Hello Ava followers. She is continuing to do well. I love that I only have to blog every few months. I appreciate all of you that have supported Ava throughout her start, through her troubles and her triumps. It means a great deal to me that so many care and believe in the Power of Prayer.
I found this verse today and was stunned by the impact it had on me. It took me back to being pregnant with Ava. We were so excited to be expecting our third child. I assumed everything would go as it always had, normally. But at 20 weeks I had some very unsettling feelings. I asked for an ultrasound and we found out Ava had Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia. (No diaphragm...her heart was pushed over to the right. Her stomach, small and large bowel, spleen and liver were in the spot of her left lung. Her left lung was not able to grow.) The doctors were not very positive. They told us her odds of surviving were somewhere between 20 and 30 percent. To describe a little of our feelings well...devastation, confusion, a huge sense of loss, disappointment, and I was even a little angry with God. The Why's kept returning again and again. However I had grown up learning the Bible stories. I'd read all about the Miracles in the Bibile. How David had slane Golliath. How God had fed the 5,000 with 5 barley loaves and two fish. How God protected Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the inferno. BUT did he do miracles today? I'd never seen one in my life up to that point. We didn't know the road that would lie ahead. We didn't know the outcome. We only had Faith that IF this was the path that God had chosen for our life we would follow His plan and make the best of what we had.
Here is the Verse,
John 4:48 Jesus asked, "Will you never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?"
WOW! He showed us Miracle after Miracle with Ava. It is quite grand to know that God's love is brightly around her.
I know there are many people out there today, struggling. It is hard in the midst of the storm to see the light. PLEASE have faith that God knows exactly what He is doing. Brighter days are ahead. Yes there are questions, there is doubt, just know you are not alone. I'm not sure why my post got so heavy. I just felt the need to let you all know the importance of trusting and knowing there is a reason for suffering. I appreciate life so much more now. My children mean the world to me. I believe with hard ache comes appreciation and love.
So onto the positive Ava is doing SUPER...We embraced the gorgeous weather yesterday and decided to take advantage of what may probably be the last photo ops of the season. Ava picked the dress and off we went. She has a spring to her step and her latest craze has been sparkly clothes and shoes. We took pictures over looking The Mighty Mississippi. Then we ended at her favorite location...the park!
I asked Ava for some ATTITUDE for this next picture....that is exactly what I got!
This was Ava's first year Trick or Treating. She's been doing so well we decided it was time! Here is a very short video of her Trick or Treating. She was a cat.
Thanks for checking in on Ava. The Winter months are always scary for us so please continue to keep her in your prayers.
~Terri
