Happy Birthday Evie Jayne!

Dearest Sweet Eve,

Happy Happy HAPPY First Birthday! Today was SUCH a joy to share with you, with family, and with friends. I haven't known many one year olds who have over 100 people come to their birthday party! (: (more party pics to come!)

I'm going to finish blogging through the rest of last year. First I wanted to go back and say that in May, Lyla celebrated her third birthday. You have one AMAZING big sister. I was so worried about how she would handle life with a new baby sister and with all of the appointments and hospitalizations you have been through this year, and she has done nothing but love you to pieces. She is going to be an amazing advocate for you.


Back to you. (: Early in the summer we started to see signs that you were going to need "decompression" surgery on your head. This surgery was very trying on me. It strongly reminded me of the summer of 2009, because we were constantly waiting. Waiting for appointments, waiting for scan results, waiting for insurance, waiting for surgery. The day of your surgery also reminded me of the day you were born. It was necessary, exciting, and frightening all at once. Playing in the pre-op area of the surgery room was so nerve-wracking. I had no idea what you would look like post-op. It was so scary to send the face that I loved so much into surgery, not knowing what the end result would be. After they took you back to surgery, all I wanted to think about was what was happening, and what we needed to be praying for.


Surgery and post-op were finally done, and they came and got us to ride up the elevator to the PICU with you. You... looked... beautiful... Out of this world beautiful. I couldn't wait to lay next to your little body again. Over the next few days your face swelled so much you couldn't open your eyes. When we had guests in your room you would wake up, wave your arms around until you felt me, and fall back asleep. We went home after 6 days in the hospital, where you changed more lives. Because you LIVE, and because God LIVES.

And this fall, we have finally gotten into the swing of things. Bible study, Pre-school, Gymnastics, etc. It still blows my mind how many people you have touched, and how proud I am to be your mom. Evie, it goes without saying, you have changed my life and so many others in this one year. One Year. Wow. (:

Nana and Papa Steve bought you a book for you birthday, called "On the Night You Were Born" and I think it's only appropriate to post a few pages:

On the night you were born,
the moon smiled with such wonder

that the stars peeked in to see you

and the night wind whispered,

"Life will never be the same."

Because there had never been anyone like you...

ever in the world.

For never before in story or rhyme
(not even once upon a time)
has the world ever known a you, my friend,
and it never will, not ever again...

.

...

Heaven blew every trumpet

and played every horn

on the wonderful, marvelous

night you were born

(book by Nancy Tillman)

I love you Evie Jayne. To think of life without you brings tears to my eyes, and breaks my heart. You and your sister have enriched my life with more love than some people experience in a lifetime.

Love love love love love you,
Mom