Pray Down Time in '09

I can't tell you how much I love the little guy in this picture. On January 20th he will undergo what will hopefully be the final repair for his defect. I'm asking everyone who reads this to pass this on. I want to pray this little guy into God's care for his surgery. God has brought him through so much and I know he can bring him through the rest. So, please add him to any prayer lines you know of or email anyone you know who prays. Pray for his comfort and time of the ventilator to be brief. Pray for his surgeon and the medical staff caring for him for wisdom and guidance. Pray for his family that we will be able to be exactly what he needs during this time. Pray his time in the hospital is as brief as possible. 14 1/2 months is long enough for any child.

If you need a history of our little guy to share here it is. The Mini Mister was born with a birth defect called a Giant Omphalocele. He spent the first 14 1/2 months in the hospital before he was finally able to come home with us. He came home with a feeding tube but now eats and drinks like any other toddler. He just turned two and the repair on January 20th will hopefully provide more protection for his liver and other abdominal organs that are only protected by skin at this moment. Every fall makes me cringe.

So pray for our little man. He has come into our lives and turned it upside down in a glorious way. I'm tearing up as I write this. It is hard wearing your heart outside your body where it is so vulnerable. But that is what being a Mommy is all about. So, spread the word. Pray Down wonderful blessings on my little guy for 2009.

Love,
Sophie

Christmas Morning Fun

I thought I would add some pics from Christmas morning. We had a great time with it all.
The Mini Mister is getting a bit of help from DaDa.

Leopold got Asleep at the Wheel tickets! He was so excited.

Sasha got a sock monkey. She loves him.

It took him a bit but the Mini Mister finally got in on the fun!

I had mentioned I like this outfit when we were out shopping and Leopold went back and got it for me. How sweet is that.

Every boy needs a dump truck to ride in.

My sweet Yellow Bird.

Sweet Sasha.

Merry Christmas 2008

WOW! What a year 2008 has been. I guess the biggest news of 2008, for those of you who are new here, is the expanding of our family with our beautiful son. What a joy he has been! We always knew our family wasn't complete but had no idea how God would grow it. Then, when we least expected it, he brought a 22 pound, bouncing baby boy into our lives. Things have never been more gloriously the same.

For those of you who don't know The Mini Mister was born with a giant omphalocele. His intestines, liver and the rest of his abdominal organs were on the outside of his body. It was the largest defect they had ever seen. It was so large that he has no abdominal musculature. He came home February 5, 2008 after 14 1/2 months in the hospital with a feeding tube in his nose. He wouldn't eat or drink anything. After a little over a month at home he was eating and drinking and no longer requiring a feeding tube. He loves pizza, chicken nuggets, french fries and can eat his weight in Cheerios. He has come a long way and has been through so much. We ask for your prayers. January 20th he will have another surgery to further repair his defect. He will likely be on a breathing machine for a bit after surgery. I know God has brought him this far so I trust He will take him through this also. Remember us as this time comes upon us. Pray for his medical team for skill and wisdom. Pray for his comfort, minimal time on the ventilator and that this won't create additional problems for him. Pray for us, his family, for peace and comfort during this time.

We continue to homeschool. Sasha is 12 and in the 7th grade. Yellow Bird is 9 and in the 3rd grade. They are both doing so well. They love having a baby brother and are a huge help. Sasha has become active in the youth group and works with the puppet team at church. Yellow Bird started competing in gymnastics this year and did very well. She is still a horse fanatic.

Leopold is teaching in Galveston and I started a new job as a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner at UTMB in Galveston. I'm still employed for the moment and hopefully that won't change. It has been a rough few months for Galveston and UTMB to say the least. Things are slowly getting better but please still remember all those impacted by Hurricane Ike in your prayers. It is still an ever presented issue impacting many on the island.

Check back. I will try to keep this updated. Things have been very crazy lately.

Lots of love and Christmas blessings.

Sophie

Tough Medical Decision for the Mini Mister

The Mini Mister has to have surgery after the first of the year and the PICU at UTMB is closed for what looks like good. Do I keep his surgeon who knows him well but operates at a hospital with a new PICU and inexperienced staff...or... do I go to a new surgeon who doesn't know him and will probably put him through a bunch of test so he can be at a hospital with an experience PICU staff???? I truly don't know what to do. I hate this. Everyone at UTMB knows and loves him. I hate going some place new. Ugh!!! I'm leaning toward keeping the surgeon. People seem to think that I can overcome the inexperience of the PICU staff. I just know that I will be mom in this situation, not a nurse. Seeing him intubated and paralyzed will shake me up. I've seen it before but this is different, I'm his Mommy now. I just know that an experienced nurse can make all the difference. The surgeon isn't there 24/7. He has been through so much. He shouldn't even be alive. I know God has brought him through so much and will continue to see him through the rest. I just never thought I would be having to make this decision. I just always assumed UTMB would be there. Some tough choices to make.

Sophie

UTMB layoffs -- It is a sad day

I know many feel that UTMB's future in Galveston should be limited. Why rebuild to have it destroyed by another hurricane? Well, it has been there for a very long time unharmed so I say why not. All I know is that it is sad. 3,800 people will loose their jobs. I think I'm fairly safe -- the nurseries are booming -- but no one is completely safe. All 3 of my children were born there. With Yellow Bird I was so sick and received state of the art, top-notch care there. I can't even begin to tell you the debt of gratitude I owe them for my beautiful son. The Mini Mister's chances of survival were dismal but yet he is this beautiful, vibrant child, so full of life. The wonderful nurses, doctors, therapist and other UTMB employees are responsible for that. He will face a big surgery in the near future which will likely leave him on the ventilator for a bit. I will now have to take him somewhere else. I know there are other great hospitals but there is no place like home. And, UTMB is home. The PICU and Pedi nurses at UTMB know him and love him. My heart is broken. Even if I don't loose my job so many of my friends will. The hospital is just so different and I can't help but be sad at all we are loosing as a community. So, pray for us all in this time. People are scared and sad. Ike has taken a great toll and it will take a long time to recover.

Sophie

The Aquarium

We had dinner at the Aquarium recently. It is such a neat place to eat.

Dewberry Farm

We had so much fun at Dewberry Farm. If you are in the Houston area you have to take the kids. It was a blast.

Funny Faces

He can make some of the funniest faces. What a cutie.

On the Farm

We went to the country a while back and had so much fun. We love it up there and if it weren't for these silly things we have -- J O B S -- we would probably live up there. It is so peaceful and nice. I forget how many stars are in the sky until we visit up there. You can see them all. Beautiful.

What a cool dude. Everyone tells us she is a natural in the saddle. She looks pretty comfortable.

And I will say she doesn't get it from her mother.

Father and son horse back riding.

Leopold got in on the fun too.

The Mini Mister wasn't sure of it all.

What a beautiful girl!

Horse back riding wasn't limited to the horse.

La La is having a baby soon so the Mini Mister broke in some of Houston's toys for him. He will be new at this play stuff so it is better if the toys are a little worn in.

Run, Sasha, Run!

Isn't it so great that he has a Daddy to give him rides. The two of them are so cute and I just can't get enough of them interacting together.

Trampoline Fun

We had some fun on the trampoline that I just had to share. It is really good exercise.

The Box

Why is it always the box they play with? He has tons of toys but it is always the box that gets him every time.

It's Coming Up Roses

Yellow Bird is so proud of our roses. Isn't she so cute. Love this girl!