Milestones and reflections...

Hope y'all have had a great week!  Here is a run down as to what we have been up to, complete with many milestones and reflections…

-Abby and her cheerleading team performed another pom routine on Saturday.  I was so very proud of them because they learned it in just one practice (that happened to be 5 days before the game… plenty of time to forget it) and they did it barely being able to hear the music because the sound system wasn't working, so I had to use my little cd player that was plugged in on the side of the gym.  Way to go Upward Diamonds!!!

-Andrew played his best basketball game yet today!  He played such strong defense that he got his second medal of the season for having a positive attitude and playing some serious defense.  We were so proud of him for being so focused, applying all that he's been learning, giving 110%, and yet still finding time to wave to his mommy from the court.  This kid melts my heart…

Grace is saying "whach u got over dare?"

*A few milestones were hit this weekend…
-For the first time ever, when our angelic offspring come in our room at 7:01 am (they know they can't get out of bed until 7:00 am), ready to get up and at 'em for the day, David and I were exceptionally sluggish due to Grace's desire to party until 1:00 am and then she went for round two at 4:00 am….  so, we told the kids to go play in Andrew's room while we caught some zzzzzz's and they did it joyfully and efficiently!  WHY HADN'T WE THOUGHT OF THAT SOONER?!?!

-We have always loved the Olympics, but the last Summer Olympics that took place two years ago will forever elicit an emotional response for me because we watched the Olympics all day and night while on our "baby moon," the weekend that we got the call from the geneticists that Grace had Up's. Fortunately, the Olympics are on during wee hours of the night and morning because as David was off in dream land, dreaming about having the little Downsy Doo that he was so excited to have, I was busy watching the Olympics, writing in my prayer journal, and cringing every time Grace moved in my tummy as I wondered what our life would look like with a special needs child.  I hate to admit that is how I felt toward Grace that weekend, but it is true…  however, now I can watch the Olympics with Gracie by our side at wee hours of the night or morning, while getting to admire God's goodness in every squint of her eyes, scrunch of her nose, and stories she tells as she chatters and growls away.  

Poor Grace…  too bad nobody loves her and wants to spend every waking moment with her :-)

-Grace rocked her first ponytail today!  Abby's hair wasn't long enough for a ponytail until she was almost 3 years old.

-This is terribly embarrassing to admit, but we finally hung up pictures of Grace in the house (in addition to new, updated pictures of Abby and Andrew).  Previously we only had one picture of Grace, hanging in the house.

This is the ONE picture that we had hanging…

What can I say, we have just been pre-occupied with everything other than decorating our house the past 17 months.  Baby pictures of Abby still adorn Grace's room though, they look so much alike that I'm hoping Grace will never realize that they aren't her :-).

-After Grace's 5th open heart surgery at Boston Children's Hospital, a professional photographer came by Grace's room and took pictures of her.  Those pictures just arrived in the mail and we were blessed with a sweet reminder of where we were as a family just 2 months ago.  God is faithful to His promises!  He has never left or forsaken us, His grace IS sufficient, His loves endures forever, He uses all things for good for those who love Him!

I LOVE these pics, but Grace looks like a doll to me...

This is CHD (congenital heart defect) awareness week, so here is another scary fact about the mortality associated with CHD in infants...

God was really showing off when He created Grace…  Her "specialness" accounts for almost half of this pie chart (CHD, her extra chromosome and I'm sure some of the other anomalies that she has endured would fall under "other" :-).

GRACIE STRONG (in God's Strength)!!!

Village, thank you for your prayerful love and support!  Please keep praying for us as you feel led and I will share a new prayer request with y'all next post.  MUCH LOVE AND APPRECIATION!!!