Shopping Buddies

What a blessing and joy is was to return to work this week! Just a couple days of normalcy and reacquainting myself with my workplace and colleagues... and a couple days to be loved on by all my work friends, it was just about perfect! I even got to have lunch at one of my favorite places yesterday, The Cottage in Bellevue, with my sweet friend, Megan, and accomplish a tad of Christmas shopping in their gift shop! Also, the fact that I was even at work was evidence that God had been faithfully working in our lives in healing Willow Grace and bringing her home. I would not have left her side otherwise.

And now, Christmas break has begun. Woo-hoo!

I love everything about Christmas - the sights, the sounds, the smells, the parties, the shopping, the celebrations, the decorations, the church services, the presents, the festive feeling, even seeing those tacky sweaters I refuse to wear on other people! Today, I'm going to try to accomplish a bit of my Christmas shopping with Mom and Willow Grace in tow, two of my favorite shopping buddies. We're celebrating our Christmas with Chris's family early, this Sunday, and so I must accomplish at least half of my shopping today.

For the first week we were in the hospital with Willow Grace, she didn't talk and hardly responded to us in any way. Once she started again, it was like she was making up for lost time and talked constantly, even in her sleep! One afternoon, just a day or two after she finally started talking again, while she was taking a long nap, she quietly murmured, "Shopping... I want to shop." That's my girl! Yesterday afternoon, when I returned from work, she and Chris were waiting for me parked outside our house. They had just returned from Cool Springs Mall where Chris had taken her to ride the carousel. That sweet girl LOVES a carousel! And she had been telling Chris that she really wanted to go to Target. Last night, she finally got her wish to go shopping. Not only did we go to Target, but we also took a lovely little drive down to the Ashland City Walmart. For those of you who tend to worry, don't! It was not taxing on her as she was content to ride around in the shopping carts while we were there. Also, we had her layered up and bundled her in new her heavy, thick kitty cat blanket. She was warm and toasty and was delighted to be out and about!

When we finally arrived home, it didn't take long for exhaustion to overtake us while we rested in the living room. Willow Grace was, of course, the first to slip off, and Chris carried her upstairs so that she could rest better in her little bed. Not long after that, however, I heard her calling for me. I hurried to the steps but just not quick enough. She was attempting to come down them when her little legs gave out half way down the first set. She tumbled down the last 3-4 steps and slumped over on the landing. She was unhurt, didn't even cry, but just desperate to get to me. Though she continues to build in strength and energy, she still has quite a bit of trouble with the stairs. However, I guess she just needed a little more time with Mama before settling down for the night. I was able to get her back to bed and off to sleep with little effort.

And now, I must hop around and prepare the two of us for our fun day ahead. I hope you are all well this fine December morning! I'm still reveling in the joy of having my girl home for Christmas and feeling the awe and wonder of the miracle my dear Father has accomplished in our lives.

Merry Christmas!

What's the Story?

As I sleepily trudged to the nutrition room to make myself a cup of Earl Grey this morning, I caught a peek into a neighbor's room. There was another mother attempting to take in a few moments of rest on the hospital room couch. There was another grandmother sitting up watching over a sleeping baby, just as both my mom and Chris's mom have done for us.

I've caught snippets of conversations in the hallways and elevators and cafeteria. Mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers, concerned families and friends - all focused on one child and how their whole world has shifted and their perspectives have changed. Some of them have been here for months, have had to return countless times, or even have more than one child here.

There are so many stories. Stories of hope. Stories of loss. Stories of fear. Stories of sadness. Stories of despair. And stories of faith.

I hope, most fervently, that our story will be marked by hope and by faith.

Though yesterday was not quite as good as Monday, we were still blessed with the sound of sweet Willow Grace's voice asking for family members, talking about what she wants to do when we leave, and crying for a Dora the Explorer coloring book. Our loving nurses here made sure that baby had some Dora pages to color. They brought several pages printed off the internet four different times, and then later they brought a whole coloring book with stickers for her. She was able to sit up a couple times and color, but she wants someone else to color with her. Even in her current state, she's quite sociable.

We had a couple scares yesterday. It seems like every day brings new challenges and more to learn. At one point, she woke up in a sort of crazed state. She was frantic and unable to answer any of our questions. She looked wild, and her eyes were shooting all over the place, quicker than I would have thought possible. After several long minutes, possibly ten minutes, our nurse paged the doctors, and I was astounded at how fast they arrived. After a few minutes more, however, we were able to get her calmed down and focused, and she responded well to all questions asked and little actions she was asked to perform. The nephrologist said that Willow Grace was just responding to the morphine and had a bit of delirium because she has been so sick. Other than that, the big events of the day were another blood transfusion and a new dialysis machine after the first one decided it was tired and started sounding an alarm every other minute. There are times when the dialysis is very painful for her, and we just try to soothe her and distract her as much as possible until it passes.

Today Chris returns to work. Please pray for him as I know it's going to be hard to be away from her all day after all that we've been through and watching over her constantly for the last seven days. We are so blessed to be in a position where I don't have to make that decision between staying here with her and losing my job or going to work and leaving her alone all day. It breaks my heart that there are so many children here who spend all day alone because their parents can't afford to be here. I can't imagine leaving my sweet girl all alone in this room all day. I've said it for years, and I continue to say it now, "I love my job. I love the people I work with, around, and for. I am so blessed to be at CPA." My sweet friend, Megan, from work, brought me some requested supplies, and yesterday morning I was able to make a bunch of colorful scripture signs to post all over the room. I have the Word of God all around me, constant encouragement straight from my Heavenly Father.

For those of you who have asked, a couple of my coworkers/amazing friends arranged a website for people who want to bring food. Here's the link if you want to see what nights are available: http://www.takethemameal.com/meals.php?t=YBXL2103 Thank you so much for all the ways you've supported our little family, for the prayers, calls, texts, visits, food, care packages, and love. I will never be able to adequately express what this has meant to me and how deeply you have touched my heart, but I hope you know how deeply grateful I am. I hope your day is blessed with laughter, joy, and peace.

The Roaring 20's

Friday was 20's day for the 8th grade at CPA. Since my desk is in the lobby, I was the concierge/coat check girl. I love any opportunity to put on a costume. The lobby and gym were decked out like a swanky hotel. They even had a huge swan ice sculpture. It was the bee's knees!

(me & Dad just after I dropped off Willow Grace)


(Look at my fancy hair! Isn't it just the berries?!?!)


(me and Lydia, my friend's daughter)

(Here I am playing my part.)