reflection

well, it has been a week since arianna came home. first of all, i just want to thank all of you who have left so many encouraging comments. i don't know all of you, but knowing you have been praying and thinking of us has been overwhelming at times. God has provided so much for us. just as an example, not only were we supported monetarily through our church and many friends, at one point, we knew of 13 churches that were praying for us. and we could feel it. at our lowest points, we would turn around and feel blessed even through the pain and uncertainty. there was the peace that surpasses all understanding. there was a passage that i came across while trying to find comfort, and dave and i reread this many times during that long week. the whole psalm was comforting, but these were the verses that were so poignant to us.

Psalm 34:17-19 "When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the LORD delivers him out of them all."

and now, looking back, He was near to us and did deliver us. our little girl is home, safe and sound, gaining weight and as cute as can be! as i am writing this, she is asleep in her infant carrier, sitting on top of the washing machine in our kitchen. dave is at work at the golf course and i am enjoying a much needed cup of coffee while i listen to the new norah jones album. (thanks for that ash!) i am recovering from some sort of cold/virus thing. wouldn't you know it, as soon as we get her home and everything seems great, i came down with a 24 hr. stomach bug last saturday and then got sick with this cold on tuesday. it has made it a little harder to take care of her, but dave has been a wonderful husband! i have been able to get alot of rest too, since arianna has been blessed to sleep most of the night! she has been sleeping about 6 hrs. every night! and she takes lots of naps, which makes it easier for me to get better! but anyway, she had her first pediatrician visit on monday and there she weighed 8 lbs. 8 oz. (up from 7 lbs. 10 oz. when she left the hospital)! the next day she had a cardiologist appt. and there she weighed 8 lbs. 1 oz. so...which scale is right??? this next monday we go back to danville to see the surgeon for a check up. we'll see what she weighs on their scale. either way, she IS gaining weight, and
that is the most important thing. i am putting up some pictures from the past week since she has been home.

this was her going home outfit as we were leaving from the hospital. (i made her those booties when we were waiting during the surgery)

sleeping at grandma and grandpa's

the first bath we gave her. you can tell she's loving it! (incidentally, we gave her another one yesterday and she loved it!) you can see her scar here. i have started rubbing vitamin E oil on it, hoping it helps a little. we'll see as she grows up

peaceful again

here she is today, just before she fell asleep