on my way to clinic for a routine baby checkup(week 36). My family doctor ordered an ultra sound since we didn’t think baby was growing enough. After a few hours at the clinic I was admitted to the hospital for observation over night.  We quickly learned we were being sent to another hospital the following day for special tests. The Mankato tech confirmed baby was small and thought she saw a possible a heart defect. So Lucas and I nervously drove to Fairview U of M, where they agreed baby was a mere 4.5 lbs. The staff there gave us great news by telling us that our baby was completely healthy, no heart defect and was just simply small.

Doctors orders were to go home and enjoy life as normal, but take it down a notch. So for the next week I went back to work, photographing a wedding, various families and high school seniors.

It was the following Monday(week 37) that began again with my weekly checkup at the clinic. Doctors confirmed my baby was healthy, small, but healthy and I was beginning not to be.  After they confirmed my blood work and blood pressure weren’t the best, the team of doctors decided it was time to help baby along.

After 17 hours of labor, and still no signs of baby, the ISJ staff delivered our baby girl via C-section Tuesday morning. Olivia Love was born a mere 4.7 at 8:10am on 8.11.09 completely 100% healthy. She was a tough baby, never needing additional care, just simply love. A miracle, a teeny tiny baby girl.

After I had been in the recovery room for a  few minutes, my husband Lucas joined me to officially name her. Lucas had told me our Pastor Steve Kosberg was in the hospital and saw the very first glimpse of Olivia in the nursery, just seconds after she was brought in. Later when we asked Pastor why he was at the hospital(we had assumed he was visiting other patients), he simply said he saw my name, sherry, that morning and rushed off the the ISJ 5th floor, unknowing what miracle had just occurred. He didn’t even know we were at the hospital nor had we shared the news with family/friends.

Olivia Love was born surrounded by a room full of educated caring doctors/staff and comforted by two parents very eager to have a healthy baby…but what truly blessed her was the continued prayers that brought her safely into this world and the loving arms of grace. She is pictured here at 3 weeks old at her baptism. Pastor Steve Kosberg did the ceremony, 6 days before he left the country for Korea(where he remains for the next 5 years)

Olivia Love, blessed and be blessed.