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!

The Gift of a Sister

I know all about the gift a sister can be. Mine is turning...a higher number...today. I have been thinking about her a lot this week (that is, a lot more than usual, which is already a lot). : )

Here's what I am blessed to realize; a sister can be such an instrument for change & growth & struggle and wisdom & most of all; learning how to be delighted in. This is straight up a gift from our Heavenly Father.

My sister has been such a picture of God's love for me (my brothers too, but this post is about the sista). I see such a reflection of the ways He has loved me through Linda mirrored in some of the interactions between Ava Gray & Havyn. Here's one of those:

Ava Gray (right now) is always a step behind Havyn. Life for her has been, well, harder. She is still learning to trust people after her beginning in the NICU and tends to hold people at arms length until she's real sure their ok. But even when she is trying to shut out the world, her sister will blatantly ignore AG's silent request to be left alone and will climb on top of her, bop her on the head, pat her cheek, suck on her foot. You know, little sister stuff. : ) And AG will often burst into this adorable grin. It's one that is reserved for Havyn alone. Not even Mama gets that one. Havyn can break through the walls little AG has set up around herself and draw her out to experience joy...love.

My sister has done exactly that for me growing up. I was a retreater and prone to isolating & shutting down when things got tough. My little sister would just bulldoze through all the carefully constructed "do not pass" signs I'd fling up everywhere. She loved me and she was going to be close and she was going to be annoying just for fun while she was at it! I realize now that my Heavenly Father loved me so passionately even when I was not yet able to see it or accept it. What I could see and could accept was the love of my sister. And I bet my Heavenly Father felt the same way about the situation that I do about my girls: it makes me so happy to see little AG receive love - from anywhere. Do I want her one day to be able to trust her Mama more and to get just an inkling of how incredibly much I love her? Of course. But for now, it is so sweet to watch Havyn showing her and giving her the love she can't accept from anyone else.

So on my sweet little sister's birthday, let me just say for the thousandth time: Sisters are a gift from God! I love mine so much, and it brings me more joy than I can say to see my two little girls already benefitting from the same precious gift.

Happy Birthday sister. Since I can't be there in person to celebrate properly with you, go delight/annoy the hay out of someone in memory of us!

And for everyone else, here's some pic's of sista's in action. The first one was taken in 1980 in front of the translator lodge in Papua New Guinea. The boxes are what we had our groceries delivered in. I'm probably trying to get Linda to do something my way (typical me), and she is probably ignoring me (typical her). The other pics are of two characters you are already very familiar with. : )

Girls 1st Winter

Well it really felt like winter today; cold grey skies, a little hint of snow in between the icy rain, and the trees all bare and black and elegant. Thanks to the girls' sweet nurse, Ana, they got to take a walk out in it all. (Love it when they get outside and get to experience the weather - whatever the weather happens to be!) Here's some pics of the girls getting ready to go out:

Another fun 1st: our awesome "big" little Christmas tree (a gift from the girls AJ & UB *Aunt Joyce & Uncle Bill). Isn't it cute? We love it. : )

Keeping this one short & sweet, but we surely do hope you & yours are enjoying the cold & anticipation of celebrating Christmas soon. Till next time,

Jules & the girls