The moment could have been molded into a collectible porcelain figurine it was so precious. I remember my Oma singing me the same songs when I was a little girl. The words were in German, but all there was for me to understand then was that my Oma loved me. That’s all there was for Nora to understand 39 years later – that her Oma loves her.

In all likelihood Nora doesn’t understand German, or English for that matter, but you had better believe this little girl understands that she is loved!

Nora and I went for a 20 minute brisk walk in the blazing afternoon sun today. Nora was all kicked back in her shaded stroller enjoying the summer breeze that was blowing through her sweet wispy hair (and the jasmine in her mind?). I asked her, as we were making our way up a steep incline if she would mind trading places — maybe she could push Mommy around for awhile? She didn’t answer me. She’s conveniently only 2 months old in moments like this…

Once back home I was a disheveled mess. The air conditioning was nice, but a lukewarm bath seemed to be in order. Nora agreed.

And there I was. Soaking in the same big tub that I was in January 9th when I received the news,”Your baby is showing an extra 18th chromosome.” My world shattered in that instant. I could hardly breathe, nor did I really want to anymore. Today, in that same big tub was a very, very different emotion.

Again there were tears in my eyes, but these were tears of intense gratitude and all consuming bliss as I looked down at the pair of sweet bright eyes looking back at me. I gently cradled the back of her head as her little body weightlessly floated around… making tiny ripples.

God invaded my piddly existence and proved Himself to me in ways that demanded my attention. Over and over again He has turned my weakness to power, my anxiety to peace, my anger to tranquility, my frustration to patience, my fear to courage, my tears to laughter, my sorrow to joy. How can I begin to think I had anything to do with this on my own? Impossible. Praise you, Almighty Lord and Savior!

From a dog-eared page of one of my devotionals: The delight of despair comes when I delight in knowing that there is something in me which must fall prostrate before God when He reveals Himself to me, and also in knowing that if I am ever to be raised up, it must be by the hand of God. God can do nothing for me until I recognize the limits of what is humanly possible, allowing Him to do the impossible.

To all who mourn,
he will give a crown of beauty for ashes,
a joyous blessing instead of mourning,
festive praise instead of despair.
In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks
that the LORD has planted for his own glory. (Isaiah 61:3 NLT)

Happy Two Month Birthday to the little Miss and Happy Father’s Day to my Dad, my hubzbind, and to all of the great dads out there! A special blessing upon the daddies of angels. Although your little one may not be here with you in the flesh, that makes you no less a Daddy, and a very special one at that.

Our day was a busy one, but fortunately not hectic busy. We had a lot of fun! Gavin had grand ideas to bring his Daddy breakfast in bed, but William was already downstairs before I could help Gavin get things together. With his Muthr’s help Gavin made scrambled eggs and cinnamon rolls, and then William opened his presents. Nora even joined us at the table!

I helped the kids with a gift of framed photos. The first frame said, “We Love Daddy Because…” These were the rest of the frames:

Props and shouts out to Pinterest for that idea! We made a similar one for Papa (and another as a belated Mother’s Day gift for Nana).

Later in the afternoon we went to Nana and Papa’s house (over the river and through the woods, quite literally).

Happy Father's Day, Papa!!!!

Nora meets Watson

We have cute video footage of Oma singing to Nora, I have yet to procure from William's phone

2 Sleepy Heads

Funny story: While we were at my parents’ house Gavin watched in fascination as his Uncle Joe mixed up a whole bunch of “weird things” in a glass.

Bloody Mary

Tomato juice, some sort of clear liquid *wink*, horseradish, mustard, seasoning salt, and he even tossed a pickle in there! Gavin assumed Uncle Joe was just concocting some sort of witch’s brew for the fun of it. After Joe gave it a quick stir, Gavin roweled, “NOW DRINK IT!!!”

“Don’t mind if I do!” Joe retorted as Gavin watched in abject horror!! Haaa!! What must he have thought!!?? LOL

We headed back home by way of the ferry. We got Nora out of the car for a couple sweet quick pictures.

All that fun in one day makes for a tired out baby girl!

Big stretches for this sweet Big Deal! 🙂

We hope you enjoyed your day as much as we enjoyed ours! Happy Father’s Day!

The righteous man leads a blameless life, blessed are his children after him. (Proverbs 20:7)

Nora looking out at the clouds and the blue sky

Nora listening to Mommy make funny whistle sounds

Daddy loves Nora

Gavin loves Nora

Mommy loves Nora

Look who can lift her head up for a few seconds!

Greta loves Nora

I’m very behind in my correspondences, thank you notes, sleep and laundry. But clearly I have a really, really cute excuse.

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. (Ephesians 4:2 NIV) 😉

We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19)

Thank you so much for all of the encouragement and advice regarding Nora’s lungs! I hooked her up to the pulsox machine a few times throughout the day just to make sure she was still okay with the ¼ liter. Each time she passed with flying colors whether she was awake, eating, or sleeping! I’m so proud of her!!

I didn’t get many pictures today (or sweet videos) for some reason, but the above is officially from today! I’ll be sure to take a bunch tomorrow to make up for today.

Late this afternoon I was contemplating what our next plan of action would be regarding Nora’s little lungs. We have the sleep study scheduled, but that (to
my knowledge) will not offer any insight to the CAUSE of the “chronic lung disease” (?)

Out of curiosity, I hooked Nora’s little foot up to the pulsox machine and turned the oxygen down to ½ liter from the ¾ liter she’s been on. After about 45 minutes it was plainly obvious that she was able to withstand being at a lesser amount. I suppose I had accidentally determined that on our walk the other day that Nora CAN be without, but I never knew where her sat levels were. In the past while being monitored, she could get down into the low 70s before it would be obvious in her coloring. For most of the evening Nora’s sat levels never went below 96 while on ½ liter!! We then lowered it to ¼ liter, which is where she is now, and she continues to stay up in the high 90s!!

Red = oxygen saturation level, Green = heart rate

I’ve been walking on clouds all evening and will assuredly fall asleep with a big fat friendly smile on my face tonight! (Nurses and friends continue to stay the nights with Nora to allow William and I the LUXURY of sleep!)

This is just my theory – and I would love some more input from all of you nurses, doctors, and medical professionals, etc. out there: Could Nora’s lungs have just been simply underdeveloped which then caused that scary blue spell at about 12 days old (which is when she went on oxygen)? Now, with having been on the oxygen for as long as she has, could that be the cause of whatever is showing up in the recent xray as “consistent with chronic lung disease”?

We appreciate any and all advice!

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT)

Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.” ( John 13:7 NLT)

No… Sometimes I feel like I don’t understand at all. Not so much as it pertains to Nora right this instant (as she’s sleeping peacefully in my arms), but the horrendous calamities that so MANY people are faced with. The path I’m stumbling along seems like a smooth stretch of brand new asphalt compared to the paths that some other families have been thrown down. I cry for these people. I pray for peace to encompass them. No matter what we’re faced with in this broken world, I find incredible comfort that SOMEDAY we’ll understand.

Today’s pictures of the sweetest 8 week old:

During the school year I like to slip special little notes in my kids’ lunches just to let them know that I’m thinking about them and to hopefully brighten their day while they’re away from me at school. I don’t include a note every day, as that would diminish the value of them. Nor do I leave notes to prove myself to them or to win their love. It’s a simple gesture of my love, expecting nothing in return.

In much the same way God has been putting little love notes in my “lunch”. Today I got quite a few of them on the way to and especially during Nora’s appointment today.

As long as I can remember I’ve assimilated the sight of three birds with the Holy Trinity. I can’t quite remember how or why that came to be – it just IS. During that seemingly eternal weekend that we were awaiting the amniocentesis results I was listening closely to the words of the “Don’t Worry… About a Thing” Bob Marley song that I had looped on my computer,

“Rise up this mornin’, Smiled with the risin’ sun, Three little birds Pitch by my doorstep Singin’ sweet songs Of melodies pure and true, Sayin’, (“This is my message to you-ou-ou:”)

Singin’: “Don’t worry ’bout a thing, ‘Cause every little thing gonna be all right.” Singin’: “Don’t worry (don’t worry) ’bout a thing, ‘Cause every little thing gonna be all right!”

Three little birds? Did I hear that correctly?? And they’re singing songs of melodies pure and true with a message to me telling me not to worry and that every little thing is going to be all right?? um… WOW, as chills run down my spine!!!!!!! I’d heard the song at least a hundred times plus, but never really bothered to listen to any part of the lyrics past, “Don’t worry about a thing, every little thing’s gonna be all right.” I put the song on my computer to loop over and over again because of that line in the lyrics and to hopefully talk myself down “off the ledge”. It was then that I discovered the rest of the lyrics. That particular “note in my lunch” from God was really pretty powerful then and still is.

When they brought us back to the room today where Nora’s swallow study would take place my eyes were immediately drawn to the walls. A big lump formed in my throat and tears welled up in my eyes as I stared at the sequence of THREE LITTLE BIRDS (doves, at that!!!!) on the wallpaper border that encircled the room. I had to count them again… Sure enough, one, two, three, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit surrounding me and William, surrounding our precious daughter with their message, “DON’T WORRY, ABOUT A THING. EVERY LITTLE THING IS GONNA BE ALL RIGHT!!!!!!!!” Nora passed with flying colors! There was no aspiration seen as she delightfully (well, ALMOST delightfully) drank her bottle of barium. I couldn’t have asked for her to have been more cooperative. I give thanks and praise to that part of answered prayer! Still no idea as to what is causing the signs of chronic lung disease that were noted in last week’s X-ray. Until we find that out, I trust that every little thing is going to be all right. I’ll try not to worry about a thing.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. (Philippians 4:6 NLT)

Nora goes tomorrow morning for her swallow study. PLEASE continue to pray that that all goes well. I’m a little on edge about that, always fearful that I’m going to hear something that makes my blood run cold. I need to go back and read some of the previous posts I’ve written about worry, and feeling victimized. It’s so stupidly easy to fall back into that fruitless mode of thinking.

I will admit, I haven’t been the easiest or nicest person to live with these past couple of days. The existing layer of stress infused with a maelstrom of hormonal issues does not bring out the very best in me.

Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. (Ephesians 4:2 NLT)

Even though I was probably the furthest thing from humble and gentle today (except when I was sleeping) – my dear sweet, beloved, exceptional, amazing, precious husband has been nothing but patient with me, making allowances for my many faults because of his obvious love.

William, you are a true man of faith not only in your words, but your actions. I love you. I love you. I love you. You’re an amazing husband and Daddy and I’m sorry if I made you feel otherwise.

Just one picture for today! It was a busy day and Momma is TIRED! So grateful for the help today so we could go to Greta’s recital and the nights so we can sleep! Nora is doing good, and is as deliciously sweet as ever!!

He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
(Isaiah 40:29)