Seven

Seven amazing years this sweet angel has been gifted to us.  It is hard to wrap my brain around, at times.  When I think back on this time seven years ago, I can basically recall pain.  Pain of seeing my baby suffer through such difficulties.  As she suffered, I grew.  I stretched.  I learned to lean on my Lord. For many of her years, there was suffering.  NOTICE, though, I can say MANY??  She is here despite the terrible odds we were given.  PRAISE GOD!  What a true blessing in every way she has been to us.

Here's what God has given us through  Lillian's seven years:

A closer, more intimate relationship with God

A sweeter love between my and my husband. We have learned what we really mean to each other and how important our marriage is.

Deeper compassion for others.

The ability to understand that no one is perfect and people will fail us, but He never will and it's ok that others fail, because we fail too.

We so clearly see what we've taken for granted in having good health and healthy children.  So..we try not to take things for granted anymore.

I've learned that we have had really hard times.  We still do.  I'm sure we still will...but we are so grateful and know we could have it much worse.

I could go on and on.

A friend of mine recently told me she was looking forward to the day that her daughter was out of the "give a mouse a cookie" phase.  For so long it seemed like that is where we lived too and it's good to be able to look back and see how far this girl has come...and I think she has closed the chapter on that book.  Praise the Lord.

In this last year, Lillian has increased her vocabulary to saying more words such as straw, shoe, talk, and some others.  She will eat a small container of chocolate pudding in fifteen minutes when I'm prodding her along.  She has learned to use the potty and is completely potty trained. She trick or treated in our neighborhood for the first time ever and loved every minute of it.  She has become a big sister..and a good one to boot.  This little girl is all love and she knows how to dish it out.  Not a jealous bone in her body.

Yesterday we spent the day at Grandma's house celebrating everything in "ORANGE".  Her favorite color.  We all wore orange, cake was orange, party supplies all in orange...sunkist to drink, cheddar popcorn, chex mix, and puff corn in cheese and carrots.  She got kitchen toys, roller skates, and karaoke microphone, and new clothes.  Tonight we celebrated with dinner at Mcdonalds, her favorite restaurant where big sister gave her orange play dough, orange bubbles and a giant hershey bar in an orange bag with a balloon. As we ate, an elderly couple became captivated with her and the gentleman sketched her face on a pad of paper and then they presented it to her with a five dollar bill. That is Lillian.  Her joy is infectious and she is always happily spreading it to others.  I do believe she is the favorite to each of her sisters.  It is apparent they all have a special place in their hearts for her.  We are blessed.

 She loves hoops and loops cards.  Aunt Crystal always gets her one.

She's loving every minute

This little girl LOVES her brother.  He came into our family on 9/27/13 at 8:20 pm.  After a long, hard labor.  He is beautiful and loved by one and all.  He weighed in at a whopping 8lbs 13 oz.  20.5 inches long.  It's taken me this long to post because I was discharged from delivery and then had multiple complications which found me back in the hospital several days after his birth.  Preeclampsia.  Worst I've EVER felt in life..I think.  I've had tests run on me that I've never had before.  PS- MRI's are noisy.  An hours worth of totally mind numbing noisiness.   ICK.

Anyway, Lillian has adjusted just beautifully to having Ezekiel home and spends much of the day kissing him.  I only wish she had enough strength to hold him safely on his own, but helping her is just as sweet.
Can't honestly believe it's been seven weeks already.  Where does the time go?