Judah is doing great, settling back into his normal routine...just in time for us to leave bright and early tomorrow morning for a week in Wisconsin. He's been so happy to be home, and the kids sure are happy to have him home! He's been smothered and loved to the max! Lydia is making sure that she makes up for lost time:)

Saw the ped. this morning and everything was normal. Normal CBC, most likely a normal CRP will come back tomorrow. I'm not at all worried about taking Judah out of state...although I do know how to get to Children's in Milwaukee if need be. But he'll be fine!

Looking forward too seeing more family this week! Family on Jared's side that we haven't seen in years; many who haven't even met Judah yet. They're in for a real treat:)

This is what I saw when I walked through the back door. We are loved.

Didn't take Judah long to make his way to one of his favorite spots.

The Countdown

Tomorrow is the day! OK, I can't actually say with absolute certainty that Judah will go home tomorrow, but at this point it sure looks that way. Judah's CRP level is down to 5.7 (down from 19.7 on Saturday), and by tomorrow morning it should be normal, or veeeery nearly. He had a fever on and off yesterday evening, but as long as he stays normal through today and tonight & his CRP drops further, we're good to go.

We had a family field trip to the play room this morning. Judah had fun watching all of us play. The IV on his hand slows him down, but he is determined to be mobile! Jared and I had fun playing games with the kids, too.

Last night was a good night for Judah and Jared. Thank you, Jesus! It was a little bit different for me. I don't know why, but we Stewarts seem to be an all or nothing kind of clan. When it comes to stress...well, when it rains it pours. We're supposed to be leaving for WI on Friday, and I haven't done a thing to pack or get the house ready to show while we're gone. On Jared's way to the hospital yesterday afternoon, his car broke down. It is currently sitting at a gas station while Jared tries to figure out how to get it to the shop. Some "unfortunate events" occurred in Lydia's closet which required me to rip out her carpet & tack strip in there, and then wash the floor with bleach twice & warm soapy water once. I did a load of laundry last night, and when I went down to put the clothes in the dryer, my basement floor was covered in water. That was the last straw. I called Jared crying. When that didn't fix any of the problems I felt overwhelmed by, I admitted defeat, got ready for bed, and read for the next hour and a half. This morning I'm rolling my eyes and shaking my head about the whole thing. Things happen. What matters is my attitude and how I respond. [Aren't you proud of me, Mom?] So, in the light of day, back with my boy, I can see that this sequence of events is another opportunity to trust the Lord, and practice taking one thing at a time. One step at a time. One day at a time. When I think about it, it is kinda funny...in that Oh-Lord-help kinda way.

We had a cool conversation with the hospitalist this morning. After going over everything again, and talking about some of Judah's "issues" that complicate things, she said we've done an absolutely amazing job of keeping him out of the hospital! She said kids with Pan-Hypopituitarism (Judah's pituitary disease) are usually in the hospital much more often. That felt so good! And just a little while ago I was talking to his nurse. She remembered us from when Judah had his lip repair done in December of '09. I commented on how surprised I was that she remembered. She said, "Oh yeah! You're the kind of family you just don't forget!" Again, wow. These things make me feel so good; but I can't help but go right back to the Lord with that. To me, statements like that are just another evidence of His goodness. I believe He's the one in control of how often Judah is or isn't in the hospital, and He's the one who protects him. But it's also the Lord who has molded and shaped our family and attitudes to be who and what they are. I can't handle this stuff the way I do apart from God's over-abundant grace in my life, and the peace and strength that He provides. I work hard at managing Judah's care and making sure he's got the best of everything possible; but God is the One that equipped me for the unique task of caring for Judah in the first place. And He's the One who designed Jared & I to fit together to make the perfect team for our family. So, Lord, You know what a huge encouragement and boost it is to me to get affirmation like that; but I have to give YOU the praise and the glory! You are sovereign, so You can fit all the pieces together. You are in control, so I can trust You with every detail. You are the Great Physician, so I can trust You with Judah. You are GOOD, so I can rest, knowing that nothing comes to us without first being filtered through Your loving hands. Thank You!

Last night was challenging for me, too, because I was apart from Judah. The first time I've ever left him overnight in the hospital. It's so hard to feel torn between Jared, the 3 kids, and Judah. PLUS my other responsibilities at home. Since Judah is the smallest and most vulnerable, I am always drawn to him over the others. I'm not sure if that's right or wrong. Maybe it's not even a question of right or wrong. It's another life lesson I'm in process with. Time management and focusing on the task (or person) at hand, regardless of the distractions around me. Elijah, Ezra, and Lydia need my love, affection, and undivided attention no matter where Judah is, and it's a challenge for me to give them what they need when Judah isn't well. Same thing with Jared. I owe that man some serious face time when this is all over. I'm super excited about a family date we're having tonight! Jared & the kids are bringing a pizza and we're going to watch "The Parent Trap". Good times:)

Thanks to all of you who have so faithfully prayed for Judah and the rest of our family. Prayer is powerful, and for reasons that are beyond me, God chooses to use our prayers. Thanks for all the encouraging words that bring healing and renewal to our hearts. And thanks to our friends here who have had a very hands on role in making these last several days much easier and more enjoyable than they would have been otherwise. Not to mention the goodies that have certainly helped lift our spirits;)

Stuck

That's pretty much what I'm feeling this morning. Just kind of stuck. And tired. And a little...discouraged maybe? This hospital stay has not been at all what I thought it would be. I was completely naive when Judah was admitted on Thursday, thinking it would probably be just an overnight stay...then maybe just a couple days...surely not through the weekend...but here we are, still on the 4th floor. *sigh*

Last night was fine until the nurse came in to give Judah his IV meds at 2. When she was checking his IV, she realized that it was no longer usable, and the charge nurse concurred. Time for a new IV. I wanted to cry, because this 1st IV was the 4th attempt after blowing 3 veins in his hands and arm. I honestly didn't think they'd be able to find a place to put a new IV, and all I could see happening was a repeat from Thursday morning. I started praying right away, called Jared, and then headed to the treatment room with Judah's nurse and the charge nurse. To their credit, they made the experience a little easier just by being so sad that they had to do this. The charge nurse spent the majority of the time just looking at all the possibilities, carefully weighing each one. After 1 blown vein in his arm, she was able to get the IV in his other hand. [I don't even know why it's important for me to write down these details. I guess it's just part of the process, part of my journey with him, remembering and dealing with all the ups and downs.] The rest of the night was good for Judah, but the morning came too quickly.

He's napping now and I'm glad. He's doing really well, improving and acting more like himself each day; but he tires easily. Visits from his siblings - which are most definitely the highlights of his days - leave him exhausted. They came this morning before church, all dressed up, and made Judah's day. Then the nurse took out his scalp IV and gave him a bath, and that was enough to knock him out. It only took 5 minutes of cuddling with him before he was sleeping soundly. Later today we'll hit the playroom for awhile again. He's so cute in there, crawling around and exploring in his little hospital gown.

Judah's urologist and the hospitalist (pediatrician) came by early this morning. They're both happy with how he's improving overall. He's been without a fever for well over 24 hrs. now, he's eating normally, he's well hydrated, he's interactive and smiling. Here's the kicker: he still has an elevated CRP (C-Reactive Protein) level. This is a protein that comes from the liver. The liver puts out more of this in response to an attack on the body. It's a good sign that his CRP was so elevated on Thursday, because that told them that his body was fighting; however, the fact that it's still elevated is an indication that he's not well enough to go home. In a normal kid, after 24 hrs with no fever and consistent progress, they wouldn't follow the CRP so closely. But Judah... Ah, my dear, sweet boy... Because of his adrenal insufficiency and the obstruction, they're just not comfortable switching to oral antibiotics and releasing him until that number changes significantly. His urologist wants it to be normal before they stop IV meds. The hospitalist would be fine if it were just much lower, but not necessarily normal. One would send us home maybe on Tuesday. The other would potentially send us home tomorrow. I have learned that when you have multiple specialists involved in the same case (which Judah always does), there are differing viewpoints, perspectives, and philosophies. Especially when dealing with parts of medicine that can be somewhat gray, i.e. CRP levels and when it's safe to switch to oral antibiotics. What's most important to me is that each doctor is genuinely concerned about Judah and doing what they believe to be in his best interest. I don't believe that any of the doctors want to keep him here unnecessarily; and I do believe that they are acting out of a conviction to be conservative in Judah's case because of the complexities of his illnesses. That doesn't mean that I won't have a conversation with someone if I strongly believe it's time to go home. But I'm not quite there yet. Judah was very sick. This infection and the obstruction are serious, and I certainly don't take lightly his vulnerability. That said, I'm tired of hospital food, this pull-out chair, and visits from my family. I want to live with my family, not just see them occasionally. And Judah needs them, too.

This afternoon I'm trading with Jared and he's going to take a night shift. I don't know how well I'll sleep at home with him and Judah here, but I really need to be home for some quality time with the kids. They need my attention...not to mention the piles of laundry and housework that do, too. Although I have to say, Jared does a good job of keeping the housework under control. The kids get clean, the floors get swept, the toys get put away. I'm looking forward to a pizza night with the kids, reading another chapter (or 3) of Little House in the Big Woods, and tucking them in. And my own shower. And my smelly soap. And my own pillow.

Judah Update

It was a whirlwind Saturday morning. Not at all the norm for the Stewarts, but I'm thankful for all the new information, and the time we got to spend together this morning! Jared and the kids brought homemade donuts for breakfast and we all ate together...while watching Saturday morning cartoons on cable. A dream come true for E, Z, & L.

I wish I could have captured on film Judah's reaction to his siblings' arrival

this morning. It was so priceless, and classic Judah! He saw them, got that huge grin on his face and did his little spazzy move - he totally tenses up and shakes because he just doesn't know what to do with himself he's so excited. He couldn't stop smiling at them this morning, and he took advantage of the 1st opportunity he had to get his hands all over them!

He had another great night last night, sleeping through all his vitals, and sleeping late this morning. He woke up hungry and ate a good breakfast. He's almost back to himself today, and I'm so relieved and thankful!

He has been on a constant Pedialyte drip through his button (I was able to keep him so well hydrated before admission, that the need for IV fluids wasn't there - thank you, Jesus!), but late this morning the dr. decided that was no longer necessary, and he's back on his regular diet. I had fun taking him to the playroom after that, where he was able to crawl around and explore for the first time. Lydia had fun in there, too:)

I could try to impress you all with my newly acquired knowledge in the field of nephrology, but I don't have the time or the finger energy to put even half of what I now know here. Too Much Information! I'll just try to stick to the facts and trust you to continue to pray:)

The doctors are still waiting for the final results from the blood/urine cultures. These results will tell them exactly what kind of medication, what dose, and what duration will be the most effective for Judah. Because of the severity of the infection and the complexity of Judah's medical history and kidney condition, they're not willing to release him until they have this information and he's been fever free for at least 24 hrs. I'm disappointed that today isn't the day we get to go home; but in my gut I, too, believe this to be the best thing for Judah, so I feel good about that call. So far, he's responding well to the additional antibiotic and he's had a normal temp since last night! His energy and love of exploration are returning, so his crib is starting to cramp his style;)

The urine culture did show a UTI; however, his urologist doesn't believe that the infection originated in the urine, or is a result of his kidney reflux. That's good, because that means we don't have to talk about doing a surgical repair we were hoping to avoid until he's 5. Our prayer, then, is that he remains infection free from here on out so that he can get to age 5 before that surgery happens.

The scan showed obstruction. We don't know how long it's been there, but that is the cause of the infection. The obstruction needs to be surgically removed; however, it's not urgent. It will take his kidney/ureter 4-6 weeks to heal completely from the infection. That puts us right at the time he's scheduled to have his palate revision/hernia repair. At that time, he'll be put on 2 new antibiotics to prevent infection until he can get the obstruction removed, hopefully in early fall. I'm thinking maybe October. I'll be following up with Judah's plastic surgeon to make sure there's no question of conflict between this kidney stuff and the palate revision. If there's any question, then we'll delay the revision and have the kidney repair first. Please be praying about all of these scheduling details. Pray that I'll just rest in the Lord & trust Him to take care of Judah and make sure he gets the surgeries he needs at the perfect times.

Before I sign off, I wanted to share a couple small but cool things that keep me looking to the Lord, thanking Him for His goodness.

*Yesterday morning I went to the cafe to grab a muffin and white hot chocolate (my breakfast of choice here - so, so good). I saw a lab tech at a table and smiled. She's the one I used to ask for when Judah was such a hard stick as a baby, and she knows him by name. She saw me and asked me what was going on with Judah. She said she knew they had sent lab up to his room twice that day, and she was concerned for him. I was so touched by that! I told her what I knew and thanked her for asking. She was genuinely sad for him, and hoped he recovered quickly. That was a bright spot for me.

*Last night I texted Jared at 9, missing him and sad that we were spending the night apart again. Not 10 min. later I got a call from the 4th floor front desk saying I had flowers! That man of mine sent me beautiful flowers. Happy just does not do justice to the emotion my heart felt.

*We knew that we were going to be talking to someone from Urology this morning about the scan; however, since it's Saturday, we didn't know who might be on call. It's always a little bit hard to deal with a specialist you don't know or don't have a history with. When Judah's very own urologist walked through the door, I was so glad to see him, and couldn't help but thank God for seeing to that minor detail.

There are so many times when in the midst of something very difficult for Judah, I ask God, "How can this be Your good for Him? How can this be a part of Your plan?" My choice to believe in God's goodness and sovereignty doesn't take away the pain of those moments or days. But it does give me hope that the suffering and challenges that Judah faces regularly are not senseless or unseen. He has a Creator who lovingly knit him together, and could see what every moment of his life was going to entail. Judah has a Heavenly Father who cares for him, holds him (I believe), captures his tears in a bottle. He is intimately acquainted with Judah's pain, and every challenge that he faces now and will face in the future. He is fiercely protective of him and more in love with him than I ever can be (although that's hard to imagine, because I really love that little boy). I don't know how to rectify all these things with the fact that God's good does not always fall under my definition of good. But I have to believe that somehow God can feel the way that He does about Judah - or any of His children for that matter - and still be good in all that He does, even when we can't see it or understand it to be good. I just realized, or remembered, that not only does He keep Judah's tears, but mine too. Every one that I shed over my son, He holds as dear. ...I wonder what my bottle looks like. ...Maybe it's pink.

To the Man of My Dreams

Jared,

Today didn't turn out the way we planned. It wasn't what we hoped it would be. We've learned a lot about that recently. That things don't often go our way...BUT GOD is trustworthy and His ways are better. Perfect. There is one thing that must go according to plan, however. I cannot end this day without telling you, without attempting to tell you how I feel about you.

When we got married 11 years ago, I thought I knew what love was. I thought I could love you the way a wife is supposed to love her husband. I thought I could serve and obey you. Follow you. I thought it would be easy because I was so in love with you! Jared, I was so wrong. Yes, I loved you; but it was with a selfish, immature, romantic kind of love that blinded me to how challenging marriage can be. I was ready to commit to you for the rest of my life; but I didn't understand what it would mean to love you for the rest of my life. I know you think you were immature back then, too, and in some ways you were. But in the last 11 years, more than anything else, you have taught me how to love. Because you LOVE me. Sometimes you have used words to communicate with me how you've needed to be loved. But when I think about who you are as my husband, my best friend, my earthly protector and provider, I think about all the ways you have shown love to me. Your examples of consistent servant hood and sacrifice; your faithfulness to me not only physically, but also in your thoughts and emotions; your willingness to partner with me in raising our children and managing our home; your affection for me; your pride in me and commitment to build me up in front of others; your faithful letters; your patience and compassion; your passion to know who God is, to serve Him wholeheartedly, and to see me follow that same lifestyle of intimate relationship with Him - these are the ways in which you have taught me to love. You love me so completely, so selflessly, that there's nothing else for me to do but to desire to love you better, as well as the God who has enabled you to love so like He does.

Jared, I know that I don't love you like I should. I fail miserably because I am selfish. Because I try to love you out of what I have left over, rather than out of the abundance that is mine because of Christ. Honey, I'm sorry. Forgive me for putting myself first. For choosing to meet the kids' needs often above yours. Forgive me for not giving you the very best of myself. You are truly an extraordinary man, and I often feel like I don't give you nearly what you deserve! Of course, then I'm reminded of how much salt and spice I've added to your previously dull, quiet, "good", hopelessly boring life...and then I don't feel quite so bad. *wink wink*

Honey, on this anniversary, having 11 years of real love tutoring under my belt, knowing what true love is, I commit to love you better. I desire to love you in the ways you need to be loved, and to be faithful and consistent in showing you love. I desire to serve you better and to show you love by showing you respect. I want you to know that I do respect you. But I know that I don't show it often enough, and that I frequently disrespect you, even when I don't mean to. I commit my life to you again. I will follow you, be faithful to you, and be by your side - your biggest fan, your best friend - for the rest of my life. You're it. There's nobody else. There never really was. Once I fell for you, there was no getting back up. Even when I tried to convince myself that I could get over you, I was deceiving myself. And anyway, with that red hair and all those kids you gave me, your job security is solid.

Jared, God has given us a life together that is so full and rich. Not "pleasant", but so much more than that. So full of God's grace and faithfulness. Full of His provision. He's added so much depth and intimacy to our relationships with each other and with Him. He's taught us how to trust Him with the small things, but also with our most priceless treasures. He's carried us through storms, pain and heartbreak I never thought possible. He's refined us and changed us, and drawn us closer to Him and each other. We are not the man and woman we were 11 years ago. I am the woman I could never be without you.

Thank you for choosing me. Thank you for letting me journey right alongside you; not in front or behind. Thank you for allowing me to be the woman God destined for me to be, and for pushing me to keep pursuing Him and His plan for me. Thank you for loving me to my very core; battle scars, wounds, imperfections, willful rebellious attitudes and all. Thank you for allowing me to be different from you. Thank you for encouraging me and building me up. Thank you for doing everything within your power to truly understand me. Thank you for choosing to look past my mistakes and unintentional failures, because you know my heart. Thank you for making me feel beautiful every single day. Thank you for treating me like a woman, for caring for me and being a gentleman. Thank you for seeing in me what others won't, don't, or can't. Thank you for always being on my team. Thank you for giving your whole self to me.

Honey, I can't wait for the rest of our lives together. I know that there will be pain and uncertainty. I know that there will be fights and hurt feelings. But you are the one for me. God made us for each other. With Him before me and you beside me how could life be anything but truly good?

I love you.

ylw

Pray for Judah

Just a brief note to ask you all to pray for Judah! It's been a crazy, long, full, exhausting, hard 30-ish hours for him. He got sick on Wednesday, high fever and some vomiting. (When you have a child that doesn't get fevers all of a sudden get fevers - high ones - it's weird and scary.) Took him to the ped. on Thursday morning, and he was admitted at Children's a couple hours later. So much has happened since then. Information overload, then changed information, then new information, and now a new plan of action.

Here's what I know for sure:

Judah's right kidney is full of infection and very dilated. They are concerned that there may be an obstruction somewhere in there. He's having a special scan done at 3 today to determine whether or not there is.

They now know the germ that caused the infection and are treating it with 2 antibiotics.

His fever is improving. As a matter of fact, just 30 min. ago it was normal - Thanks, Lord! My prayer is that it doesn't spike again.

What I don't know for sure:

He may have a UTI and the infection may be in his blood. We won't know for sure until the blood and urine cultures come back. If the infection started in the urine (the bacteria would be in the culture) then Urology would seriously consider doing a surgical repair now, rather than wait til he's 5. If the bacteria is in the blood, the medication and treatment changes a little bit.

I don't know how long we'll be here. He needs to be fever free for awhile, and we need to know exactly what we're dealing with.

I appreciate your prayers for these things, as well as all the details that come up during a hospital stay. I appreciate prayers for wisdom for me as I try to be the very best advocate I can be for Judah. Sometimes I feel sorely inadequate; but then I remember that God uniquely gifted me for this task and gave me the privilege of being Judah's mom. Last night Jared and I were talking about how loving Judah so much makes these things hurt more. I think, though, that loving him enough to allow myself to feel and experience his pain with him makes me a better advocate. It makes me a better mom. For my other kids, too.

Thanks everyone!

Tennessee, How I Miss Thee

After 7 days in beautiful Tennessee with my (very nearly) entire extended family, cloudy cool weather her at home is a major downer. I'm trying to get everything unpacked, my kitchen put back together, laundry folded...games played, puzzles put together, stories read...oh, the life of a busy mom. The success in the domestic realm is minimal, but time with the kids is worth it. Or so I remind myself often as the clutter on the counters, laundry on the floor, and dirt in the bathroom threatens to overwhelm me and cause need for a brown bag as I hyperventilate. And then I decide that time here is worth it, too, so I forgo my domestic responsibilities a little longer...

The time with family in TN was priceless! Every reunion - every 3 years - gets better than the last. The biggest parts of that are the growth and maturity of my kids; and the experiences with Christ and in life that make relationships with my family members deeper, richer, and wonderful to share. (Of course, it also helps that every reunion includes new family members & babies!)

We got to "live" with one of my favorite people on the planet and her family of 6. Do the math. That's right, 12 of us in a 2 bedroom 2 bathroom cabin (more like a small house) for a week. I don't think I've ever had so much fun! Sharing meals together, working in the kitchen together, watching our kids play and interact, laughing, sharing burdens, challenging each other - It. Was. Awesome.

I loved getting to better know girls that have married into the family in the last 3 years that I now have the privilege of calling "cousin". I loved catching up and sharing with an extended cousin who also has a burden for students and works with them. I loved spending time with a younger cousin and his "new" bride, talking about the little girl they're expecting, Bible school, kids, and future camping trips together. I loved worshipping with these men and women that I am honored to call family here on earth, but have the exciting privilege of spending eternity with, too! I loved praying with them. I loved...a lot about this week!

I haven't laughed so much or so hard in a very long time. Playing games with any Narwold boy (that includes you Debelaks, too) or Phil is a hilariously entertaining adventure! Oh my. I laughed so hard the tears came when hearing family memories that ranged from inappropriate to downright embarrassing. I don't think I'll ever be able to look at bunnies the same way again.

I was immensely blessed to see my family so thoroughly and completely love Judah. That was good for my heart. I can't wait till the day when he can understand how blessed he is to be in the family that God placed him.

What a joy to see my other kids run and play for 7 days straight with cousins, cousins, and more cousins! To experience campfires, fishing, mini-golf, paddle boats, NERF & light saber wars, shell-collecting, swimming, sandcastle-building - fellowship - with cousins!

We got to top off the week with a wedding. We are now 1 more strong. Welcome to the family, J.N.! We might be a little crazy and overwhelming at times, but you couldn't ask to be a part of a more wonderful family...battle scars and all. I may be a little bias, but I think you'll agree. I also think we are pretty blessed to have you as one of our own. The wedding was sweet and simple; the bride and groom so beautiful in their straightforward commitment to God and each other. I can't remember the last time I was at a ceremony so saturated in prayer. It was a breath of fresh air.

For the next 3 yrs. we'll be talking about this reunion. Remembering, laughing, and eagerly anticipating the next one! We'll look often at this bottle, filled with memories, and smile. And then pray for the family that it represents.

God. Is. Good.

Surgery Date

I don't have much time to write, but wanted to get this out there right away. I just got off the phone with the scheduler, and Judah's palate revision/hernia repair has been scheduled for August 8th. I'm nervous already. I keep praying for a miracle, because quite honestly, I still tear up when I think about the last palate surgery. It was a nightmare for him - so helpless, scared, in pain, confused - and so it was a nightmare for me; because I was completely inadequate to help and comfort him as I watched him suffer. *And the tears come.* I pray desperately that God would still close that hole; and then I pray desperately that if the answer is no, that He would somehow make this procedure and recovery easier for him. Pray with me!

Thanks.

Back to Neurology

I was initially pretty disappointed that we had to put Judah's neurologist back on his list, but the appointment went really well. I finally "clicked" with her, and felt like there was some kind of connection there. Thank You, Lord.

In her opinion the drooping eyelids and inability to look to the right is most likely a brain stem problem. More often than not, kids with muscle disease don't have reflexes, and Judah does; however, she said that alone is not a good enough test to determine the absence of disease. So, the first step is another MRI. It's been 11 months since the last one, and he's grown A LOT, so she'll get a much better picture of his brain than she has in the past. My prayer for this is that Judah won't have to be intubated when they sedate him. This would be a first, and it would make the whole process much easier for him. Pray with me! If the MRI is normal (which is obviously another prayer of mine) then we might consider having a muscle biopsy done when he's under anesthesia for the palate revision in August. I'm not excited about this. It's totally minor; but we're still talking about taking a piece of muscle, a 1 in. scar, and just another procedure. And there's no great indication at this point that he does have a muscle disease...at least as far as the neurologist is concerned. I guess the prayer here is two-fold: that I will just take one thing at a time, not worrying about what might be next; and that God will continue to give us and our doctors wisdom each step of the way.

I'm thankful that we're on the road to resolving this issue for Judah. I just wish the doctors and all the medical technology traveled at a much faster speed.

Terrific Two's

No such thing as "Terrible Two's" when we're talkin' about Judah, so... Happy Terrific Two to our Amazing Little Lion! It's unbelievable that he's TWO; but he made it, and he makes it look good! He got a birthday haircut last night, and he didn't cry. Not even once! He didn't like it, but he at least tolerated it. And I did get a good smile out of him.

This morning we had close friends and "family" over for a birthday brunch. It was perfect! The weather was great for playing outside, good food, good fellowship, fun presents. It's a morning I wish he could remember. He is so loved!

I don't feel at all sappy or melancholy like I thought I would. I'm dreading the next time a stranger asks how old he is, but other than that I'm just enjoying him and this milestone too much to focus on much else. The melancholy and mixed emotions will come. It always does.

For now all I can say is Thank You Jesus for this little boy & the tremendous gift that he is to our family!!! Love, love, love you Judah!

Birthday haircut last night

Birthday "squeeze hugs" from Lydia

Happy Birthday from "Granny"

Floor time with his Buddy

And the presents...which he actually opened this year!