I'm a Finn fan!!

These are my sweet friends, Britt and Betsey Weaver.  We like to call them Brittsey, since we get a little tongue tied trying to say Britt and Betsey. :-) This photo was taken in the summer of 2011, while they were taking a late honeymoon in California.  Britt had planned the entire trip and made it a surprise for Betsey, but he wasn't prepared for the surprise she had planned for him...

Betsey had just found out that she was pregnant! Baby "Shocker" was due to arrive just after Christmas. They hadn't planned on adding a fourth child to their brood, but God clearly felt they needed just one more! We were all excited and eagerly anticipating a sweet Christmas gift for their beautiful family. The gender reveal party shared the news that we were waiting for a boy, who would be named Finn Ricker. Perfect! Finn would round out the family perfectly, since Brittsey had twin girls and one boy already. We couldn't have been happier for them!!

Unfortunately, it wasn't long before Betsey began experiencing some serious complications. After many scary trips to the hospital, prayer vigils, and bed rest problems, she was admitted to Mercy hospital in OKC to stay until Finn arrived. The goal was to get her as close to her due date as possible, since every single week of pregnancy increased Finn's chances of survival. Doctors weren't sure what was wrong, but they did everything they could to keep Betsey and Finn healthy while we covered them in prayer.

On October 5, 2011, the doctors realized that Betsey had a placental abruption and rushed her into surgery for an emergency c-section. Finn was born at 26 weeks gestation, weighing only 1 lb, 14 oz. He was barely longer than a ruler at 13" long.  He was tiny and needed lots of help to survive - but he did it! Finn survived and thrived, and got to go home (with oxygen support and a heart monitor) just after Christmas. He continued to grow and get stronger until he was finally able to be off the heart monitor, then have his oxygen weaned to nothing. By June, Finn was out and about with his family - Brittsey, twin sisters Emma & Lara, and big brother Jake.  As I snapped this pic of my oldest daughter holding Finn when we ran into them at a local restaurant, my heart was overflowing with emotion at how far my dear friends had come and how much healing and growth God had given all of us through Finn's struggle.

Now, Finn is healthy, happy, and right on track with his growth and development. To celebrate his journey and contribute to the fight for babies everywhere, I have decided to walk with Finn's Fans at the March For Babies on October 6. Finn will turn 1 year old the day before our walk, and I can't help but smile when I see his precious little face. Will you join me in helping babies like Finn? I need 15 people to donate $10 in order to reach my fundraising goal. You can donate online at http://www.marchforbabies.org/meredithbeyl - every donation helps! Please join with me in celebrating this beautiful family who I love so much!