April 29, 2012

In My Arms

One year ago today, Clara was extubated and we held her, at 37 days old, for the very first time.  






Today, Clara is too busy walking running, opening doors, exploring, and discovering to stand for being held very much.  But at naptime, I still steal some of this sweet love.

Nap this afternoon....
Thanks be to God.


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April 17, 2012

Take Me Out To The Ballgame!

Big Daddy and Sweet Mama were sweet enough to offer us some extra tickets to join them at the Dash baseball game on Sunday.  It was Clara's first baseball game and she had a grand time!  Last year this time, we attended one baseball game on a much needed hospital break and I remember pumping in a nasty bathroom at the stadium.  Bringing our healthy happy girl along was much, much better.

It was a beautiful afternoon to spend at a beautiful stadium.




Clara pulled hard for the Dash by clapping....


Yelling....


 And sticking her tongue out at the Mudcats.


She can't quite eat peanuts and cracker jacks, but she snacked on some strawberries....


And enjoyed watching all the sights and people.




When it was time for the seventh inning stretch, she got up with Sweet Mama and helped sing "Take Me Out To The Ballgame!"



She even got to meet Bolt!


When the game was nearly over, we went to the Kid Zone to let her ride the carousel.  First with Daddy....




And then with Mama and Sweet Mama:




The Dash rallied for a 6-5 victory over the Carolina Mudcats.  Clara must be their lucky charm.


April 12, 2012

Easter at Beech

Although we've started "re-entering" society and are bringing Clara out and about a bit more, we thought that Easter Sunday at church might be a little overcrowded for her, so we slipped away to the mountains.  It was a little bit chilly, but overall, a gorgeous weekend.  We didn't have church to go to, but Clara still wore her Easter dress and "hunted" for eggs.  We had fun dyeing eggs and opening her Easter basket, too.  We look forward to the day when we can teach Clara all about Jesus' resurrection and how much He loves her. 

I think that Easter will forever be intertwined in my memory with Clara's own miraculous resurrection last year.  Never have I felt so profoundly just a bit of the suffering God must have felt as he watched His only son lose his life.  We are thankful that Clara was given some more time here on earth with us, and pray that one day we'll all be reunited in heaven.

So we're thankful for a Lord who shouldered the pain of our failures and weaknesses and thankful for a little girl who makes us want to live each day a little more like him.  Hope we're making You proud, Jesus.

Here are some of the images!  Enjoy!

Clara's not QUITE big enough to understand the art of Easter Egg Dyeing, but she can watch from a distance...




They turned out well!  Clara will learn from the best, someday.



 How precious is this sweater with a chick on it?  (And the girl in it)



A basket for Easter morning...


Well, two actually (but one just had empty eggs.  Too little for candy!)


Clara had fun checking out the tags on her goodies  her goodies:








And after her nap, we got all dolled up and found some grass for Easter egg hunting.














The jacket was needed up in the mountains, but I got a few shots without it too.


 
 

Even Rufus got festive with a dandelion in his collar.




On Monday, the boys had gone back to work but Sweet Mama and I took Clara to the park for a little while.  This girl needs lots of wide open spaces.








Happy Easter!

Click here to look back at last year's Easter in the PICU and NICU.  How far we've come.

Thanks Be To God.


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