Blue Popsicle

Above are ... LILY PICTURES FROM OUR WEEKEND TOGETHER .. SHE IS SUCH A SWEETIE PIE!


Hannah actually got to have a Popsicle tonight!!!!! It was her first of anything in almost a month. The nutrition she receives through her IV has kept her from feeling hungry & kept her from losing weight during all of this no eating / no drinking. The doctors are just starting to see how she does on clear liquids ... I guess that also includes frozen blue high fructose corn syrup products! :-) Hannah has declared tomorrow as official "Popsicle Day"!! Hopefully the one she had tonight will sit well in her tummy & she can enjoy some more tomorrow. Please pray that her intestines will handle this "food" & she will be able to move on to solid foods & begin really getting ready to ... shall I even say it?.... maybe one day go home again!?! I don't know ... just my crazy thoughts! I don't want to get too ahead of myself here but this week is one month since THIS hospital visit started.

Sunday was 5 months since we stepped off the plane with Lily at LAX and 3 months since we stepped in the doors for our Aplastic Anemia journey at this hospital. Wow.

On Sunday I was supposed to be back at the hospital at 3pm b/c Jim had to leave for a flight. I just couldn't pull myself together to make it happen. I guess because I don't get to cry that much, that when I do it just takes over. Oy - what is a mom to do?! Erika filled in for a few hours & Hannah had an absolute blast with her! That gave me a few hours to take a much needed nap - with Lily, of course!. I think when God promises to give us rest - sometimes it means SLEEP!! After my Sunday nap I felt like I could walk into Hannah's room without crying my eyes out in front of her.

I know I am going to get through this & in the process I am growing & learning to lean on the Lord with all of my heart. Truly. I thought waiting for Lily drew me closer to the Lord & taught me to trust Him for great gifts ... wow, this is a new level for me. God is using this in many, many ways....and for that, I am so thankful ... yet, if it was up to me, I'd be the one with those IVs in my arm.

I am thankful for Hannah's continual happy heart. Even now, 90 days into this, she finds many, many reasons to smile. Like tonight, she got up with tons of energy in front of the mirror & sang her heart out to the "Anastasia" music!! It was a adorable & truly if it wasn't for those darn IV's, you'd never know she is ill.

Pray for Hannah's blood counts to increase - they are still very low (even though better than December). Pray for her intestines to completely heal & be able to tolerate liquids / food. She is coming off of some of the anti-biotics this week & we will see how she does. Lord willing, we will be able to go home before another month goes by ... how is it possibly March?! And 2009, of all things!

PS -- If anyone lives in the Southern California area & has a very, very secure backyard & would like to provide "foster care" for our dogs ... they are very much in need of some attention!! Please email me if you could possibly care for our dogs while we are in & out of the hospital. They are just too much for us right now ... thanks!!! (both are small size dogs) My email is eriksenvp at gmail dot com