What a sweet, sweet gorgeous day spent celebrating Miss Nora!
Nora and Oma got some cuddle time in.
I mentioned in the previous post – we will plan a party on a larger scale at a later date. Nora can’t wait to meet those of you who will be able to make it!
We sang “Happy Birthday” to her three times! She started fussing after the first round was over so we started up again… and then again. She loves being sung to!
Nora tasted a little bit of icing with “Uncle” Jay. She’s VERY intolerant of anything with texture so we had to be careful not to activate her gag reflex! Speech therapist is coming next week to help us work with that. Little Miss can’t just drink milkies forever!!
“This hat is kinda neat! I kinda like it!”
As we were singing to Nora this afternoon I was remembering another beautiful cake (created by the same super talented baker) that was cut in that very same room. The other cake was the gender reveal cake. By slicing into that cake, the pink inside revealed to us that I was carrying a baby girl. (You can see a video of it on Day 29) This was the day we gave her her name Nora Rose. At that point we were so uncertain and so sad at the thought of losing our baby. The statistics were terrifying. What a stark contrast the moods of these two occasions. If only I could have seen then what we have now! All praise, glory and honor to our Lord Jesus Christ!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
We’ve had a busy weekend and were able to get out to do some fun things with the big kids. Friday afternoon I took the big kids out for lunch to Skyline and then on some errands with me. We laughed like heck at the “Goose Parking Only”
While we were in Kohl’s waiting to return a pair of shoes, Greta found a bow in her pocket. We dared Gavin to wear it in his hair which he did obligingly!
That evening we took them roller skating. Greta is getting pretty good on wheels! Gavin preferred watching or playing in the arcade.
It was HILARIOUS watching William act like he was out of control and about to fall all over the place. (At least I THINK he was acting? Hmmm?) I don’t know what was funnier–him or the people’s look of dismay/concern watching him.
After looking at the way things are on this earth, here’s what I’ve decided is the best way to live: Take care of yourself, have a good time, and make the most of whatever job you have for as long as God gives you life. And that’s about it. That’s the human lot. Yes, we should make the most of what God gives, both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it, accepting what’s given and delighting in the work. It’s God’s gift! God deals out joy in the present, the now. It’s useless to brood over how long we might live. (Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 MSG)
iwillcarryyou 
Great party time! Glad the big kids had a fun weekend too! Love to read your updates. Praying for all of you.
Happy birthday, Nora! Thank you for all the joy you bring us!
I just went back to day 29 and watched that video. Oh my word….I’m a mess! My heart is right there with you in that moment. God is so great, and He chose you to carry His sweet baby girl! Now, we all have the honor of celebrating her and the crazy impact she has made on a world full of people, in just one year! Happy Birthday to you all!!!!
What a beautiful day and a wonderful celebration of life! Happy birthday sweet baby girl!!
Hello – I wanted to connect this week to tell you that I have been checking in with your family since last summer. I too have a little Rose in my life – a novena to St. Therese brought her into our lives April 17, 2012 with an extra 21st chromosome. Our lives are amazingly parallel – she is our fourth child to three siblings who adore her. She has the heart issue, lung issues, feeding tubes, oral aversion and we almost lost her in open heart surgery in February when her lungs collapsed. I just wanted you to know how my heart aches when I read your story knowing how raw this life is. We will be celebrating our daughter’s birthday this Wednesday and I (like you) want to have a huge celebration but I’m just so tired! Anyway, if you would like to see our little life you can contact me and I’ll give your our blog address I made for all our hospitalizations. I’ll be watching your story from somewhere in the deep south :).
Couldn’t wait to get my Nora Rose fix today. What a celebration to have! God is so good and amazing. I know I say this all the time; however, thank you for sharing Nora Rose and this wonderful miracle of love and faith with all of us. My daughter received a special book from her Godfather when she was christened in 1995. It was always one of my favorite books to read to my NOW soon-to-be, high-school graduate. I love this verse.
He gave me my Spirit
so that I could know
that He’s always beside me
every place that I go.
To love me, to protect me,
to show me the way,
to be there in hard times
as well as each day.
He designed me with Special talents,
gifts and abilities you see,
which let me know that He has
something Special in mind for me.
“Designed by God so I must be Special” By Character Builders for Kids
Nora and her family are definitely “special” in so many ways. Big hugs to Nora, Greta, and Gavin.
So proud of your entire family. You guys are living examples of faith and hope. Thanks for keeping me streamed with adorable cuteness! Many blessing to all.
Happy Birthday,Miss Nora. It was so much fun watching you at your party from this side of the computer. Looks like everyone was having a fantastic time celebrating your birth. I praise God for His goodness in allowing this fantastic time to be had by all – considering all the obstacles that seemed to pop up this year. God is in control and to Him we give the glory.
Give Nora Rose lots of birthday hugs from our family!!! Happy, happy birthday to a most beautiful, special girl!! What a blessing she is. LOVE the video. 🙂
Awesome, beautiful, enlightening, wise, blessed, and so much more greatness of God’s endless blessings are flowing from this post. Thanks soooooo much for allowing God to use you and your family to touch so many lives day after day. HAPPY BIRTHDAY NORA!!!!!!!!!!! I know I am a little early but your momma says you love attention sooooo……. ❤
Happy Birthday Nora! What a beautiful birthday girl and a wonderful family celebration. I’ve been reading your blog since she was born and praying for your family. Continuing to send prayers your way. Praise God for your adorable 1 yr old!! 🙂
That last paragraph you wrote is so well said, Aleisa. Thank you (and Nora) for embodying that and acting as true examples for the rest of us. I wish MA wasn’t so far away from where you live because I would love more than anything to meet your incredible family and wish Nora a happy birthday in person. We have been in this journey with all of you over the past year even though you may not know it. But I do know you can feel our prayers. Thank you for sharing your unbelievable story with us (warts and all) and an even bigger thanks for letting us love you along the way!
Happy 1st Birthday Nora Rose!! I wish I could give you a little birthday squeeze!
HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY NORA ROSE. PRAISE GOD FOR WATCHING OVER HER AND THROUGH YOU ALEISA, LETTING US ALL GET TO KNOW NORA AND THE REST OF HER WONDERFUL FAMILY. NORA LOOKS SO CUTE IN ALL HER BIRTHDAY OUTFITS. LOVE THE CAKE HAT. SHE IS SUCH A BLESSING TO SO MANY, AND I AM SO EXCITED “ALONG WITH MANY OTHER PEOPLE” TO HAVE THE PLEASURE OF MEETING ALL OF YOU AT HER “SUMMER” BIRTHDAY PARTY!!!!!!!! GLAD YOU AND WILLIAM GOT TO GO OUT WITH THE “BIG KIDS” AND ENJOY ALL THE FUN THINGS YOU DID. WE KNOW WE ARE A LITTLE EARLY, BUT NONE OF US COULD WAIT!!!!! NORA SWEETIE, MAY GOD BE WITH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. YOU SURE ARE A LITTLE PROPHET OF GOD’S. YOU SURE ARE A BLESSING TO SO MANY, AND WE LOVE YOU SOOOOOO MUCH. GOOD NIGHT AND GOD BLESS. “HUGS”
Happy Birthday dear Nora!
Happy Birthday, NORA! God is so good and I love hearing about your precious little girl! My friends just lost their baby with the same thing. The created a beautiful movie of pictures with the song of your blog. I will carry you. I had never heard it until I started praying for your sweet family. Thank you for sharing! I will continue to pray for your sweet sweet little girl!
Happy Happy Birthday Nora! Reading yours story and following your journey has been amazing an such an inspiration. I have shared your story with my family. My husband and I have 4 beautiful daughters. Our youngest daughter’s name is Blakely and she is sharing her birthday with you today! So exciting for me! She is turning 12 and I can’t think of a better person for her to share her birthday with!