April Rose (I don't have the answers)...but

even if this is a hoax, in which it appears it could be.  I will continue to pray for the people behind April Roses blog.  

Now let me start fresh here.  

I have received several emails from many blog readers asking me if I knew of anything personally about this April Rose blog.  Asking my opinion on it because they heard it was false. I even had several emails from readers simply taking the time out of their day to inform me of this possible hoax, because they cared enough about me as person, knowing that I cry and pray over stories and babies like this.  

With that I didn't want to take any of their emails lightly, or blow them off.  Instead, I read every word they said to me, and responded to each one of them personally.  I then followed the sites, links and photos they provided to me, in effort to learn for myself if April Rose is real or not.  

What will be most frustrating about this is that I have personally been in communication with "B" several times.  She has emailed me a few times on a personal note, thanking me for the comments I left on her blog and expressed how much I encouraged her.  We were even in communication the weeks she needed help with His Will Wednesday's because I offered to help her, in which she accepted.  

Her emails seemed (as well as her blog and post) very genuine. So, all that I am writing in this post here is very confusing to me, and a bit frustrating at the same time.  I don't have the answers, but I do have my recent concern about all of this.  

On the other hand, I would feel completely and totally ashamed of myself if this did turn out to be real, and then I expressed my doubts here in this post. 

With that and for my readers I am going to express only my personal concerns, questions or whatever else you want to call it.  Because I think that it is only fair that if I can post asking my followers, readers, friends and family to pray, while personally praying and thinking of this family or child on my blog.  Then I surely also have the right to express some concern or doubt the same way, along with the info that has been provided to me, so that you all can make your own minds up about this. 

Now that being said.... 

Here are the things that ONLY I thought of and noticed myself.  None of which I am listing below was brought to my attention or emailed to me.  I will provide you the links that were provided to me as well.  However, these are the things that for a split second came to thought, but I surely never lingered on them, nor did I question or doubt them...they were simply that, "thoughts" that came and went on their own. Until now. 

With the several emails sent to me yesterday, in which I have to say is the most email or communication I have received I think from my blog ever, and its a shame it had to be about this topic.  

But, it is what it is.

1.  The first thing that came to mind and seemed strange to me, but again I didn't second guess it, or linger on it or question it.  It was just a simple split second thought. I never have guessed or thought this to be a hoax, ever.  

But, the first thing that struck me odd was that they posted a picture of April Rose on the blog, but posted a very dark picture of her and placed it on their sidebar, with a little note in the post saying "check her out".  I assumed it was taken by a cell phone explaining why it was so dark. It looked like this. 

I trying to do B a favor, took the photo, lightened it up, softened the skin tone and put a frame around it with Aprils name on it, and emailed it to Reachel and B.  Never did I get a response, which was fine, they are dealing with much bigger things over there (I assumed).  That one looked like this.

Then I got an email by another reader who used the same photo I posted on my blog on hers and she was asked to take it down. Out of respect, but not having been asked, I also took mine down. I didn't want to cause any stress on what was already a stressful and heartbreaking situation.  

The next thing I know is that picture was take down.  Thought nothing of it.  But did wonder why, they posted MORE pictures and why ALL the pictures seemed to be so dark and gaining looking.  Obviously they were not strangers to the tech and computer world, that they could have lightened up the pictures and post the pictures in her POST, not just on the sidebar. After all they were announcing and showing a picture(s) of THE April Rose.  The purpose of that blog.  The moment we all had been waiting and praying for.  

The dark pictures just seemed a bit off. Look at them here again. Again, I really didn't think any of it, other than "I wonder, why?" and moved on.  Again, being so thrilled and happy she was here, ALIVE and giving praise and thanks constantly. 

Then "D" the dad, wrote his post yesterday about someone having drawn devil horns and tail on the first photo they posted.  I was shocked, and thought to myself "wow, they really are getting hateful stuff said and done to them, I don't blame them for taking the pictures down. What a shame." 

2.  The signing off of her friend Raechel the night of April's birth.  This seriously came to mind, but again I was so wrapped up in this entire thing, I didn't think twice after the split thought came to my mind.  

When her friend Reachel signed off that night, it seemed a bit casual for someone that was concerned for her friend, who just gave birth to a live baby, but that was reported to be quickly decreasing in her heart rate.  They left us thinking that April Rose may not make it through the night.  Reachel then said "I'm signing off, after all it is my wedding anniversary." Or something very similar to that.  

To me (now that I REALLY put thought into it), if this where YOU and your friend, and it seemed as though her baby was dying and may not have much longer to live.  Wouldn't you want to stay available the entire time to support her?  And would it even cross your mind to announce on April Rose's blog, that it was your "wedding anniversary, AFTER ALL?" This was a VERY serious and sad situation, but she just casually 'signed off' while announcing it was her wedding anniversary, as if her friend just just had a birthday party or something and she was calling it a night; not as her friend just given birth to a live baby that wasn't supposed to live, and is now 'supposedly' still alive and breathing as I write this.

Here is what appears to be Raechels blog, in which she writes a post about her wedding anniversary.  No mentioning of April Rose, or her friend B at all, other than the pray for April Rose button on her sidebar.  Interesting?? (The button with in the last hour has been removed from her blog.)

What I have just read about Reachel may explain things.... its been said that she is B's friend only through the blog world. They live thousands of miles apart.  It is said that Reachel is simply a victim in this as well.  She really believes in B and April Rose, and as a christian was honoring her sister in Christ and doing what she could to help, with posting the updates she was given.  I can appreciate that, but why no mentioning of April Rose on her own blog? 

The first question that comes to my mind then is ..... if they gave this Reachel girl access to April Roses blog to post updates, what there not anything exposed to Reachel about this? Like any 'draft' post that where not posted yet? Anything? And I think its pretty brave that if B and D are frauds, for them to allow some girl they barely knew to sign in on their blog and post updates.  ???  Again, it all doesn't add up. 

Here is a comment response from Raechel's husband, Ryan, that he left on HER comment box post on their wedding anniversary.  

 uberryan said...

RE: Anonymous:
If April Rose is not fake, why are you deleting things? Were you not updating for her? People were invested in this. If you are as good a person as you portray yourself to be, please let us know what is going on?
-------------
This is Ryan, Raechel's husband.

Comments are being deleted from this blog because this is our family's PERSONAL blog. 

This is here for our friends and family and not as a sounding board. A blog post about mine and my wife's 6 wonderful years of marriage is no place for this drama.

We have offered support to a friend through her pregnancy. That does not merit questioning the spiritual walk of my wife. 

I would kindly ask you to no longer include Raechel in your opinions on this issue. On her blog, or by e-mail.

Thanks,

Ryan

I just had to take a moment here and say that I will not remove what I said about Reachel, because I was being honest with what I knew before reading her blog today.  As I did mention and thought, she was a victim in this and has posted a post on her blog today, alone with MckMamma (Jennifer) and Angie (Audrey Carloine), both blog women I adore and follow and TRUST.  

I would like to ask for your prayer for Reachel as well as all the readers who have devoted their prayers for this April Rose story.  I just wanted to come back here this evening and say that I have read Reachels blog from the beginning this evening and what a BEAUTIFUL women of God she is.  Please give her some support.  Thank you. 

I feel bad, because part of me feels like I am being judgmental here.  Maybe, I sort of am.  I am not trying to be, and I typically am not a judgmental person at all.  I just feel very confused about all of this, and so I express my thoughts openly on my own blog.   

3.  I emailed B before giving birth and asked about their families being present and giving support to her and D. Surprisingly, I stopped getting responses from B out of no where, when she was the one keeping the communication in the first place with me.  Again, thought nothing of it, but that she must simply be busy and has a lot on her plate. My job was to support and pray for her as her sister in Christ.  So I did. 

However, none of their families were mentioned to be at this home to watch and meet their grandchild be born. A child that may have died soon after her birth.  Wouldn't all family want to be there to witness that?   Where none of their family members there for this? Nothing was mentioned.  

It just seems odd, but then again, their families may have distanced themselves to this couple for their embarrassment of this pregnancy being out of marriage.  Again, I didn't question this. I was just so thrilled and giving praise and thanks to God that April was here and alive, meeting her mom and dad face to face.  A miracle and answered prayer of its own. 

In truth, I still want to believe that to be the case, not all of this hoax stuff.  I am really torn over this. 

4.  I was ecstatic that April was "still alive" yesterday morning when I woke up. I woke up a couple of times during the night thinking of her, and she was the first thing on my mind when I woke up yesterday morning. A 6:05 AM post is an early post to be writing for someone that's being called a fraud, wouldn't you think? I was so thrilled to have read she was still alive.  

5.  Then all of the sudden we get the post from "D" (the dad, named Dan I think) out of no where, expressing his anger and frustrations.  I felt so bad for them, I wanted to get on their blog and write a post telling all those mean and negative people where they could go and do. I stopped and prayed again for them, and totally respected and appreciated their choice in closing off the blog for the day.  

If April's heart rate was in the 70-80's yesterday morning, and we still have yet to have one update, until late last night around 9:30 PM, expressing that April was STILL alive but that they finally went to a near by hospital because her health was declining and the mother B also wasn't feeling well.

Health Declining?  

Wasn't her health declining the day she was born?  We were all told her heart rate was in the 100's at birth, but down in the 80's when they "signed off" for the entire night?  Almost 24 hours later, they then say they take her to the hospital for "blood work"....?? And that B also wasn't feeling well?  This all doesn't add up at all.  I am a pretty realistic person. I think I am anyways. 

I am going to list all the links and info that HAS been volunteered to me. I did not search it out, nor think about searching it out.  It was all handed to me, and I then took the information I was provided, looked into it and will form my own decision.  I will not say what is or isn't.  I still feel very strange about this, because secretly I hope that April Rose is real.  At the same time, if she isn't real, although I will be disappointed that people would do this.... I will take it as a relief to know that there is one less baby that isn't dying or have died over these last few days.

Here are the links:

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "April Rose (update)": 

There are many sites saying that April Rose is a scam and that pic you have on your blog is actually a bunch of pictures of a 'Reborn Baby' (besides picture 4 and 6). If you look at the pictures, 4 and 6 look like a real baby and the others look fake.

Search for 'Avery Reborn Baby' and you will find the pics look exactly like the ones she posted.

http://littleaprilrosequestions.blogspot.com/
http://littleaprilroseisfake.blogspot.com/
http://gibsontwins.blogspot.com/

All of those sites expose her for a scam.

We are all sad that we got sucked in! 

*****************

Also, here are the pictures that I found that you can compare yourself.  You make your own choice on all of this.  I am just providing to you the possibilities of what all this could really be.  A hoax.  

Here in the link to Bountiful Babies website.  They designed and customize these dolls called "born again dolls".  Its purpose I believe, is to make a doll of your child that has died as a keepsake.  These dolls look amazingly real.  

Here is Kelli's Blog, the friend that is supposedly there in person with B and D, helping us with updates.  Why are all the other blogs all closed off and private??? 

Here is a photobucket link that shows these dolls that appear and look EXACTLY like baby April Rose.  Do they look a lot of like?  No, they look EXACTLY alike.  I have attached a picture of a girl that posted the comparison on her blog.  Also, the picture I have that I highlighted for B of April, it has the same kind of wispy blond hair. I couldn't see that until I highlighted the picture.  See for yourself.  

The top picture is the "doll" and the bottom picture is the very first picture they posted and took down of April Rose, same picture in pink frame, as well as picture number two in the photo strip they provided last. and also removed.   

Now what about the other photos?  Well, from what I see, all the pictures look to be like the doll except for two pictures (4 & 6).  So what gives?  

I don't have the answers. 

6. Last.... they said that April Rose was 4 lbs and something.  I am around babies at the hospital a lot lately and I see them weighing in at all sizes.  I have two kids, and ton of nieces and nephews, in which I was there to witness three of their births.  I said to Mark, the day April was born, and they posted that very first picture.  I said, "wow, that baby has a full face for only 4lbs."

In truth, what I was thinking when I said that was very positive stuff. I was thinking, "I am so happy they waited until B went into labor, giving this baby all the time to grow and come out so full and healthy looking." 

But after all this stuff yesterday, I went back and started to look at pictures from Morgan when she was "just born" and weighing in at 7 lbs and 11 oz.  Even Morgan's face didn't look as full at this 4 lb baby April Rose did.  The photos of baby boy that passed I photographed, he weighed right at 6 lbs.  His face doesn't even look that full in the pictures I took of him.  Not saying it is impossible. It may be that it is such a close up and the angle of the photo, the baby could appear to be bigger in size than 4 lbs.  

I don't have the answers.

All I do know is this.  

Something isn't adding up.  I want it to add up, because I still want to believe that we are witnessing another miracle.  I want to believe (and part of me kind of still does) that April Rose is real. 

I went to bed still believing that she was real, and left a comment on their blog with that 9:00 PM update they gave.  I felt reassured that she must be real after that update last night, went to bed and said another prayer totally thinking about deleting this post I began writing yesterday.   

Until THIS MORNING...

All of the sudden the entire April Rose blog has been taken down.  Its questioned if they took it down themselves, or if blogspot took it down. People wrote into blogspot about this blog being a scam, so they now wonder if blogspot took the blog down. 

Blog has been removed

Sorry, the blog at littleoneapril.blogspot.com has been removed. This address is not available for new blogs.

Did you expect to see your blog here? See: 'I can't find my blog on the Web, where is it?'

Typically when a blog has been removed by the owner, it opens up that name to be used again. However, this one has been taken off and can not be available for new blogs.  ???

All the other links I have provided to you, provide some pretty interesting stuff.  Please feel free to check it out, and then you decide what you believe.  

As for me.  I am confused.  However, I will continue to pray.  I have already prayed to God about this, and I said to Him "God, you know my heart, and I know the world is not always a safe place.  You are always my safe place.  If April Rose exist you know my heart for her.  If she does not exist Lord, I then pray for the people behind April Roses name and blog. I am sorry that they use your name for evil doing and I pray that they realize their sin and that you God handle them the way you will.  Allowing the rest of us, to forgive them and pray for them, because it's clear they need you more than anything." 

What makes this so hard to let go and believe it is a hoax for me? 

Because this "B" girl wrote so beautifully.  It is all too detailed to seem fake. The birth stuff all seems questionable.  I agree. All of these links and photos circling around, seem questionable.  I agree.  

However, the rest of her blog leading up this these last few day seemed very real. She seemed very transparent, with a heart of God and the love for her Savior.  

Now she has almost 1000 followers, I am sure she doesn't take the time to write all 1000 of them thanking them for their comments as she did me.  Her her emails seemed so sweet and kind. However, they did stop suddenly. 

Why would a fraud, take all that time and energy to post hundreds and hundreds of prayer request weekly on her blog. She could have taken the easy road and said leave your prayer request in the comment box, but she didn't. She took the effort and the time to post each one individually on her blog for others to pray for.  

Her day to day stuff, all seems too real. It doesn't seem inconsistent or odd.  So this part of it all keeps pulling me back in to believe this can't be a hoax.    

So the question then arises.  

Is it possible that April Rose is real, and can she look that much like that doll, causing all these crazy rumors? 

Again, I don't have the answers.  

All I know is that I believe in April Rose, and I don't, and that I will continue to pray for the people, behind that blog and I will move on with my life now.  God knows the truth.  God knows my heart isn't looking to bring anyone down or expose anyone, or judge anyone or question anyone. He knows my intensions are honest and pure.  

So with this post, I can walk away in peace and sleep without any guilt or doubt.  

Another interesting blog with a couple of post to check out, including a post on Biblical Confrontation, with scripture for how we as believers should handle and approach these situations.  I don't feel that anything personally was done to me, although I guess you can say it was done to all of us. I don't feel it was personally towards me, so I do not feel the need to take the biblical stance in this and confront her.  However, some may think that I am also not taking the biblical stance by expressing my thoughts, as well as others thoughts and links on all of this.  

I don't have the answers.  

Also, apparently, she saw on her blog log that the IP address recongnized as "B's" computer, was on her blog, at the same time it was said that the doctor had arrived to B's house to check on the baby.  It would seem odd that anyone on B's computer during those hours to be browsing other blogs. 

Im not stating anything as 'facts'. I am only stating things as opinions and providing you all the info I have and been given, so you can make your own choice in all of this.  

A lot of info can also be provided on MckMama's community chat forum. Its rumored that she may post her thoughts on all of this at some point.  

At this time, I am letting it go and moving forward.  I am very thankful and appreciative to those that emailed me to warn me or inform me.  Thank you for caring enough to take time out of your day for me and others.  And for reading and following my blog.  I hope that you enjoy my blog and can trust that I am REAL.

As for this April Rose topic, it will be the last for me to discuss on this blog at this time.   Please continue to pray for these folks no matter what.  That's what we as christians are called to do. 

God Bless and have a wonderful day.