We're HOOOOOOME!

Friends,

We made it home this afternoon, tired, but so incredibly thrilled. Our little Ava Gray is home with us tonight! We are thanking God for this very sweet and unexpected gift. I am delighting in this little one as she settles back into her home routine, and am enjoying Havyn and my sister, Linda, this Christmas Eve as well. (In yet another surprise gift from God, Linda is able to stay 5 days longer than we originally thought - thank you Father!!!)

Will update you more coherently tomorrow, but wanted you all to know what huge and specific and surprising answers to our prayers He has lavished on us. 

Merry Christmas All!

Jules

Linda ("Dee Da" to the girls) and AG

We love our visits from Lauren & Morgan (& Tiff!), who are always so kind to us girls during our hospital stays..

AG resting up after her surgery

One of my sweet little Christmas elves...

And the other one.

Hamming it up : ) 

My favorite shot of this particular elf.

And....success! (Now she's got my cell phone)

Some of our amazing support team in action.

And a truly fabulous Christmas Eve visit from my Chattanooga family: Brian & Susan & little Rose

Havyn & her Uncle B

H rejoicing in her own special way over her sisters' homecoming.

My 3 Christmas gifts : ) 

Aren't they the cutest?

And that's all - 'Night friends!!

Prayers Answered

Friends!

Ava Gray's heart rhythm is NORMAL. We're gonna hang out in the ICU tonight, possibly head up to the regular floor tomorrow, and then get ready to go HOME! I can hardly believe this. Thank you for praying and supporting little AG. She is resting comfortably, enjoying her FABULOUS nurses, and healing up quicker than we ever could have imagined. I'm going to send those pictures later tonight. Right now we're heading home for a little rest. Thank you everyone for all the support (food, babysitting, prayers & text messages). We are ridiculously loved and we know it!

Praising the One who heals the broken-hearted,

Jules

Ava Gray Doing Great! One More Prayer Request For Tonight

Friends,

Ava Gray is looking fabulous. It's so hard to believe she just had open heart surgery yesterday! Thank you for your prayers, we have been so wonderfully sustained. Havyn has been doing well going home with friends and has been getting good sleep. Linda & I have been getting solid chunks of sleep too (a first in like...forever!), and Ava Gray has had WONDERFUL nurses these first two days & nights (thank you Natalie for all the compassionate care of AG!!). She's bouncing back sooner than I've ever seen her do after a major surgery. Your prayers are being answered! Here's another prayer request: AG's heart is still hooked up to an external pacemaker. When they take it off the pacemaker, her heart does wonky things (yes, that is a technical term). : ) It's not really unusual for hearts to do that right after open heart surgery, but it is important that the heart correct itself eventually. If it doesn't within 7-10 days post surgery, they would have to go in again and put in a pacemaker. We would love, love, love to avoid that!!

Thanks friends, Will keep you posted.

Jules & the girls

PS. In the last few minutes (well, 20) Ava Gray has suddenly started battling some pain - we're trying to figure it out and get it under control. Please pray for her that she would not fear and that the pain would quickly go away. Thanks again.

The pics are of AG in her ICU digs, and Havyn at home (obviously NOT sleeping) : )

Prayer Request for Tonight

Dear Friends,

Thank you so much for your prayers! We have felt lifted up and carried through today. For those praying for good nurses for AG - here's an answer to prayer: we walked in to find one of our good friends from City Church who works here at Vanderbilt in Ava Gray's room. So not only do we have an excellent nurse, but a caring & compassionate friend as well. Thank you Lord!

Ava Gray looks really good. She still intubated, but we're hoping to get her off that by tonight or tomorrow morning at the latest. Would you pray for AG tonight that as they try to cut back on her pain medicine (so her heart rate & breathing will pick up a little) that she will not be in a lot of pain & discomfort?  Thank you!!!

Will update you all again tomorrow. Blessings!

Jules

Ava Gray is through surgery!

Friends,

Ava Gray did well. ♥ They were really expecting to have to put a conduit it, but when they went in, realized they didn't have to (hurray!) She is bring brought up to the ICU now, and we'll get to see her in a few minutes. There is one thing you can be praying for: her heart rhythm is a little off (which is not unusual post-surgery). It should correct itself in the next week, but if it doesn't, they'll need to go back in and put in a pacemaker. I'm praying they don't have to do that! 

Thanks so much for praying for AG. God is bringing her through!!

More soon,

Jules

PS. Thanks for praying for all 3 of us - Havyn took two naps today, and, for it being surgery day, it's been pretty restful!

Heart Surgery for Ava Gray on Monday

Hello Friends,

I guess this is pretty late notice to tell you all, but we've just finalized a surgery date for Ava Gray which is this upcoming Monday. She'll be going in around 7am for open heart surgical repair of her heart condition (Tetralogy of Fallot). The doctor's are expecting us to be in the hospital anywhere from a week to 3-4 (which means we'll get to experience "a Vandy Christmas" - I hear those are pretty fabulous!)

As always, we are so, so thankful for your prayers on our behalf, and especially covet them during this time. For those of you who have asked for other practical ways help, there's a couple:

• I'm going to be spending some nights at the hospital with Ava Gray, but Havyn won't be able stay with us, so on other nights I'll be coming home with H instead. It would help so much to have a few volunteers to stay some of those nights in the hospital with AG (7pm to 7am). She just needs to have someone present to talk to her from time to time, hold her hand, and let the docs & nurses know if she seems to need something...this will allow me to catch up on some sleep at home (which is priceless!). 
• Keeping up with laundry during longer hospital stays is often difficult. If there were one or two of you who would be willing to either come over to our house while we're away and do some loads and/or take to your house and do a few there, that would be so helpful!
• After "eating on the run" for a while, anything from home starts sounding pretty fabulous. If, after the first few days there, anyone is willing to drop by a sandwich or a salad (lettuce, pasta, whatever!), it would be most happily consumed. : ) 

Okay dear friends, that's about all I can think of right now. Please pray:

• That I would not live in or act out of fear, that I would remember that He is right there, and that I would collapse on Him moment-by-moment. 
• For Havyn, that she would be able to do well with significant times away from her mama (going through a clingy stage just now, so this is something we really do need His help & mercy for). Also that the charge nurses would allow her to stay in the "sleep room" if/when we get that. Then she wouldn't have to go home during the night!
• For Ava Gray...well, it's open heart surgery. Please pray that the pain would be well-controlled, that she would not be afraid (post-surgery), and that God would provide docs & nurses that are compassionate towards her, and patient with her "entourage" of Havyn, myself & our crew : ) Please pray too, that when the surgeons go in they do not have to put in a conduit during the repair. (A conduit is just a little piece of cow vein that might be required to patch the hole). If a conduit is required, it works well, but doesn't grow with her body, so she will need more open-heart surgeries in the future as she grows. This of course, is something we would love to avoid!
• For Ava Gray's healing!
• That we would look for Jesus at every turn and that we would see Him

Blessings to you & yours this Christmas!

Jules & the Girls 

(Havyn):

(Ava Gray, with a little avocado on her sweet face):

A Very Hospital-y Christmas

Friends,

We've had quite an eventful little holiday season so far. Last week Ava Gray started having seizures again, and we ended up spending a night at Vanderbilt. All is well now, but it was a bumpy time there for a few days. We are all three enjoying being home. Mama especially, knowing that we head back to Vandy bright 'n' early Monday morning for Ava Gray's heart surgery. Each day at home is precious and I'm just soaking it in. Christmas music, hot chocolate & marshmallows whenever anyone drops in (or just because!), and gazing at the awesome little Christmas tree all lit up on the dining room table (it's the only place safe from Havyn's reach). We will most probably be at Vanderbilt during Christmas. I've heard from all the doc's & nurses that it's really a fabulous time to be there - lot's of famous folk wandering around giving out some really sweet gifts. We'll let you know if we see any stars. : )

In the meantime, the girls just keep blossoming. Ava Gray is turning into a little snuggler (just love it!), and able to hold her head up much, much better. She is smiling more and gazing at people... all fun & heartwarming stuff for a mama! Havyn is getting more feisty & adventurous each day. I'm constantly finding her in places I didn't know she could get to. Keeping me on my toes for sure! She's also starting to laugh an infectious little laugh. So fun!

We have been so blessed with our in-home nurse, Ana. She is so good with both girls and has done such fabulous work with Ava Gray. I really believe some of the major breakthrough's Ava Gray has had are due to God's gift of our faithful Ana. She just works with AG tirelessly and with such joy... We are very, very thankful for her.

Ok, enough chatter. More later, I'm sure, as the surgery date gets closer. For now, here's some pics of my two little cuties. (Ana calls them "The Charmer & The Champion"- Havyn is the charmer to anyone willing to interact with her, even if it's the cute little girl she finds in the bathroom mirror - and I don't think I have to explain why Ava Gray is our little champion...!)

The charmer....

 The champion...

 And...standing (Havester)

 Sweet little AG - thinking about eating.

And...eating ensues. Havyn eating a cracker and her sweet potato simultaneously, Ava Gray just sticking with the sweet potato (organic purple sweet potato - pretty, yes?)

 Then all cleaned up & playing with our sweet friend Sarah:

 Blurry, but hilarious:

 Here's how it always goes. AG just hanging out, all peaceful. Then Havyn enters the scene:

 Little Miss Feisty, getting cleaned up after a meal. It was easier than a washcloth. Food. was. everywhere:

 Okay, and a few from our recent visit to Vandy. First the little patient:

 And her faithful visitor:

 AG was such a trooper, but she did get really tuckered out:

 Back at home. Havester is very much still on the move:

 Ava Gray just a-hanging:

 By now you know what happens next...(Mama intervened in this one so the "affection" didn't get too out of hand):

 And lastly, our little AG again. Isn't she a sweetie?

Okay friends. More soon. Thanks for checking in with us and for all your prayers & calls & texts. We are so blessed by ya'll!