The Austin American Statesman contacted us to do a follow up article on Emma since her story has such a happy ending, but honestly, I am disappointed with the article. For whatever reason, the writer decided to leave out all of the answers I gave about what an incredibly difficult journey this has been, and how God has completely carried us through. You can draw your own conclusion as to why this was left out, maybe he ran out of space, but instead of dwelling on that, I just decided to write my own article.
Emma Grace is doing great. She is over 12 lbs now, making huge progress in physical therapy, holding her head up, rolling from tummy to back, smiling, laughing, and trying to talk. If it is possible, she is even happier than her big sister was at her age. But when you look at all that Emma has been through, why wouldn't she want to smile all the time?
One of the questions I was asked from the writer was "What do you want people to take away from your story?" My answer is simple; for people to see the value in every life. I know that many people in our situation would have chosen to terminate the pregnancy, but what kind of parent would I be if I decided not to give Emma the chance to fight? She proved how strong she is, and made me a stronger mother and person in the process. I admit, this was not an easy journey at all, and the fact that I had a HUGE support system and many family members, friends, and strangers praying for all of us helped us tremendously. But the fact of the matter is, God is the only one who was with me every step of the way. During my darkest moments when I questioned why He would allow this to happen and why I had to watch our precious baby suffer, He showed me His grace. I begged Him to somehow let me take her place. I couldn't watch another family leaving the hospital with their new baby without breaking down into tears of anger and jealousy, while I went to the NICU everyday to visit Emma. Why couldn't my baby be "normal?" Looking back now, I understand why God chose us to be Emma's parents. He knew that we would choose life, and we would cheer her on during the fight. Going through something like this is a feeling that so few mothers know, and one of my biggest reasons in sharing this very personal story is to help other parents on their journeys. Surviving the very traumatic experience of the NICU is not easy, and for me, it was not possible without God. I have heard from many people how strong they think I am, but my strength comes only from the Lord. The hardest thing we had to pray was that if God was going to take Emma from us, that He would help us to see His purpose in that. Although this journey is the hardest thing we have ever been through, it is one that I will never forget, and I will never regret choosing life for Emma. Regardless of the situation you are in, I believe that every baby is God's creation, and everything He creates is for a purpose.
The other question I was asked was "When will you tell Emma the story of how she almost didn't make it?" We have already told her, and will continue to do so until she can tell it on her own. As parents, we tell each other just about everyday how blessed we are and how amazing both of our girls are. Laney Faith, our almost 18 month old, is a spunky little girl who we thought we would have trouble conceiving because of other complications, and we call her our first miracle baby. She projects so much joy, and it is impossible not to smile when she is around. Emma Grace, 4 1/2 months, is a miracle in a different way. She is a beautiful and happy little baby, with a very contagious smile. Holding a miracle in my arms everyday is a feeling that can't be duplicated. It is so very important for both of our miracle girls to know how special they are to us, our families, and especially to God. We will never be perfect parents to these girls, but one of our many goals is to tell them everyday how much they are loved, and what makes each of them so special.
Life at home couldn't be better. Laney absolutely adores her little sister, and she is anxiously awaiting the day when Emma can finally play with her. I have my hands full with these girls, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I cannot imagine being anymore blessed and I am so thankful that God has given me this life. My hardworking husband supports our family so I can stay home and raise our girls, how much better can it get? Once again, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you for praying for our family. We are enjoying the "happy ending" to our story.
Here is a link to the article appearing in the Austin American Statesman today:
Corrections:
My husband's name is Justin, not Justice.
We found out about Emma's hydrops when I was 18 weeks pregnant, and fetal surgery was performed at 21 weeks.
http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news/local/what-ever-happened-to-the-schwartzes/nbfgD/
