Wordless Wednesday

sweet baby feet

so peaceful...

Happy 6th Birthday David!!!

Jeremiah having fun

baby Jo Jo awake

Introducing our newest blessing

Well I 've been watiting a long time to finally be able to do this....

But I'm here to introduce to you our newest blessing, Joseph Levi.  He came into the world on Thursday, September 24, 2009 at 8:22 pm.  He was 6 lbs. 3 oz and 19 inches of complete perfection.  He and Mommy are healthy and happy, praise God. 

(love at first sight)

We are so in love with this little boy already.  He's the perfect addition to our family and fits right in, spoiled already.  There's hardly a time when he's not being held or gazed upon by someone.  Were so blessed and so humbled that God has entrusted us with yet another gift. Its beyond me to understand how He can be so generous and loving to me.  But when I think of the love I have for Joseph already it gives me a glimpse of the love that God must have for me. 

It's been beautiful to see Chris with him too.  We both have grown spritually and closer together in the last few months, especially with everything that has happened with baby Katie, who is doing awesome by the way.  Praise!!!  But to see Chris as a new father again is very beautiful.  He's so in love with his newest son and so gentle and tender with him.  The kids all are completely enfatuated with him, which can be hard at times because there's usually someone inches away at all times, but I"m really trying to be understanding that they love Joseph as I do and this really is a special time in our lives right now that I do not want to rush through. 

I am also so grateful to all my family and friends who have come to visit us and help out.  I was completely spoiled by Chris and my mom and dad who came and spent the night with us.  My mom and Chris cleaned and did laundry and my Dad spent time with all the kids so I could relax.  It was also so nice to us to share some time just talking and visiting.  Another wonderful memory.  I am truly blessed beyond words and so thankful to God for His abundant grace.

Love and Blessings,

Waiting, waiting, waiting.....

"So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor."

That was the verse in my inbox this morning.  I love that, especially the "at the right time" part.  At the right time He will life me up in honor!  Wow!  Why should I be honored?  Anyway, it was just one of those things really stuck out my mind this morning.  That if I humble myself before Him, He wants to give me honor.  A gentle reminder from Him that no matter how chaotic life is I need to find that time with Him daily and He'll even reward me for it!  Not that I need a reward for spending time with Him but that's just His heart. 

Pretty cool!

Anyway,  yesterday I had a doctors appt.  Not much has changed except that my cervix is very soft and that I could go at anytime.  I guess its out of my hands and a waiting game is what I'm in for.  I'm still at a 2 but my midwife said that by the time I have a couple contractions I'd be a 5 or 6.  She was very understanding about how fast my labors can be, which was nice. She said don't wait.  If I feel anything just go even if I have to walk around the hospital for a couple hours at least I'm close.  So that's the plan.  We'll see.....

When I got back from the doctors we took the kids to the mall.  Hannah still had birthday money that she watned to spend at Clairs, an 8 years old girls paradise.  And we walked around a little bit and headed home.  A pretty quiet day.  I guess I should really start appreciating those while I have them.  :-)

Well that's about all for around here.  I'll everybody posted on any changes! 

Oh yeah,  Katie is still doing great, smiling all the time, just happy to be home I bet!  Annie has sent me some pics of her smiling and I"ll have to post them on here when I get a chance, she's really adorable.  But as for right now I have to little boys ready for a bath so off I go!

Love and Blessings everyone!

Home Sweet Home

Hey everyone!  I know this is supposed to be a wordless wednesday but I haven't posted in a couple days and I wanted to make sure I posted a full update. 

Katie is home, she went home on Monday night with mommy and daddy.  She's doing great.  As I posted before she passed her hearing test and the MRI and surgery to repair her broviac went great.  The adjustment to home, although a miracle and huge blessings, is still an adjustment.  I know Annie took Katie to have her 2 month shots yesterday and she had her first dose of antibiotics at home as well yesterday.  As of last night Annie had given her a dose of antibiotics herself, which will make things easier since she won't have to depend on a nurse coming twice a day.  But she did say Katie has been very clingy and not sleeping well.  I do believe as great and wonderful as it is to be home its still going to take some time to adjust and poor Katie is probably so scared of ever having to do that again that she's going to want to be in mommy or daddy's arms for awhile. 

So anyway, all is well on that front as of now.  So now my prayer is of course is for the continued health of Katie and no remissions, but for Annie and Richie to really continue to draw upon the Lord and seek Him and give Him the credit for the healing of their daughter.  It seems harsh that God might have allowed that to happen so they would have nothing else but to look to Him, but God knows better than we do what we or others need or have taken away to fully depend and have faith in Him.  I know for myself, I've never been closer to the Lord than when I'm in a "valley" of some kind.  And for those "valleys" I end up thanking and praising Him even more.  Thank you all again for your prayers, support and thoughts. My family and I are more thankful than you know!
On the homefront,  everything here is going fine.  Working and living.  Nothing exciting. Yet.  I have a doctors appointment tomorrow that should tell me if anything more is happening.  Last week my midwife told me I was 2 cm and about 50% effaced so tomorrow should be telling.  It's just a waiting game and a very anxious one.  I keep asking myself "is today the day?".  And I know my day is coming soon but its constantly in the back of mind, if not the front!

Anyway,  I wish you all a great wednesday! 

Love and Blessings,

God is good!

Hey everyone!  I just wanted to give you a quick update!  Katie is going home tonight!  She passed her hearing test with flying colors, her MRI looked great and the surgery to repair her Broviac went without a hitch.  They have home health coming in the morning to give Katie her dose of anitbiotics and she gets immunizations tomorrow as well.  She has a check-up with the neuro surgeon next week as well as a scan.  But how wonderful to be going home~  I think we all doubted this day would come, but as we well know by now~ "with God all things are possible".

Thanks for the continued prayers and support!  I'll continue to keep you updated as well!

A frustrating Katie update

Hey everyone, well they moved Katie to the recovery floor yesterday. A very good sign and one step closer to going to home because she's so stable. Well I get a call from my sister late last night. The nurse who came in to give Kate her antibiotic left the cap off her broviac, which is her permanant IV line in her neck, therefore exposing her very bacteria in the hospital for 2 hours. Now Katies on a third broad spectrum antibotic to kill whatever she came in contact with because of that. The night nurse comes on and tells her what happened, they check Katie and realize the Broviac is now clogged, and the nurse goes about to flush it out with an entire siringe full of fluid! Cause Katie to jerk up in massive pain and scream and break the Broviac. Now my little neice has to have another surgery this morning to repair the Broviac if possible. Katie also isn't supposed to have morphene or anything close to it and the night nurse gave her codene, which is in the same family, and that affected Katies breathing again. My sister raised heck last night and demanded to be moved back to the PICU and they said no. The charge nurse said they'd only be assigned top nurses on that floor from now on. The two nurses they had who made these mistakes were new! Why are new nurses being assigned and not even checking her chart is beyond me! Anyway, I really need prayer for them. Katie has been through enough and now to be subjected to another surgery because of total and complete incompetence is very frustrating. Annie just wants to take her home and let her recover and that's going to be set back even further. Please pray for all of the family and Katie and for them to be assigned competent nurses that won't set Katie progress back further!

Happy Friday

"You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me! I sing for joy because of what you have done."

Psalm 92:4

Reminds me a lot of this last week and half or so.  What is possible with God.  I can say I couldn't even have imagined it could be.  From the depths of complete agonizing grief to perfect joy in days.  And even with the ups and downs that have happened since, nothing compares or even shadows what we know God has done through Katie. 

She's doing great and feeling great.  The picture above is from yesterday, the same day that she smiled for the first time!  What a blessing to brighten a drab hospital.  To experience your childs first true smile.  I think its a picture of what's to come for Annie and Rich.  And future full of brightness and smiles.  I also have linked her picture to the left on my sidebar to her care page at CHOC if youd like to send a message directly to the family or just check in on how she's doing.

Well on the homefront~things are good.  I'm just ancy as I know I could go into labor any day now.  I have a doctors appointment yesterday.  Everything looks good and baby Joseph seems to be doing great too.  My midwife examined me and said about 2 cm and 50% effaced so it could be anyday or a couple of weeks.  Now is the waiting game....the hardest part for me I think.  I just want him out of my belly and in my arms.  I want to see him and touch him and smell him, but I'll have to wait for God's perfect timing and trust His timing will be perfect. 

For someone like me with anxiety and the desire to plan every situation, labor can be a tough lesson.  I cant plan it, I can make a plan of action for when it does happen, but I cant plan its every details, so this waiting is REALLY hard! 

I also want to remember that today is 9-11.  Eight years later but still fresh in our memories and hearts.  I'm remembering the heros and loves ones that we all lost that day and that God's presence is strong with the family members left behind.

Anyway,  that's about it for now.  I hope you all have great day!  Oh yeah, please keep my mom and dad and my sisters 3 other kids in prayer.  They are all really sick with the flu...I appreciate your prayers and support!

Love and Blessings,