Golf for Babies KC - It's Not Too Late!

I should have made a post about this sooner than now, but on Monday, August 4th our family's foundation, FORE! Preemies Foundation, will be holding the 3rd annual Golf for Babies golf outing.  It is not too late to participate as a golfer or contribute in any way.  Check out www.forepreemies.com for more information or to pass on to any friends!  Feel free to contact Zack or me if you have questions or want to get involved!!!

As you can see above, the girls are brushing up on their golfing skills.  They don't want to show off this year so they will make an appearance at the event but won't be participating in the golf!

The girls have also been playing with neighbors in the backyards a lot and even had their first shaved ice.  Surprisingly, they weren't big fans.  Go figure!

Happy 4th of July

We spent the 4th of July weekend at Holiday Lake in Brooklyn, IA at the lake house with Grammy and Larry.  We had a blast going to the playground, taking boat rides, swimming, playing in the sand at the beach, making s'mores, and on and on!

We also don't want to forget about the fun time we had with our friends the Proctors when they came through KC on their way to the Ozarks.  Here is breakfast time with the girls!  Ava and Reese couldn't get enough of Evie and Luci!

An Update...The Abbreviated Version

I know I haven't blogged in a while so I'll do an abbreviated version of what we've been up to...


Swinging at the park...just trying to conserve swings for other kiddos!

Spending quality time with Nana and Pappy!

Getting back rubs...mama working double duty...

Eating corn on the cob (well at least Reese is...notice the size of Reese's piece vs. Ava's!).

T-ball continues.  Ava had a rough second week but the third week was much better.

Since Ava tried hard week three without any tears, we celebrated with some frozen custard at Culver's!

In addition to going to the "big pool" (aka, our neighborhood pool), we swim in our "giraffe pool" too.

And finally, we've been doing our workouts around here too!

This Week's Highlight...T-Ball!

Last night was the girls' first night of t-ball practice.  It was a bit soggy but overall it went pretty well.  From the looks of it so far I don't think the girls will ever play on any World Series team but they had fun once Ava got over her uncertainty.  Enjoy!

Notice how attentive they are!  Ha Ha!

Reese running the bases...

Ava "Speedy" McNeil running the bases...

Bottom line...we've got some work to do!

The Bigger Plan

Well, Ava got home today around 10:30am.  I can't tell you how great it feels to have her home and for our family to all be under one roof again.  As I think about the last week and a half lots of questions stream through my mind but ultimately I know God has a bigger plan for everything and we don't always understand things at the time....

Why did Ava have to throw up 8-10 times a day and become extremely dehydrated?
Why did we as parents have to go through the stress, sleepless nights, worry, and patience-testing?
Why did Ava have to go through this surgery?
Why did our family have to miss our trip back to Illinois to see extended family that we only make two times a year?
Why couldn't it have been a little stomach bug that only lasted 24-48 hours?
Why didn't the first doctor in the ER catch this?
Why did we have to spend a week in the hospital?
And on and on and on...

I don't come to these questions because I think it is unfair or to think "poor us."  I come to these questions because I know that God has a bigger, better plan that I won't know fully until I enter those pearly gates of heaven.  Until then I try to see the good that comes out of his plan as best as I can.

Was this His plan because...

...He wanted me to see again that God is our protector?
...He wanted our family to have opportunities to reveal our faith to others?
...He knew this was the week Zack and I had off before teaching our summer courses so we wouldn't have to juggle too much?
...He wanted to reunite one of our visitors with someone she had recently been thinking about while visiting Children's Mercy?
...He wanted us to give attention to a little girl across the hallway from Ava's room who rarely had loving visitors?
...He wanted to give me the opportunity to spend a little more time with a mama who's baby girl is in the NICU at Children's Mercy who is going home with a trach on a ventilator very similar to Ava?
...He wanted us to go to Illinois a different time?
...He wanted to remind us what wonderful friends and family we have?
...He wanted to reveal again what special angels we have as daughters?
...He wanted to confirm that I have the best husband in the world?

I know that I don't know the bigger plan for everything and I'm okay with that.  In fact, it gives me peace to know that I don't have to know all the details.  I can just rest assured that God has a plan and it is for good.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11

Bring on the Food

Today Ava was allowed to have solid food.  They didn't put any restriction on her but just allowed her to eat as she wished.  Her TPN was completed for the day and then discontinued.  Here's how it went down...

Breakfast...first meal in 9 days...eggs, sausage, toast, applesauce, and milk...ate all but two bites of toast!

Lunch...chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, green beans, and strawberries.  Didn't pig out as much as breakfast but did well.

Dinner...tortilla with refried beans, steamed carrots, and blueberries...that was after an afternoon snack of goldfish.

There is a good chance we could go home tomorrow so hopefully we aren't disappointed.  However, we want to do what is best for Ava so if we need to be patient a little longer we can be.

And Pappy made it to KC this morning too!!!

Headed in the Right Direction

Well, today has been a good day.  It started off with a little poop, followed with the removal of the NG tube, and has included water, popsicle and chicken broth!  It's nice that she's at least getting something oral now...for her sake and for our sake.  Not only is it tough to tell her no but it's really hard to remember to spell everything that has to do with food or eating when conversing in her room so she doesn't start to think about it.  She also had some more visitors and Nana came to town.  She is still getting TPN but we are hoping for some solid food tomorrow and possibly lose the TPN soon.