Hope finds her voice!

A Funny (?) Story from Monday

We've all had those moments when we walk into a room and feel anxious--embarrassed--unsure--humiliated--mortified--you know, that sinking feeling?

Well, my sweet Madison had just such a day on Monday, but it worked out great and a "miracle" happened!


Last Thursday when our family was quickly making our way to Houston, Madison came home with a bright red sheet of paper announcing that this week was Drug Free week. To reinforce the message, they students were to dress up each day in a different way (crazy socks, camouflage, etc). Well, it listed that on Monday "Banana Puddin' would be presented in the cafeteria at 1:30 and the children are to wear a numbered jersey". OK, WHO or WHAT is "Banana Puddin'" and WHY would that have anything to do with a jersey??? I don't know! But, of course, I was congratulating myself on Monday morning when I actually remembered to put Madison in a jersey for school. (I was also thankful to Stephen's mom because she had just brought this pink A&M jersey to Maddie a couple of weeks before. Yea!) So, we put her in the pink jersey, put her hair in a pony tail, slipped on her wind breaker, and sent her off to school.

Well, when she got to school, she immediately realized that she was the only one with a jersey shirt on!!!! Everyone else was wearing camouflage!!!! Turns out, they had sent home a REVISED Red Ribbon note on Friday because now "Banana Puddin' will be presented on WEDNESDAY in the cafeteria at 1:30 and the children are to wear their numbered jerseys on WEDNESDAY and their CAMO on Monday"!!!! YIKES! Can they do that??? Well, they did!

So, Madison quickly zipped up her jacket, carefully stuffing the edges of the jersey under the jacket, and she asked her teacher to go to the bathroom. When she got to the bathroom she took off the jersey and just had on the long-sleeved white T-shirt that had been under the jersey. Then she prayed for a miracle.

When she got back to her classroom, she looked in her desk and there was a purple camo headband she had left one day awhile back!!! A MIRACLE!!! Her friend Haily helped her brush out her hair and get her head band on. Fortunately the dress-code rules were a little bit lax and her teacher didn't say anything about the collar-less white T-shirt. My sweet Madison wore that purple camo headband and made it home with the jersey. . . to wear on Wednesday. .. when "Banana Puddin'"-which turned out to be some monkey puppets--did their drug free message!

When she got home she told me how she had prayed for a miracle in the bathroom that morning. . .and got one! :)


Oh, and the doctors DID get the PICC line into baby Caden and he's had a pretty smooth Friday and Saturday. Thank you for praying for them. Keep praying for our baby boy and my sweet sister and brother-in-law. Thanks!

Today

I'm headed back to Irving at lunch time today, and I can't wait to see my wonderful husband and 2 big kids! They are unspeakably precious to me, and I'm grateful beyond words that they've been so great about supporting my Houston trip this week. They are amazing!

Last night was really good for us (Mel, Nathan, mom, dad, me) because we LAUGHED so much!!! First off, Melody and I do NOT have a good understanding of human anatomy, and we had some serious mis-conceptions about all that Caden is going through! Believe me, it was pretty funny! We also talked about some old stories that had us laughing like crazy--very therapeutic! My mom fixed (a good Texas word!) us a good supper and then we went up to the hospital about 8:30 to see baby Caden. . but we didn't get to see him after all, and we left at about 10:30.

Caden's day yesterday was full of poking! They are trying to get a pic (how DO you spell that?) line in (it replaces an IV line), and they just didn't get it. They had spent a lot of time in the morning and then lots of time in the evening trying to thread it in, but poor baby, it just didn't work. They are going to try again this morning--so that's what we're praying for today. If they don't get it, then they'll likely do a "port" which means another surgery--which we don't want him to have to do!

The good news is that he's now "extibated" which means the tube down his throat is out and he's breathing completely without a machine being there to help.

Thank you, friends, for your love and support! Let's pray that pic line in this morning and ask God for a smooth day for baby Caden!

My sweet nephew and my awesome husband

Baby Caden came through his surgery "very well" this afternoon. We are praising God and calling on him, Jehovah Rapha, for Caden's complete recovery. They removed the blockage by removing a small portion of his small intestine. He'll be sedated for the next 2-3 days and then they'll begin trying to feed him.

Melody and Nathan are holding up. God is gracing them with strength to make it, but I know they are so tired. I keep thinking "Melody just gave birth not quite 5 days ago, and here she is having to be up and gone from home all day long. . sitting at the hospital and in restaurants. . just having these long, full days."


Now, I must say that Stephen totally gets the husband of the year award! He is so awesome and things at home have been going so smoothly at home. . more grace! Thank you, Lord!

You can see pics of Caden and more updates at:

thelilleyfamily.blogspot.com

You are awesome friends and I'm so grateful for your prayers and support!

Baby Caden Joseph Lilley

I'm so excited to announce baby Caden's arrival! My sister and brother-in-law, Melody and Nathan, have their first baby--and he is gorgeous! So sweet and adorable! Melody's doctor sent her to the hospital from her appointment on Thursday. We got the call in Dallas at about 12:30, packed our family, and headed to Houston at 2:30! We made it to the hospital in plenty of time. . He is a midnight baby--born officially at 12:02 AM on Friday the 19th. He was 7 lb, and he is just so cute!

I am sending out a call for prayer for baby Caden. He has a GI blockage that put him in the baby ICU yesterday afternoon. He hasn't passed the miconium--the first poo poo. They've been doing lots of observation. . and finally gave him something this afternoon at 5:00 pm to help him pass the blockage. It takes about 6 hours to work, so we won't hear anything until the morning. It's actually a fairly "acute" issue that must be dealt with, but we are trusting God! All things are possible! Melody was discharged from the hospital today, and Caden will be in for at least a week if not more, so it's going to be difficult. . . .lots of unknowns about the week ahead. . . . so please pray for Caden, Melody, and Nathan! We just love them so much!

Thank you!

Hello out there!

To all my blog-world friends, I am so sad that I have not been properly
updating my blog! And I really have a lot to say! I've been wanting to
give the baby Hope update--she's 6 months old now!!, I've wanted to
tell you about our First Irving women's retreat--God was so faithful!!,
I've wanted to share about our book club progress--check out that blog
at firstirvingbookclub.blogspot.com, and I've wanted to give updates on
Madison--I'm totally seeing evidence of the Holy Spirit working in her
life AND she made all A's on her report card--and on Jackson--he's a
crazy man! Also, my sister is about to have her baby boy any day, and
we're just so excited!

That's the super short version! I'm
afraid that a super long blog will be coming up (hopefully) with the
full update, but for now, here are some pictures from Hope's 6 month
old photo shoot to ooooohhh and aaaaahhhhh over! :)