Happy New Year...

Miracle Babies stand up...TELL YOUR STORY.. This was a discussion on a board I go to, I have tried to put in word over the last 2 years how I felt, what I believe was driving me and who I am after having had a micro-preemie. After I read many of the stories I felt lead to tell my story and I wanted to share it for Bella to have someday so she knows how much a miracles she is and how Great our God is. How he not only held her in that NICU for five months in his arms but he held me too.

I ask myself this question all the time. I ask God to give me answers as to why my baby and not someone else baby. I can't believe that I prayed anymore than another mother did for her child. Or gave anymore. I am not sure why I wish we had the answers. It is easy for me to tell how Great God is as I have my daughter but not so easy for someone who did not bring there little one home. Or who has a child with problems. I know I looked to Witt's loving parents and Grandmother Karen for inspiration during my time in the NICU. Witt was born with no hope just as Bella was and now 2 years later and even with all his problems they still give the glory to God. Even with all that they have been through they still continue to praise God for the gift Witt. It is people like that that are a true testimony to God, they believe that everything is God's will and all gift are from God just in how we look at it.

I know I prayed for Bella allot before she was born when Doctor after doctor came in and told me all the reason's not to put her on the vent all the things that would be wrong with her. All the times they said she was not a viable baby. And at 23 weeks 4 days when they could no longer keep my BP down and fluid began to fill on my lungs I had never been so scared. And I believe it was an angle on earth sent from God to calm me and remind me of how I had given this all to God just days before how that calmness and fear had been taken away by God.
Bella is a gift from God and she is a miracle. She spent 5 month in the NICU everyday I layed my hands on her and I asked God to give all my faith to her and to hold her in his arms until he was ready to send her home. I believed he could do all this, I believed he could heal her, I never once questioned or gave into fear of the worse or unknown, I never doubt I would bring my daughter home. I always told God I would accept his will as it was his great plan, I also said if his will was not mine believe I would be angry at him but I would accept it.
I held to bible verses that said

Matthew 8:26 "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

Matthew 21:21 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you say to this mountain, Go, throw yourself in the sea and it will be done."

Mark 11:22 "Have faith in God" Jesus Answers.
Mark 11:23 "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this moutain, Go, throw yourself into the sea and does not dougt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him"

I was told I would never hold her a live that if I wanted to I should not put her on the machines. At 23 weeks 4 days I had Bella by C-section she weighted 15 oz and was 10 inches long. My daughter spent 5 months in the NICU, She has CLD and shows no signs of it now; was on all the vents possible. She came off of all IV's and medications a week after she was born, she had only a PDA surgery at 7 days old. She came home on O2 and stayed on till she was 11 months old. She had nothing else on the list of things that they said would go wrong. She has no eye problems, no hearing problems, no bleeding on the brain, no feeding issues, no major development delays. She gets therapy once a month and qualified only because of her birth weight and gestational age.

I don't know if you believe in Miracles or God but for me this was proof God does perform miracles. I don't have the reason why I just know because he gave me this gift he also gave me this cross to bear. Before Bella I had faith, I believed that Jesus died for my sin, I believed Jesus was the son of God, I had faith that God was watching over me. But I did not read bible verse and I was not at church ever Sunday. I actually didn't put a lot of credit and support in the bible as this was mans idea of what Jesus had said and a man telling me what this bible verse meant. Since having Bella I still don't go to church that has not changed for me, but I do spend more time trying to find bible verses for how I am feeling and what I am praying and when I need directions. I think God does everything for a purpose even if we don't' know what that purpose is. I hope someday when I am with our Father in Heaven I will know and see all that his purpose is and understand why things are what they are.
For now I just know I have this gift and everyday with her is a gift from God. I lived my life now as today is the only day I have and that is enough for me. This verse below is how I live my life now.

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness, let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his miracles~I Chronicles 16:8-9

Couldn't resist..

Had to start with Christmas Past.... This was last year Bella's first Christmas. Last Christmas Eve 2009 was the first time Bella spent a whole day off her O2, she took her bottle, she took a nap and she played all day with her Uncle Joey, Aunt Misty, Cousin Graycie, Big Brother Brandon, Nana, Pop, Me and Daddy without dropping below 97% on her o2 states. We were amazed now 1 year later we are O2 free. I would like to say I miss the O2 tank and machines but I really don't. While I can find the blessing and comfort in them and I never want to forget what our lives were like and how blessed we are. I don't miss them for one second. :)

So one year later you would think I would be out buying a new Christmas dress for the little Diva. But nope not our tiny blessing. At 21 months she was able to fit into her size 6 month dress. She is bigger and it is shorter on her. But it still fit and I say if the dress fits WEAR IT! That just gave me money to spend on casual Christmas outfits. Poor naked baby she ain't got no cloths. And ladies please if you spot a blogger gift or two that you sent Miss Bella don't be shocked her nursery is filled with them. I also love to walk in and see how much all of you love our baby. The little white bible next to her basket in the dresser shot was given to me by the hospital Chaplin the day Bella was born. It was by my bed in the hospital after she was born, when Roby took my stuff home to get the house ready for me to come home from the hospital he placed it by my bed again. It never left the side of my bed until she came home then it was placed by her bed and moved with her to her room.

So without delay.. More Christmas Bell-a pictures (Stole that from Melissa at Foto Fabulous.. )

The tiny little bracelet Bella is holding is a Lulu original made just for my baby girl. Sadly my tiny handed baby still can't keep it on but her silver rubber duckie bank wears it around her neck. Wanted a picture with it and it keep falling off so she just held it. LOL

21 Months

I have been waiting for a week to share Bella's new pictures.
My wonderful friend and photographer just sent me a sneak pick at Bella's pictures we had done on the 12th.
So what to tell about Bella
She is 18lbs 2.9 oz as of her apt this month
She is walking and running
Can play peek-a-boo, waves bye and Hi & plays patty cake (thanks to Margo's hard work)
She has said:
Baby
Cracker
Night
Bath
Parker
Bye-Bye
Hi
Momma
Dada
Nana
Cold
So without any more delay here is a sneak peak at her new pictures.................


This is in our living room by our christmas Tree.

This is in Bella's nursery.

Baylor NICU

Infant hyperbaric pressure chamber used for delivery room resuscitation in the 1960's, the machine did not work.

This machine may look very familiar to some of you, Bella was on a similar machine for several months. A modern high-frequency oscillatory ventilator with the capability of delivering very small tidal breaths at up to 900 breaths per minute.

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1-2

Donation

We are currently at $630.00. Just a little information about the NICU at Baylor Dallas.

Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas has an advanced (NICU). There are 83 beds in level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Patients in the NICU vary from extremely premature infants to term infants with surgical or medical needs. Babies in the NICU have several skilled staff members to care for their medical needs, including: Neonatologists, Neonatal Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses, Respiratory Therapists, dietitians, pharmacists, social workers and chaplains, all dedicated to the NICU patients.

Thank you for helping us to give the families and staff something special this season. We do not plan to take the donation button down and will be taken them up to Christmas day!!

Tell everyone about his miracles~I Chronicles 16:8-9

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness, let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his miracles~I Chronicles 16:8-9

Update on the donations and wanted to say Thank you again to everyone who has given.As of today we are at .......

$443.73 in donations ...Make that 463.73 at 6pm, we are $36.27 away from $500

I had set a goal in my mind of $200 and this is way beyond my goal. I am so greatful that we are all able to give the families and the nurses something special on Christmas Day!!

Thank you...

So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver
2 Corinthians 9:7

God loves a cheerful giver

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness, let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his miracles~I Chronicles 16:8-9

I just wanted to take time to say Thank you to everyone who has given.
As of today we are at

$428.94 in donations,

this is not including pennies.

This is just paypal donations.


So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver

2 Corinthians 9:7

Pennies For Preemies

(post courtesy of Talking Trash)

The number of premature births in America are on the rise. A normal pregnancy is 40 weeks. Anything less than 37 weeks is considered preterm. 70% are delivered between 34 and 36 weeks; 12% at 32 and 33; 10% at 28 and 31; 6% at less than 28. Even at 37 weeks, there can be complications and the babies are placed in NICU. The survival rate is even more staggering....40% chance at 24 weeks increasing with each week until 90% at 28 weeks. The medical advances over the last 40 years has been phenomenal, but the numbers demonstrate why every precious day that can be bought for these babies is critical.

Bella was born a micro-preemie which is a baby born under 26 weeks and weighing less than 1 3/4 pounds. The complications that can arise for these babies are a mile long beginning with lung problems, eye surgery and the list goes on and on. These babies haven't had time to finish cooking.

Delivering these micro-preemies even by C-Section is a risk with possible brain damage as a result...through no fault of the doctor. Imagine if you will how tiny they are...then picture in your mind how tiny the lines are that are inserted into them and the risks to the lungs. It takes a skillful hand and a lot of prayer. The odds are not in their favor, but God is.

November was National Premature Awareness month and purple designated as the official color. Bella is asking y'all to help beyond a the month of November and on into December. If you visit the March of Dimes web page, you can read all the statistics, advancements, and ways to help.

For five months, we called Baylor Dallas Hospital NICU home. We traveled back and forth daily to be with her and to learn how to care for her.

Bella was blessed with God's favor. Her only major complication was a heart defect, PDA, which required surgery. She'll have the scar to remind her of how much God loves her always.

We were fortunate. We brought Bella home in August 2009 with just an oxygen tank. We say just...she had to be on oxygen all the time as well as an apnea monitor until December 24, 2010. We took her off on Christmas Eve night and from that point on for the next month she slowly began to vein off the oxygen.

We knows we have been blessed and have constantly prayed to God about what we can do to repay this blessing. He has placed this in our heart the need to help those parents who are in those NICUs. After much more praying and soul searching, we have decided to try and start a special program that we have named Pennies For Preemies. With the donations we receive, we plans on using the money to help parents who will be spending Christmas at Baylor Hospital with their premature babies this holiday season.

I can not even being to imagine how it must feel to know you will be spending your baby's first Christmas in a NICU. We were blessed we brought Bella home and only had to spend a few holidays in the NICU. Even with that it is probably one of the hardest part of the NICU stay to be around family and friends without your baby.

We have added the donation button on both blogs and our donations are growing! Thank you to everyone who has given so far.