I'm FINALLY on Etsy!!!

So this has been a long time coming - but I finally did it. I'm on etsy.com. Please check it out and tell your friends!

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade ETCCards.etsy.com

Home from the ED

Well - we had to take E to the doctor today because her stitches weren't healing like I thought they should be. I called the doctor on call last night becuase I was a little nervous about the way her incision looked, and they told me to call Dr. Rice's office in the morning and they would probably want to see Eden. So I called first thing in the morning and they told me to go the the ER... I was bummed - knowing that most trips to the ER turn in to all day events. Since it wasn't an emergency, I took our time, let E get a good morning nap and mom got in a good morning run (my mom that is - not me!) Then we headed off to Duke. The Lord was so gracious to us becuase when we got there, we didnt have to wait and the doctor that saw us ran in to Dr. Rice in the hallway and he actually got to come and see us in the ED (this usually does NOT happen in the ED!!!) He said Eden looked great, but that he thought the incision looked a little infected so her started her on some antibiotics. I was so glad that he was the one who got to see Eden - it made me feel so much better about going - though he said he was mad that his office told me to go to the ED because he could have seen us in the office. So we follow up again in his office next week (one of 5 appointments next week!)

Besides the little scare with the infection - E is doing great. She is such a trooper (have I said that already). I am just amazed at how well she is doing and how she is such a happy baby considering all she's been through. We go back to Duke on Friday for her ear tubes and ABR tests (hearing tests). We'll know then if she has hearing loss and if so - what degree. We'll keep you all posted on how that goes.





On another note (I need to post more on things other than the medical stuff!) - I am about to open an online shop to sell my handmade cards. I have wanted to do this for more than a year now but had not found an avenue to do so. I found out about this website called etsy.com and have fallen in love! My sister is helping me with a logo and this week mom and I have had the craft table all set up and I've taken advandage of her help with E to have time to make cards. I'm almost ready to "open shop". I will definately let you all know when its offically open... but here is a preview!

Josh, Handcuffed???

So today, Josh and I were going through stuff to sell at a yard sale. Josh was getting a little nastolgic with me and going through some old toys. He was so excited that he found his handcuffs, but only to realize a few minutes after putting them on that he did not have the key. I laughed so hard that my stomach still hurts. And I've caught myself laughing a few times today just thinking about it. Josh has been walking around the apartment all afternoon with handcuffs on his arm!!!! Right now he's on his way to the police department to see if they can get them off for him. Well - I dont mean to make fun out of my husbands misfortune (even though he does of mine every day)... but this story was worth sharing - and deep down, I know he too finds it funny. 

We're HOME! Eden made it home in less than 24 hours from her surgery! Dr. Rice said she did great and she is recovering far better than we expected. You'd never know she just had surgery. My sweet baby is such a trooper. Please continue to pray for her as her body heals - the next few days will probably be uncomfortable for her as her incisions heal. Thank you all so much for praying for us!!!!!! I'll post pictures after we get a bath and clean her up a bit!

Josh, Steph, and Eden

Just wanted to update quickly. Eden's surgery went well this morning. We've finally gotten settle into her room here at Duke. Hopefully we'll only be here one night. She is still quite groggy from all the anethesia, but has been taking it like a champ. She's one brave little girl and I'm so proud of her. Thanks for praying for us today!

I've finally gotten settled back home from our trip to TN and thought I'd update real quick before our busy week ahead. I got quite a few "complaints" while I was home that I don't update often enough - so I'll try and post more often... :)

Eden has been doing great. She has started physical therapy and feeding therapy. We love both of the therapists which is great. During her first PT session, Eden reached out for a toy!!!!!! I cried..... And then all week while we were in TN she was very interested in reaching for toy, braclets, THE BOTTLE! - anything! It brings joy to my heart to see her do things like this. I never realized how excited I would get over these sweet milestones. Eden seemed to have wonderful trip - this trip seemed much easier for her and she seemed to be much more relaxed. I was so glad to get to see everyone we did... we packed alot into just a few short days, but all was well worth it.

We hung out with Aunt Jessica on Wednesday...



On Thrusday, we got to see Alison and her boys Owen and Issac



and then off to see Kristen (with Miley) and Marcie (with Hudson)...



Next was Friday at the Carrolls to see the WHOLE fam...









and went to Ben and Brittany's wedding...



Saturday Grandma and Papa (Eden's great-grandparents) came by... as well as Aunt Linda and Uncle Wayne









And then of course - Gigi and ?? (I still dont think dad has decided on a name)





Please pray for Eden the next few weeks as you think of her. On Thursday this week (6/5), she is having surgery on her digestive tract to correct a birth defect. This has been making her very constipated and uncomfortable. Please pray for wisdom for the doctors as they perform her surgery and also for her healing, that it would be smooth as as comfortable as possible. Please also pray that Josh and I would be able to trust the Lord with our little one, yet again - knowing that His plan is greater than ours. Next Tuesday, Eden will be having a swallow study done as well to look at her upper digestive tract. We are hoping that this will shed some light on why she is not feeding so well. This has become a huge source of frustration for both Josh and I (getting her to eat that is). So please pray that she will begin to eat well and continue to grow. Then...... on Friday next week (6/13) she will be having tubes placed in her ears. The hopes with this is to drain any fluid that may be behind her ears causing her hearing loss. She will also have a hearing test done while she is under anesthesia. We will know then what degree (if any) of hearing loss she has.

As you can see, we've got a busy few days ahead of us. We will keep you posted on how Eden is doing.

I thought I'd take the chance to update while Eden is napping. It seems that alot has been going on lately, but I havent had the chance to post.



First - Eden is doing well.... Seems we've been at some doctor at least once a week for the past few weeks. We are having some difficulty getting her to eat and gain weight. The little peanut just wants to laugh and giggle through her feedings and it is becoming such a battle to get her to eat. We are going to start some feeding therapy soon to hopefully get her to eat better and get some more calories in her. She is still not opening her hands as the doctors expect her to at this point, so we are starting physical/play therapy in a few weeks as well. We went to the geneticist at Duke this past week so see if they could put all these little "quirks" together to figure out if there is something connecting all of them. Dr. Weschler was so great in explaining everything to me and why there were some concerns. After examining Eden, she immediately thought of one genetic disorder that she thought it could be, but turns out we had already done a chromosome study back in January and that disorder had been tested for and had been negative. She said that was good news that it was not what she was thinking, but that takes her back to square one in trying to figure this out. She is going to rack her brain and take Eden's case to the other genetic doctors at Duke to see if anyone else has any insight. In many ways it is important for us to know what is going on with Eden in this sense, but I must keep in my mind focused on the Lord and that He has created her in His Image and that His plans for her are good. I know that He has given her to us and she is such a joy and blessing to us. I can't imagine life without her and can't imagine her any other way that the way she is, quirks and all. I know that the Lord takes us through trials in order to show us more about Himself. At times I feel like I can't take any more, and it is in those moments God supplies me with exactly the strength I need. A sweet woman at our church gave me some wise advise a few weeks ago - don't worry about the future and the things that might be - God hasn't called you to cross those battles yet. He will give you the strength you need to cross the battles he gives you today. Tomorrow, He will supply you with all you need for those battles. So this is what I am trying to rely on... the manna He gives me today for whatever today brings.

Sorry that was so long - blogging is also sometimes my way of journaling and getting things out and into words - its very therapeutic for me:) On another note, we took the plunge and are trying out cloth diapering. I got my first shipment this week and started Eden in them last night. I have a few friends that have talked so much about cloth that I finally thought I'd give it a shot too. They are quite large thought and make her "bottom half" look huge:) I might actually get to go up a size in clothes just for the diapers! That's fine by me since Eden's still be wearing 0-3months!




I found this picture when I was downloading pictures... so I found out what Josh and Eden do all day when I'm at work:)



This picture was so sweet:) Eden and I were playing on her little quilt. I put her on her stomach to play and then I went in the other room - when I came back, she was up on her side, sound asleep. It was so precious, I had to take a picture. I didn't have the heart to wake her up to put her in her crib. So I let her take her morning nap in the middle of the floor. Surprisingly, she slept for 2 hours:)

I also wanted to give a shout out to my nephew today on his birthday... Happy 3rd Birthday Cameron!