1 year ago today...

We saw our sweet baby girl's face for the first time. A year ago, Scott came to my school with the best news I have ever heard. We finally knew what our baby girl looked like, where she was and how old she was. Thank you God for the miracle of Anna. She is so much more than we ever could have hoped for. She is a true treasure from God.

6 months and Chicken Pox

Here is a picture of "kitty"

You can see some of the chicken pox around her mouth

She loves to play dress up--get a look at the shoes :)

Oh my goodness has this month been a challenge. Not because of Anna but because so much has happened medically. You know she got her palate fixed and then we had two weeks of cast on her arms. I have never heard her scream so much. She hated the cast and would get so frustrated. She screamed for almost the entire two weeks. I don't blame her. I know she didn't know what was going on, she was healing from surgery and she couldn't understand that the cast were only temporary. However it didn't make those two weeks of screaming any easier. I was so happy to get them off. It was a little ordeal but we finally got them off thanks to my friend Tajuana. The cast came off Thursday and she started getting "bites" on her legs. Friday Anna and I went out shopping since it was my last day of freedom before school started. I noticed the "bites" were spreading. I finally noticed they were on her torso and I started to get worried. Of course it was Friday at 5:00 p.m. so the pediatrician's office was closed. So we went to the after hours clinic where two doctors told us this was not chicken pox. They said she had some type of viral rash that wasn't contagious. So we went to a Sunday School get together, Sunday School nursery on Sunday and Anna spent two days at her new child care....all with chicken pox. The "rash" wasn't getting any better so finally we took her back to our pediatrician. He looked at her for about a minute and said "this is a classic case of chicken pox". WONDERFUL. No telling how many people we exposed to chicken pox. ....if you are one of them I truly am sorry....we didn't know.

On top of that I started back to school. So it is truly hectic around here. We had open house on Friday night and right before Open House I twisted my knee some how so that is hurting pretty bad and tomorrow Scott and I are suppose to have nursery duty. Of course we can't take Anna so one of us will have to stay home with her. She goes back to Shriners on August 20th and the tickets have already been purchased so please pray that she will have no more pox and can make the appointment. Her surgery went well and she is healing great...or at least I think so. What I can tell, her palate looks good. She is back to a sippy cup and regular food so life is good in that respect.

Today is our 6 month gotcha anniversary. I cannot believe it has been six months. Man does the time fly. She is learning more and more. Her hair is really starting to get long and I can put it in little piggy tails which I'm excited about. She has a new love....her kitty. She got this stuff kitty from the Ronald McDonald House before surgery and she doesn't let the thing go. It has already been washed two times (thank goodness it washes) and is in desperate need of another go around in the washing machine. Hopefully she'll be weaned from kitty before she graduates high school :). I guess that is all for now. Sorry I haven't updated sooner...life has been crazy.

Home and Healing

Sporting her new cast

Pre-surgery (notice she is still smiling)

Play area in Shriners Hospital

We got to come home Saturday. Anna had a rough night Friday night. She woke up about 12 a.m. and had a 101.6 fever. They said that if the fever didn't come down we might not be able to come home but thankfully her fever did come down. She did ok on the flight. In the airport waiting we got a lot of stares because of her arms being in cast and a few people asked how she broke both arms. We tried to explain that she had surgery on her mouth and her arms were fine. She has slept ok the last two nights but during the day she is extremely whinny. I know she has gone through a lot the last few days so I'm trying to remain calm. Scott and I have been spoiled the last five months because she has been such an easy baby. Hopefully once she is healed and her arm cast are off, she'll be her happy, normal self. She is fighting eating. She is eating yoguart and a couple of bites of other things but refuses to drink anything right now. I'm just praying everyday will be easier.

Doing Better

Anna had a rough night at the beginning of the night but around midnight she finally settled down and slept well. She is much better this morning. She is laughing and playing. They let us stroll her around and we got to go outside and get some fresh air. I think we'll be here one more night and hopefully we'll be able to fly home tomorrow like we planned. Thank you for praying. Please continue to pray that she continues to do well, eats more and has no pain.....and is able to sleep tonight :)

She is recovering

Surgery was a success. They were able to do what they wanted to do. She hs tubes in her ears as well. She should now be able to hear the words we are saying and start saying the words clearly. She hates the cast they had to put on and really hates the IV in her foot. She is in PICU tonight and might be discharged tomorrow. She is drinking apple juice and eating gogurt so she is really doing well. Thank you so much for praying. Please continue to pray that Anna doesn't hurt and is able to rest.

She's in surgery

She went back about 10 till 10 a.m. So we were delayed in when we thought surgery would start. They gave her some happy juice before the wheeled her away. She was laughing at nothing. It was cute. We of course cried when they wheeled her but we feel your prayers and God's peace. Please continue to pray. We'll update when she is out.

Surgery Time

We just found out that Anna will be the 2nd surgery tomorrow. They said they should take her back about 7:30 a.m. The surgery will be about 3 hours and she'll be away from us for about 5 hours :( Please pray for a successful surgery for NOOOO pain for Anna and for Scott and I to be strong. As the day draws to an end I'm getting more emotional thinking of what my precious Anna has to face tomorrow. I know she is in good hands as far as the doctors and the best hands that being God's but the momma side of me does NOT want my baby to go through this. Please continue to pray.

I'll try to update after surgery. Hopefully she'll be done by 12 p.m.

Love y'all
Shelley