Surgery Success!

Well, we finally made it to surgery #4, and it was a success. Brooklyn is now recovering and should be heading home first thing tomomorrow morning. She is still pretty hoarse and drowsy from the anestesia, but Little Miss Nosey is too busy checking everything out and hasn't been interested in napping. She just finally decided to get some much-needed rest. I'm hoping she sleeps well tonight.

So far, she is being a good sport about her legs, and we are hoping that continues for the next 7 weeks. She will be in splints (half casts) for about 2 weeks and then full leg casts for another 5 weeks. After that, the casts come off, and we get to work on standing!

As always, thank you so much for your prayers these last few weeks. They are powerful, and they are being answered.

Much love to all of you!

On the Move: Take THAT Spina Bifida!

Guess who decided to move just a few days before we put heavy casts on her legs!?!! And she did it when Mommy wasn't home, the little booger. I can barely watch this without crying my eyes out.

I wish I could describe the overwhelming sense of gratitude my heart feels, but words could never do it justice. I am so very, very proud of our rock star, and I am so very, very thankful for a God who answers my prayers.

I'll let the video say the rest.



"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."
Romans 12:12

Small Style: Making It Work

Back in the day, I used to do a weekly blog post called Fashion Friday. It was fun way to make sure I was taking photos of Emma regularly. Then Kendall came along, and I had a hard time keeping it up.  Really, I was just happy if we made it out of our pajamas every day.

By the time Brooklyn entered our world, I did master the whole getting dressed every day thing, but fashion wasn't much of a priority. I depended on bins of hand-me-downs and clothing gifts from friends and family. Needless to say, we are all about second-hand around here.

As much as I'd like to shop for my girls - I drool over Zulily and The Mini Social on a daily basis -- I just can't justify spending money if we already have bins full of perfectly fine threads. Emma is about the only one that gets anything truly new, and most of it is from her birthday and birthday money. Funds are tight and, really, how much do we need?

With all of that said, I do say that I've gotten sloppy. I've relied a little too much on predetermined "outfits" and just rewash the same old things over and over. A quick look at my Facebook pix will show you I've fallen into the same trend with my own wardrobe.

How did I get so boring? I love clothes. I know there are more important things in the world, but getting dressed should be fun and should make you feel good. I mean, I have THREE GIRLS!!! I should be having a blast. Just because I don't have a huge wardrobe budget doesn't mean we can't get a little creative.

Sooooo... I've been inspired to get out of my fashion pity-party and make the most of what we have.

Here's the plan: every Thursday I'm going to try and  link up with Small Style at  Mama Loves Papa. But I won't be bragging about labels here. My goal is to try to update some great oldies. I'm not saying that I will be offering you any inspiration. Really, I'm using this as a way to get me inspired...and an excuse to take more photos of my girls.

So here is the first installment. We'll title it, Bo-Ho Brooklyn.
Clothing stats at the bottom. Have a great weekend everyone!

Pants:  Kee-Ka Organics, Kendall hand-me-down

Shirt: Sonoma, Ava (niece) hand-me-down

Hat: Old Navy, Ava (niece) hand-me-down

Amber teething necklace: gift from Aunt Jenni

Quick Update

So, yeah, no surgery again this week due to Tuesday's fever and what appears to be an ear infection that never quite went away. That's three canceled surgery dates in one month. Annoying, yes, but really, I'm okay with it.

Granted, I was beyond frustrated Tuesday morning when I felt Brooklyn's hot head, but as the day went on, I realized it was absolutely ridiculous to be upset about not taking her in for surgery. I mean, who wants to take their kid in for surgery?

Last night, as I nursed and rocked Brooklyn to sleep, I thought about the fact that I could have been doing the very same thing in a hospital rocking chair. I could have been kissing my hubby goodbye as he headed home to our girls.  Our girls could have had someone other than me tucking them in for the night and sending them off to school in the morning.

But instead, I was nursing a snuggly, sweet-smelling baby as my other two babies slept soundly next door, and my hubby waited on the couch with a cozy blanket. And I got to start my morning with all four of them piled into my bed. Really, there was no where else I wanted to be -- and for that, I was grateful.

Yes, I want to get this surgery done and over with. But it isn't an emergency (thank God!), and I don't want to send my baby off to the OR if I have even an inkling that she is not at her best. I will wait until the time is right, whether that takes another week or another month (although hopefully not another month... :)

As always, thank you for your prayers. We promise to keep you posted. Until then, there is a man and cozy blanket calling my name. Have a great weekend, everyone!

On a Star

I can still feel the grit of the shingles scraping my toes, the salty tears trailing down my cheeks. The promise, the hope of the stars -- reflections of something bigger than me. Bigger than my one whispered request.

Let me find him, Lord.

Little did I know that just five years later, I would find him. He would ride up on a white horse with four wheels and steal my breath while gently asking for my heart. He would see my soul, my mind, and love every inch of my awkward frame, erasing all of the painful words of childhood.

He would boldly defend my honor and reintroduce me to my Father, making me feel safe, cherished, loved.

He would ask for my hand in our favorite place away from home, and we would eat frozen raviolis every Thursday on the hand-me-down table we positioned right in front of the TV. At times it would seem there were more fights than laughter, but always – always -- passion.

He would give me three beautiful girls, every one special and a wonderful surprise in their own way. The miracle of the first. The joy of the second. The blessing of the third.

Together, we would build our dream house, our home. A living memory box of two little girls giggling on the playroom floor, of two humbled adults crying on their knees in the office. Of a family of five grateful for sleeping under one roof.

One little request, softly spoken, yet heard. Answered. Bringing more to my life than I ever imagined, more love than one star could hold.

Happy Anniversary, sweetheart. I couldn’t dream up a better person to spend this life with. Our love isn’t perfect, but it is unconditional and it is forever.

I love you. I like you. And I hope you already know, I’m so glad I found you.

Surgery Canceled

Well, unfortunately, Brooklyn's surgery  was canceled today at the last minute. We have been fighting a massive diaper rash the last week and half, and it decided to flare up again this morning, prompting our surgeon to call off surgery (right before heading to the OR). Because we think the rash is bacterial, the chance of infection and complications was too much of a risk. We are hoping to reschedule for next week.

We are so sorry for the false alarm and still really appreciate all of the prayers. We are frustrated, of course, but we are trusting in God's timing. It is always perfect!

We will keep you posted on the new surgery date. Thank you all again!

Surgery #4

Wow, am I feeling this post tonight. Trusting, trusting, trusting...

Prayer Request: Brooklyn's Surgery on Wednesday

 Once again, we humbly come to you and ask you to say a prayer for Miss Brooklyn, who will be having surgery on Wednesday. Thankfully, it is only foot surgery, but they are estimating it will take about 4 hours and, of course, she will have to be put under.

She will be having surgery on both feet, although they will most likely do more work on her left foot. The name of the procedure our surgeon will be performing is Posteromedial Lateral Release, which basically means she will be making Brooklyn's feet flat and straight. Unfortunately, the Achilles tendon surgery Brooklyn had last year to flatten her feet wasn't successful, and her clubbed feet that were corrected with the casts have started to turn in. This surgery is necessary to correct both of those things so that she will be able to properly stand and bear weight on her legs.

We also ask that you pray for Brooklyn's recovery process, as she will have pins in her feet, as well as splints and casts on her legs for 7 weeks. We aren't quite sure how this will go over with our little rock star, but we are hopeful that she will be her usual rock star self and "make it work"!

The good news is that once she is fully recovered, we will be measuring her for a stander, which is very exciting! Because she lacks feeling in her lower legs (below the knee), she doesn't quite understand that she can use them to stand. But once her feet have been corrected, we will be able to teach her body what to do by using this device. What a joy it will be to see her standing on her own two feet some day...we can hardly wait! I have a feeling she is going to love being off the ground and closer to her two big sisters!

For now, Miss Brooklyn more than enjoys sitting up and playing independently. And as of last month, she can even push herself up from the ground all by herself. We are so proud of her! She isn't attempting to crawl since her knees don't quite want to bend the full 90 degrees, but she is starting to get curious about moving around. We are working on her core strength to help her accomplish that, but it is more likely she will "scooch" or army crawl instead of a 4-point-crawl. As with all things Spina Bifida, we will just have to wait and see!

As we prepare for Wednesday, we ask you to pray for any (or all!) of the following:

1. God's protection during the surgery and as she comes out of the anesthesia
2. A successful and peaceful recovery process -- no complications
3. God's miraculous intervention to restore all nerve and muscle functions (We have to ask! :)
4. Peace for us during the surgery
5. Peace for Emma and Kendall as they spend time away from us and as they pray for their little sister

Thank you all for your continued love, support, and prayer. We cannot express how much every one of your prayers means to our family. Sending our daughter into her fourth surgery (eek!) is definitely not an easy task, but we feel God's love and power through all of you.

We will keep you all updated on how everything goes on Wednesday. Thank you so very much, and may God bless you all!

Photo credit: Erin Olson Photography

"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:7

Middle

She makes me laugh, even when I shouldn't. She can rock a leotard and cowboy boots like no one else and has a charm that oozes out of every one of her dainty features.

Her imagination and determination will take her to places far beyond both of our dreams, and those dimples will make some poor boy wonder if he ever stood a chance. (He didn't.)

The drama -- oh the drama! -- is never lost on her. The more, the better. There isn't a corner of this house she hasn't used to prove her point, a floor board that hasn't felt her stomp.

Her heart is sensitive, but it is big. Her love is freely given, but she is more eager to receive (a trait Mommy will watch carefully in the years to come...).

Her snuggles in the way-too-early hours are treasured and come second only to her awesome tight-around-the-neck hugs that linger just long enough to make you melt.

Sleep ain't got nothing on her, and the excuses for her late-night ventures outside of her room usually leave us giggling and somehow promising to change Barbie into her pajamas--and tuck her in, of course.

Yes, she is victim of many middle-child parenting tendencies I promised I'd never let happen, but thankfully she is making her own mark on this world and needs little help from me.

Her voice will be heard. Her presence remembered.

I have no doubt.

Kendall, you are the child of my heart, my joy, my sunshine. Don't ever feel forgotten or insignificant. Your light shines bright, my love, and we are all so very blessed to feel its warmth.