Enough To Be...

thankful for. If we had been blessed with nothing else, she would have been enough. She is so precious and her daddy,her mommy, her brother, and her sister are thankful for her. We are blessed that she is here.

Our holiday was sweet. It started out to be a tough, tough day. Emotional. It didn't take long for us to get a handle on the importance of where we are. Dave shared some beautiful thoughts from his heart and we concentrated on the good of our day and all of the blessings. We slept late, played scrabble, worked on our Christmas puzzle, visited with friends, enjoyed a yummy dinner prepared by some of our favorite people(we LOVED the dessert, Daisy. Thank you so much!), rocked our sweet baby, and chatted with Blake and Allison over the phone. Our day was blessed and we went to bed with full tummies and full hearts. God is good.


We spent the last couple of days just hanging out together. We have taken long drives and done some Christmas shopping. Our Christmas shopping experience has been a little different than most. The three of us load up in the car together. One of us goes into the store(usually me) and the other stays in the car playing with Ashley Kate. Our plans for the children's Christmas surprise have had to change. It was too large to pull off with me here and Dave there, so choosing alternatives for them has been fun. One thing I am getting pretty good at is accepting when our plans have to change. Our children are amazing and they truly deserve the surprise we had in store. When I asked them for Christmas lists they were so, so sweet. Blake only gave me a couple of ideas. Nothing spectacular just some things he said he would like but didn't really need. I have asked him repeatedly to try and come up with some other items and he says there is nothing else he needs. Allison Brooke's list began with the number one item she has been waiting on for over a year. A puppy. I don't know if you remember the series of journal entries last year that involved her NEED to love on something while Ash and I were away. She would have settled for a hamster. The one that loved her at the pet store? Remember? Then we researched and found a breed of dog that would be acceptable for Ashley Kate as well. Allie has shopped and shopped with her grandmas for this "imaginary" puppy that never showed up. Anyway, her first item was of course "Hope"( she named the imaginary dog Hope because she hoped she would get one), and her second item "could knock the first one of the list if she could have it." That statement got me curious. Item number two? Her mommy and Ashley to come home for Christmas. That one got me crying. I can't promise the second item, but her daddy has made sure the first will happen. Lucky him, he will be flying home bright and early Monday morning with the surprise of Allie's life time. Shhhh, don't tell anyone. Al doesn't know. If you would like to pray for Dave on Monday morning from around 4am till 11 am I am sure he would appreciate. He is sure to be the most hated passenger on the flight toting this fluffy ball of yapping "Hope". She sure is lucky to have this man for her dad.

Ashley Kate has had some good moments and some bad the past few days. She is breathing on her on while she is awake. She does require oxygen support while she sleeps. As long as she is doing this they will not agree to allowing her to go home even for a visit. We are hoping for this to resolve by Thursdays clinic appointment when I would like to ask for that pass to go home again. Dave and I would love to decorate the tree and the house for the kids if Ash is able to travel home for a few days. I would of course be returning, but even a few days at home would be a gift. her labs numbers a struggling. We are having to adjust her new immunosuppresant in an attempt to get it at the right level. This could take a while I am told. her liver enzymes are also a mess. No one know what is causing one of them to climb, but we are wondering if it has anything to do with her new med. It seems to have begun about the same time. Lots of changes and juggling going on inside of her right now. To be honest, all of the changes are done by phone. I don't even see anyone so I am hoping we will be granted our pass again and be allowed to make the changes at home for a few days next weekend. This is my short term Christmas wish.

Well , I just wanted to take a moment to visit and catch everyone up. Sorry for the lack of updates. I have been hanging out with Dave and being lazy. Thank you so much for all the blessings and cards and well wishes this holiday. Your words brighten my day. Hope you all enjoyed your holiday. Take care my friends. Trish