Christmas Thoughts

Y'all...we are about to celebrate Verity's first Christmas! A year ago, I was "great with child" and full of fear and uncertainty. Would we meet our little girl alive? How long would we have with her? What would her needs be, and how in the world could we take care of her along with 8 other children?

I confess that fear and uncertainty are still very much a part of our daily lives...however, joy and thankfulness are powerfully present as well. This life isn't easy, as you have glimpsed if you've followed our journey any length of time at all. But by God's grace, we are moving forward one step at a time. Our little miracle is just over 2 months away from celebrating her first birthday, a milestone we never would have imagined she would reach based on the information we received at her diagnosis. In 2017, Verity:

• was born without complications and spent her first few minutes outside the womb breathing and crying on her mommy's chest.
• quickly progressed from CPAP to room air to no oxygen support at all in the NICU.
• went home after only 18 days in the NICU.
• began her own growth curve with breast milk via NG tube.
• had corrective measures for both of her clubbed feet, enduring castings, a surgery, and a boots-and-bar regimen.
• had G-tube surgery at 2 months of age and continues to be nourished via G-tube.
• moved with her military family to a new state.
• met with a number of medical specialists, all of whom have been extremely supportive of us in our efforts to help Verity have the best possible quality of life.
• has grown and developed in her own way and in her own time, thrilling and delighting hundreds (maybe thousands) of people around the world who have loved and prayed for her.

What a doll. What a miracle. What a GIFT. This is our Trisomy 18 Song of Triumph, and we will sing it loud for all to hear!

To GOD be the glory...
God, the author of LIFE...
God, the One who gives MEANING to life...
God, the One who chose to enter the human experience by sending Jesus to dwell among us...
Jesus--Immanuel--God with us--who lay down his life for us that we might have the opportunity to choose ETERNAL life.

We--Verity's family--wish you a blessed, merry Christmas. If you do not know Jesus our Savior, we pray that you will seek to know the God who created YOU, who loves YOU and gives meaning and purpose to YOUR life.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, 

that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16