Thank You

Thank you all for your prayers and concern for Claire. Now that she is "out of the woods" and working towards a "normal" existence, we are going to stop blogging for her. The next few months will be "private" and too hard to explain. Please feel free to email me at xocll@verizon.net to get access to our family's private blog. We would love to share our entire family's comings and goings there ... with each of you!!! I will only need to send you a quick invite.

I will update this blog on September 18. This will be the one year anniversary of our "gotcha day" with Claire and the final post of this blog. I will be updating still a few pages from Claire's old website from November until we started this one. Feel free to look back and see how things were for Claire during those months if you were not able to share with us on her old site :)

Claire is GREAT!!!

Claire is doing VERY well. Susan came to visit her last night and they went on a very long walk. Claire directed her to the play area and even convinced her to take her outside in our heat wave. Did I mention that Aunt Susan was in long sleeves, and black? Pour Susan, but she was a trooper and Claire had a great time. She started having bowel movements yesterday and today we have started liquids!!! James and I are so pleased for her. She is doing remarkably well.

GREAT News!!!

Claire slept SO well last night. I think that having her daddy home may have helped!! James arrived last night from Iraq to help with her recovery process. It is going to be severe enough a tole, that I would have needed a nurse to help care for her. That was a viable option for me, but our insurance would not cover that. We sent out a Red Cross message last Friday, but I did not want to say anything until he was actually safe on American soil. Thank you all for your prayers. You will never know how much we appreciate each of you.

Children's Hospital

Claire's surgery went very well today!!! She went in around 12:45pm and was out about 3:30pm. Michelle is here with me and Claire is fast asleep with the aid of morphine. Thank you all for your prayers.

Last Surgery Date

Claire went to Children's today for her follow up appointment. We were given a surgery date that was rather surprising ... Tuesday!!!! I was in shock. Her illiostomy is just not functioning the way that it should and I am having to change a bag EVERY DAY!! They should last an average of three days. It is effecting the skin around her stoma, plus the illiostomy just does not allow her the same nutrient absorption as a colostomy does.

Please be praying for her as we prepare for this next step. All Claire has ever known is her ostomy being a part of her. As much as we are VERY excited for her and we know that this change is what is best for her, it will still be a loss to her. I know that the Lord can prepare her heart for this just as He prepared her for us.

Claire's post care is also not going to be easy. It is going to require time for us to learn what it will take to "regulate" her bowels. Plus her skin has not had stool on it and in the beginning it could react as if it is a fountain, which means CONSTANT changing. Who ever is able to be with me to help, is going to be on shifts with me until we get things under control.

I have also been warned that once you get it "under control" it can get TOO under control and need help exiting. NOT fun with a three year old. It is already interesting enough to perform the homework that we have had to do, let alone what is coming up.

So, please PRAY PRAY PRAY!!!!! Thank you!

First 4th of July!!!!

Claire had a wonderful time at her first 4th of July celebration. We started out at the parade where Claire rode in a wagon for our church. Half way thorugh mom accidentally got her foot ran over by the trailer that our church was pulling!

We took a break, Claire got a nap, I got x rays (nothing was broke! Prasie God!) then we went down to the beach. We hung out there and BBQed with Uncle Curt, Anut Susan, JJ, MiMi and all the other kids. We stayed until it was freezing outside and we had to bundle in many blankets. The fireworks are ALWAYS worth the cold.

Children's Again

We went to Children's again today but only for an office visit. Dr. Goldin says that everything sounds perfect and we should be back in two weeks for our next check up. It was a very nice day to be driving and I had come from Deana's house instead of home. I had been down there to authenticate Cade's paperwork in Olympia. On the way home Jordon, Claire and I went to PF Changs for lunch. I suppose that is my way of stepping out in faith that we will be getting some China news really soon :)