Bebe, "Warrior Princess": ..can't believe it's been a year already!

As for Bebe's development, we are still making progress. I am so very proud of her. She loves to stand (with our help) and can sit up for about 1 minute all by herself. She is still working on crawling and we feel confident she'll eventually figure that out. We are still working with physical therapy and occupational therapy. We also may start speech therapy in the next few months. She is more alert & "present" by the day. I am constantly amazed by her. Our biggest news is that on Monday, we had a cardiology appointment and he has told us that he feels we are finally to the place where the benefits and the risks of surgical repair are finally balanced. He urged us to go ahead with open heart surgery before the on slot of respiratory season is upon us. So, he has actually asked that we do it before the end of October. The recommendation for surgery didn't come as much shock, since God has been preparing my heart for several weeks to hear him suggest surgery. Thankfully, God gave Chad & I a peace through the appointment. I think the only surprising aspect was more about the fast turn around time on when he wanted her to have it. I expected he'd give us 2 or 3 months to prepare, but instead he has given us only about 2 or 3 weeks out. Even expecting this was coming, I barely made it to the car before the tears came. And honestly, those tears are just now starting to slow down when I talk about it. I kept telling Chad, "these aren't fearful tears". It's like, for a year they have said "let's wait and see", "let's take another look at her", "let's keep watching her". Being a task oriented person, someone telling me something I can actually do is some level of a relief. We don't like the method by which to get to the other side, but we are excited about what the end result will be like. Chad absolutely hit the nail on the head when he voiced "Does open heart surgery sound scary?...Yes. Does it scare me to have to make the most important decision of our life and her life?...Yes. But most of all, what scares me the most is that she isn't really mine to begin with." Chad and I learned from the moment she was born that we had to release her to be cared for FIRST and FOREMOST by her loving, amazing Creator. She really belongs to Him far before she is ours. As difficult as it is to even fathom, He loves her exceedingly more than we are even able to. So, who better to entrust her to? Easier said than done some days----absolutely! But, God is always so good to give us Peace. I love how Chad put it that we are trying to encourage B to be the very best Bebe she can be, and in that, WE sometimes have to make very difficult decisions. We both feel God is leading our family through this for a reason. Chad & I prayed before B was even conceived, throughout the pregnancy & since she was born that she would change lives for Christ. We prayed that she would be a world changer and a warrior for God. I never knew that God would start so early on fulfilling that prayer. It's amazing that since the very moment she was born, she began changing lives. This is all a part of her story---part of her testimony---and honestly, that child is FEARLESS! She amazes me. She will learn her own story and will continue to change lives. I am really honored that I get a front row seat to watch her continue to overcome every attack that the enemy seems to throw at her. All the while, God is molding all those challenges into good. I definitely have had an overwhelming time about the faith that God has in Chad & myself. He must really think we have enough faith and trust to be able to not only fight these battles, and not only succeed in these battles----but OVERCOME them. I have told Satan out loud a few times, he picked the wrong family. And I have said numerous times that every faith and trust building season I've ever gone through in my entire life was preparing me for this very season. We may be struck down, but we are NOT destroyed!

We have gotten her open heart surgery scheduled for November 4th . The surgery will repair her VSD. I am still unclear on if it will also fix the slight valve defect. That defect wasn't as big of a deal as they thought before the heart cath. But, they may feel it would be worth fixing while they are in there. The cardiologist (and we) are still unsure of what other after-effects the surgery may facilitate. The surgery may or may not assist with her gross motor skills. The surgery may or may not assist in her growth. At the end of the day, please know that Chad & I are assured and confident that she is perfectly made how God intended. I want you to understand that we will stand against and will fight against any attack by the enemy on her health. But WHO she is-----well, she IS exactly who God made her to be. She is amazing, she is strong willed, she is determined, she is laid back, she is a ham, she is unique, she is a beautiful expression of God's personal handiwork. And well, I'm pretty darn proud to be her mama. :)

Please join with us and pray:
a) B's will, fight, drive and determination to knock this surgery & recovery out of the park
b) The surgeon & staff would simply be facilitators and vessels of the Great Physician's hands and that Jehovah Rapha, our Healer, would heal her completely
c) Peace for Bebe, our loved ones and for us
d) That Jehovah Jirah, our Provider, would indeed provide and cover us on every side
e) That any plans of the enemy will be crushed by the stripes that my Savior endured and the Healing that He provides.

God has amazing things plans for our lil warrior princess..LOOK OUT WORLD!