I try to think back to an occasion or time in my life that it was of benefit for me to have worried or to have been fearful of the future. I can’t come up with anything. Of course it is our human nature, primal instinct, maybe even a survival mechanism? I suppose it is appropriate to be “worried” about a tornado during a tornado warning, or sharks in shark infested waters. It’s when we mull over things in our minds, imagining and fretting about all of the “what ifs” and worse case scenarios as they relate to instances and situations in our lives and the lives of our loved ones. I can only describe that type of worry as self-induced misery. When we are so used to that way of thinking it is almost impossible to let go of that worry. By letting go of it, we somehow feel out of control. But are we really in control any way?
This morning as I walked through my bedroom with this sweetest of baby girls in my arms, I looked down at her. We were standing in the same spot where I had fallen to the floor 3 months ago, screaming in sheer angst over the news I had just received… “incompatible with life” echoing in my head. If only I could have had a glimpse 107 days into the future. All of the fear, anger, worry in that moment would have been alleviated to see this sweet girl. But life doesn’t work like that. We’re only able to live in the present moment. In the present moment we have the choice of self-induced misery or we can let God simply be in control. In the situation we were suddenly thrust into, I feel like I didn’t really have a choice. There was JUST NO OTHER WAY but to give it to God. It was too incredibly tormenting to handle something like this on our own. If God can handle the big things like this, why should it ever cross my mind that he couldn’t handle the little things?
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:6-8 NIV)
By taking that verse into practice, I assure you that life can be lived so much easier. I am living, breathing proof. Not to say or imply I just flipped some spiritual switch and everything was “all good”. It is with daily, sometimes minute by minute reminding that I am able to implement this scripture into my life.
Here is something true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy to think about:
Nora had another great day today. Thank you for your continued prayers. They mean everything!
iwillcarryyou 
Love the picture of your hand and hers
Aleisa, she is such a TREASURE! 🙂
She is perfect…all 10 fingers, all 10 toes, a cute little button nose…yes indeed, perfect is little Nora Rose!!!
I just found your blog today… And I am praying for your miracle baby! She is beautiful, and you are a wonderful testament to strength, trust in God, and Faith. =)
I love reading your updates and am so glad you are having good days. Your strength is amazing-you are a true inspiration. Did someone make her little outfit? So adorable!
Aleisa, I have been following your incredible walk of faith through Kate R., with whom I worked with many years ago here in Columbus. I just wanted to thank you for sharing this wonderful testament of faith, love and hope with us. God bless your beautiful family and a special prayer for sweet Nora!
Hi Sherri! Thanks for the nice compliment! I made Nora’s cute little onesie. It was by the grace of God that I was given this opportunity to share my new little obsession with this “prophet to the nations”. I couldn’t think of a better little miracle to share my new addiction with. 🙂
Aleisa – You are so right that when things are too hard to handle you give them to god to handle for you. We are parents of a 17 month old miracle girl with T18. We didn’t know about her diagnosis until she was born and it hit us like a ton of bricks. There was nothing else we could do but pray and understand it was not within our control (something I really struggled with as a self-confessed control freak). As time has gone on, it has gotten easier as our sweet Kinsey has been amazingly healthy. The feeling of “impending doom” has gone away and we simply enjoy every moment with her. She makes me smile more each day than I’ve ever smiled in my whole life. I wish the same for you and your family and will pray that Nora continues to defy the odds and the doctors’ predictions!
I look forward to your daily updates. I will continue to pray for all of you. 🙂
That verse is so awesome. I think I need that framed in every room of the house. And in my car. Your words are so true too, and such an example to all of us! Especially my worry-prone self! You are so strong and so loved by us all, and by this bit of love named Nora Rose. She is so dang cute I can hardly stand it! And I love her initial-appliqué onesie! Too sweet!
Aleisa,
Thank you…for your amazing testament of unconditional love, the beauty and miracle of life, and of truly inspiring faith. This precious blog has become my nightly reading and has touched me in ways I never knew a blog could touch a person. Nora is a true prophet to the nations and living, breathing work of God.
Your blog first struck me because my youngest son had the choroid plexis cysts present at 18 and 20 weeks. At 18, he didn’t open his hands either. With many prayers and sleeplees, worrisome nights, by 23 weeks we had “borderline” quad screen test and much smaller cysts. We opted against the amnio, and by 25 weeks the cysts were gone, open hands, and no visible heart defects. The doctors still “warned” us that our baby could still have a mild chromosomal defect. The next weeks went by slowly, sleeplessly, and miraculously. Alijah was born without any chromosomal defects and wa medically “normal.”
He is now my very lively, vibrant, beautiful four year old son. I know he is my miracle, too!
I don’t talk about the scary months we had, not many people know the whole story, because I was afraid! I was afraid of talking about it and of asking for prayers.
Your story, your reality, has truly reaffirmed my faith. It’s never waivered, but your miracle just makes it that much more real. I am a firm believer that everything has a purpose, and happens for reasons…we can’t change it, we just live it with God’s help, it is what it is! But, what I have learned, is that it is what God has planned, and whatever that is…is worth it!
Hopefully, some day I can meet this true child of God in person, in the meantime, I look forward to the updates and pictures.
I will read again tomorrow,
Shannon Crawford
Hi Aleisa and family, what a joy to receive updates about Nora Rose already 8 days old! We live in Independence, KY and pray every day for you and your sweet family. THANK YOU for your courage and Bible verses today, God in Heaven must be so happy with you. I pray that I can please God with my faith as well. Thank you, Aleisa, many prayers coming your way; let us know of anything else we can do to help you guys! Take care and get some rest too!
Nora is so beautiful! Continuing to pray for you all.
Thank you for speaking truth to my soul. Beautiful verse to hold tight to in the midst of fears.
Hello, I’m following your blog by Barbara Corey Fryman. We are in Hendersonville TN. You and your family are in my prayers! Your strength and trust are amazing as is your little miracle Nora 🙂
Jill Berry
I truly love to read your entries and this one citing that verse is so special and true. Thank you for ministering to me. You, Nora, and your family are His messengers. Blessings.
Yours are some of the most beautiful words ever spoken (or typed). I plan to write down the Bible verse you included and hang it on one of my kitchen cabinets. Your story has allowed me to find a faith deep down inside I never knew existed and you have no idea what that means to me. Prayers and thanksgiving continue to be offered on your behalf each day.
What an incredible little girl and family. God has already used Nora so much in her precious days of life. Now I’m going to go check on my two angels and thank God again for EVERY minute I have with them. Life is precious. Have you listened to Blessings by LAura Story?
This is one of my favorite readings as well as Matthew 6: 25-34 which is along the same theme. Your words here are beautiful and inspiring.
I wanted you to know that I so enjoy reading your updates. Your precious Nora & your family is in my prayers.
~Robyn (Wittich) Tierney
Thank you so much for your blog it has been a real inspiration to me and my fiancee im due may 3rd, our daughter was diagnosed with full trisomy 18, your story has helped me so much i read your blog everyday i am so happy your nora has beaten the odds it makes me so hopefully and excited to meet my little Hannah.
Gabby, I just want to let you know I saw your reply to this post, and I will add you, your fiance and your little Hannah to our family’s prayers tonight. Praying for you to have joy.
God Bless 🙂
The exact words I needed to hear today. Thank you for your faith as it strengthens my own. God is smiling down on you and your family with utter joy. Nora is beautiful and my family is praying for all of you each day.
This story amazes me and I love the inspiration I am getting from you with every blog post.
I just want to respond to what Shannon Crawford said… “I am a firm believer that everything has a purpose, and happens for reasons…we can’t change it, we just live it with God’s help, it is what it is! But, what I have learned, is that it is what God has planned, and whatever that is…is worth it!” AMEN-AMEN-AMEN!
Good night and God Bless you!
A good friend of mine also went through the same journey with her little girl just this past year that you are now on. Your posts sound so familiar as they echo they same strong Faith and Trust that I witnessed in my friend and her family. I’m so humbled by your powerful witness. Little Nora is beyond precious
and as you have so beautifully expressed, a gift to us all. I will continue to keep her and your family in my prayers. I’m so blessed and grateful to be on this journey with you vicariously. May the Lord continue to Bless You and Keep you and yours.
I’m prying for your little family that is situated right in the palm of God’s hand. I’m writing because you’be said it lifts you up. We are praying for everyone in Nora’s inner circle.
I found your blog from a friend’s facebook post, and though I don’t know anything about you except the little I’ve read on your blog, know I am praying to our God who knows all! My husband’s parents had a daughter with trisomy 18 in the early 80s and so, through their story, I feel a small connection to you and yours. God gave them about two months with their precious little girl, and I know they cherished every moment. I will be praying those verses in Philippians for you.
How timely God has brought your blog across my path (I’m in Central Illinois). I am reading “When I lay my Isaac Down” right now. Each & every one of your posts echos truth that GOD IS CAPABLE. When let go and we walk through life’s “unknown’s,” we do not have to fear because we serve the only Capable, Loving & KNOWN God – who is so overwhelmingly in love with not only me, but you, your precious Nora and every person who is and has been. He loves us more than our “Isaacs” – those things we can only surrender before Him – trusting in his grace to carry us through each moment. You all are in my prayers. Your sweet Nora is a miracle from our Abba Father & her story (through you) has touched my heart deeply. Thank you for being willing to share God’s thread of faithfulness that is woven through your journey…May you feel the Peace that passes understanding as deeply as you have been a true example of Philippians 2.
You don’t know me at all but I must say I appreciate you letting me and many other strangers (many brothers and sisters in Christ) into your life. I look for your updates multiple times a day until I see one. I think of you and Nora continually. I pray for her health and you and your family’s strength constantly. It is amazing how such a young small life can impact so many people so quickly. Many will go an entire lifetime not having the kind of impact you guys have made by letting us in your lives. We serve an awesome God. Keep savoring every minute and joy you are having with your newborn daughter. Until your next update, be well. You all will be in my prayers!
Just wanted to send a quick, heart-felt, Thank You- for sharing your story and offering such powerful, encouraging words for all to live by. Your words truly struck a chord with me as I am going through some difficult times being made worse by the fact that I cannot seem to give up worrying, and your post has truly inspired me. You are an inspiration to all, may God be with you and your family on this new journey.
Just wanted to tell you I was reading this post thinking about how it really applies to my situation. I am currently 16 weeks pregnant and overjoyed. We had been praying for so long to get pregnant and when I got that positive test I felt overjoyed and blessed (and still feel that way!). But there is this little thing of worry that I feel sits right beside me everyday. Every different feeling, every time before a doctors appointment looking for that heartbeat it really comes out. Last summer I had a miscarriage, it was one of the hardest things I have ever been through. There are so many emotions, sadness, anger and fear. I worry that it will happen again. But as you said above, what do we really have control of anyway? What good does it do? There is no other way to deal with it, give it to God. I will keep those words close to my heart today 🙂 Your story is such an inspiration to so many, congrats on Nora, she is so beautiful!!
I am amazed and humbled by your testimony. Thank you for sharing!
Hi, I’m Claudia from Italy…I found your blog yesterday cause a friend of mine posted your story on Facebook…I read it all…Nora, you and all your family are in my prayers…
So cool…all the way to Italy!
I know you’ve heard this so many times already, but it can’t hurt to hear it again. 🙂 You are an absolute inspiration, and I think, just as you were meant to have Nora in your life, that I was meant to find this blog through a friend.
My now one year old daughter was born with tetralogy of fallot, and she was diagnosed at 37 weeks gestation. That day of her diagnosis was the most awful day of my life, as I know you understand. I worried so much for the following two weeks, and she required surgery at just a week old. I just remember feeling an overwhelming sense of peace when she was born, and I was finally able to let go and give my worries to God. I’ve always been a worrier, so that was pretty huge for me. There have been so many days where I have looked at her and all of her spunkiness and full of life-ness, and I have wished I could have told myself at 37 weeks pregnant that it was all going to be okay. It’s amazing how God reveals things to us when we really, truly need to hear the message (and when we’re ready). Thank you so much for sharing your story for us. God is great, and Nora (and all of your family) is in my prayers daily!
Aleisa, every day I can’t wait to see pictures of your beautiful Nora. I wish we lived closer so we could impose on you for a few hours to hold your tiny miracle (if you’d let us – I know she’s too precious to let go of for long). Praying continually for her and your family..
I look forward to your blog daily through Paula Miller. My prayers continue daily for each of you. God has shown Himself greatly through this blog.
I’m so amazed at how well your beautiful Nora Rose is doing. My nephew, Dawson, has T18 and he is 6 years old! WOW! I know that the journey of being a T18 mom can be hard. If you need the help of another T18 mom, my sister-in-law, Renae Bradley, would be an awesome resource. You can find her on facebook. Blessings and prayers to you and your sweet family.
Thank you so much for sharing that! I was in a mental pit of despair when I decided to look at your blog for a “pick me up”. I have so many mixed emotions about the birth of my daughter and quite frankly, I’m scared. I’m so fearful of the unknown and I can’t stop thinking about it. For every success story there are 10 stories of grief and right now others journeys are all I have to ground me with what I’m facing. The question that lingers in my mind is, how far will God allow the devil to push me? Will I be like Job and have all of my children taken away from me one by one? Will I be able to praise God in spite of my circumstance? Just looking at Nora gives me hope on the daily basis so thanks again for being so generous to share her with the world.
I’ve been following your blog since Melanie mentioned you on FB. You are in my daily thoughts and prayers. Every day I ask God to bless Nora with another good day. Today you put my entire life in perspective with this post. I’m a Seton grad that doesn’t read her bible but a friend gave me that verse months ago (Phillipians 4:6-8) .. it’s printed on my desktop at work so I can stop worrying about things I can’t control. Thank you for you putting your life out there, in doing so you are touching so many lives. Continued prayers for your family and God bless your little prophet. She is B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L in so many ways!!!
Thank you for sharing your beautiful story. Are you aware of the Morgans and their baby Ella Rose? It might be nice to know somone going through a similar journey, if you don’t know them already. https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/babymorgan/createorsignin Praying for your family, including your precious baby girl!
Thank you so much for sharing Nora with us through your blog. She is beautiful! And so is your whole family! We are praying for you continually. Stay strong!
She is so beautiful and so is your love for her! Know that so many think of you all the time and pray for you to be showered with continual blessings! May God’s peace be with you today and always,
Lisa
What a blessed family you are, Nora Rose is just beautiful…..I found your blog when I as looking for ideas on birth photography as I am photographing my first birth as a new photographer. I have come back everyday since after viewing your amazing birth photo’s, your story touches my heart and soul in so many ways. Thank you for sharing your precious, miracle with us, I have shared her story on my facebook here in Australia and she is touching so many lives in ways that will be impacting people for the rest of their lives. Congratulations she is beyond precious! I can’t wait to watch her grow day by day.
I am just so encouraged by your story (saw a link on facebook), that you left room for God to perform a miracle instead of taking matters into your own hands and deciding when your daughter’s life should be over. THANK YOU for believing Him and trusting Him for big things. THANK YOU for showing the world that life begins at conception, not at birth. The picture taken by Melanie of Nora on your chest next to the “I Will Carry You” necklace just made me weep with gratitude that you did carry her and that God brought her to your arms. No matter what happens, you’re a testimony to the world that God CAN perform miracles and “science” isn’t always right! On top of that, your story causes me to stop hustling and bustling and just hold my 8 week old daughter and 19 month old son a little tighter and a little longer =)
Nora is just beautiful and I’m praying so much that God will continue to sustain her sweet little life and bless your family in tremendous ways.
Hi there,
I just found your blog thanks for your birth photos being on facebook. You and your family, and especially little Nora are in my prayers. I also just wanted you to know that the song your blog is based on, I Will Carry You by Selah, is based on a family who lost their baby–the lead singer’s family in fact. His wife Angie writes a beautiful blog too that may help you as you go throughout your miraculous journey: http://www.angiesmithonline.com God bless!
i pray for you and your family, and i pray that all moms might have the strength and courage that you have had. You make me want to be a better mom. I hope you realize the impact that nora is having on so many people in just the short time that she has been on this earth. I have a strong feeling that she will continue to impact many people for al very long time to come.
I found your blog through a friend at the perfect time! I was struggling and needed to stop worrying and put my life in bigger hands. You did that for me and many others. I believe your choice has shown so many who God truly is! I read your post everyday and pray for your family! God bless you, your husband, and all your children! God has taught many of us though your beautiful Nora! Thank you for sharing her story!!!
I get my daily inspiration from you. I have lived my life like this (not listening to the doctors about children in my womb and what might happen to them) and 5 pregnancies that turned into 2 living children. 3 babies lost at 13 to 16 weeks in-utero. I rejoice in your words and thank God for his power everyday. Your family is so blessed to have this experience and each day with Nora is doubly blessed for all of you. May God continue to keep you all in his hands and bless you on this incredible journey.
i lived and breathed those words from paul.
i kept asking for peace that confounded. peace that just didn’t make sense.
He delivers:)
I just saw your story through a friend of mine’s facebook page and I can’t help but comment. One month and 11 days ago I lost my little girl.She made it to 22 weeks in the womb. How Lucky you are to see her, hold her and cherish time with her. I didn’t get this time and so wish I had. I will keep you and your little Nora in my thoughts and prayers.
That is my favorite bible verse! It has gotten me through many an anxious moment. My daughter had a little girl the day before Nora Rose was born and is having a few problems/worries re: weight and cyanosis. I see little Nora Rose and your family so on this journey and you all are an inspiration and reminder to me to let God take care of it, for it is in His hands. I will continue to pray for Nora Rose and your family.
Well said. I enjoyed that very much.
Hi, I wanted to let you all know about a giveaway fundraiser for a boy named Shaun who has Trisomy 18. He is listed on Reece’s Rainbow site, an organization that raises adoption funds for kids with special needs. There are several great prizes, including four American Girl Dolls. If you would like to donate you can go to http://www.orphans-rainbow.blogspot.com/ or http://reecesrainbow.org/?s=shaun. It is tax-deductible if you donate through the Reece’s Rainbow site. Also please email the fundraiser coordinator if you donate, so she can keep track of entries. One entry for each $5 donated and one entry for sharing the link. Her email is butterfly_poette@hotmail.com. Thank you so much, and I hope you don’t mind me posting this here!
Thank you for sharing your story.