It was the Best of Times and the Worst of Times...

The 2015-2016 school year was a great and terrible year all rolled into one.  What could make a teacher say a year was terrible you ask?  Well, let me start with the good and then share with you the bad.

In March I was surprised in my classroom with the Golden Apple Teacher award.  Here was my post from that day.

Today was an exciting day!

Our class won the Golden Apple!

I couldn't be more proud of these students.

My family

The Golden Apple Foundation

The Pecatonica School Board

Now on to the bad....

In November I found out I was pregnant!  We were so excited to be welcoming another member to our family in August.  We told our daughter the day before Christmas Eve that she would be a BIG sister, something that she had been asking for. 

In January, at our 12 week Dr. appointment our world was rocked.  The ultrasound technician left the room to go get the Dr, my heart sank, because you know something is wrong.  The Dr. told us there were some defects that led him to believe that there was a chromosomal abnormality with our baby.  We went home broken hearted and anxious as we awaited test results.  A week later, we got the phone call that we were dreading, the test results confirmed Trisomy 18.  (Click on the link to learn more.)  We were crushed.  50% of babies with Trisomy 18, won't make it to the 3rd Trimester.  Some baby are born.  Many only live for a week, but some can live for a year with a horrible quality of life.  We had no idea when or if something would happen before he was born. 

For a while I would anxiously go to the Dr. every week to check for heart tones.  Then, when I could feeling the baby move, I just went once a month.  Every morning I would nervously wait to feel my baby kick.  I knew that prognosis, but I wanted him for as long as God would allow me to have him.

At 33 weeks pregnant...well into my 3rd trimester, I went to the Dr. because I had not felt my son move.  The Dr. confirmed that my son had passed.  The next day, June 14, 2016 at 11:49 at night Matthew Wanke was delivered. This was the hardest thing that my husband and I have ever had to deal with, not to mention explaining to our daughter that he brother won't live with us, but in heaven. (We had kept the diagnosis from her since we had no idea when something would happen.)

Now back to some good...

We are doing great.  Even more than that I feel guilty for saying this, but we are happier than ever! God's strength and peace has surrounded us throughout this journey.  Even though losing our son is devastating to say the least, our family, marriage, and faith have never been stronger. I find my self thanking God for this journey, even though it did not end the way we wanted, we are changed people. We will never be the same.  Even though he was not with us for very long, our son has made such an impact on our lives.  We know that one day we will get to meet him again.  

I am looking forward to starting my 13th year teaching. I am excited to start blogging again.  I am excited to see where God takes us.  

Happy summer, my teacher friends.  We will be back at it before you know it.  Enjoy the rest of your summer.