as Eve would say...

all done!! (:

Surgery went well yesterday, thanks for praying. After a long wait they wheeled Evie down the hall she waved goodbye to us with a smile on her face. She is so darn cute (:

Surgery was good and we follow up in 3-4 weeks to get fit for new braces and then she will wear her casts for another 2-3 weeks. She was very upset and uncomfortable when she woke up from surgery and gets upset when her pain meds start to wear off. It just plain hurts ):

We tried to catch up on sleep today... hopefully we can catch up on laundry and housework tomorrow...

When Eves doc saw her in preop he said "i don't think we're going to keep her down for long, i think she'll be walking soon." Pretty exciting for us (:

Surgery for...

Hi friends (:

this is why Evie is having surgery tomorrow... hopefully when
the cast comes off in 6 weeks she can stand on her right foot the way she stands on her left!

Say a special prayer in the morning as Eve can't eat after midnight... no juice after 9am... its going to be a long morning ):

I will try to post at the end of the day, love you guys!

Thank you!! and prayer requests...

Thank you all for the wonderful comments on Evie's birthday photos, we had such a fun few days celebrating her!

Also a big thanks to Blogger... we were the "blog of note" on Eves bday! It was a super fun present for us on her special day that we got to share her with so many people (:

I'm pretty sure that I posted earlier that Evie is having surgery on her right foot this Monday. They are going to lengthen her achilles again to straighten her foot out and allow her to flex it for walking. This is the same surgery she had in February on both feet, her right foot just needs to be done again. She will be casted up to her thigh for 6 weeks.

She woke up pretty congested this morning so we need some mega prayers that it clears up before Monday. I'm hoping its just from the change in weather and isn't croup. With her history they will cancel surgery if she's not all clear.

I'm pretty nervous about sending Evie into surgery again. I guess we just haven't done it in a while. There's nothing natural about people you don't know wheeling your child down the hallway away from you in a hospital bed. After surgery she is having a CT scan of her ear bones and a CT of her head. The ear CT will determine if her ear bones are put together right, and her head CT we will take to her plastic surgery appt the following Monday to see if we should fix the bump on top of her head. We ran into Evies neurosurgeon on her bday at the childrens museum and he said we should fix it sooner than later while the bone is still thin so we will see what the CT looks like.

Thanks for your prayers and for loving us (:
Lindsey

Evie's 2nd Birthday in Photos (:

Sunday birthday lunch after church at Valentinos buffet - Brownie cake! just starting to get the hang of the birthday thing...

musical cards are the best!

To our house to open gifts - Evie step stepping to Mr. Brian (yes, the one who takes the amazing photos)

group shot!

and off to the Children's museum! just looking beautiful (:

coloring... after the girls painted their own faces (:

who's more excited about the fun car!?

we could have sat on the floor in the ball room for hours

And today, the 19th - at the zoo. All of the birthday pancake photos ended up on my phone :(

the highlight of the zoo this time was the giraffes!

Eve and mom tied together, the usual (:

rarrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!

Evie loves cake... and her dad!

I'm 2! (thats one on each hand) (:

sharing!

sisters....what? we're not supposed to rub our hands together with our cake!?

but it's hilarious!!!!

Happy 2nd Birthday Evie Jayne! (:

September 19th, take 3...

Dearest Eve,

Happy Second Birthday! I cannot express in words what these two years have meant to me, but I'm going to give it a try. Your dad and I were talking last night about what we were doing September 18th, 2009. Getting ready for bed in the hospital, going to attempt a good nights sleep. You were born at 6:37pm on Saturday September 19th after seven minutes of pushing. I got to see you sweet face for the first time. It was at that moment I truly knew what a sacrifice it would be to give you back. Oh how I loved you immediately. I have been learning scripture since I was a little munchkin myself, and I know (in my head) that everything belongs to God. He made it all, and we are lovely, because we are loved. But oh how I wanted you to belong to me forever. That first night you struggled to breathe. I looked at your dad at one point and said "How much longer do you think she can breathe like this?" and we cried. And we cried. Then we cried some more. The nurses eventually came in and told us we had to sleep and they held you under the condition that if anything out of the norm should happen, I mean ANYTHING, they would bring you back and wake us up immediately. A few hours later when we saw you again you were beaming. I knew in my heart at that point that you were going to make it.

September 19th, 2010 was a day of sharing you with friends and family. We arranged your first birthday bash with meticulous planning. We wanted all of your friends, family, and loyal fans to be able to come see you in our home! You woke up sick and it was a little hectic of a day for all of us. We had to sit you in a bumbo chair to take your first birthday picture because you still weren't able to sit up on your own. It was in that chair that you took your first big bite of birthday cake and shared in my sugar addiction. Ohhhh it was good (: I longed so badly to see you without oxygen those 17 months that you were hooked up 24-7 and felt a little robbed of the joy of looking at your unhindered face. But, look where we are now. You needed it, you lived with it, and taught me to endure trials with grace. For "you know that the testing of your faith develops perserverence. Let perserverence finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." You figured out that one way before I did (:


And September 19th, 2011. Today. What can I say... you light up my life. I could have sang you Happy Birthday 100 times today just to watch your face light up as you bounced up and down and clapped. I think I made it to about 35 songs (: You have taught me what pure JOY is. It's not rushing through life to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible while trying to acquire as much as possible inbetween. You got a card today from Miss Kelli at the pharmacy where we get your prescriptions. Why? Because you engage people, you smile and say hi to a perfect stranger. I think there is a depth in your eyes that has developed from two years of medical hardship and softened your heart, not to mention your mother's soul. I am so blessed to be your mom that I almost feel bad for people who don't get to know you in some way. It has been really fun to write about you so people around the world can have a glimpse of the joy I get to have every day. You have your dads sense of humor which is just so darn funny. Thanks for loving me, Eve. I couldn't ask for more.

You have come so far in this past year physically, mentally, emotionally, relationally. Taking you to the doctor has become a fun time to show everyone how much you have changed. Keep going girl, you know what it takes and I'll be right here cheering you on (:

Love, Mom.

Awe

Hi friends (:

Excuse my punctuation, I'm attempting to blog from my phone again (:

I have been pretty reflective going into this weekend. Whenever the topic of Evies birthday is mentioned it is either followed by a statement of wonder from someone who knows her story, or a brief moment of awe from myself if I mention it to someone who hasn't met her, as I wish I could sum up the joy that she is and the significance of a second year of living.

I started a new womens Bible study on Tuesday and during our video session the speaker quoted a man who had said "awe preceeds faith." Meaning a period of awe typically results in a leap of faith.

What a good way to sum up the past two years. I have continually been in awe at Gods goodness and provision in hard times and my faith in His sovereignty has solidified.

I can't wait to send the next two days in awe of the blessings we have been given! When Evie laughs there is an inevitable leap in my faith every time.

Pictures to come, we're bringing out the good camera for this one!!!!! Happy birthday eve eve, Evie Jayne!! (:

Love you friends.

Evie's first gig...!

Hi Friends (:

Well okay, Evie doesn't have a "gig" yet... but she starts music class today! For one of her birthday presents she is starting a kids music class. We have a demo class to make sure she likes it, and she'll start weekly classes on Friday if she does. When Lyla was little we did a play and music class so I'm really excited to start music with Eve! My sister had pandora radio on yesterday at my parent's pool and Evie managed to twirl around while sitting on her bum (: Hopefully it will be fun for her!

Her pulmonology appointment on Tuesday went fantastic, her doc was happy to see her and her lungs sound great. I used to dread pulmonology appointments because for months she stayed the same and we just had to wait for her lungs to get bigger so we could take her oxygen off. That long 17 months of continuous oxygen was SO worth it... I can say that now that I don't have to carry a tank around everywhere we go (:

Countdown: 1 week until Evie's birthday! We are going to have a small family party on Sunday after church and on her actual birthday we are going to take the girls and their cousin to either the zoo, bounce u, or something equivalent. We are still tired from her first birthday party (ha!) so we're going small this year. I have actually been pretty emotional about this one. Last year she was getting sick right around the time of her party and we made so many preparations I didn't have time to cry... this year has been a fall of reflecting and being thankful, and just enjoying Eve... and I DO apparently have time to cry just thinking about it! (:

Countdown: 2 weeks until Evie's surgery on her right foot. The first surgery on both feet took the doctor about 25 minutes so I'm sure this one will be quick also. I'm not as worried about the surgery as I am about the recovery... 6 weeks in a full leg cast is not going to be Evie's idea of fun. In February when she had both legs casted she was just crawling, so she could still get around with the casts on, but now that she's up, down and climbing everywhere I'm thinking it will get in her way. Sigh. It's just 6 weeks, we can do it!

I have a few adorable pics of Evie tailgating for her favorite college football team, the Huskers of course! I am working on getting them from my phone to the computer... technical difficulties (: Hopefully I will have it up soon!

Love you friends! Thanks again for the incoming emails and comments on Evie's article. SO fun to share her life.

the distinctly named...

Hi Friends!

Wow, what a fun weekend with Evie's article coming out. The girls and I took the "distinctly named" Dr. Bonebrake his very own copy last Thursday, and it was so incredibly great to see him. We had a good laugh about the "distinctly named" line in the article, we know him so well now his name seemed less and less weird over time I guess (: I forgot how closely we got to know him during the months before Evie's birth. We saw him at least every 3 weeks for about 7 months... more than I see some family members! He was absolutely thrilled to see Evie doing so well, pulling herself up on the chairs in the waiting room and cruising from one piece of furniture to the next. At one point he leaned down to talk to her and said "Wow, I never thought I'd see those big blue eyes in here." Brings me to tears just thinking about it. Omaha is truly blessed to have such a wonderful physician to take loving care of unborn babies like Evie and their families. God was really taking care of us when we were sent to his office.

Thank you all for the wonderful comments and emails, it has been fun reading through them. It is amazing to have so many people care about Evie. I got an email from a mom whose daughter had a rare form of bone tumors and could have lost her legs. She had major surgery, her legs were saved, and she is now a Division I Collegiate Swimmer and captain of her team. It's easy for me to worry about Evie's future if I let myself look ahead too far. School, activities, friends, all of the unknowns that come with being a little different. It was a blessing for me to read about an older child who has persevered through such a huge trial with success.

Lyla's first day of preschool was fantastic, she is such a great kid. Sometimes I worry that she's a little too much like her mom, but I think she's going to make it (:

We have had so many house showings lately, your continued prayers are appreciated! My vacuum would like a break and so would my kids, being out of the house for a whole day can take a toll on our schedule but it will hopefully be worth it. I am looking forward to whatever God has in store for us next.

Love you guys! Thanks for loving us and checking in (: We get to see Evie's pulmonologist on Tuesday, she has been doing great so it should be a breeze.

Evie's National Debut!!

Hi Friends (:

I am so overwhelmed with JOY and excitement to tell you that Evie's story comes out TODAY in Spirit Magazine, the Southwest Airlines in flight magazine across the nation! Yes, Evie will be tucked into the back of airplane seats across the USA.

You can read the article online here: http://spiritmag.com/features/article/holding_onto_hope/
at the bottom of the article you can click "read complete article" and it will show you the exact thing that was printed in the magazine. How do you get a magazine... fly southwest?? We have a few copies that we're distributing to Evie's doctors and family (:

A BIG SPECIAL THANKS to Brian and Sara, who worked so hard to take the photos and write the article. They spent hours and hours caring about us enough to put this wonderful story together. Love you guys!

And love you friends! Enjoy!!

Isaiah 40:28-31
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
He gives power to the weak
and strength to the powerless.
Even youths will become weak and tired,
and young men will fall in exhaustion.
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.