Finally, an update!

Hello. Well, this is the very first time I have ever posted anything on this blog we set up over a year ago. For that I apologize. Also, I apologize for not keeping you updated on little miss. Ok, now that the apologies are done, let me catch you up. Back in November 2014, when Aly Mae was 5 weeks old, we went back to Houston for a check up with her surgeon. He could not be more pleased with how her incision looked and her growth and development at the time. Of course we were more than thrilled to receive this news. And of course, we stopped at our favorite taco spot..Torchey's Tacos. And yes, they were "dang" good. We visited with our friends, the Towe's and they got to love on Aly Mae again. We stayed with Devin and Sally Towe, who live just under an hour away from the medical center in Houston, for all of our appointments prior to relocating to Sugarland, TX before her big arrival day. Devin and Michael were college buddies and study partners. He and his precious wife, Sally, and daughter, Avery, opened their home to us, fed us, prayed for and with us, and just loved us during that super difficult time. We will always remember their kindness, hospitality, and love.

Aly Mae's surgeon wanted to see her again between 6 months and 1 year for MRI and check up. We scheduled for April, had to be rescheduled to June, then had to be rescheduled again so we asked to be worked in on a Friday in July during the time when the TX homeschool convention would be held in the Woodlands (near Houston). We were excited to get this appointment and MRI and and great news behind us, and attend part of the homeschool convention with some of our friends. Even though we fully believed our little girl was healed and whole already, days leading up to that appointment I began to experience doubt, fear, and worry. So I reached out to Aaron and Amber Cooper, dear friends of ours who had been through a similar situation with their miracle baby, Jace. They were such encouragement and rocks for us during our journey with Aly. Well, turns out they had also had their check appointment and MRI rescheduled to the same date as Aly's! I can't remember if we had mentioned this in other blog posts, but Amber and I both had the same OB to deliver our babies at TX Children's and Dr. Whitehead had also performed both Jace and Aly's surgeries to remove their meningocele/encephalocele. We were so thrilled to be able to see them and be there for each other on that day! They both received excellent reports!! Praise God! Unless we have any concerns in the future and want to be seen, Aly Mae never has to go back again!! I mean, is there a better report to receive?? I don't think so!

So now Aly is crawling everywhere at pretty high speeds, pulling up and cruising, and walking behind a walking toy. She says Dada, Mama, makes a "t" sound when I say tickle. She waves bye bye, says "more," "all done," and "eat" in sign language. She's doing a lot of this earlier and better than her brothers did. Which makes me wanna scream and shout! You may not remember or know, but one of the possible outcomes of her birth defect was severe brain damage. If that would have been the case, we would have loved her just the same. But these little development things that she is doing so well in just prove her healing and health! These things were big deals with our sons, but even bigger with her because of what could have possibly been! She's a mama's girl, but her Dada comes in a hard 2nd place. Goodness, I love to watch those two together!! Michael is a wonderful Daddy to all our babies, and I love love love to watch him with his boys. But this baby girl thing, it's just different. It's so sweet. It's so warm. I also love having a little buddy. I thought for a long time I would be happy happy happy with all boys. I was a boy mom. I still am a boy mom. I. Love. My. Boys. But this baby girl thing, again, it's just different. But it's the best kind of different. I want to say this another way just because I hear this phrase so often so I fear it won't really get my point across like I desire it to, but here it is. My heart is full. It really is.

Thank you all for your prayers for our, His, daughter! She is such a blessing to her Daddy, brothers, and me, and really so many others we cross paths with! And I have to mention, all her grandparents love her so, but her Papa is smitten. My goodness. She will be 1 year old in less than 2 weeks! That is so hard to believe! I'll include some updated photos for you from her 11 month photo session with Mamaw for you to enjoy at the bottom of this post.

Also, would you please pray for my new friend, Jill, her husband, Carlos, and their 3 daughters? They have a 4 year old and a 2 year old, and Jill is pregnant with their 3rd daughter. Baby Bryn, has been diagnosed with an occipital meningocele. Baby Bryn is due in November and The Parrillas are going through what we went through. She has gotten good reports, but like in our situation, only time will tell. We are praying and believing for healing for Bryn and a wonderful healthy life just like for Aly. May God receive all the glory!!! ALL the glory!!

Christi