Meeting with Home Care.

Hi everyone!

We had a meeting with home care today and this meeting was a lot more positive than any other meetings that we have ever had with them. It almost sounded like we were already approved, but they weren't sure on the number of hours that we are approved for. We are not approved yet, though. No one said we were. Please keep praying for approval and that the funding comes fast. (This meeting was for Individualized funding). We now need to concentrate on praying for God to send us the right people to care for Emilie. With so many accounts of abuse on people with physical and mental disabilities all we can do is trust that God will send us the perfect people to care for her. She doesn't have a mental disability, but wouldn't be able to communicate with us. Please just pray for the perfect people to be brought into our lives. We would need at least 2 people to work nights for 8 hours. They would just be required to make sure that Emilie isn't struggling for breath, ventilator pop offs, and probably one round of chest physio and a suction. This is not hard. She will be sleeping most of the night all night so basically the person would get to watch TV or read as long as someone is awake with her, while Darwin and I sleep. Awesome job!! Please remember us in your prayers.

Also pray for our financial situation for the summer. I will not be getting paid and will need some help. We are going to check in to Telemiracle. Our optimal plans would include possibly renting an apartment or something for the summer until Emilie can come home. We need to take her out as often as possible to "prove" ourselves willing and able to take care of Emilie's needs. I'm so glad and thankful to God that the nursing manager finds us more than capable.

Thanks so much everyone!!
God Bless you and keep you!!


Love,

Darwin, Sherri, Taylor and especially Emilie:)

First time at church!!

Hello everyone!!!

Hope you are all doing well!! Today was a very special day. Today was the first day we were able to take Emilie to church. We were also given an extended day pass. Our first passes were only 4 hours, but today they said to come back whenever. I said,"never???" ...I guess not. We would have to go back for more oxygen at some point.

Emilie loved church. She loved the singing. She was dancing!! ;) We praise God for allowing us to bring her to His house. We hope to take her every week.

Anyway, things may be looking up for bringing her home. We have an appointment about individualized funding on Friday, May 11, 2007 at 3:30pm. Please remember to pray for this. You are all a real blessing to us. I thinks sometimes we forget to thank-you and tell you how much you mean to us. Prayer works and God fulfills His promises when He feels we are ready for them - when He is ready for them.

I was thinking today about what it would be like if things had turned out differently. Seeing all of these babies all around Emilie's age walking and toddling around. Then I got to thinking that God wouldn't have given Emilie to us if HE didn't think we are the perfect parents for her. I strongly believe that. There is a reason for why God gave Emilie to us. Maybe because she needed us, as well as the fact that we needed her. Wow!! Looking over the last year I've learned an awful lot about myself as a person. Looking into Emmy's eyes, I've learned a lot about who I want to be.

We thank God each day for our supporters. We can't thank you enough. Always remember that, even though we can't thank-you verbally enough, we are always thanking God for the blessing of all of you who pray for our baby. She (we) wouldn't have made it this far if it weren't for your prayers for her and for us. Your diligence is wonderful. May God bless you all this month. I will be posting some more pictures on the other website sometime this week, if I can find a free moment or two.

We love you all,

Darwin, Sherri, Taylor, and especially Emilie:)


http://sdzeylion2003.multiply.com

Emilie's First Birthday - April 6, 2007

EMILIE'S BIRTHDAY!!

I can't believe that she is a year old already. God has really blessed us this year. Eventhough things aren't the way we had hoped and we have to go through this, God couldn't have given us a better daughter. If you've met her personally you know what I'm talking about.

Emilie loves everyone. Her eyes sparkle when she has a visitor and she fights going to sleep if a visitor is in the room. She has a sweet disposition and is very content and cheerful. I'm so thankful that God has given her this disposition. She has shown me that eventhough things aren't perfect there is still a reason to smile and look at the bright side of everything.

We had Emilie's birthday party on Friday, April 6, 2007. On the fifth floor of the hospital in the North Atrium. Some of the people that attended were (forgive me if I forget you); Great-grandma and grandpa Wright, Grandma Updike, Auntie Lori and Dallas, Auntie Monique and Jared, Auntie Beatrice and Joel, Mommy's friend Mimi Marchewka and Breeze, Mommy's friend Diane Nystrom and her sister Elaine, Pastor John Drisner and of course - Mommy, Daddy and big brother Taylor. Emilie had a great time!! She got lots of presents and even tasted the icing on her cake, which she LOVED!! Thanks to all who attended.

We also want to thank everyone who joined us in fasting and praying for Emilie that day. Please continue to pray for her. We are hoping to take Emilie to church the next time that Darwin is home. Thanks for all of you who are continuing to support us in prayer. We feel really blessed to have so many people in our lives who pray for us and support us in prayer. You are all really special and we hold you all close to our hearts. (yes, even if we haven't met).

We love you all!!

PS we got the charger for Emilie's external battery this past week and were able to take her to get her pictures taken at Wal-mart. We sent out a photoparade to those who are on our list. You can check out the pictures on the multiply site.

http://sdzeylion2003.multiply.com

Darwin, Sherri, Taylor and especially Emilie!!

First Day-pass March 30, 2007

Hey everybody!!

Sorry I haven't updated the blog in awhile, but I've been very busy. I could have done it last week, but I left the cord for my digital camera in N.Battleford.

We were able to take Emilie out for her first day pass on March 30th. We took her to my grandma's house WITHOUT telling my grandma. Mainly because we didn't want them to be expecting her to be coming and then having something go wrong and not be able to. We didn't want to disappoint them.

As it was, the night before the pass something happened with the ventilator. . . it shut off. So they shortened our pass from the usual 4 hours, for a first pass, to 3 hours.

Emilie had a good time. The surprise went over very well and we were also able to surprise my Aunt Brenda and her family that were visiting grandma and grandpa, also. We ended up being out for the full 4 hours because when it came time to feed Emilie we realized that the nurse who helped to get her feed ready forgot the g-tube (used to feed her - VERY important). She said that subconsciously she must have wanted us to be out for the full 4 hours.

Anyway, the day went very well - no problems with the ventilator and Emilie had a great day! Eventhough she did not have her nap (she literally fell asleep once we put her down in her bed).

Pictures?? Of course!! Silly me, I forgot to make sure my batteries were charged, so I had to get some pictures off of my mom's camera.

Enjoy,

Sherri

Emilie's first outside adventure

Hello everyone!!

On March 24th 2007, Emilie went outside for the very first time. She LOVED it! We didn't go very far because it was very muddy, but she got the biggest smile on her face as soon as we walked out the doors. A taxi driver drove up and waved at her before taking off and Grandma met us at the doors with Taylor and Dallas. She LOVED watching her brother and cousin in a natural environment being able to see them act more like themselves instead of quiet like in the PICU. When her battery beckoned us inside, Emilie cried all the way back to her room from the moment we walked back into the hospital. She had a great time.

Just to let everyone know, our day passes have been approved. When it happens we'll let you know what it was like. I know it will probably be better for her to see her family in a more natural environment than in the hospital. Thanks for all of your prayers...enjoy the pics.

Sherri

Praise report!!

Hello everyone,

Yesterday (March 22) we got a call from the hospital saying that Emilie's portable suction will be dropped off on Friday March 23. I thought, (I'll believe it when I see it,) but it was waiting there for us when we arrived to see Emilie tonight. Thanks again for all your prayers. So, right now, all that is needed is a portable oxygen so that we can take her easily on day passes. Thanks be to God!! I'll keep you all posted. Please continue to pray for her portable oxygen, hopefully that will arrive before her birthday.

Thanks again,

Sherri

Emilie - 11 months old

Hello everyone!!

Well, Emilie turned 11 months old on March 6. This past month Em began to hold her head up for a few seconds at a time. She finds this a great challenge. Her determination is amazing. She just keeps trying. She also LOVES to play games. Patty-cake, making faces at you, and singing when she finds her leak. She welcomed more teeth this month for a total of 8. She is also beginning to welcome her first set of molars as they begin to push their way through.

I am a little late mainly for two reasons. #1 report cards just went out and last weekend we found ourselves in isolation again. Finally today, Mar 18, they took her out of isolation. We were hoping to take her outside last weekend and were disappointed to arrive at the hospital to find her in isolation because of rotavirus. While in isolation we have to wear gowns in the room and sometimes even masks. This time it was just the gown. That is why Taylor is wearing a gown in the first picture.

Please continue to pray for Emilie's health and her equipment. We may be able to take her out of the hospital on Good Friday for awhile (her birthday) using the hospital's equipment, but please keep praying for hers. Also keep praying for homecare.

On Good Friday we are asking our family and friends to join us in a day of prayer and fasting for Emilie. If we are allowed to take her out we would love to have hands laid on her during prayer. Please pray for this as well because the devil keeps standing in our way when prayer for her is about to happen. Please pray that nothing will stand in the way.

Thanks everybody!!

Your prayers and support are very much appreciated!!

We love you all,

Darwin, Sherri, Taylor, and especially Emilie.

check out http://sdzeylion2003.multiply.com for the most recent video - Grandma and Emilie playing patty-cake.