Thank-you

Jen and I wanted to say thank you to the friends...new and old...that helped us out while we were in Wisconsin. I have talked about these people by name, and I wanted to let everyone else "meet" them as well.

This is our midwife and her husband. Deb is an amazing women as well as a skilled midwife and we are so thankful that God brought our paths together when He did.

Here is Brian and Julie. We somehow were in Wisconsin with them for almost two months, and still never got a picture with their whole family! These are the two people that took care of Isabella, (and us) for the couple weeks that we were traveling back and forth to the hospital and during the first days after everything was over.

Here are the two main nurses that took care of our Anarazell during her short time here on Earth. Having such great nurses really helped out. Doreen, the nurse next to me, was the one that was there for our good-bye party that we had with Isabella. Jane was the nurse that was with us on the last day. Both were the perfect nurses for the roles that they played in our lives. Again...shows God's hand in all of this.

The Mannings. Here is the couple that opened their house and lives to us. We had never meet them before, and still they didn't hesitate to help us out. Both Tom and Grace were the ones that helped keep us sane when we had so much going on that we thought our brains were going to implode! Physically, mentally, spiritually, they were there for us.

Gary and Kathy...the family that started this whole thing off! They invited us to have Anarazell at their house. That plan didn't work out...but because of their offer we ended up in Wisconsin where we were supposed to be for everything else to fall into place.

There is no way that I can thank these people enough for what they did for us while we were going through our, "Valley". So we just thank the Lord for each and every one that He brought into our lives, and for His timing...which is impeccable!! These 5 pictures are just the people that were in the "leading roles" in this saga. I know that there are many, many people that gave financially, prayed, called, wrote, visited and just showed us your love. Some we know who you are and we can't wait for the day that we can thank you in person. Some we have no idea who you are and we will have to wait until we are in heaven to thank you. But "thank you" to everyone who played a part in our lives.

Sickies...

Exactly one week ago, last Sunday, I woke up and had a cough that hurt in my lungs. I didn't think too much about it, until Monday when I was in bed with a 103 degree fever. Crazy...I never get sick...NEVER. So here it is Sunday again...and I still have a stuffy head and a cough. Both Jen and Bella both ended up with fevers and head-aches and runny noses and BLAH!
Our whole family had been cooped up in the house for almost a week, so on Friday I took Isabella out and we went to the library and then to Taco Bell...just before we went crazy.
We had so many plans to have people over now that our house is all set up and looking good...I was getting excited about working with the guys and learning how to drive the heavy equipment...and then...boom, we are all sick, sick, sick! So prayerfully we are over the worst of it, and we can start this next week strong and healthy!
So, I updated my book blog, so you can check it out here. Sorry it took so long, but I couldn't even leave the house in order to go to the computer lab. So I will be better about it this week.

Update on Nathan

I had posted a prayer request on an earlier post about a little boy named Nathan. Jen called the family today and got an update from them. They are still in Milwaukee...about 2 hours from their home. It has been over two months now. Nathan had to have a little hole cut into his throat so he can breath consistently. When he is older...at least by a few months then he will go through some more surgery to move his jaw a bit and then he should be able to breath without his hole. His tentative date for leaving the hospital is the 15th of this month. He has has major heart surgery, a couple blood infections and this breathing problem. Mike and Mallary have a long road ahead of them. If eveything goes according to schedule...then he will be a year old before everything is back to "normal". They have to have special training to use the equipment that will be with him until then. They know that one of them will always be at home during the next year. A pretty bleak look nto the future.
So please keep praying for them. They are very discouraged.
Again if you want to send them a quick e-mail just to encourage them it is...
mallarydavis@juno.com

Writing My "Book"

During the days after Anarazell died I sat down and wrote about our experiences. Not so much the story about our daughter, but more about the story leading up to that. I called it "The Tapestry" and I was trying to focus on God's role in the whole thing. Going through something like this it is easy to focus on ones self and what "I" am going through, and miss how God is working. So if you want to read it you can click HERE.
I am going to add segments on every few days.

(A bit of legality...I do have a copyright...so before you do any mass production of it...please talk to me first.)

On other fronts...we are doing pretty good. I have officially started work on campus...so that is exciting, for me at least. I was told today that I am going to be trained to drive the 'dozer and the dump trucks and other cool toys like that...when it happens I will post some pics!
Isabella's 3rd birthday is in 15 days...pretty crazy. She is so grown up...it scares me. She is talking about marriage and things like that...thing that stop a dad's heart. I just want her to be my "little girl" for as long as possible!
Jen is keeping busy...really busy. Our house has been redecorated, reorganized and rearanged. She is always fixing food for someone, or doing their laundry (other then just Isabella and I) and she is finding plenty of ways to keep otherwise occupied. It is good to see her back in gear.
Anyway...that is all for now.