Wednesday, November 28, 2012
One Phone Call
Today was the day that Ray and I have been anticipating a lifetime. At 4:53 P.M. I received the phone call that would change our life forever. Our lawyer called to tell us that they have a baby boy for us!! Currently we don't know very much information except that the birthmother lives in Arkansas and her due date is March 16th. We lawyer thinks we will have a phone conference with the birthmother tomorrow evening. If everything goes good during the conference we will receive all of her contact information and make a weekend trip out to Arkansas to meet her. Ray and I are so excited that we had to share the news immediately. Thank you for your prayers now and the ones to come in the future. We greatly apprecipiate them. God is GREAT!!
Monday, November 26, 2012
Dreams Becoming Reality
Ray and I would like to thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts for all of the prayers, thoughts, kind words, and sponsoring that has taken place over the past couple of weeks. The past couple of weeks have been a whirl wind. We have been busy finishing up home study paperwork, getting fingerprinted for FBI/SLED checks, and making a scrapbook of the family. But with all of your kinds words, prayers, and God leading through this journey it has been an easy ride so far.
We would like to give a special thanks to Sandra Camp and Brandon Willis for sponsoring the first two puzzle pieces. When I wrote their names on the back of the pieces it finally hit us that this dream is finally becoming reality. After putting the two pieces together I was trying to take a picture to post for everyone to see,but I couldn't stop crying because I could feel the love that was being sent our way by our wonderful friends and family. I know that our special one will feel the love as soon as he or she enters our family. Brandon is a little boy from my class that overheard me talking about the puzzle to a coworker and brought me a dollar to school the next day. I instantly burst into tears and he began crying too. He said that he knew that I would make a great mom and he wanted to help. Everytime I think of this story I start to tear up.
Thank you again to everyone who has said that they would like to sponsor a puzzle piece. If you would like you may contact me at 864-541-3544 or sheagowan@gmail.com or 330 Berryhill Drive, Boiling Springs, SC 29316. Each puzzle piece can be sponsored at any price and your name will be written on the back. All money will be deposited and put into a special account. After the puzzle is completed we will display in a double-sided glass frame so that at anytime we can see/display everyone that played a role in bringing our special bundle of joy to us. This puzzle will be something that we and the baby will cherish a lifetime. Please watch for pictures to come of the puzzle as it is being built.
We would like to give a special thanks to Sandra Camp and Brandon Willis for sponsoring the first two puzzle pieces. When I wrote their names on the back of the pieces it finally hit us that this dream is finally becoming reality. After putting the two pieces together I was trying to take a picture to post for everyone to see,but I couldn't stop crying because I could feel the love that was being sent our way by our wonderful friends and family. I know that our special one will feel the love as soon as he or she enters our family. Brandon is a little boy from my class that overheard me talking about the puzzle to a coworker and brought me a dollar to school the next day. I instantly burst into tears and he began crying too. He said that he knew that I would make a great mom and he wanted to help. Everytime I think of this story I start to tear up.
Friday, November 16, 2012
Rudolph??
Ray is always fussing at me because he says that I don't watch for deer or other animals while driving. Just an FYI I have never hit an animal or been in a wreck. If you were to ask Ray that same question he would have to add one to his list now.
Ray and I were coming home from church Wednesday night. This seemed just like a normal Wednesday night. We were walking to Ray's truck and joking about going to eat at Taco Bell. I LOVE Taco Bell and Ray HATES Taco Bell. We get into the car and I buckle up. When I go to reach for my phone the passenger seatbelt locks. Just like always. Ray is always joking with me that I need a booster seat because I am so short and that's the reason why the child lock always comes on. When we pull out of the parking lot I tell Ray that he better put his seatbelt on. We head toward the best restaurant in the world (haha). I am going through my text messages and telling Ray about my day, what we need to do when we get home, and asking how his day was when all of the sudden I feel Ray hit the brakes (not slam on them). At that moment I look up I see an enormously large buck (8 point, 220 lbs) headed my way. I have always heard that right before you wreck everything slows down and I am here to tell you that this is true. These are the events that I remember that happened in one second but felt like minutes. I remember seeing the buck in the passenger headlights and then feeling the hardest hit that I have ever felt before. I try to glance over at Ray to see if he had ever put on his seatbelt but I couldn't tell. I look up in front of me and see the buck on the hood/windshield then the next image I remember was seeing the buck sliding across into the next lane on its side looking at us. Sometime inbetween all of this my seatbelt had locked and I was screaming because I was pinned to the seat. Instantly I started to smell something that wasn't normal. It was a smell of fear and freon. We were knocked into the grass (almost in the ditch). Instantly I just start randomly crying. I wasn't sure why I was crying, but later after thinking a lot I think I figured it out (will explain later). We drive up to an open spot so that we are out of the way. The smell was filling the truck and I felt like I was going to be sick. I was sweating and thought I may throw up. I tried to open the passenger door but it was jammed. I had to climb out of the back and then set in panic. As soon as the crisp air hit my face I instantly couldn't breath. I put my head between my legs and was able to finally calm down after a couple of minutes.
I have never expernienced anything like this before. It was one of the scariest events to happen to me. Everything happened so fast and so unexpectly that you don't have time to react. After having time to reflect on this event I think the scariest part was thinking that I didn't know if Ray had put his seatbelt on and that within a second I could loose him. Then of course that started making me think about all of the things that we as a couple haven't experience yet and Ray hasn't experienced yet as a husband and one day as a father. I never want to have that helpless feeling again. Ray if you are reading this I love you so much and don't ever want to experience anything like this again but if I do I want it to be with you. You truly were my knight in shining armor that night. I have to say that GOD was truly with us. God had his hands on us and protected both of us.
Ray and I were coming home from church Wednesday night. This seemed just like a normal Wednesday night. We were walking to Ray's truck and joking about going to eat at Taco Bell. I LOVE Taco Bell and Ray HATES Taco Bell. We get into the car and I buckle up. When I go to reach for my phone the passenger seatbelt locks. Just like always. Ray is always joking with me that I need a booster seat because I am so short and that's the reason why the child lock always comes on. When we pull out of the parking lot I tell Ray that he better put his seatbelt on. We head toward the best restaurant in the world (haha). I am going through my text messages and telling Ray about my day, what we need to do when we get home, and asking how his day was when all of the sudden I feel Ray hit the brakes (not slam on them). At that moment I look up I see an enormously large buck (8 point, 220 lbs) headed my way. I have always heard that right before you wreck everything slows down and I am here to tell you that this is true. These are the events that I remember that happened in one second but felt like minutes. I remember seeing the buck in the passenger headlights and then feeling the hardest hit that I have ever felt before. I try to glance over at Ray to see if he had ever put on his seatbelt but I couldn't tell. I look up in front of me and see the buck on the hood/windshield then the next image I remember was seeing the buck sliding across into the next lane on its side looking at us. Sometime inbetween all of this my seatbelt had locked and I was screaming because I was pinned to the seat. Instantly I started to smell something that wasn't normal. It was a smell of fear and freon. We were knocked into the grass (almost in the ditch). Instantly I just start randomly crying. I wasn't sure why I was crying, but later after thinking a lot I think I figured it out (will explain later). We drive up to an open spot so that we are out of the way. The smell was filling the truck and I felt like I was going to be sick. I was sweating and thought I may throw up. I tried to open the passenger door but it was jammed. I had to climb out of the back and then set in panic. As soon as the crisp air hit my face I instantly couldn't breath. I put my head between my legs and was able to finally calm down after a couple of minutes.
I have never expernienced anything like this before. It was one of the scariest events to happen to me. Everything happened so fast and so unexpectly that you don't have time to react. After having time to reflect on this event I think the scariest part was thinking that I didn't know if Ray had put his seatbelt on and that within a second I could loose him. Then of course that started making me think about all of the things that we as a couple haven't experience yet and Ray hasn't experienced yet as a husband and one day as a father. I never want to have that helpless feeling again. Ray if you are reading this I love you so much and don't ever want to experience anything like this again but if I do I want it to be with you. You truly were my knight in shining armor that night. I have to say that GOD was truly with us. God had his hands on us and protected both of us.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Our Journey
Ray and I have had our ups and downs with trying to start our family. We knew from the beginning that we wanted to start a family soon, but I wanted to get my Masters. I was so afraid if I didn't do it soon that I would never go back and get it. Nearing the end of my degree we decided it was time to start. We tried, tried, tried, oh wait and tried. We tried for a year then I went to my OBGYN. They tested my progesterone for months and months and I never got any answers. I switched OBGYNs and started to get answers. Well I thought. They tested everything under the sun. They didn't find anything abnormal so they referred us to PREG (Piedmont Reproductive Endocrinology Group). We discusses our situation with the doctors and decided to try an IUI. The IUI did't take so we knew right away we wanted to do another one. We did another IUI a couple of months later. The IUI took and we were PREGNANT! I was pregnant for 7 weeks before I miscarried. This was very upsetting for all of us. After 1 1/2 we had finally got pregnant and lost it so fast. But we knew that God had a reason and we were at peace. We decided to take a break and think about what we wanted to do after Christmas.
While working at Sports Camp at church this summer we learned about a young lady that was contemplating adoption. Ray and I had discussed adoption when we first got married since we have several friends that are adopted and have seen the impact it has had on their lives. We prayed for several months and God lead us to the young lady. Over several months I got to know this young lady and discussed her situation. The time came and she had a beautiful baby. She decided to parent. We were both at peace with her decision and pray that God had his hand on her and her baby. This situation really made us think that God may have lead us to adoption.
This is where our new journey begins. We have felt that it's Gods plan that we pursue adoption. We are trying to raise money to help with the adoption of a new addition to our family. With adoption being so expensive we are going to need to fundraise to make this dream come true. We are asking that friends and family sponsor a puzzle piece. We will write your name on the back of a puzzle piece.As puzzle pieces become sponsored we will build the puzzle. The completed puzzle will hang in the nursery. This way everyday we can reflect on every special person that helped to bring our bundle of joy to us. This will be a special way for our bundle of joy to see just how important they are, not only in our lives but our family and friend's lives.
Ray and I would like to thank you in advance for taking the time to read our blog. We know God will bless us no matter what. If you would like to sponsor a puzzle piece please contact me at sheagowan@gmail.com or 864-541-3544. Thanks again and God bless!
While working at Sports Camp at church this summer we learned about a young lady that was contemplating adoption. Ray and I had discussed adoption when we first got married since we have several friends that are adopted and have seen the impact it has had on their lives. We prayed for several months and God lead us to the young lady. Over several months I got to know this young lady and discussed her situation. The time came and she had a beautiful baby. She decided to parent. We were both at peace with her decision and pray that God had his hand on her and her baby. This situation really made us think that God may have lead us to adoption.
This is where our new journey begins. We have felt that it's Gods plan that we pursue adoption. We are trying to raise money to help with the adoption of a new addition to our family. With adoption being so expensive we are going to need to fundraise to make this dream come true. We are asking that friends and family sponsor a puzzle piece. We will write your name on the back of a puzzle piece.As puzzle pieces become sponsored we will build the puzzle. The completed puzzle will hang in the nursery. This way everyday we can reflect on every special person that helped to bring our bundle of joy to us. This will be a special way for our bundle of joy to see just how important they are, not only in our lives but our family and friend's lives.
Ray and I would like to thank you in advance for taking the time to read our blog. We know God will bless us no matter what. If you would like to sponsor a puzzle piece please contact me at sheagowan@gmail.com or 864-541-3544. Thanks again and God bless!
Ray & Shea
Hi everyone. This is my first time blogging so I hope with practice that I become better at it. This blog is to give everyone a little insight into what my husband and I have been going through the past 2 1/2 years. Ray and I have been married for now 4 years (best years of my life). We both love to travel, watch sports, and hang out with our family and friends.
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| First Christmas 2004 |
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| Aruba 2010 |
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