I made several dresses that will easily fit over Emmie’s brace.  I think this one is one of my favorites.  it’s a fabric that I had sitting around for awhile and the dress just turned out so adordable on her.  It’s hard to tell she has that giant thing going down her back.

She’s holding her “warrior beads.” We love the idea behind Beads of Courage but after much research found that they were not accepting people who were not in one of their hospital programs.  They only take Emory kids who are in the cancer program.  Emmie didn’t qualify for those programs.  So, I decided that I needed a tangible way to see how much Emmie had gone though, fought for, and overcome.  She gets one bead for every month she has a brace.  She gets a bead for every neurology, neuosurgeon, ophthalmology appointment.  One for each x-ray, MRI, or orthotics appointment as well.  She also gets a bead for each month of physical therapy or other therapy…we don’t think she’ll have many of those.  These beads in the picture were before all of her appointments in May.  She’s earned a bit more since then.

When we found out Emmie was going to have surgery it started.  My close friends launched a blessing attack.  Each one sent us or gave us survival “things” for the hospital.  Okay, mainly chocolate.  Lots of yummy chocolate.  And a few other things.  Then Mark’s co-workers showered us with gift cards to sustain our family on take out, fast food and yummies before, during, and after surgery.  We received a few more blessings in gift cards.  Friends re-arranged schedules and packed up their families for a day or two to help.  The day after we came home from the hospital the gift basket above arrived at our door.  Our neighbors had paid to have our yard cut twice.  They blessed us with a sweet basket of family time goodies to share and enjoy.  Our college crew blessed us with house cleanings that are continuing to be a blessing.  We don’t know if we can ever adequately thank everyone enough.  And I know I’ve forgotten a few other things.

We love to do these things for others.  We try to often and we try to secretly.  It’s been hard to be humble and allow others to bless us.  Very hard.  But it’s also been so comforting to know that I didn’t have to worry about the little things.  Others had already thought of and provided for it.  It has overwhelmed us to see God’s love for us in the way others serve Him!