I should really be sewing…

but here are a few more shots I took today.

I thought the girls looked beautiful in the late afternoon sunlight in their ballet costumes they wore in Coppelia last May.. 

Isabella

Sophia

Best Buddies

Olivia Clare - trying to hide from me!

Pokagon

Here are a few shots from our time at Pokagon Park in Angola, Indiana, last weekend.  Debbie was very surprised for her 60th - and we all had a blast together!

Olivia, Me, Sophia (she really is behind me), Alix

Noah, Isabella (yes, she is there!), Luke

Cousin Brendon -waiting in line for his turn on the toboggan run.

Aunt Marianne is probably going to really love me for putting this picture on here.   Maybe she'll never know..   I can't help it - I love this shot of her - I didn't know she was so flexible!

Of course the hotel had a pool!

Cousin Brianna here from California with Joe - yay!!!!

Christmas preparations

Now, which one should we get?

This is it!

so pretty!

I wanted the front to look inviting for our Ladies' Christmas Tea on the 4th.
I put the flowers out about 40 minutes before the ladies and girls came.  It was a little chilly!  But they survived the 2 hours or so just fine and we are enjoying most of them still in the house.

I thought the girls would enjoy a fun surprise in the birdbath - these sweet carnations - on their way in for the Tea.

Alix and I even ironed napkins for the occasion!  A rarity for me.

I love the red wreath - probably surprising to most people who know how fond I am of white!

Teapots ready, spoons, sugar and cream, cups..

Glenn's gingerbread... Mansion..   We love it!

My pretty girls!  Ready for tea.

A few pics from Thanksgiving with Mom and Dad–better late than never!

6 little pilgrim girls, sitting in a row..

from the front..

ta-da

 

How to pray for Sophia

After a couple of recent conversations about Sophia, I thought it would be helpful to let you know how you might pray for her. 

The surgery accomplished its purpose in relieving her airway of the external pressure from her aortic arch.  This has made a noticeable difference in how she breathes – she is quieter and can do more physically, than what she was able to do for several months. That may all sound a little clinical and un-exciting – but it’s an answer to prayers!  Your prayers!  We are so thankful!

So you could move her to your “Answered Prayers” or “Praise” lists!  

Essentially she is much as she was before the problems that led to the surgery.   She will continue to be compromised physically due to having one lung.  She is prone to respiratory infections, and her symptoms are more pronounced than when the other kids are sick.  She’s had pneumonia a couple of times – and it’s obvious why that would be difficult.  We do our best to minimize her exposure to germs.

But we can’t put her in a bubble.   She is a little girl – a strong, vibrant little girl.  As long as she isn’t fighting something, you would never know anything was different about her!

So in praying for Sophia, pray that God protects her from viruses, and that when she does get something, the meds and breathing treatments will be effective.  Pray that we are able to treat her here at home, instead of at a hospital.  Pray that God continues to strengthen and protect her, and give wisdom to us and her doctors as she grows.  Pray for the blessing of gratitude – that we are able to teach her how very much she has to be thankful for.

Not a whole lot different, in many ways, than what you are probably praying for your own little ones.  But with the added knowledge that she is different.  In a way that we can’t change, and in a way that does make her more vulnerable than some others. 

We are rejoicing in God’s mercy to Sophia – to His kindness and graciousness to her – and to us!  We are not worrying about tomorrow and what *might* happen - we are thankful to God for everything He is pleased to give us today.  Blessing upon blessing.  Beautiful, wonderful children!

catching up

I was afraid this would happen.  That I would not be faithful to keep a blog going.  But I suppose I did fulfill the primary purpose – to keep you all updated with Sophia during the time before and after her surgery. 

She is doing very well!  She has said less about her side hurting – and she looks and sounds wonderful.  A little heavy breathing here and there that might have a slight rasp in it – but then quickly subsides.  She hasn’t been sick and has just gotten stronger. During stretches last week at ballet, her teacher looked at me and commented on how strong her abdominals and back are – because she was able to hold herself so well in the “Superman” position on the floor.  (It’s just what it sounds like – laying on belly with back arched up and arms out straight in front – holding it for several counts)

We went tobogganing last weekend at Pokagon in Angola, Indiana with all the Orrs.  We had a wonderful time with them all as we celebrated Debbie’s 60th birthday.  (Glenn’s sister)  We laughed and talked and ate ice cream – we had so much fun.  The kids had a great time.  Noah was so worn out, either from the sledding and trudging about in heavy snow gear (or the excessive amounts of chocolate pudding he ate at dinner), that he put his head on the dinner table and fell asleep.  I think it was before 7:00 p.m.

Sophia and Isabella will be 7 on the 22nd!  So I am trying hard to get a couple of sewing gifts finished for them.  Backpacks and dress up dresses.  It may end up being more than I can accomplish in this amount of time.  But I thought it would be fun to have Alix help me, so she can get more experience.  The girls are very excited about their birthday, of course.  They have given us a lot of helpful suggestions about gifts for several months now.  I am pretty confident that no matter whether or not we actually fulfilled the specific requests, they are going to be happy.  They are so easy to please.

Well – better put my money where my mouth is.    Time to sew!

 

Here is a picture of the pattern I picked for the girls.  Olivia found it on my dresser and asked me to make the purple one on the bottom for her.

If we finish them, I’ll try to put up a picture of the girls wearing them.