Two months at home!

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Co 4:18

For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Co 5:7

And if I have a prophet's power, and have knowledge of all secret things; and if I have all faith, by which mountains may be moved from their place, but have not love, I am nothing I Co 13:2

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.I Co 13:7

On August 21st completed two months that our beloved Vitoria is at home with us! Thanks God, these were two wonderful months, without any problem for her, but only with too many victories!

We're passing by to quickly say hello everyone...Our dear Vitoria is doing well, and the day before yesterday she completed two months outside the hospital. Thanks to God, those were two wonderful months, without difficulties, and with many victories. We believe that the love God poured in our hearts for Vitoria's life gave us strength to face so many challenges, the difficult and uncertain months during the pregnancy, the challenging stay in the NICU with so many ups and downs, and now, finally, we have our daughter with us, alive, at home, growing, succeeding! She is already wearing clothes size Large! She's big and beautiful!
This week, on Monday, we took her to get her vaccine shots - "only" five, 4 pinches, 2 on her legs and 2 on her buttom. She was in mommy's arms, cried a bit at first, but she was calm later - when she was in the hospital, during the most difficult times, she had to receive shots daily, so we knew this wasn't going to be new for her.
Due to her history of NICU, we were able to get some chots that are not available at the health house, such as the pneumonia shots, and it's been two days her nose is a bit congested, so we believe she has had a reaction to that. She has had more difficulty to drink her bottle, since her nose is congested, so I've been giving her more of the thickened milk (AR) and we've been doing inhalation as well to see if she gets better.

I have a sore throat, so I am wearing a mask around her, which is a bit uncomfortable. I am also very tired due to this marathon of bottles, juices, purees, inhalation... but it is all worth it, see how happy she looks!

Faith can move mountains, but it is only with love that we are brave to have faith and to persist in faith against all that we see. It is this way God has taught us to live, and it is this way we will live the rest of our lives in this world!

We keep asking for your prayers about one stitch on her head where some hairs grew under the skin and have kept getting inflamed. We are going to take her to the neurosurgeon this week to see what it is.

We thank you all for your prayers and for the love of all of you who read this blog, who follow this blog and who leave comments. It is a pleasure to share with you all that we are living with our beloved Vitoria!

We will be posting more news and more beautiful photos soon.
Have a great week.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen

Gl 6:18

Seven months climbing mountains

Unnumbered are those who say of my soul, There is no help for him in God.

But your strength, O Lord, is round me, you are my glory and the lifter up of my head.

Psalm 3:2-3

I will give you praise and honour, O Lord, because through you I have been lifted up; you have not given my haters cause to be glad over me. O Lord my God, I sent up my cry to you, and you have made me well. O Lord, you have made my soul come again from the underworld: you have given me life and kept me from going down among the dead.
Psalm 30:1-3

The Lord has given ear to my request; the Lord has let my prayer come before him. Psalm 6:9

Every valley will be lifted up, and all the mountains and hills made low, and the twisted will be made straight, and the rough ways smooth; And all flesh will see the salvation of God.

Luke 3:5-6

Truly I say to you, Whoever says to this mountain, Be taken up and be put into the sea; and has no doubt in his heart, but has faith that what he says will come about, he will have his desire.

For this reason I say to you, Whatever you make a request for in prayer, have faith that it has been given to you, and you will have it. Mark 11:23-24

Today our beloved Vitoria is turning seven months old. We are so thankful to God for that! When I see her sleeping calmly on dad´s arms, or on her crib, it doesn´t seem that, when she was born seven months ago, no one could say she could live for seven days. Seven hours, maybe, would be too much. Seven months, impossible.

As we told uncountable times, there was no perspective of surviving for Vitoria during pregnancy. Many women who receive the same diagnostic for their babies get a legal permission to abort in Brazil (even abortion being illegal over here). Familes who decide carry their babies to term are advised to prepare the funeral before the baby be born.

When Vitoria was born, no one could say she would have a long story, that she could open a way of survival, herdling obstacles that seemed to be huge mountains in front of her. Where should have a craniun, there was only a malformed brain completly exposed, and she was so vulnerable to infections. Everybody used to say that her vital functions could stop at any moment. She was so small, so weak, she wasn´t able to be nursed and had difficulties to keep the milk that was infused on her stomach. She lost weight, until she had
1,5 kg (4 pounds).

There were so huge mountains in front of her. But we were not alone. We asked God that He came with us. And He heard our prayer. He has removed some mountains from our way. But He is also teaching us to climb mountains. When we were on the bottom, it seemed to be impossible. Now, we look from the top, and we just don´t know how we got here. We only know God brought us up to here!

I talk about great mountains, such as breathing without oxygen support, being nursed without feeding-tube, living four months with her head opened, facing an unusual and high-risk surgery, being free from infections and anemias...
I remember we used to go everyday to hospital praying in the car that God could close her head, that she could be nursed, that she could breath without need of oxygen, that we could bring her home... on her first months of life, these asks seemed to be crazyness, these were very audacious asks. Doctors and nurses at hospital tried to explain to us that things were not so simple like that. Her case was so serious.

But here we are at home with Vitoria breathing by herself without oxygen support, being nursed and very healthy! Now we have other mountains in front of us. We are climbing them, while God trains our feet and hands so that we do not stumble. After being born with a severe brain malformation, and staying five months lying in bed at the NICU, our little girl is trying to crawl. She lifts her head up and tries to sustain her trunk on her arms. With a great effort, she moves her legs and tries to move her arms too. She get tired so fast, but after a while she starts everything again. Sometimes she yells, trying to find forces to go on. She´s a little warrior sustained by God.

God bless you, little miracle, beloved little princess. Congratulations, sweet Vitoria! You are a beautiful present from God! May the Lord guide your feet and hold firmly your hands amidst the climbings of life.

Thank you so much, Lord, for these seven months of Vitoria´s life.

I took my rest in sleep, and then again I was awake; for the Lord was my support. Psalm 3:5 

where are the classes of radical sports for babies?

just kidding!

that´s enough for today...

oh, no, time for sleep now!

bye bye!

Amazing surprises

O how great is your grace, which you have put in store for your worshippers, and which you have made clear to those who had faith in you, before the sons of men!

Psalm 31:19

Put away fear and let your heart be strong, all you whose hope is in the Lord.

Psalm 31:24

I will give you praise and honour, O Lord, because through you I have been lifted up; you have not given my haters cause to be glad over me. O Lord my God, I sent up my cry to you, and you have made me well.

O Lord, you have made my soul come again from the underworld: you have given me life and kept me from going down among the dead. Make songs to the Lord, O you saints of his, and give praise to his holy name.

For his wrath is only for a minute; in his grace there is life; weeping may be for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Psalm 30:1-5

Vitoria is having many adventures last days!

Last week, we took her to an appointment with a pediatrician. It was a sunny day and she loved to go outside. We had good news: She´s great, with 55 cm (21 in) and 5 kg (13 pounds)!

We don´t need to wake her up in the middle of night to be nursed anymore. We are on winter, so mommy loved this change, and so did she.

As she is six months old, she was presented to the marvellous world of fruits and vegetables, and she loved everything she tried: Orange juice, orange with beats, with papaya and with mango. She also loved to eat apple and banana.

Vitoria surprising us, drinking orange juice - she just loved it!

Vitoria surprised, tasting fruits

Vitoria with her cousin Gustavo (10 years old) and with grandma Cida

 

Special moments between father and daughter

Dear friends,
As we celebrated Father´s Day in Brazil last Sunday, I´d like to share with you three very special videos of Marcelo and Vitoria on her first days of life:

Vídeo feito pelo papai (1st day of life)

Vitoria no colo do papai - 4o dia de vida

Vitória - 12º dia