The best news...

So remember sweet little Aevi? The baby that my Akha friends Joe and Ae had who was born only weighing 500 grams? They were finally discharged to come home this past week and are back at the Akha Youth Development Center and sweet little Aevi is doing really well!

She had another big surgery (6 hours long) to remove more areas of her intestines that were dying (necrotizing enterocolitis) two weeks ago, and she recovered well. Joe and Ae have been in Chiang Mai for the last five months waiting for Aevi to become strong enough and healthy enough to take home and have been on a long emotional rollarcoaster as any parents who have micropremies.

We have prayed and prayed for sweet little Aevi and finally she is home and healthy!

Here she is in all of her cuteness! Breathing on her own and even breastfeeding! Such a little star.

Life is going to change real quick!

I could do without my shrieks in the background, just try to ignore those. :>)

Three Years Old Today

Olive Hope,

What I wanted was to throw you a big birthday party today. You would be three.

I just wanted you to know that we will never forget you.  You taught us so much and continue to shape and mold our lives.

What I have is the JOY of knowing your nana is throwing you that party.

Happy Birthday my tough girl.

Dad

"You will lose someone you can't live without, and your heart will be badly broken, and the bad news is that you never completely get over the loss of your beloved. But this is also the good news. They live forever in your broken heart that doesn't seal back up. And you come through. It's like having a broken leg that never heals perfectly--that still hurts when the weather gets cold, but you learn to dance with that limp."-Anne Lamott

Feeling the pain of missing you today...

I didn't write this prayer, and I'm not sure who did...I remember a friend sent it to me when we were in the middle of things with Olive and I still love it.

Talked with our Akha friends Ae and Joe the other night on the phone and they said  they are waiting for little Aevi to reach 4.4 lbs before they go ahead with the next surgery. Joe mentioned that they have been in tears almost every day over their sweet little girl.

Also, here is a link to watch Colleen's Eulogy (my beautiful mother-in-law who passed away this summer after living with glioblastoma multiforme or brain cancer).