little answered prayers running around...

Hey Friends!

Well Evie has reached her next milestone... She gets to go to the "playroom" with the other kids at Sunday School and can play in the "big kid side" of the gym child center. She can finally walk fast and steady enough that we feel like she can play safely with bigger kids (:

I am going to go to the Sunday school playroom with her for a while, to make sure she doesn't get trampled. The past two weeks Evie has played with a little girl named Hope. When John and I were first considering adoption/foster parenting Hope's parents came over to tell us about their journey with international adoption. That week they had gotten Hope's picture from the agency. They had finally been matched with their daughter. Unfortunately they waited over a year to bring her home after complications, it was a heart wrenching roller coaster of a waiting game. There were times they didn't know if Hope would ever come home.

Hope has been showered in prayer just as Evie has been the past 3+ years. It was so fun to see these two little girls, with their big sparkley eyes running around at our home church. God conquered mountains with his LOVE, goodness and promises to carry them through. I wish I could see how many prayers God has heard for both of them, and how many lives He has touched watching them grow! It is such a blessing to see Hope's family grow in their love for Jesus and kids all over the world through their adoption process.

This hit me during a week when I was questioning where God will take our fostering process, especially as I fall more in love with the little girl we have in our home. It was encouraging to see Hope and Evie and remember that God has a good plan, he never changes, and he knows what the next year, 5 years, and 50 years hold for us. Whether that means our foster daughter will stay here with us, or if he has other plans for her. He is good. I will think about Hope and Evie running around smiling when I get discouraged (:

I hope you are all having a blessed, God-filled holiday season! I will be back soon with holiday pics (:

Love you all, thanks for checking in on us (:
Lindsey

We did it!!

Hi Friends!!

 

We had a wonderful long weekend in New Orleans. It was surreal almost, after not traveling much for the first few years while Evie was sick. To be able to fly with no oxygen and travel without monitors was wildly normal (: We stayed pretty close to the hotel with our limited knowledge of New Orleans, but as long as the girls got to ride the trolley at least once a day they were satisfied.

 

The conference was amazing and really fun to be a part of. It was fun to walk the exhibition hall and see all of the latest pediatric innovations. One of my favorites was my free sample of "lice shield", you can never be too careful!! (: I had "faculty" on my name tag since I was speaking, so when I had offers to take samples back to my "patients" I got to explain that I was actually there as a mother and share a little bit of Evie everywhere I went. It's hard not to have a heart full of gratitude with such a glimmer of sunshine to share wherever I go!

 

Monday afternoon was my presentation. First in the program was a panel of medical geniuses; pediatricians with jobs in pharmaceuticals and research... a tough act to follow!! I was second, and shared Evie's story with a PowerPoint full of photos starting with her first hospitalization and ending with her walking on her 3rd birthday. Evie's geneticist followed with the medical/physician view of Evie's story. When we finished presenting, John, Lyla, and Evie came up with Dr. Lutz and I and we had a short Question and Answer. It was fun to hold the girls and answer questions from doctors who work on clinical trials, and had really good questions for parents. It was validating to both us and them as Evie is a beautiful example of the combined efforts of research, parental love, and God's provision.

 

What a journey we have been on. It is very emotional to retell Evie's first few years. When her disease was still life-threatening, every day had a tinge of fear. On the same note, I miss the days when I was on Heaven's doorstep every hour (sometimes more) asking for help. Begging for wisdom and discernment as we went through the whirlwind beginning of Evie's treatment. These past few years I have spent more time with my precious Savior than probably the previous 25 years combined. It is a joy and an honor to have a God who listens, responds, and loves me dearly. 

 

Here are some pics from our trip:

 

Evie getting her face painted (:

 Lyla holding a baby gator!

 Evie wasn't really into holding gators...

 kisses on the trolley after our presentation

the star of the show (:

BIG weekend!!

Hey Friends!!

After Evie's story was published in Spirit magazine, I got an email from a pediatrician in the pharmaceutical industry talking about Evie's story and asking if I had done any advocacy for her. At the time we were still recooperating from two years of hospital stays and doctors visits and I wasn't really sure where I would even start; then this past spring he asked if I would be willing to speak at the American Acaedemy of Pediatrics conference for his section, Advances in Therapeutics and Technology. Well, YEAH!!! Sign me up!

SO we are headed to New Orleans tomorrow, and Evie's geneticist and I are presenting "The Importance of Clinical Trials from a Parent's Perspective" on Monday!!!!! I couldn't be more excited to share Evie's story with pediatricians, researchers, people in the pharmaceutical industry, the FDA, etc. What an enormous honor for us to be included, and I am prayerful that Evie's story will encourage pediatricians and pharmaceutical companies to work together for the health of other kids. The research that has gone into Evie's medicine and treatment brings me to tears as it has sustained her life. I hope that I can show a glimmer of the gratitude that I feel in my heart as we have been given the gift of life by researchers who may never meet Evie, or other kids on the trial, in person.

Prayers are hugely appreciated as we travel with Lyla and Evie to New Orleans, make our way around a new place and enjoy some beautiful weather!! If my weather channel app is correct we are looking at 82 degrees and sunshine all weekend (: Sounds like a little piece of Heaven!

God is so good. My biggest prayer is that God's love and unchanging awesomeness will shine through our family as we share our experience, meet new people, and reflect on the past three years. That God will bless us, so that we can be a blessing to others.

Love you friends!! Can't wait to tell you how things went.
Lindsey

Photos!!

Evie's family birthday lunch!!!

 big girl at the zoo (:

 party at the nail salon!!

Evie and her buddy at the ice cream shop

Evie's new brace

THREE years of blessings...

Happy 3rd Birthday Evie Jayne!! (:

How do you put into words three years of God's ourpouring of love and hope! We are thriled to have shared the past three years with both of our girls, and watch them grow into amazing kids!!

Evie has had an EXCITING birthday month. Excitement here in the Elsaesser home can be good and bad. We'll start with the good. Evie had an amazing birthday week, filled with family lunch, the zoo, and a birthday party at the nail salon with a girlfriend from school (: Her walking is getting amazing!! Here is a video from the zoo:



Unfortunately Friday night after her birthday party she fell in our basement and was in a lot of pain. We went to the ER and they thought she may have just bruised it but we saw her Orthopedic Surgeon on Monday who confirmed that she has a fracture. He sent us over to the orthotics company that makes her AFO braces and they made her a fancy HKAFO (hip knee ankle foot orthotic) so she can still move around and keep exercising her leg. After a pretty miserable weekend it was great to have a solution that would help her get around. She was back to school Thursday and back to music class today.

So we have a new brace for the next three weeks before her next x-ray. Hopefully things will heal well and the brace will keep the fracture from getting worse. We feel super blessed to live in a city with so many pediatric specialists (:

I can't get my photos to upload, so Big Girl Birthday Photos will be coming soon.

Here's to many more years with our sweet Evie!!

Love you friends (:

Warning:

This post may cause tears and uncontrolled shouts of "Hallelujah!"

Hi Friends (:
After about a month of working on her skills...

EVIE IS WALKING!!!

There is nothing better for me right now than watching Evie take new strides! When Evie's physical therapist was wrapping up a few days before school started she took her first few independent steps, now she is walking independently across the room. She still crawls at times but is more consistently standing up to walk. It's slow and steady and she still uses her walker for long distances (and when she wants to go FAST - as she puts it).
I can't express in words how it feels for me to see Evie walk. Waiting for her to walk these past few years has humbled me and broken my heart (in a good way). It has caused me to stop hoping for the next thing and be content in the present.

I AM SO PROUD of our sweet girl and her determination. When our computer decides to cooperate I will post pictures of her FIRST day of swimming lessons yesterday.

and a big THANK YOU to Suzie from the park... who couldn't wait to meet Evie as she has been following our blog since the beginning. It was a good reminder for me that I need to get on here more often and share our JOY in the craziness of life!

and... we have another new family member! Our first foster placement went home after two months, and four days later we took our second placement. We are back to same-sex children and enjoying a bit of a slower pace (i have a new appreciation for mothers of boys!!!)

LOVE YOU FRIENDS! (:

Evie's life verse (capitals added by myself):

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
THEY WILL WALK and not faint.

It's the end of the world as we knew it!

Hi Friends...

It's official, we have joined the scores of people waking up early and driving their kids to Elementary School!  No more sleeping in until afternoon preschool. I'll be honest, I think I am more tired than the kids!

Lyla started Kindergarten this past Tuesday. I had a few weeks of intense prayer over her teacher and classmates and she is off to a good start. I am praising God that she likes it so much! She was very apprehensive about it this summer which made for a very apprehensive Mama, but she (and I) have survived our first week.

Evie on the other hand can't wait for me to get her walker out of the car so she can run inside and play with her friends. She started school on Tuesday morning with the intention of her going two days a week, Tuesday and Thursday. I took Lyla to school on Wednesday morning and while pulling back into the driveway heard a little voice from the back seat "No mommy! Evie's school! Go Evie's school!!" It was an intense negotiation but I got her inside the house. Many tears were shed. A few minutes later she was sitting on the living room floor, put her backpack back on and said nicely, "Evie's school please mommy? Please?" followed by big round hopeful eyes. It was her last ditch effort to see if I would take her to school if she asked nicely (: Needless to say we are going to try three days next week (: She uses her walker the whole time and can finally take some independent steps. I am really proud of her.

Lastly, and least importantly... mom. I did so good the first day, no tears, it was really fun to see the girls start a new chapter. It wasn't until last night that I finally had to cry out the fact that I just really miss Lyla during the day when she's gone. The three hours that Evie goes to school are do-able, but the 8 to 3 thing is really hard for me.

I'm praising God for the giant leaps both girls made this, and praying for restful weekend days, or "family days" as Lyla calls them (:

Love you friends!