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!