"FOR YOU FORMED MY INWARD PARTS; YOU WOVE ME TOGETHER IN MY MOTHER'S WOMB. I WILL GIVE THANKS TO YOU, FOR I AM FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE...MY FRAME WAS NOT HIDDEN FROM YOU, WHEN I WAS MADE IN SECRET, AND SKILLFULLY WROUGHT IN THE DEPTHS OF THE EARTH." PSALM 139:13-14, 16
Our lives changed forever on December 31, 2014. As we were driving back to our house, having finalized preparations for a New Year's Eve party we were hosting for good friends, we received a call that shook us to our core. For us, it was one of those moments we always dreaded, but never expected.
Our perinatologist called to inform us that our unborn baby, only 13 weeks along at the time, had Trisomy 13. Trisomy 13 is an incredibly rare condition in which cells have a third 13th chromosome in every set. In the same conversation, we learned that we were having a baby boy, who we have named, John Tate Bottoms.
If we make it to delivery, our John will be 1 in 16,000 that actually makes it to birth. To the extent he makes it this far, he will likely only live for a few hours or days. 90% of women miscarry in the 1st trimester when their child has this condition...and many choose to terminate the pregnancy when they receive the diagnosis. John is already beating the odds and we know that God has a perfect plan for him.
While the past few weeks have been incredibly hard and the weeks and months to come will no doubt also be painful, John has already had an incredibly positive impact on our lives and has drawn us closer to our Lord. The prayers and notes from family and countless friends (even some dear people we do not personally know) have been such an encouragement to us and the Lord has been so faithful in providing us a peace that has truly surpassed all understanding.
Even though Baby John has not even yet drawn his first breath, he is already a blessing to us. Accordingly, we know with absolute certainty that the inspired words of God in Psalm 139 apply to our baby just as to any other. God is fearfully and wonderfully making our baby boy, and He has an important purpose for his existence.
As God continues to bless us through Baby John, we hope and pray that you also will be blessed as you follow along with us as we chronicle our journey with our sweet baby boy.