Monday, November 26, 2012
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Happy 4th Birthday, Lilah Hope!
Before I begin to tell you what this miracle has done in the last 4 years, I want to give you a visual of what she did at her birthday celebration at school.
Helped pass out the cups
Prayed before the meal
Oh yes, my girl LOVES Justin Bieber and can sing "Baby"from start to finish
Ate fish sticks
Drank her milk
Made everyone laugh
Laughed and smiled with her friends
And went to the book area and "read" herself a few books
4 years ago today my surprise miracle baby was born. Just a few hours into her sweet life, the specialist came in to examine her eyes. Holding down my innocent infant as her eyes were pronged open, hearing her screams...was not the way I anticipated her life to begin. When the doctor stood up and began to tell me that not only was my child born blind, but that even after multiple corneal transplants and countless other surgeries, "at best" all we could hope for was "one eye" for her to "maybe" see with.
Hope....
That was her middle name long before I knew whether she was a boy or a girl.
Hope...
That is what I have CLUNG to with all of my might these last 4 years.
HOPE...
is what I never gave up on as I prayed and prayed that God would send a miracle.
Hope....
is what I have been given in Lilah.
4 years later, multiple tests, and therapies too many to count....
Lilah is a WALKING, TALKING, and yes...SEEING miracle.
I cannot begin to tell you how grateful I am for her:
*For her beauty. Outward, but more importantly her genuine LOVE of all people
*For her determination and strength
* For her personality that sends me into full belly laughter each day
*For the teacher she is to all
*For the gift she is
*For the MIRACLE God has done in her. To date, Lilah has never had a transplant on her eyes. She has had one Strabismus surgery to straighten her right eye. THIS fact is only explained by the GRACE of God. Lilah sees more today than was ever promised by this world.
* For the days I wept never knowing if she would see, how I would teach her, help her, how I would fight for her, after results of tests came in with more rare "diagnosis", for the pain that made me DIG DEEP inside and find the fighter I am....for myself, for my family, for my friends.... for HER.
Lilah,
I sit here with tears welling in my eyes at the gratitude I have for you in my life. You are a true example of love, compassion, determination, perseverance, and JOY. I am so very proud of you. I am so honored to be YOUR Mother. I am so blessed by what you teach me, and others, on a daily basis.
I will fight for you all the days of my life. I will be eternally grateful for what you have taught me. Thank you for the most incredible 4 years.
I love you Lilah Bird!
Mommy
4 years ago today my surprise miracle baby was born. Just a few hours into her sweet life, the specialist came in to examine her eyes. Holding down my innocent infant as her eyes were pronged open, hearing her screams...was not the way I anticipated her life to begin. When the doctor stood up and began to tell me that not only was my child born blind, but that even after multiple corneal transplants and countless other surgeries, "at best" all we could hope for was "one eye" for her to "maybe" see with.
Hope....
That was her middle name long before I knew whether she was a boy or a girl.
Hope...
That is what I have CLUNG to with all of my might these last 4 years.
HOPE...
is what I never gave up on as I prayed and prayed that God would send a miracle.
Hope....
is what I have been given in Lilah.
4 years later, multiple tests, and therapies too many to count....
Lilah is a WALKING, TALKING, and yes...SEEING miracle.
I cannot begin to tell you how grateful I am for her:
*For her beauty. Outward, but more importantly her genuine LOVE of all people
*For her determination and strength
* For her personality that sends me into full belly laughter each day
*For the teacher she is to all
*For the gift she is
*For the MIRACLE God has done in her. To date, Lilah has never had a transplant on her eyes. She has had one Strabismus surgery to straighten her right eye. THIS fact is only explained by the GRACE of God. Lilah sees more today than was ever promised by this world.
* For the days I wept never knowing if she would see, how I would teach her, help her, how I would fight for her, after results of tests came in with more rare "diagnosis", for the pain that made me DIG DEEP inside and find the fighter I am....for myself, for my family, for my friends.... for HER.
I sit here with tears welling in my eyes at the gratitude I have for you in my life. You are a true example of love, compassion, determination, perseverance, and JOY. I am so very proud of you. I am so honored to be YOUR Mother. I am so blessed by what you teach me, and others, on a daily basis.
I will fight for you all the days of my life. I will be eternally grateful for what you have taught me. Thank you for the most incredible 4 years.
I love you Lilah Bird!
Mommy
Happy 4th Birthday, Lilah!
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Thankful
Today I am thankful for vision.
For it was never promised. It was only "hoped" for.
I am thankful for the things my Lilah CAN see. I am thankful for the things she CAN do.
A few weeks ago at a birthday party, Lilah saw what she wanted. So, I laid down on the grass with my camera and captured her in action.
She saw exactly what she wanted.
Unassisted she walked. Determined to get on the swing.
And she did.
The next image I captured is one of my favorites.
Lilah is loved by so many. Ashley is one of the many. Ashley is a blessing to me. She has a heart of gold. I am thankful for her love and devotion to my sweet Lilah.
For it was never promised. It was only "hoped" for.
I am thankful for the things my Lilah CAN see. I am thankful for the things she CAN do.
A few weeks ago at a birthday party, Lilah saw what she wanted. So, I laid down on the grass with my camera and captured her in action.
The next image I captured is one of my favorites.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Perception...
Yesterday I took a picture with my phone to try to help others understand what Lilah sees.
I get the same question almost daily:
"What can she see?"
Well, Lilah is an emerging speaker who is daily developing her speech. So, I don't know exactly..yet. She cannot tell me the answer to that from her eyes. Not yet.
But, I can watch her eyes, see how she pulls items in to her face and examines them. I have also paid close attention when doctors or anyone with knowledge about the eyes begins to speak. I want to know what my girl sees and how this life is processed for her.
This is what I came up with...
Now, her vision could be better or worse than this image.
But, I think this helps give a bigger understanding as to how Lilah views this world with her eyes.
Now, as soon as I typed that the memories came flooding back to me of posts almost 4 years ago when I wept at my child being born blind. At what the doctors said. At the prognosis. At the thought of transplants. At how MAD I was with God for "doing this" to my child.
Boy, haven't "I" changed?!
I am not mad, at all, with God. I am actually quite emotional on a daily basis about my miracle. I post and post and post on Facebook about all the things my sweet girl does. I am utterly PROUD of the woman she is. And she isn't even 4...yet ( this Sunday!)
Lilah has never had a transplant. Lilah is growing and learning each day. Lilah's smile, her laughter, her joy radiates from her and she makes each and every one of us a better person. God has given me a gift. God has given me this exceptional child to help change our world.
Lilah is always happy. Ever joyful. Dancing. Singing. Loving.
Don't you think, even just for a minute, that maybe SHE is the lucky one? Her limited vision makes her other senses greater. She smells better, listens more carefully, feels with more precision. She loves deeply...everyone she encounters.
She is more Christ-like than most of us have ever hoped to be. And the "ah ha" moment just went off... didn't it?! That is how we are suppose to be to each other...
"listen more, love deeper..."
Thank you, God, for blessing ME with better "vision" through Lilah.
I get the same question almost daily:
"What can she see?"
Well, Lilah is an emerging speaker who is daily developing her speech. So, I don't know exactly..yet. She cannot tell me the answer to that from her eyes. Not yet.
But, I can watch her eyes, see how she pulls items in to her face and examines them. I have also paid close attention when doctors or anyone with knowledge about the eyes begins to speak. I want to know what my girl sees and how this life is processed for her.
This is what I came up with...
But, I think this helps give a bigger understanding as to how Lilah views this world with her eyes.
Now, as soon as I typed that the memories came flooding back to me of posts almost 4 years ago when I wept at my child being born blind. At what the doctors said. At the prognosis. At the thought of transplants. At how MAD I was with God for "doing this" to my child.
Boy, haven't "I" changed?!
I am not mad, at all, with God. I am actually quite emotional on a daily basis about my miracle. I post and post and post on Facebook about all the things my sweet girl does. I am utterly PROUD of the woman she is. And she isn't even 4...yet ( this Sunday!)
Lilah has never had a transplant. Lilah is growing and learning each day. Lilah's smile, her laughter, her joy radiates from her and she makes each and every one of us a better person. God has given me a gift. God has given me this exceptional child to help change our world.
Lilah is always happy. Ever joyful. Dancing. Singing. Loving.
Don't you think, even just for a minute, that maybe SHE is the lucky one? Her limited vision makes her other senses greater. She smells better, listens more carefully, feels with more precision. She loves deeply...everyone she encounters.
She is more Christ-like than most of us have ever hoped to be. And the "ah ha" moment just went off... didn't it?! That is how we are suppose to be to each other...
"listen more, love deeper..."
Thank you, God, for blessing ME with better "vision" through Lilah.
Monday, November 19, 2012
Lilah singing the ENTIRE ABCs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EaV-f-gH_c&list=HL1353334864&feature=mh_lolz
I cannot begin to say thank you enough. To all of her past and present TEAM members. Thank you to all who have prayed and continue to pray for her. Thank you for those that put their time and effort into helping, loving, and supporting her. Thank you, God, for THIS gift!
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Twinkle, Twinkle...
...is incredibly beautiful when coming out of the mouth of a child who wants nothing more than to communicate with you
Do you see and hear the effort it takes for her to sing each "word?"
Lilah Hope has taught me so much about pushing HARD, paying attention, listening and NEVER giving up.
How can you NOT want to fight hard for yourself and those you love( and love you back) when you watch her FIGHT to do tasks (talk,walk, speak, listen, understand, eat) that we take SO for granted?
I am utterly grateful that God sent her to guide and lead us all. She is such a blessing!
And if you caught that first part...
HUGE Congratulations to my sister, Allison, her husband Christian, and their son, CJ as they welcomed a baby girl into their family EARLY this morning. (I really wish New England was closer to GA.) We love you guys and are SO excited to meet her!
Do you see and hear the effort it takes for her to sing each "word?"
Lilah Hope has taught me so much about pushing HARD, paying attention, listening and NEVER giving up.
How can you NOT want to fight hard for yourself and those you love( and love you back) when you watch her FIGHT to do tasks (talk,walk, speak, listen, understand, eat) that we take SO for granted?
I am utterly grateful that God sent her to guide and lead us all. She is such a blessing!
And if you caught that first part...
HUGE Congratulations to my sister, Allison, her husband Christian, and their son, CJ as they welcomed a baby girl into their family EARLY this morning. (I really wish New England was closer to GA.) We love you guys and are SO excited to meet her!
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