Medial Rectus Recession - May 12th

Medical update on our girl, Adiel:

Kirk and I took Adi to the Spokane eye specialist this past week to get an updated assessment of Adi's eyes. Dr. Snow is fantastic at what he does and after an in-depth exam, he said that in addition to ptosis, our girl has Duane's Syndrome, which is a type of Strabismus in her left eye. In simple language, it means that her left eye is unable to turn outward due to a stiff muscle connected to her eyeball. This is a result of a missing nerve. Experts are unsure of why this happens. 90% of the cases are congenital (present at birth), more girls than boys have Duane's Syndrome, and the majority of times, the left eye is the one affected.

Adiel has begun favoring her right eye so much that she lines this "good" eye up with what she's looking at, which makes her head tilted to the side. If we were to not move ahead with surgery, it is very likely that at some point, her brain would completely stop sending signals to her left eye, which would result in permanent blindness in that eye. So, the doctor recommended surgery as soon as possible.

Miss Adi is scheduled to have this surgery (Medial Rectus Recession) on Tuesday, May 12th, in the early morning. Naturally, we are concerned, but know there's a bigger plan in place. Let's pray for complete healing (that would be awesome and totally something Jesus is capable of!). If this isn't His will, prayer that the doctor would have wisdom and steady hands as he operates on her eye and that the surgery goes smoothly. He'll be cutting the muscle on the side, inner left eyeball and moving it back, thus freeing up the other muscle which will allow more eyeball movement outward. Amazing this technology is even available, isn't it? What a blessing!

We know that Adiel is God's child and that He loves her way more than we do. We trust Him completely with her. It's amazing to look at how much she has gone through in her short 6 months of life. With it all, God has shown Himself faithful and true. She is a joy and a beautiful little girl!

Thank you for your prayers and love!

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you. - Deuteronomy 31:6

Happy Easter!

Jesus' Love for You ~ An Easter Poem

Easter bunny and eggs aside,

May the true meaning of this day not be lost.

Jesus is risen, though He died,

He loves you and expressed it on the cross.

His blood was shed so that I may live,

The price of sin needed to be paid.

My transgressions He wanted to forgive,

The greatest act of love, He displayed.

Today, Jesus rose and conquered death,

Our tomorrow can be guaranteed.

Accepting His gift of life, gives our souls rest,

Knowing Jesus loves us and He's the One we all need!

March Date

After a long day, week, and month at work (March and November are the busiest times at Banker's Life and Casualty), Kirk was pooped, but was still game for a date.

Mom and Dad had "Marmey/Papa" time with Adiel while we had dinner. This photo was taken before heading out. Thanks, Dad!

Singing Praises!

When we first moved to Pasco last year and began attending Calvary Chapel, Kirk and I had known the Lord personally for just under a year. I was so excited to serve in any way I could think of! After one of the first services we attended, I went up to our worship leader and asked him if I may audition for the worship team. He was very kind, but shared with me that before being in a leadership capacity like that, we would need to wait a year. At first I didn't understand this, but now, I see the wisdom in it.

Many of you know that music was a huge part of my life up until about three years ago, was a Music major in college, etc. From the age of 10, my primary goal in life was to do musical theater on Broadway. Before heading off to New York, I moved to Portland to gain professional experience. During this time, the Holy Spirit really began working on my heart. I did a few paid shows but suddenly, after 13+ years of loving musical theater, I found NO joy in it. It's as though the light switch was flicked off. What I didn't realize at the time was that in that darkness, the Light would begin to shine.

Long story (testimony) short, I fell into a deep, deep depression, stopped auditioning, lost all sense of who I was, and truly felt as though I had no purpose here on earth. And, music and the relationships I had with that "life" were at the center of it all.

After speaking with our worship leader a year ago and realizing there was still to much of me in my singing, I prayed to the Lord and asked Him to 1) take my voice away completely if I couldn't use it to glorify Him or 2) to please give me peace about never singing in front of anyone again. If Jesus wanted me to sing for Him in a public setting, I asked Him to prompt our worship leader to come speak to me. I vowed to never bring the subject up again, and I didn't.

Well, the Lord didn't answer the first prayer. He did give me peace on the second, however. And, once that peace was in place, our worship leader came up to me (about a month ago) and asked when I wanted to come sing for him! Completely out of the blue - A direct answer to my prayer.

On Tuesday, I auditioned for the worship team and was asked to help serve in this ministry. Amazing grace. "My grace ['unmerited favor'] is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness" - 2 Cor 12:9 This verse has been on my heart all week.

My consistent prayer is that my singing now pleases Jesus and that I may serve Him and others with this gift.

Lots of words to say, I'm singing praises to the God of the universe, Jesus Christ, Who loves us all (John 3:16) ... enough to die for all our sins and rise again so that we may come into a personal relationship with the only living God and eventually, live in perfect fellowship with Him forever! On top of this awesome gift, He makes this life worth living, gives us a very specific purpose, and works all things together for good for those who love Him and are called, according to His purpose (Rom 8:28)! Wow.

When I got home from the audition and opened our Yahoo homepage, this was the Verse of the Day:

It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp. For you make me glad by your deeds, O Lord; I sing for joy at the works of your hands. How great are your works, O Lord, how profound your thoughts! The senseless man does not know, fools do not understand, that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be forever destroyed. But you, O Lord, are exalted forever. - Psalm 92:1-8 NIV

March 22, 2009 - Happy 5th Month Birthday, Adiel!

The past five months have just flown by! We can still remember holding Adi just moments after she was born and thinking how petite she was. Now, she is in the 95 percentile for length, babbling, laughing, and doing some things that, as first-time parents, amaze us!

For example, after church today, Adiel was ready for lunch. After a few ounces, we paused for a burp break. I sat her down on my lap, facing me, and before I knew it she was reaching toward my shoulder for the burp cloth. Not only did she pull it off my shoulder, but she brought it to her mouth, burped, and held the cloth there to catch the spit up. Fancy coordination goin' on! If nothing else, she's a tidy baby.

During this momentous occasion (well, it was for us), Kirk's creative juices were a-flowin'! He was inspired to write a little ditty, using the hook from "She's a Lady" by Tom Jones. I think it's quite cute, so here it is for you to enjoy, as well. For our sweet girl, Adiel, turning 5 months today:

She's got style, she's got grace

She's got vomit on her face,

She's a Lady.

She's got sweaty little tootsies,

And a diaper full of poopsies,

She's a Lady.

All she does is flash a smile,

And Daddy's day is made worthwhile,

She's a Lady.

When she lets loose a burp,

People see me as the "perp",

She's a Lady.

When she cries for what she needs,

People with hearing start to plead,

She's a Lady.

With a sparkle in her eye,

She brings tears to Daddy's eyes,

She's a Lady,

She's My Adi.

"I Love My Uncle and Daddy!"

Here are a few shots taken while my brother, Jimmy, visited in late January. What a great uncle he is! Adi really connected with Jim. At this point, Adiel was 3 months old (my, how she's grown since then!). A couple precious ones in here with her sweet daddy, too.

CAT Scan Photos

Interesting observation by my dad: Notice how the sutures form a cross. And, in Colossians it states:

For by Him (Jesus) all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross. ~ Colossians 1:16-20

A couple weeks ago, Adiel had a CAT scan done to rule out 'craniostenosis' - a condition that would prevent her skull from growing (due to sutures being sealed shut). Her pediatrician and opthalmologist both thought, after feeling her head, that she may have this, so they recommended we rule it out with the scan.

Jesus is so good and our prayers were answered. Adi is just fine, and as you can see in some of these pictures (taken at four months of age), her sutures are open and will allow for lots of growth. Amazing technology!

And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9