Dear L and N,
It’s me, your mama. I’m that heart you’ve heard beating. That voice you’ve heard talking. And at times, those tears you’ve heard falling.
To say your pregnancy has been an emotional one would be an understatement. The fact we saw two pink lines so easily this time caught us a bit off guard. And from the moment we found out there were TWO of you…our world has been spinning. You hid from the heart monitor at 14 weeks. At 23 weeks we found out you were both boys! Around 26 weeks we received what seemed like impossible information; your brains hadn’t formed correctly. And by 29 weeks, the news was even worse.
The medical community has warned us that your lives will be full of challenges, and unfairly cut short.
I have tried my hardest to wrap my head around that, but I just can’t.
No ultrasound tech yet has finished their job without mentioning at least once that one or both of you is stubborn. And N, you surprised even the doctors by growing after signs were pointing to you starting to fail.
My vocabulary has grown to include words like Dandy Walker, Vermis, Corpus Callosum, and Lissencephaly. But my heart has grown too. As has my faith.
I cannot tell you for certain what this means for you. I cannot tell you if you will ever walk. Or eat independently. Or utter your first word. Or celebrate a first birthday.
I can tell you that your dad and I are here. Waiting for you. That we are proud of you both, and love you endlessly. And that we will do everything in our power to help you fight, for as long as you tell us that is what you want.
I also want to promise you one important thing. No matter the length of your lives. Whether you are with us for hours, days, weeks, months, or years…I promise to make your time here on Earth not about death, but about life. Not about loss, but about love. Not about fear, but about hope.
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May he make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.
May he turn his face toward you and give you peace.
We’ll see you soon.
Love,
Mama
Mama Laughs 
God be with you!
That was beautiful. Your faith is an inspiration. Praying for all of you today!
Praying for you today. My baby girl was born on 8/7/13 with dandy walker, hydrocephalus, meningocele, clubbed feet. We fought like crazy- had her shunted on day 1 and did so much while In the nicu for 3 weeks. Unfortunately she is now at home on hospice and won’t be here much longer. We have made these days about life and not death. We’ve focused on enjoying each moment with her big sister and making memories to smile on later in life. I admire your words and pray you will have a better outcome with your boys.
God bless your family, Monica
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Justin and Melody, you both are the most wonderful Christian parents!! Your faith, courage and love are an inspiration to Pop and Nan!! Our hearts are with you, today and forever!!!!
Mine and moms prayers are with you today Melody and Justin….you have been on our minds constantly. I pray for a miracle and know that we love you all. Lisa
Melody, Justin and family. My thoughts and prayers are with you today. God does perform micarcles and today might just be that day for you. Whatever the outcome, my love and prayers are with you and your family.
Oh Melody – My heart aches for you, Justin and your precious family. I pray that God will take what seems impossible and provide that miracle that is so needed. Your strength and faith is a great testament to all that know you, and whom have followed along with you here on this journey. May God continue to bless you and keep you and your family ever so close, now and always!
HE is the great physician…prayers for the Cook/Rinker family.
Our prayers and those of our families are with you and will remain so.
Diana & David Ball
Justin and Melody, praying for you this morning. Reading your words is such a reminder how precious life is! Praying for those two sweet boys that will be joining the world today. Praying God shows us a miracle today. I have no doubts He’d receive all the glory! Thinking of all of you! 🙂
Praying dearly for you Justin and your boys all 3 of them. You are loved much down here in Texas!
God works in such strange and wonderful ways sometimes. I was looking at my facebook this morning and one of my friends had posted your blog from yesterday. I have not gotten much work done today for reading your journey. And as I read the latest blog, it is now 1:00 p. m. So know that I am praying for you right now while you are bringing these two precious babies into the world. I am praying for the miracles you want so desperately but hesitate to ask. The Lord tells us we have not because we ask not. So don’t be afraid to ask. Though sometimes the answer may be NO, always know that God has something better in mind than we can ever comprehend. You, J, K, L, and N have blessed so many people and you will never know the effect you have had on this sometimes cold and cruel world. May God give you your heart’s desire, and if His answer should be no, then may he bring you comfort and understanding.
In His Love,
Lori
Melody, we are praying for your family! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and emotions and faith! You are an amazing mama!
Beautiful, strong prayer full of courage! Praying for you!
Tearfully……that was a beautiful blog. You and Justin are awesome and your three boys are so very lucky to have you as their parents. Thank you so much for sharing thoughts and your amazing faith. Love you to you all…..
We do not know each other personally Melody but I just wanted you to know that you are such an inspiration! Praying for miracles for your amazing family.
I have followed your story via social media/facebook and the Lord has impressed upon my heart to pray for you all today. Praying in Kentucky!
Melody and family,
I am so happy to hear that your boys are here. You are in my prayers. You write so beautifully about this journey you are taking and I am amazed by you. I love your words about how your time together with the boys is going to focus on life and love, because that was my focus with Tucker. I wanted him to feel as much love as he possibly could in his short life, and I felt so much comfort knowing that he was loved every minute that he was here. I will continue to pray for you all.
Justin and Melody…think about you so much,,,,I pray several times a day..just get to thinking about you…..how amazing you both are….you have so much family support…..heard you went to church with your little family….I loved that…I can only imagine the thrill for your church family to see you all there….don’t know you like we would like to, but you are in our hearts and on our minds constantly ♥ Splinter and Nancy.