Being Gracious- (Day 5)

.....I continue onward with my online gracious log :)



~Janny-Pants Cousineau~


"You know, Hetty King, you are often a remarkable woman!" - Janet King (Road to Avonlea)


I must start by saying that I am so very gracious that there are families who have made us feel like Essex is "home" for us. The Cousineau family not only fits into this category, but has gone a step further- they have made us feel like we are their own. How wonderful a blessing they have been to our lives.



Janet, or "Janny Pants" (as nicknamed at the famous Sudbury "Nickel") has proven to be a great friend to our family. She understands (in a different kind of way) how it feels to be far away from your Mom. She understands my aggrevations. She laughs when we laugh. She cries when we cry (and sometimes she just cries :)). She sympathized with us when we hurt for our sick little girl, because she too knew how difficult it was to feel the helplessness you feel when your child is really sick. And best of all, she witnessed both of our children enter the world and take their very first breath! Bottom line: she is there for us.



I am so gracious for Janny Pants! She has truly touched our life!

There are far to many wonderful memories to recount!! For now, we can just say thank you so much for your friendship Janny! You mean so so much to us!



"You know, Janet Cousineau, you are often a remarkable woman!"

Nanny Janny with the brand-new Baby Benjamin.

Decebmber 1, 2008 (~4 am)

Being Gracious.... (Day 4)

A friendship that started from the day she was born! (and only because she's younger!)

~AMBER~

Our Mother's were friends when they were our age, and remain friends to this very day! I remember visits and get-togethers when we were small kids- like trips to "Raven Haven", and swim time at our parents hotel- but I did not have any idea the wonderful part of my life this beautiful girl would become today!

3 years ago in August Amber moved to Windsor- just following Nathan and I who moved here in May. We started our infrequent starbucks dates one August afternoon and walked into a friendship that reminds our Mothers of their friendship. Since that day, we have seen each other through so so many things! Both of us have purchased our own home in that time, we've seen each other through financial strain, new employment, college (for both of us), graduation (for Amber) and pregnancy-children (myself)! We`ve laughed, we`ve cried... we`re friends :)

You may even call us match-makers, because when we put our heads together, we can put together a pretty great couple :)

Living away from our homes, and our families- we`ve become a piece of `family`for each other and for that I am so grateful! Thank you Amber for not only trusting me to be the one you can vent on from time to time, but for also being the one I can vent to as well! I trust and value your opinion and I am so thankful for the strong person you are!


Thank you God for Amber, and for all the great times that we have had, but also for all the great times we will spend as friends in years to come!
Thank you Amber, for the wonderful friend you have been to me! You really are my sister at heart!!

Being Gracious.... (Day 3)

DAD

I remember when my sister and I were much younger, a particular Sunday. It was always an argument as to which one of us got to sit behind our Mom. This one particular Sunday though, my Daddy pulled me aside and said- `Do you know what would be sooo cool...it would be so cool if you sat behind me!.... We could be a team!!`

After that I found myself wanting to not only attached to my Daddy at the hip, but attempting to be Daddy! I would get up early while he was getting ready for work and get ready too. I would be just as full of grease and dirt as he was on Saturdays while he was working on the cars. I`d have Saturday reading time with him while my Mom worked in her hairdressing shop! I found myself enjoying shows like The Beverly Hillbillies, Golden Girls and Get Smart just to be like him! And, since that day I always sat behind my Daddy in the car when we went places.

As I got older, my Dad not only grew more as my HERO, but more so my friend. While I no longer got up with him to get ready for work, he shared my triumphs of each new job I recived and helped me with my resumés and cover letters! While I dont get into the nitty gritty of fixing his cars on Saturday mornings, ive certianly aided in the fixing of our own cars thanks to the knowledge he has given to me through those Saturday mornings! To close the gap on the miles that now seperate us- Saturday morning reading times are no longer the same but now consist of phone calls and sype chats! And, when given the choice of whether to watch any given show or The Golden Girls, i`d pick Golden Girls!! Most of all, I know I can tell him anything and he will support me!

And now, he still continues to be an excellent Dad, but also he is proving to be a very wonderful Papa!!

Here he is with his first grandbaby- Benjamin. This is during a visit to Halifax in February and March 2009.

This is in September 2009 when Mom and Dad came to visit us in Essex. We knew that they would not be able to see Benjamin in his costume except for through pictures, so we dressed him up while they were here and took some pictures.

This picture is in April 2010 during Mom and Dad`s visit to meet Sophie. He took such gentle care of her!

....and finally, one of my favorite pictures of my Dad. This was taken in July 2010 during our vacation in Halifax, just after a very lovely relaxing walk along the waterfront!

Thank you God for my Dad!

And thank you Dad for being YOU!

Being gracious.....(day 2)

I believe it's safe to say that during a cold, flu, or any illness one's first need- whether one would like to admitt it or not- is to have his or her Mom close by.

One thing worse than being sick yourself, is having a sick child. Having a very sick premature newborn only amplifies this need to have your own Mom near! Living 2200 kilometers away from her during this time was tortureous! It's necessary to have the one who nurtured your every need as a child near... to be there to fire off those how-to's, and what-if's... not to mention the demonstration on how to nurture this little being in the same wonderful manner that you were nurtured! The phone is just no comparison!

Here are some reflective thoughts on my time spent thanking God today for the blessings in my life!

~MY MOTHER~



These pictures are in a backward order... but thats ok :)
This picture was taken in Halifax, in April while Sophia was at the IWK. She was admitted there for a bladder infection! I am ever SO thankful that she was nearby to come and visit, as well as snuggle our dolly and tell her she loved her- herself!

Here is Sophia and my Mom at her dedication luncheon! It was so so great to have had my parents present for both Benjamin and Sophia's dedications :) It would have been so sad if they were not there! So, I am very grateful that they were able to make it!

She is doing very well in this picture! Just 3.5 (almost 4 months) old!

This picture gives me the biggest swell of my heart! After delivering exactly 7 weeks early, Sophia was admitted to the "Neonatal Intensive Care Unit- (NICU)" for a number of weeks! Altogether she was in hospital for 50+ days!

We were so so so blessed to have had my Mom come to care for Benjamin and also to be here for moral support and encouragement for us for some of that time! She was here for 10 days- and we so appreciated her coming! She had to quickly request those days off from her job, and her boss was generous to allow her to do so. We shared updates, laughs, new years, and even (yes I admitt) a few tears! But I am so glad she was the one we got to share them with!

Not to mention she left us with an abundance of cooked meals- frozen for future use, and lots of really yummy baked goods :)

AND, the fact that every night, at the end of our 10-12 hours days in the hospital... she had a delicious steaming hot meal on the table for us to share!

Thank you God for my Mama, and for allowing her to be here when I needed her the most!

And thank you Mama, for all that you do :)

Being gracious...

Have you ever just stopped the busy-ness of your day for a couple of minutes, just to thank God for the blessings he has given to you.


We take for granted so many things- clean water, a home to live in, food not only to maintain our nourishment but the blessing of being also able to choose what we put into our mouths, our senses: sight, sound, taste, smell and touch, family, friendships, freedom to outwardly decleare that we are thankful for such things and give praise to a heavenly father that we know is responsible for placing such blessings into our lives! (Remember some nations would actually kill their own for declaring they believe in Jesus Christ!)


I would like to take a couple minutes to share with you some of the things that stick out in my mind today, that I owe many thanks to my heavenly father for!

~NATHAN~



This picture depicts a number of things that I am thankful for- my husband (whom I just celebrated 6 years of marriage with this month), his health, his intellegence not only for his applied studies but for so many things, his willingness to protect our family financially while supporting me to stay home and care for our children (a dream for the both of us), and finally for LOVE! A love that has brought much laughter and the occasional tear, but mostly for a love that endures, is adventurous and is stronger today than when it initiated.


Thank you God for Nathan!
"At all times, and for everything, give thanks in the name of the Lord Jesus, to God the father!" Ephesians 5:20

~SOPHIA~

This picture also depicts many reasons to be gracious! The mere fact that I am able to capture this beautiful baby on film is a miracle itself, and reason to be so so thankful! I am thankful to God that she has overcome so many days of sickness, I am thankful for the smile she brings not only to her Daddy and Mommy's face- but to all who encounter her beauty, I am thankful for her growth and how it is surpassing what even the very best doctors said would take place at her age, and I am so thankful for her JOY (she is one happy baby)! And the amazing joy she brings to us!

Thank you Lord for giving me Sophie!

"Thanks be to GOD, for this indescribable gift." 2Corinthians 9:15

~BENJAMIN~

This little guy also brings SO many reasons to be thankful to our heavenly father! After years of trying to have a 'firstborn', he too was a miracle for us! His ability to capture just about every heart he meets is amazing to watch as a Mommy, and makes my heart swell with pride for him. His innocence to the things of the world, his vast intellegence for a 19 month old (he is one SMART kid), his laughter - and how he laughs often, his abundance of energy and excitment, and finally for the DELIGHT he has brought to us as parents!

Thank you God, for giving me Benjamin!

"For everything God has created is GOOD!" 1 Timothy 4:4

These are just a few of the reasons I am thankful today! My life is FULL of reasons to be thankful, as I am sure yours is also.

Tell me, why are you gracious? More importantly make time to tell our Lord what you are gracious for today! There isn't enough time to thank him for everything today, so set aside some time daily to reflect on some new things to be gracious for!

"O Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known his doings amongst the people." 1 Chronicles 16:8

Smiles to be oh-so-grateful for!!

This will probably be my last post for a couple weeks, as we are heading out for vacation out east early tomorrow morning! I wanted to give a quick update on our two little darlings before I shut down the computer one final time!

Benjamin has been rather sick with a cold/ear infection the last week or so. Running a high temp, and just not feeling himself. I've been certianly loving all the free snuggles and cuddles, however I am praying hard he returns to his healthy happy self again soon!! Its no fun at all to see him sick :(

He is really catching on to talking more and more- spitting out little words here and there. His sign language is coming along well also. The potty has been set on the back burner as we head out for our family vacation, and also since he hasn't been feeling so well... but we will resume once we return home.

Here is a picture of Ben while at a local park with our friend Mallory. This is just ONE of the smiles that make my day SO much better :)

Here is Sophia: during her first feeding of rice cereal! Also on her exact 6 month birthday!!

This is the other smile that has the ability to melt away all the problems in the whole world! Mama's girl :)

She is doing so well!! Were praying extra hard that whatever Ben has come down with, she will not! So far, our prayers are being heard :)

Like I mentioned in the picture, Sophie has started her rice cereal! We will start barley cereal during vacation, and perhaps wheat as well. She isn't entirely sold on the rice yet, but she is getting better :)

She is *almost* pro at sitting on her own although she is still leaning on her legs, and pushing up on her hands every now and then, but she is getting better each day! She really is a miracle girl!!

There is so much more to share, but those are the highlights that are on my mind right now. I have a couple more things to do before I head to bed for the night and then we are off tomorrow :)

Be blessed friends!!

Sweet Benjamin :)

Time is going so so quickly for my sweet boy Benjamin!! He is learning words and signs at lightning speed- and we are so proud of the little man he is quickly becoming!

I thought I would post quickly with a few really GREAT pictures of my sweet boy! I will explain what they are below each picture :)

Enjoy!!!

Here is Benjamin showing me his "MUSCLES" :) He loves to show off his stregnth and cracks up right along with you when showing them off!! He makes us smile each time he 'flexes'- and were pretty sure it will never grow old for us!!

Just learning how to "smile" for the camera!! I think he looks more and more like my Grampy every day!! He's quite the charmer :)

And Ben on his new POTTY!!! We bought this last night to allow him to become 'aquainted' with the seat, and to my suprise, he peepee'd in it already this morning!! I'm so proud of him!!

Hope you all are having a great day!!

<<<- Perserverance ->>>

Have you ever felt tired?

Tired of the fight? Tired of the doubt? Tired of the defeat?

After a couple weeks of feeling a little overwhelmed with some feeding struggles with baby Sophie, I was ready to call nursing "quits" this morning!!! I had myself convinced that this was the best choice, and that as long as I offered her a couple nursing times each day, I wouldn't entirely be "giving up" on this job.

It only took a 15 minute phone call with an expert Mom I know, to encourage me to press on as well as offer perhaps a few explainations for those struggles we've been facing. Perhaps the struggles were ongoing for so long I was thinking only with tunnel vision? But after my Mommy friend's phone call (as well as several texts from a good friend DURING the phone call) the walls to my tunnel began to crumble and I could see the hope all around. Hope that was there the whole time, but I was too tired and too focused on the struggles to see clearly.

I'm thankful for friends like that. Who take time out of their busy busy days (both of them are the busiest people I know) to encourage perserverance. Because after that phone call and after those texts, I felt as though I had more options than just "calling it quits." Not only that, but I felt like I had renewed stregnth and support to press on!

Thank YOU friends :)

It reminds me of this verse from Romans 5:3-4:
"...We also rejoice in our struggles, because we know that struggle produces perserverance; perserverance, character; and character, hope."

Those are some of my more serious thoughts for the day! I will give you a better update on the Hills below with some new pictures of the kiddies :)

Benjamin- standing tall, wanting to go inside after a long playtime outside!
He continues to be our source of adventure and fun! Something new to learn every single day!!

Sophia- hanging out outside in the shade!

She continues to be our happy, smiley, cheerful girl :) So much love!!!

Here are the 3 love of my life!!

Daddy, Benjamin & Sophia!

I will start with Benjamin. This boy is our source of adventure!!! If we aren't RUNNING after him, we are pulling him down off the stairs, or rescuing him from a jump off the top of the couch!!! We spend more time kissing his boo-boo's then we do anything else these days!!

Now that it is warmer weather, we have been spending more time outside. He LOVES to swim, LOVES to play in his new sandbox (thank you Aunty Michelle & Uncle Shaun), and loves to run around in the grassy backyard. I have had a couple pretty long walks in the sun and he loves to be pushed around, taking everything in!! We even had him to the park last week for the first time, which he seemed to enjoy as well!!

He is growing leaps and bounds! At our last check-up (at 18 months) he weighs 25lbs, 10oz and is 34 inches in legnth. He actually weighs a whole pound LESS than his 12 month old friend Josh Pye, but displays all the signs that point to him being a normal healthy little boy :)

He eats like a little bird- he'd rather be running aruond and playing outside!! But, what he doesn't eat at one meal, he makes up for it the next.

Our baby sign language has taken off!!! He has mastered the signs for: Yes, No, All Done, More and Milk.

He is such a sweet boy! I hope to capture a new video soon- he is back to showing off those "muscles" and its too cute not to show off!!!

Sophia is also doing great. Her monitor has stayed quiet since that last episode in Halifax. She has been growing well: at her last appointment she weighed in at 13lbs even, 24 inches in legnth!

Her milestones or "motor-skills" if you will have been developing very nicely as well. She smiles and giggles, coo's often, know's her own name, and rolls over from front to back as well as from back to front!!!

I mentioned above about her eating. I will give an update on that in a couple more weeks time. Hopefully we see some changes! Perhaps I will even have some teeth to report!!

Daddy, has returned to work and is enjoying being back to a routine. He is actually having his 3 year evaluation with our senior pastor this afternoon. Hard to believe that we have been here 3 years already! A whole lot of changes have happened for us as a family in those 3 years!!

And, as for myself, I currently have cold number 3 for 2010!! I have spent the last two days wiping runny noses, including my own. But, my husband- despite his incredibly busy work schedule this week has popped in occasionly to bring chicken noodle soup and drinks for me!

I am blessed!!!

Have a great day everyone, praying you find yourself blessed today as well!!!

Healthy Eating :)

Here are a few pictures from tonights dinner :) Were working at eating very healthy!!!

Chicken & mushrooms in a white sauce over bowtie noodles with steamed green beans:)

Even Ben had a plate :)

Low fat and low cal lemon cheesecake!!

Served with a splash of fat free cool-whip :)

So so good!!!

A kiddie-update :)

Well, it has been a long time since my last post! But- I do have excuses... all which should validate my absence from posting!!

First, my parents came for a visit. This was so great, as my Dad had not yet met our sweet Sophia, and they were able to be present for their dedication sunday as well! :) We had so so much fun- catching up on lost laughs, poking fun at one another, shopping and dining together! We can't wait until they visit again :)

When they left to go home- on April 17th, we quickly and efficiently packed up our car and took off for NS the next day! This of course was planned, but a suprise! We tricked all of my family except for my sister... who very quickly figured me out! But, she didn't know exactly the time or date of our arrival- she was pretty close :)

We were able to spend the day with our niece Emily for her very 1st birthday!!! I am not sure if any of you remember but when Stephanie had Em last year, I was very quickly overcome with homesickness and so my wonderful husband put me on a plane as quickly as he could to be there for the day of her birth! I missed it, but not by too much!!

Thursday we had a very lovely lunch with my 2 grandmothers, and then a super-fun visit with Ben's great friend Charlie! We were so excited to finally meet Charlies new baby brother Sam!! They are such cuties :) Ben and Charlie played really well together :) Only a few squabbles!!

Early Friday morning Nathan and I unfortunately had to run Sophia into emergency (the IWK in Halifax) because her apnea monitor sounded several times through the night! We were not there long before they told us we were being admitted! Our hearts fell onto the floor, as we both thought "here we go again!" I shed a couple of tears, and Nathan assured me she was 'bigger and stronger now' and that she would be so much better when they sent her home!! We prayed together and waited for TEN hours to be taken to her room!! (No one said GOOD care would be QUICK care, right?!?!?)

Saturday lots of tests were run, and Sunday we were released! The short story is: she had another bladder infection, and needed to have a couple big doses of IV antibiotics before being sent home for the regular 10 days of liquid (by mouth) antibiotics!!

Thanks to those of you who came to visit us while in the hospital with Sophia- bored out of our minds!! Katie, Mom & Dad, Miss, and Natasha & Dave!! We enjoyed visiting with all of you :) And for most of you, showing Sophie off for the first time!!

She is doing quite well now :) Thank you to everyone who prayed along side of us! This little girl comes complete with a journey that isn't over yet... one that will still need to be guided wisely by our heavely father, and with much prayer!

We are now visiting Nathan's parents in Yarmouth, NS. We will be here until the end of the week- still hoping to get together with Nathan's Aunt Kathy & Uncle Owen, as well as possibly visiting my cousin Sonya and her boys on our trip back to Halifax!

We are missing all of our Essex friends, wish you could all be here with us! :)

I close with a picture of my 2 joys!! They are both growing so so fast!!


Benjamin's very first taste of ice cream! He LOVED it!!!

A beautiful picture of sweet Sophie on dedication day! Isn't she a picture!! Pure BEAUTY!!

Enjoy and Be Blessed!!!

More great deals!!!

As promised- here are this weeks great deals :)




All of this cost $4- that is FOUR dollars out of pocket!!!



All of these were $20- out of pocket!!



And finally, all of this was $4- out of pocket!!!

For a grand total of $28 bucks!!!

Impressed????

:)

'Hope'

I have a couple of the most beautiful children ...IN THE WORLD!! Benjamin is growing up so fast. So handsomely. So smart! He never ceases to amaze us each day!

Sophie, she is a constant reminder of 'hope' to us! She pulled through an illness that would be rough for a grown adult to endure! God was very faithful, and we will never forget how he brought Sophie through that terrible time.

Lately, she has been really gaining personality. I just HAD to share these next two photos of her!! She really IS a miracle :)



Isn't she GORGEOUS!!!!????!!!!



If this smile does not bring you hope- ask me this little girl's story- and the faithfulness of our heavenly father will forever be etched into your heart!!

Be blessed!!

More deals!!!

All of this..... $70-
Cool huh??

Introducing- SAVING MONEY!!!!

What I am about to share with you- you will likely NOT believe!! Our friends introduced us to "couponing"... which seems kind of silly- but in the states is a HUGE hit!!... So... we gave it a try and were blown away ourselves! We didn't have as much time as we could have used to really do our research and get the very best deals... but we are certianly convinced and will be doing this in the future!

Our friends Shaun and Michelle have a "budget" set and we will likely follow this idea too! But probably not until Nathan returns from his trip- I certianly am not brave enough to travel to the states on my own! And even more so, when the babies in the backseat outnumber the adults in the front!! :)

This- ALL of this... came to a grand total of.....

$23.72

And "this" includes:

4 Kellogs box of Cereal

2 Post boxes of Cereal

2 jugs of Cascade

3 BIG bottles of Treseme shampoo

2 jumbo bottles of Pantene Pro-V Conditioner

2 bottle of Mens Gilette body wash

2 Mens Gilette deoderant

2 bottles of Dawn dish soap

2 Oral B toothbrushes

1 battery operated Gilette Fusion mens razor

This was ALSO a great deal... however, not as GREAT as the others! But I thought I would throw this in the post as well :)

All four boxes of diapers combined = $39-

That is... 292 diapers all together!!!

A really awesome deal!! :) If we would have bought these in Canada, this easily would have cost $100- $120!!!

Dear Baby(s)...

Benjamin William Clarke

Sophia Isabella-Diane

Dear Benjamin & Sophie,

I am your Mom. I read countless books on sleep training and we broke all of the rules the first week for both of you. I planned to nurse for months and I was ready to quit our first day home! I never knew what sleep deprivation could do to a marriage. And when everyone asks how I am adjusting, I smile and get up to warm a bottle.

The dark circles under my eyes will be a testimony to late nights, bad dreams and broken curfews (someday). I have studied faces, photos and figures and I am certian there is none more beautiful than each of you. Whether that`s because you are mine or because you are a benchmark for beauty matters little. I am in the middle of reading 6 books about you, and the photos on my nightstand are stacked so high that I`ll be scrapbooking until I`m 80. I have memorized your legnth, weight and head circumference`s but I have no idea what day it is.

I have the ability to sleep through the freight train snoring next to me but a sigh from the baby monitor or the bassinet wakes me instantly!! My lullabies are rusty. My nursery rhymes are imcomplete. But my time is all yours.

The time will come when you don`t want me around. You`ll want me to drop you off before our destination as you struggle to find your independance. Although it will sting, I`ll do my best to respect your space and let you grow!

We`ll laugh, cry, dream and play. There will be seasons where I love you though I have nothing left to give, and others where you will sustain me. The older you grow, the more our relationship will evolve. Someday, I will lay down the duties of motherhood and if I am lucky, you will each call me your `friend`.

Mine is the only career that provides a lifetime of on-the-job training. God designed me expressly to do this special work. My heart has been walking around outside my body since the days you were born, and I would not have it any other way!

I love you so much more than I knew I had love to give!!

Love,

Mommy

xoxox

"Muscle Man"

This video was taken this morning for our special friend Lauren!

Ben has been treating us to lots of entertainment lately- really showing off the comedian in himself! One of my favorite faces (of the many) that he makes is the "Muscle Man" face :)

We were trying to be quiet, because he gets very easily distracted (you'll notice this when the train blows its whistle in the bacground-haha) So that is why it is almost silent in the background!

But, despite how quiet it may be, I am certian you will get a kick out of it :)

Hope you enjoy it Lauren! :)

"He's faster than a speeding bullet...."

As you all know, getting to the store and picking out Ben some birthday/christmas presents from his money gifts wasn't on my list of priorities!...

...Until tuesday! I finally thought of the PERFECT gift to get him from his very own cash stash!!

Here is a video with him showing off his brand new toy :)

Thank you to Great-Grampchops Hubley for this gift!! (...and $12 to spare!)

Leave us a comment when you have seen the video and let us know what you think!!

A little love :)

Well, its been another whirlwind since I last posted an entry!

That little cold that we felt Sophie was getting turned into a wild case of Respitory Syntactical Virus (RSV), which also progressed further into pnemonia. Our little princess showed everyone just how strong she is though, and pulled through this newest challenge on top once again!

A neat story, the last time that Sophie experienced a "brady" or "desat" was Sunday february 7th. That evening, my parents home church in halifax prayed as a whole specifically that Sophie would heal, and would no longer have to suffer through all this illness stuff! It was just a couple of days later that Sophie had turned right around and was discharged from hospital to come back home to us! (On my 26th birthday might I add, so a DOUBLE blessing to me on that day!!) I count it nothing short of an answer to prayer, or a miracle that Sophie's health bounced back so quickly!

We thank God for answering our prayers!

Here is a picture of our sweet pea, showing off those gorgeous eyes!!

Another picture of our sweet pea on Valentines day! What a blessing to have had her home with us that day! Her big brother was the proudest of us all, showing her a little EXTRA love, with extra hugs :)

Sophie continues to do well, but still needs lots of prayers! We appreciate YOU responding to that need and taking time during your day to pray for her! We have certianly felt the prayers of our many friends and family during this journey! So- thank you!! xo

38 days: A life for learning...

Today is day 38 of our sweet little girl's life and they have been the most "trying" 38 days of MY entire life. We have seen the valley and the mountain top at least a half a dozen times each, and I have been sick with worry over both of my children for most of those days.

My Mom has always reminded me since I was a small girl that "everything happens for a reason." And I wont lie, for the majority of these last 38 days I have been searching for some good reason as to why my little girl would have to go through all of this...

This morning, as I was folding laundry, I found myself crying again. My daughter woke up this morning with a stuffy nose- just one more thing to add to her list of illness. I cried out to God- "I don't know how much more of this I can handle!!!"

It was then that my mind ventured into a detailed whirlwind of memories, reminding me of all that we have been through in the past 5 and a half weeks, and I felt that still small voice nudge me and say:

1) You don`t need to worry about how you are going to handle ANYTHING. I have held you, and Sophie in my arms from day one, and will continue to hold you all in the days to come. I have, and will continue to handle things for you.

I also realized some of the things I have learned along the way with these memories!...

2) Pride is not necessary! And God has certianly broken my pride down many times during these days. It`s alright to cry on a friends shoulder once in a while. It actually does release the load.

3) I have also learned how to allow people to help me. I used to carry around the idea that I can do it all myself. However, through these 38 days I have been forced to ask for, and recieve help from those who love our family very dearly. And we have felt very blessed by the loving arms that have been extended!! Thank you to you all!!

I am so so happy and relieved to have my baby girl home safely with our family. Its so neat to see how Ben likes to interact with his baby sister and it feels AMAZING to finally be under one roof.

I don`t know why I felt so strongly to write these thoughts out today, but I hope this post finds someone that needs to be reminded that God IS listening, and he IS working! Just keep praying and leaning on him. Remember HE will handle YOUR needs :)

Be Blessed! :)

~ Sophia Isabella-Diane ~

Well, a little to our suprise, we were blessed with the best christmas present one could ask for: Baby Sophie!!

I'll jot briefly her progress under each picture, but will put the details of her birth into an entry another day! There just isn't time for that story yet!

Here are just a few pictures from my blog-ONLY friends (ahem! Em!! and Rivest family!!!)

Day One: Incubator, central line, ventilator, suction, 2 IV's and all the regular vital stuff!

Day 3: Onto CPAP machine from ventilator, central line, down to 1 IV, incubator, photo-therapy (for jaundice), constant blood pressure monitoring, and a spinal tap!

Day 4: Down to just CPAP, central line, IV and an NG tube (for feeding). (Results from the spinal tap show no signs of menigitis!! YAY!!) Mommy and Daddy finally get some cuddles!

Day 5: CPAP removed, IV & NG still present and continuing photo-therapy, central line removed!

Day 6: IV & NG tube kept in, however feeding well on her own, breathing room air, and maintaining average vital stats! Go Sophie!!!