Ivy's healing, mommy's Hope!

It's time for an update on the happenings with Ivy's healing and HOPE! Some sweet little funnies from the mouths of babes and a few photos.
When I think about the fact that next Thursday marks the one year anniversary of Ivy's first open heart surgery, and then I look at all she endured the rest of her year home... WOW! When you are living it, you just take it day by day and you really don't see feel the magnitude of the big picture because you are still living it.
Now, being home for 6 weeks, and looking back... Thank you loving Jesus for carrying us, for your mercy and your grace, for blessing us, and for granting us this precious time!!!! 
Last Sunday, it had been a full 2 weeks since Ivy had spent more than 5 minutes at a time walking and being active! Oh she had been super happy, funny, giggly, playful, eating as always, but she just would not have any part of any physical activity. We do not push this little tyke! We know how much she wants to be active, how much she wants to be on the move, and we also know how much she knows her body and how good she is at preserving her strength. So we made due and figured it was just the effects of the hypertension. Then Sunday evening while at Target she decided she wanted to walk. A friend of ours was also at Target and was running around with the girls in the produce section playing hide and seek (yep, in Target) and she just squealed with delight. I noticed her lips got blue around the corners right away but I reminded myself how good this girl is at listening to her body and I let her enjoy the moment. She continued to walk and walk and enjoy being active through Tuesday! Today (Wednesday) she slowed down quite a bit but was still active enough to walk around the house and so forth for very short periods of time. She is not walking without help. She still uses the furniture, the walls, the strollers and shopping carts, our hands, whatever is in her path. She is very coordinated, and ever so dainty! She has a beautiful gait, strong, straight, steady steps, but still lacks lots of confidence. She will get there :)

Wednesday morning we see our cardiologist for Ivy's Echo and to hear the results of her recent blood work. The purpose of the blood work is to check her electrolytes, potassium, sodium and so forth as well as to see if the pulmonary hypertension has caused her to be having right side heart failure. We covet your prayers for our mighty girl!

 It is summer here! We have packed up everything with sleeves and we are trying to suck up as much outdoor, bike riding, swinging at the park time as possible because we know we will miss it so much in another month when the sun never stops shining here! I read today that Az was expected to have a very hot spring.... that means what for summer? My girls already have tan lines! 

                                  Funnies :0)
Lexi ~ Jesus is doing the best he can to fix my baby sisters heart, and he's not done yet, but he's still doing the best he can!

Ivy is obsessed with peeling oranges. She is so good at it and she is fast! So we let her peel them and we put them in baggies for the kids lunches. She had peeled 5 the other night so I said no more..... She threw a fit that would put a healthy toddler to shame lol. She was MAD! When she finished (it was very short) she crawled up on my lap and kissed me. Then she said, You forgive me mommy? I kid you not, this child just continues to blow my mind. She knows forgiveness. Oh baby, there is nothing to forgive! You did something healthy! You got mad and then you moved on! 

Lexi tells me that she was bald like her daddy when she was a baby in China. And that is how we knew she was our baby! She says we saw the bald baby and said, yep... she looks just like her daddy!!! 

Ivy and Lexi at bed time~ 
Lexi: I love you Ivy, good night. 
Ivy: Good night Lexi. I love you. You ok Lexi? 
Lexi: Yes Ivy, I'm ok. 
Ivy: You ok Lexi? 
Lexi: Yes Ivy, stop asking. 
Ivy: You ok? You ok Lexi? 
Lexi: Yes Ivy, I don't want you to keep saying that. 
Ivy: Ok Lexi. Sorry... You ok? You ok Lexi. You ok? You ok?
Lexi: Ivy! Stop! Lexi starts to cry. 
I come in and tell Ivy not to talk any more. Ivy says sorry mommy. Sorry Lexi. 
Everyone feels better so I walk out. 
Ivy: You ok? You ok Lexi? You ok....... 
Poor Lexi wants to go to sleep, and Ivy knows it!!!! She also knows that Lexi is just fine. 
STINKER!!!!!!!!
Nights like this make me think it might be time to give them their own rooms!