It's a Wonderful Life

We feel like George Bailey.

We've been home two full days now, and it's been nice. It's good to be home. Saturday night after discharge we had a wonderful surprise: dear, sweet friends of ours drove clear across town with armfuls of gifts for our girls. Just showed up on the doorstep, gave hugs, kisses and well wishes. We are truly blessed beyond our comprehension. Sunday Daddy went out in the crowds and finished Christmas shopping for our little lambs, while Annalise helped me take care of sister. We all climbed onto my bed and we talked to her, sang to her, made her smile, and tried not to squish her under great big hugs. 

Life is normal to Annalise, and we've been saying more prayers throughout the days. I want her to have a concept of heaven before the inevitable takes place. Our greatest concern next to Madeleine is how Annalise will feel, think, act and question. For both the girls we feel very strongly about life being as normal as possible and giving them the best Christmas ever as if we did not have the knowledge that we do have. We have had so many people reach out to us with prayer, well wishes, tears, offers to help- overwhelmed with support really, and we appreciate it so much. And we have also tried our best to remind everyone that Madeleine is still with us and continues to bless us, and we do not cry (try not to anyway) or mourn her now- there is a time and place for that and it isn't now. She is still our Madeleine Sunshine and continues to bring us so much joy, despite any physical effects we see, medications we give, extra things we must do for her. She's still our baby girl.

This morning we discovered she had stopped urinating, something we are aware could happen soon. She also hadn't had a BM since Thursday morning, both from the tumor in her lower back and the constant morphine. We got out the heating pad and began massaging her abdomen, something we had been doing sporadically anyway that was now quite necessary if we wanted to avoid the emergency room on Christmas Eve. Within minutes she had both movements, and we decided to get her into a nice warm bath to comfort her. I took her in the tub and held her between my arms and legs where I could still massage her belly in the water. After about 10 minutes, her system finally kicked in and like a tube of toothpaste, I was able to massage most or all of her blockage from her belly. Thank God our remedies worked! After a nap she had another BM and another nap, most of the afternoon in fact. The doc says she's ok just likely so tired from all the discomfort. When she finally woke up late and Daddy changed her diaper: SHE STOOD!!!!!!! After several days of not crawling or standing from the inability to do so, she stood. Jeff called to me from the bedroom to hurry, and I ran to see it with my own eyes, and I burst into the happiest tears in a long time. I hugged her and stroked her hair, and balled my salty tears all over her cheek telling her how proud I am of her. She is so amazing!!!

My very best friend also came today bringing items to help us and bless us, most notably her very good camera to help us capture what are soon to be very cherished memories. Our Christmas is shaping up to be exactly what we hoped for: precious, happy time alone together.

May God bless you and your family this Christmas.