Heaven Rocks

My friend Jenny decided Heaven was way better than this.... and YAY FOR HER. I know Heaven rocks. But for those here, this is really really hard to take. She was and is a precious soul who will be missed in ways I can't describe. Thank you for praying for her... she fought the good fight and finished the race. Please pray for her husband David, daughter Malaya, and the rest of their friends and family who so badly don't want to have to live without her. Our God is a God of Comfort.

Prayer Warriors!!!

Again, Jenny needs miracles TONIGHT. TOMORROW. Please join me and pray for my friend. I accidently deleted this post from before, but hey, it's ok because you might read it again and pray more!!! :) Click on the button in the right for updates.... she is so sick and fighting for her life.

The other yucky aspect of their situation is that she and David have no medical insurance. David had started his own business, and they were still uninsured when all this started. I can't imagine what extra stress that brings to them. So I ask that you add that particular part to your prayers for them as well. I don't usually do stuff like this, but every bit helps, so I will say that on the carepage website they have instructions at the top as to how you can donate to this family, and it is tax-deductible. If you feel led to do so, every little bit helps and adds up, whether it is $5 or $500. David and I certainly know that with how overwhelmed we were at Brooklyn's birth.

Regardless, thank you for your prayers for my friend. This whole thing has really shaken me up, but I am also blessed beyond measure to witness thousands of people come together for the sake of one. Amazing. What a treasure it is to be a part of Christian Community!! It is what it is ALL about!

Update on Jenny

*Update: Jenny is out of surgery, and the doctors said she did great. So glad she is over this particular hurdle... surgery is scary when she is still this sick. Please keep praying for all the hurdles to come. She is amazing.

The doctors and family have decided that yes, it is necessary for Jenny to have the surgery after all... tomorrow morning at 9:30. PLEASE PRAY for this precious family, and read the update posted on their carepage (button on the right). My heart breaks for her.... and I continue to pray for COMPLETE healing. Thank you all....

PRAY!

Doctors have decided to amputate Jenny's legs just below the knee at 3pm today. We have been asking for over a week for God to bring her healing to completion.... and now I am begging Him that this NOT be the way. If it is, we pray for comfort and peace for Jenny and her family. But please, join me in prayer in asking for a MIRACLE for this sweet friend. May He move mountains!

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*Update: they've decided to do more testing and postponed the surgery until tomorrow. Not that He needed more time by any means, but God is working. Please pray!

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**Update #2: NOW they've decided amputation is not needed at this time.... cancelled tomorrow's surgery too! Wahoo! She still has her feet, and this is a DIRECT answer to our prayers! Miracles, people!!! Believe it!! The doctors say it is "day to day" on what will happen with her legs, but we are praying that the option of amputation be OFF THE TABLE. Keep praying! It is POWER!!!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!! from the Beaver Girls

Just some good sister-fun the last couple of days!

Brooklyn is REALLY into hugging right now. Mostly wants to hug Reagan 24/7. But even last week at church, her teacher said that she spent the whole time crawling around to EVERY baby in there and hugging them! Sweet girl.
Morning snuggle-time to cartoons.
Brookyln's look here makes me laugh. It's like I can hear her... "Mom, whaaaaaat is your deal?"

My goofy goofy girl.

Still can't decide which is my fave... love 'em all, even if it isn't a natural smile on B.

Ok, so I think this wins. LOVE the hand-holding. Oh my goodness, how I love these two squirts!!!

Tonight, Reagan was dressing up B....

Reagan would say "I prepare you Princess Bwookin!!" (meaning to say 'declare you' I guess, but getting it wrong. love it)

Then B would knock off the tiara and CRACK HERSELF UP.

They were both in stitches with this game. Oh, there is NOTHING better in the whole wide world than watching them laugh together. For now... until they are teenagers and laughing at me.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

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PLEASE keep praying for Jenny.... click on the blue button on the right for the latest. She has quite a huge road ahead of her, bless her heart, and still needs prayers of all the saints. But she is HERE and slowly making progress.

God is GOOD. All the time.

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Stay tuned for video that (in the words of Ellen) will freak your freak. Our Brooklyn is cruising on furniture now! Getting her first walker on Monday! Holy Moly!! Again,

God is GOOD. All the time.

And I find myself smack dab in the middle of His Works right now. So humbled and so amazed.

Please please PLEASE say prayers for Jenny!!!
1) her blood pressure to stabilize on its own
2) her liver to function on its own
3) her circulation to improve in her hands and feet

Thank you so much!!!!

Praying for Jenny

Since so many of you who read this are my prayer warriors, I ask that you get on your knees for my college friend, Jenny. She is an AMAZING Christian woman, wife to David, mother to 9 year old Malaya. She got the flu last week, and is now in ICU in Grapevine literally fighting for her life with pneumonia. She is in septic shock, on a vent, dialysis, has gangrene in her extremities, and her heart is starting to fail her as well. How does this happen when you are healthy and 32?!?! Jenny and I pledged club together and graduated from ACU together. She is just plain wonderful, and she needs to stick around MUCH MUCH longer.

Please..... go to our Father and Great Physician and ask for healing for Jenny. Just click on the blue button on the right and you can read her story and the latest updates. And don't let the sign in page scare you. You can register, or just sign in with the user name jenny@bizaillion.com password: friends . Thank you so much....

Updates

I mentioned last post about how we have a little STANDER around here now! She started pulling up to standing in her crib first since she could hold on to the bars at any height that felt right. Now, it doesn't matter WHAT it is, she can pull up. Seriously, she is remarkable. :)

Showing me her "find" on the coffee table. We are MUCH more careful what is left up there these days!!! Like that cup of milk you see.... yeah, stuff like that no longer resides anywhere in B's reach. But it is SO GREAT that we already have to babyproof that way!

Here is a video of how she gets there. I focus in on her feet and how she stands on them because I took this video last weekend to the hospital with us for her check up. Since she did NOT perform on cue like we wanted her to (and with 4 specialist sitting and staring, I don't blame her!), thanks to our therapist I came prepared with a video to show.



This is what I wake up to find every morning now!



Little playtime with her new Rainforest toy thingy. She looooooooves this thing!

Anyways, so once the specialist people saw how well she crawls and how good she is getting at standing and taking some steps, they immediately said "get that girl some AFOs!" (ankle/foot orthodics) That is what we were hoping for!!!! Here she is getting casts made for her fancy new "boots."

Then, she decided she was NOT a fan of this process.

A little yellow plastic thing did the trick for a minute...

... as did a fruit snack.

But then she remembered how much she did NOT like this. But sweet baby sat REALLY still like we asked her too, no kicking or flailing.... just cried and cried until they were done.

And here are her little feet! In a couple of weeks, we'll go back for her fitting once they get them made. The AFOs will be plastic L-shapes that strap with velcro across the top. She is not capable of getting her feet down to a 90 degree angle, therefore stands and walks on her heels without the ability to "push off." These will help! They told me to get this girl a push toy and she will be off and running in no time! I am so excited about this.... we never dreamed she would be ready this soon. So, it is exciting around here. :) God is SO good and faithful and showing AMAZING things through this girl!

SO, while I am unashamedly bragging on her, here is a video I took this morning while R was at school. We were just hanging out, and I wanted to capture how she "fixes her feet" by herself. Her natural tendancy is to sit W-style with her feet in back. She doesn't feel how this is uncomfortable, but that doesn't change the fact that it isn't good for her knees and hip rotation. So, I started asking her to "fix her feet" one day, and in a couple of hours she started doing it by herself. Smarty. :) Then while I was videoing, she just started showing off. Ham.

Sorry for my high pitched "I'm singing to a baby" voice.

Well, shoot, I'll just keep on unashamedly bragging on my girls. That is what these blogs are about, right?! :) This is R this morning before school in her cutie outfit from Grandmommy at Christmas.

Here she is the other day playing "library lady," reading story-time to her princesses. This went on for awhile, and it cracked me up! She kept moving the barbie princesses around because they "weren't being good enough listeners."

R is OBSESSED with all things Disney Princess right now. But mostly the PrincessAndTheFrog. She saw the movie once over a month ago, and she is night and day ALL about Princess Tiana. We've had to find online games, printable coloring sheets, etc from the movie, and she found clips from the soundtrack that I had to hear OVER AND OVER for days. So, I downloaded some of the songs from iTunes and won Mother Of the Century from her. I took this video of her listening/singing the "Almost There" song (it's kinda long... mostly posted for Grandparents to enjoy) while playing a Princess Tiana game on the computer . She even sings the instrumentals. Crazy obessessed girl. :) And... she has already planned out her Princess Tiana birthday party.... 6 months from now.

Thanks for letting me be that mom who lets it be publicly known how precious she finds her children. I just can't help myself...... most days. :)

Catching Up On December Stuff: Part 3 (the end!)

After way too many computer issues, I think we are DONE (knock on wood) and I am finally DONE with 2009 blogging! I will knock this out, then move on to February! How the heck is it Feb already?!?! Anyways, I know we have all moved WAY past Christmas, but I'm gonna take you back a month or so....

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This was our tree with the loot Santa left in front of the fireplace. This picture makes me miss Christmas a LOT.

Reagan was too sweet.... she opened ALL of Brooklyn's Santa gifts first before she touched any of her own. B got some cool puzzles!
R showing B the pieces.
How R was resisting that big green monstrosity in the back, I will never know. But she went through all of B's stocking and everything first! B got some Gerber puffs in her stocking, and she is trying to eat through the package.

Check out that face!

Tearing a little paper...

Another fun surprise look from B!

R saved the big one for last.... such patience!!

A VERY nice Santa searched high and low and found the Princess Vanity Reagan had ALWAYS wanted. :)

B had to take a break from the presents to eat a little bit. She is NOT patient when it comes to breakfast.

So, as we opened our gifts to each other, Reagan could come and show her what she got. This was Reagan's present TO Brooklyn... it was a hit. :)

Dr. Reagan Beaver and her new doctor kit. I have been the patient TONS of times since.

Santa brings oranges to our stockings, so we made some fresh orange juice for the first time with a new juicer. That is going to be a tradition on Christmas morning in our house. It was messy and yummy.

Our pancake breakfast!!! These were SO fun!

That afternoon/evening, we went to Aunt Mary's house for our Christmas with the Beavers. Austin and Reagan got a fun bubble bath from Grammy. Cutie cousins!

Speaking of cutie cousins!!!!!! I would have preferred no paci in B's mouth for the pic, but I was dumb and waited until right before bedtime... she would have NOTHING to do with taking it out. Oh well. Cute anyways!

Rudolf and her "antlers."

Goodnight kisses for Poppy.

The next morning, "Santa" arrived on the wrong day. :)

He and Reagan passed out all the kids' presents.

Hugs for Santa as he had to go.

I was really excited about this present.... it is SUCH a big girl gift. Beads and stuff to make bracelets!

Thank You hugs for Austin. I'm sure he had a lot to do with picking out that gift.

Aunt BB definitely did. :)

She got her own kid camera from Uncle Kyle and Aunt Mary. It's awesome. I will have to post some of her pics on here one of these days.... gems.

Austin was SO fun this year with his presents.... ALL BOY. Love it. He now has a baby brother to share them with too!

But at this time, baby brother was still cookin'. See??

Yes, the three of us got these GORGEOUS pj's in our stockings. Try to hide your jealousy.

And ladies, try to hide your jealousy of this gorgeous hunk of a hubby as he sports his stocking stuffers. He's MINE.

Poppy and B sharing some pizza crust.

Austin got a new train, and it was a HUGE hit. He and Reagan played in there together for the longest time. She cried and cried when we left about how much she was already missing him. Super sweet.

At home, playing with Brooklyn's new toy. She (well, both of them) looooooooove this thing. And now, little Miss Thang pulls up and STANDS to play with it!

Pure joy. :)

R also got this Cinderella dress from Aunt BB and Turbo, and the Cinderella barbie from Grammy and Poppy. Having girls is SO much fun!

YAY! Done with 2009 finally! I have LOTS to catch up on, so updates will be soon. But as you could tell, Brooklyn is pulling up and standing like CRAZY now, so her new stylin' boots are coming in soon so we can work on WALKING! So, yeah, lots to catch up on. Greatness!