My Little Miracles

This is my miracle girl Anna Marie wearing a tie dye shirt our friend Julie (mentioned in last post) helped her make.

Every year around this time I get the opportunity to see the wonderful workings of the heart! Anna had her annual echocardiogram today to monitor her Mitral Valve Stenosis.  It never ceases to amaze me that Anna is the active, healthy girl that she is looking at her obviously abnormal mitral valve push her blood.  Her valve is very thick and narrow.  On the ultrasound, you can see the blood struggle to get through her valve.   From day 1, literally, her cardiologist has commented that he's surprised how well she's done.  
Research I did when Anna was a newly diagnosed newborn said that children born with her condition usually have surgery by time he/she is 3 years old.   Anna will be 7 in November.
I keep telling people Anna is my miracle baby.  She was a very ill child when she was born, but God has protected that little heart of hers. 
Anna is a miracle in another way.  I prayed hard for a little girl.  God chose to take my first daughter, but God graciously allow me to give me sweet Anna Marie.  Anna means God is Gracious.  He certainly has been.
I'm thankful for my boys too. They are miracles in their own right,  Elijah was very ill with low blood sugar when he was born.  He was in the NICU for 12 days.  Now he's on the verge of becoming a teenager.
Nate survived my having to have emergency gall bladder surgery when I was about 16 weeks pregnant with him.  The dr. said the infections I was getting from my gall stones was more dangerous than the effects of the surgery.  He ended up being my healthiest kid.
I'm so thankful for the children God has blessed me with.  I'm looking forward to spending time with my family this week at a beautiful state park.  I probably won't be taking my computer with me, so I'll post pictures and thoughts when I come back.  I will also have an official update on how Anna's echo. went as the dr. wasn't in today to read it.

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