Praise

First an update on baby girl - she rules our home!  I don't know if she has had "her days and nights mixed up" or if something else is going on, but pretty much every night from after her feeding around 8-10 to about 2-3 hours later, she cries and we cannot make her stop!  We have tried different things, including a new medicine.  We are keeping our fingers crossed...the past two nights she has done good!  We are sooo tired!  She is eating anywhere from 2-4 ounces every 3 hours, but she is starting to go sometimes 4 or 5 hours in between feedings, especially at night.  She is a growing girl!!  We had an appointment with neurosurgery Friday.  She gained 1 pound (1 pound in a week???  she was dressed and her diaper probably needed to be changed, so I don't think she really gained that much).  That was a little crazy!  The neurosurgeon was pleased with how she was doing, but he did order a CT.  He said her ventricles were moderately enlarged, and that we were probably headed in the direction of needing a shunt.  We knew this was a possibility, since most patients with encephaloceles also have hydrocephalus.  I was preparing myself to be admitted to the hospital that day, but he said she wasn't ready for a shunt yet.  We have an appointment to see him again at the end of April, and we'll also have another CT then.  We are praying that she will not develop hydrocephalus, but if she does, I pray that it will not be emergent or scary. 

I also wanted to post PRAISE to our heavenly Father for our sweet girl!  During my pregnancy, I listened to several CDs (Steven Curtis Chapman, Selah, and a CD my friend Lyndsey made for me).  I have listened to them since I had Grace, and it brings back so many memories of thoughts and feelings I had when I was pregnant and we did not know how she would be.  I just wanted to share parts of songs that ministered to me during my darkest days when I prepared for my sweet girl to either to not live or not have quality of life.  I still want to be clear that Grace could still have developmental delays, and we will not really know her prognosis until she is older, but we are praying that God would continue to bless us with miracles!

"Buried deep beneath all our broken dreams we have this hope out of these ashes, beauty will rise.  We will dance among the ruins, we will see Him with our own eyes.  Out of these ashes, beauty will rise.  For we know, joy is coming in the morning."  

"I will proclaim it to the world.  I will declare it to my heart.  And sing it when the sun is shining.  I will scream it in the dark: You are faithful.  You are faithful.  When You give and You take away, even then still Your name is faithful.  You are faithful.  And with everything inside of me, I am choosing to believe You're faithful." 

"I will trust You, trust You, trust You, God, I will.  Even when I don't understand, even then I will say again, You are my God, and I'll trust You.  And with every breath I take, and for every day that breaks, I will trust You, I will trust You.  And when nothing is making sense, even then I will say again, God, I trust You, I will trust You.  I know Your heart is good.  I know Your love is strong.  I know Your plans for me are much better than my own." 

"Life breaks and falls apart, but we know these are places where grace is, soon to be so amazing.  It may be unfulfilled, it may be unrestored, but when anything that's shattered is laid before the Lord, just watch and see, it will not be unredeemed."

"I will carry you while your heart beats here, long beyond the empty cradle, through the coming years.  I will carry you all my life.  And I will praise the One who's chosen me to carry you." 

"You hold my every moment.  You calm my raging sea.  You walk with me through fire, and heal all my disease.  I trust in You.  I trust in You.  I believe You're my healer.  I believe You are all I need.  I believe.  And I believe You're my portion.  I believe You're more than enough for me.  Jesus, You're all I need.  Nothing is impossible for You!  Nothing is impossible!  Nothing is impossible for You!  You hold my world in Your hands."   

"Lost are saved, find their way at the sound of Your great name.  All condemned feel no shame at the sound of Your great name.  Every fear has no place at the sound of Your great name.  The enemy, he has to leave at the sound of Your great name.  Jesus, worthy is the lamb that was slain for us.  Son of God and man, You are high and lifted up, and all the world will praise Your great name.  All the weak find their strength at the sound of Your great name.  Hungry souls receive grace at the sound of Your great name.  The fatherless find their rest at the sound of Your great name.  The sick are healed, the dead are raised at the sound of Your great name!" 

"You are good, You are good when there's nothing good in me.  You are love, You are love on display for all to see.  You are light, You are light when the darkness closes in.  You are hope, You are hope, You have covered all my sins.  You are peace, You are peace when my fear is crippling.  You are true, You are true even in my wondering.  You are joy, You are joy, and the reason that I sing.  You are alive, You are alive, in You death has lost its sting.  And oh, I'm running to Your arms, I'm running to Your arms.  The riches of Your love will always be enough.  Nothing compares to Your embrace.  Light of the world, forever reign!  You are more, You are more than my words will ever say.  You are Lord, You are Lord, all creation will proclaim.  You are here, You are here, in Your presence I'm made whole.  You are God, You are God, all for else I'm letting go."  

"Our God is a consuming fire, burning holy flame with glory and freedom.  Our God is the only righteous judge, ruling over us with kindness and wisdom.  And we will keep our eyes on You.  We will keep our eyes on You.  A mighty fortress is our God.  A sacred refuge is Your name.  Your kingdom is unshakable.  And with You forever we will reign."

"You will be safe in His arms, you will be safe in His arms.  Cause the hands that hold the world are holding your heart.  This is the promise He made, He will be with you always.  When everything is falling apart, you will be safe in His arms.  These are the hands that built the mountain, the hands that calmed the sea.  These are the arms that hold the heavens, they are holding you and me.  These are the hands that healed the leper, pulled the lame up to their feet.  These are the arms that were nailed to a cross to break our chains and set us free!"

Happy month old birthday, baby girl!!  Your Daddy and I love you to the moon and back!