Can't believe how long it's been..

I have had nothing major to report in so long, we just have been loving summer and dealing with Sophie's expanders and counting down the months (days, minutes) until surgery! We are now three weeks from  THE day! Luckily ArtPrize kicks off today in GR and hopefully that will keep us busy until the big day! Can you believe little Sophie is almost three, I can't!! What a busy three years.  Poor thing doesn't know it but between surgery and her birthday we are getting serious about potty training and getting her into a big girl bed! I can't believe how different life will be for us when we get over all these hurdles.   The other night Sophie was having trouble sleeping and we gave her some medicine and brought her into our bed and I was laying there looking down at her as she settled back down to sleep, she looked so big, in the dim  light wearing her sisters old jammies I really couldn't tell the difference between her and Grace.  A very bittersweet feeling, how come our babies have to get big?? So three more weeks and I hope they go very swiftly.  She has trouble sleeping, is miserable in her car seat and even when I put size 4 clothes on her she complains they are "tight on my balloons".  The funny thing is she really identifies with her balloons this time around.  I can see her little mind wondering why other kids don't have them  and she frequently points to women's chests and asks them  "are those your balloons?" It's cute to see her looking for people like her and yet sad that she realizes she is different.  It will be good for me too to be done with this round, the last few months are hard, I get emotional adjusting to the looks and questions from  people.  I do not look forward to the week of surgery but by the week after hopefully we are feeling great then!!!

In getting ready for the big day I still have many Sophie Super Supporters buttons so if you are interested in having one to wear on Wed Oct 12th I have tons left (any donations would be appreciated - they were $2.50 ea and we had to buy 50 for the walk but not that many people wanted them!)

There will be another opportunity for you to support the national organization Nevus Outreach around Christmas time.  Little Sophie will be featured in a calendar as "Miss November" of kids who all have a nevus of some form.  The more preorders we get the price may go down but they would likely be around $15.  It will be a unique opportunity to raise money for research for the Nevus Outreach organization to help Dr's identify the cause and stop other children from facing these struggles.  It will also provide you with a short bio of each of the kids featured which would give you an opportunity to pray for more of these children with a nevus and their families.  What a great way to impact others lives.  Please consider this opportunity and I will likely start a facebook event to order if you are interested when I know more details.  If you are not on facebook and you are interested you can always comment here or email me.

You know me I must end the post with an adorable anecdote, however those of you on facebook have already heard this.  We were running errands the other morning, we do this a lot now after we drop big sister off at Kindergarten, and Sophie was crying in the car because her seat belt was hurting her.  To fit between her leg and stomach expander it's really tight but if you loosen it, it is way too big on top.  Anyways she was crying and uncomfortable in the car, "my balloon's are hurting me Momma" is not what you want to hear from your daughter.  So we go into the store and as we are going through the aisles she starts singing at the top of her "God is great God is good, blessed be the name of the Lord".  My only regret is that there weren't more people in the store at that time that could hear her praising God with the words of Job. It wasn't even from something that we had just been listening to in the car.  She is a beautiful example even to me!  I hope that she will always praise God despite her difficulties. 

Well I am touched as always when people ask about Sophie or pray for us.  Please continue to do so.  I will keep you posted about surgery details as we get closer and maybe could use some extra help with Grace around that time.  If you are interested in either a button or a calendar let me know! Amanda