Happy Birthday Abby!

Today is the day!  Five years ago this morning at 9:53 am our tiny baby entered the world.  So much has happened in these past 5 years!  It's hard to believe Abby is such a big girl after starting out so small.

Abby is now 29 lbs and about 37 inches long.  She looks like a little girl now and no longer like a toddler.  She is very aware of her crazy family around her and seems to enjoy listening to our interactions... especially Josiah!  She teaches us more every day about pure love and about trust.  We long to trust our heavenly Father the way she so willingly trusts us as her parents.

This year has been a full one!  Full of illness, changes and some progress.  It has also been full of a spirit of thankfulness in our family.  We feel the Lord's mercy and blessing on us every day.  He is Good!

Because it has been a big year for Abby, this B-day movie is a little Long!  We tried to include pieces of the major events at least.  

We love you Precious Abby!

Matthew 6:33-34

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Sick Again

After planning a day of fun for our family including swimming, a picnic lunch and visits with some horses, this morning proved to create something different.

I found Abby in her bed this morning seizing.  Not her typical weekly/daily seizures but the kind that only come with illness.  We had no clear warning signs that she wasn't feeling well.  Because the seizure was already involving her whole body, and not knowing how long she had been like this, we quickly gave her rescue medicine (Diastat).

Not going into the details we ended up in the ER an hour and a half later with Abby in worse shape than she started.  Fortunately the nurse got IV access on her first try and then loaded her with several meds to stop the seizure.

Not long after her seizure had stopped her temperature spiked to 104.  Blood work came back clear which means she has another virus.

Tonight we are home feeling drained and exhausted.  Abby has been unusually agitated all day, including moaning and wakefulness not typical of her post-"prolonged seizure + incredibly powerful drugs" episodes.

We are heading to bed to try to get some rest, but wanted to leave you with some pictures of today.

Josiah, his usual cheerful self, making us smile during a discouraging day.

New Baby Younger

Isn't he beautiful!?

This is a "preview" meeting of my new nephew due to arrive around November 4th!  I got to feel him kicking last weekend and felt bonded to him even more.

He is 30 weeks gestation and growing nicely.  His mommy is my very special friend and sister.  As of today his name is still a mystery, but I'm sure it will be adorable... just like his sisters'.

Anna and Norah anxiously await his arrival as well.  I've caught them practicing their mothering skills, and there is no doubt they will be Wonderful Big Sisters!  Eager to teach him how to laugh, love and enjoy dessert!

The Triathlon was so much fun!  Patrick and his team finished strong and I managed to complete the 400 meter swim without too much drama.

There was a large group of participants and supporters who showed up to give their support for Team Adriana.  We all look forward to meeting the little girl who inspired this joint effort!

Pray for the Clark's adoption of Adriana.  They have run into several delays and possible complications this week with their paper processing.  Check out their blog for more accurate details.  I'm sure they would appreciate any notes of encouragement!

These pictures give you a taste of the day.  A slide show of the event is coming SOON!

Dave, Patrick and Daniel

Dave and Gracie

Race numbers

The Race Begins...

TOMORROW!!

Bright and early Saturday morning we will run, bike and swim to raise money for our friend's adoption.  Little Adriana is waiting in Guatemala to come home to her family!

It should be fun!

Check back in a few days to hear about this adventure.

Abby is doing better.  She is still not feeling back to normal, but has not had fever today!  Thanks to those who prayed for her this week!!

Sick on a Rainy Day

Today has been rather strange.  Abby woke up not acting herself.  She was retching and trying to throw up, along with seizure like behaviors.  Not like her typical seizures (if you can call them "typical").  I could tell something was wrong.

After watching her and using her VNS magnet several times, I gave her morning meds.  She continued this odd behavior for about 35 min before I called her neurologist.  She had me give more of one of her daily seizure meds and watch her for another 20 min.  I called her back after 30 min when Abby started having jerky movements that were becoming rhythmic.  

The doc told me to give Abby Diastat, which I was really trying to avoid.  But since Abby didn't have a fever she said we could hang tight at home and watch to see if she would improve!  She started to relax a little, but with in another 45 min her jerky movements continued and picked up a little momentum.  

Once again we called our neurologist who told us to head to the ER.  Fortunately for us it was another pretty uneventful trip.  By the time the residents had examined her and gotten her vital signs she had mostly stopped the jerking, although she was still very agitated.

We are home now and Abby has been vomiting and started running a fever.  Although I'm hoping this will not progress into our pattern of hospital stays and prolonged seizures, I've packed my overnight bag and have started aggressive Tylenol/Motrin treatment!!

Swim For Melissa

This weekend topped off the fund raising efforts of all the families participating in the Swim for Melissa event!

It was amazing sitting by the pool watching group after group of enthusiastic kids swimming to help improve the lives of premature babies.  The only thing that would have made it more fun for us is to see Abby swimming with them.  After being a small part of this event we are hopeful that she will swim next year!  With a little help from Dad of course.

Thank you to Julie Golos, Rhoda Klopfenstein and David Clark for contributing on Abby's behalf.  All together our community raised over $133,000 for the Huntsville Hospital Neonatal Unit to buy state-of-the-art Giraffe Omni beds!  These beds truly were a blessing for Abby when she needed protection, comfort and high tech care.

Abby made a short appearance Saturday on WHNT news channel 19 evening news!

or

Check out their site and look under Top News Story Flash for the "Swim for Melissa" clip.