Sweet Little Justus

Just some updated pictures of our Little Man. He is six weeks old and growing ... growing ... growing...

It is so sweet to watch him sleep in my arms. He smiles as he snoozes and I wonder what he must be thinking. He is very alert and loves to listen to his Daddy sing silly songs. He nurses better and better as each week progresses. He is a whopping 9 lbs. 10 oz. and ever growing. He continues to have little bouts of congestion, but we are told this is to be expected. His little heart is doing good, and he has not had any "blue baby" spells. (BIG YAY!!!)

Our Lord is so good to answer even the tiniest of prayer ... of which continues to assure me that our family is serving an ever present God.

My husband is being so thoughtful and kind to see that I get some rest - as the last several weeks have been a bit exhausting. I feel much better thanks to him.

I always feel compelled to illustrate my deepest desire when I make a post:

That is how truly thankful I am to Christ. He has comforted me in ways I could never convey to anyone else, because only He knows my thoughts, my heart and the things I struggle with. It is daily that I have experienced His provision in some intimate way. This is where my hope resides in everything: Justus' health, our family's needs, my children's salvation, etc. I cannot express all that Jesus does and provides for us. The fears that can often grip my spirit fade away as I hand them off to Christ in trade with the peace that He offers.

There I said it... and I hope it makes sense! :-)

Our Home

Everything is going well in our home. School is winding down. Chloe and Ellie are taking their roles as "Mama's helpers" to a new level. Phillip is enjoying his job. I am enjoying getting back into the swing of things. Justus is doing well. He is getting over his little cold and just seems a bit congested in the mornings and evenings. He is gaining weight and is even starting to outgrow some outfits. I am thankful for all the prayer on his behalf. I know God hears them and is answering. I am having a bit of an issue with what I think may be an ulcer. Every once in awhile I experience some horrible upper abdominal pain. I may need to go to the doctor to really get down to the bottom of it. I really don't enjoy going to the doctor's office. It will be interesting, nonetheless, to see what is going on with me.

I will continue to update all with our life's "goings ons." Have a beautiful day!

Justus Update

Justus had a cardiology appointment today. He had an EKG done as well as weight check and oxygen saturation levels checked. . . and everything looked great! What does that all mean? Well, an EKG measures the electrical output of your heart. This indicates how hard the heart is working which can also indicate if the heart may be getting bigger due to too much work. The heart is a muscle and the harder it works the bigger it may get - which is not good. Justus' heart is a little bigger on the right side, due to his heart defect. The doctors are looking for a rise in electrical output to indicate if it is getting larger - but today the EKG measured the same as last time - so that is GREAT! The weight check is an indicator at how Justus is thriving. If there isn't a significant weight gain then there may be a problem - but Justus weighed in at 9lbs 1oz. which is AWESOME! The oxygen saturation levels tells the doctors how rich in oxygen his blood is - 100 is the number most would come back with. Justus had a range set in the NICU for 75 - 90% due to his heart condition which allows some de-oxygenated blood to travel through his body, which in turn drops his sat. levels. If his sat. levels would show a big drop at a visit it would be a sign that his heart is working too hard to deliver oxygen to his organs. . . but. . . his levels were 94% today - which is TERRIFIC! He didn't have an echo cardiogram today, but will at his next visit - which just shows the docs. a picture of his heart and how the valves are holding up.

Justus had an excellent report today and can wait a whole month until his next cardiology appt. He is expected to undergo his open heart surgery within this year.

Right now, he is battling a bit of a cold. Perhaps if you think of it - you could pray that this cold would go away. We appreciate all the prayer and know Justus is doing well because of our Lord being in control. Justus is a sweet little blessing that we are so thankful for!

Cute Outfits Made by Amanda

Here are some pictures of some very adorable outfits that my dear friend Amanda (at Hand's Trust in Him blog) made for my girls. These outfits consist of pantaloons (sp??) a dress and belt. They are soooo cute! I love them. Amanda does a terrific job picking out fabrics that are very nice and hold up to washing/drying. The fabric is always beautiful and unique. She also does an outstanding job of sewing.

Thank you Amanda - for always giving of yourself and your time!