Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

Hello!  We're here, I promise :-)  So, I think I'd rather do a post on couponing, but my heart is heavy and I want to share with those who will pray.
First up....I've been experiencing pain in my tailbone since January (I thought it was my fabulous spin class).  It was determined that the pain is caused by a calcified uterine fibroid that is right there.  So, I'll be going in for a hysterectomy.  It will be done laproscopically so it should be "no big deal" (words you should never trust :-))

Next up...we have had some concerns about our Miss Lydia for a while (I referred her to ECI at 15 months).  Some of our concerns have become more pronounced especially now that she is in preschool.  We made an appointment with a developmental pediatrician to discuss our concerns and hear the words, "You're overreacting and children develop at their own pace."  He apparently didn't get the memo on what we came to hear :-)  He met with us, gathered feedback regarding everything from her birth to her current level.  He wanted to do an IQ test to gain some direction.  We were in the room and she responded to the questions in the same way she would have if Matt or I had administered it (I know some parents think, "They would have gotten all of that if I did it.")  We felt that it was a fair representation of her abilities.  The test determined that she has significant cognitive concerns/issues.  He also told us that she was not ready for kindergarten in the fall and that that would be very unfair to her.  He wrote a prescription for speech and occupational therapy evaluation and treatment.  He would like for her to go to each a few times a week.  Wow!! I think at times, we, as parents, have blinders on...in this case, I think it has allowed both Matt and I to just view her as "our Lydia".  She has always been her own little independent self.  We rejoice in her successes and really don't compare her to others.  With my education background, however, I do know what she "should" be doing.  My mama's heart held on to the hope that she would catch up.  The reality is that, while she has made great gains in her communication skills and such, she still has significant learning gaps.  I know some have said, "That can't be true...she doesn't look like there's anything wrong."  And that's right...she is a beautiful little girl who is sweet and precious and compensates with lots of hugs! :-) But trust us that this information fits (basically, don't ask me to list what my little girl "can't" do).  We know without a doubt that God has fearfully and wonderful made her and He placed her in our family.  We trust that he will give us continued wisdom and direction so that we can continue to expect great things from our precious girl.  So, there it is...

I am amazed that when God gives us what appears to be an insurmountable challenge, He also greatly blesses us.  When we lost our precious Levi, we were blessed abundantly through our loss.  In this instance, God has already blessed us with fantastic friends.  Please pray with us as we work with Lydia.  Today, I was working with her and grabbed a wooden spoon to point to things and told her I would be the teacher....she looked at me and said, "You're not a teacher...you're a mommy."  Praise God that I am Miss Lydia's mommy!!!

Meanwhile (I have to add something about Miss Lily :-))...Lily is doing great...she's getting so big  and crawling, pulling up, and saying "mama and dada".  She is a delight! Both girls adore each other!!