Videos with Dad

We have good laughs with these videos! To remember happy moments and smile!

First weeks of life

These are some moments of our beloved Vitoria's pregnancy (not well edited, the 2nd one is a fragment of a video for her 1st anniversary, that I need to edit better), but they help us to see how she was so full of life and precious since those first weeks. And how we say in portuguese, so "serelepe"!

Beautiful memories & hopes

But I am like an olive tree  flourishing in the house of God;  I trust in God's unfailing love  for ever and ever. Salmos 52:8

 

The sun will no more be your light by day,  nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you,  for the LORD will be your everlasting light,  and your God will be your glory. Your sun will never set again,  and your moon will wane no more;  the LORD will be your everlasting light,  and your days of sorrow will end. Isaiah 60:19-20

 

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,  because the LORD has anointed me  to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,  to proclaim freedom for the captives  and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor  and the day of vengeance of our God,  to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion —  to bestow on them a crown of beauty  instead of ashes,  the oil of joy  instead of mourning,  and a garment of praise  instead of a spirit of despair.  They will be called oaks of righteousness,  a planting of the LORD  for the display of his splendor. Isaiah 61:1-3

Do you ever see anyone mourning over the passing of the tulip bulb? Do gardeners weep as the bulb begins to weaken? Of course not. We don’t purchase tulip girdles or petal wrinkle cream or consult plastic-leaf surgeons. We don’t mourn the passing of the bulb; we celebrate it. Tulip lovers rejoice the minute the bulb weakens. “Watch that one,” they say. “It’s about to blossom.” Could it be heaven does the same? The angels point to our bodies. The more frail we become, the more excited they become. “Watch that lady in the hospital,” they say. “She’s about to blossom.” “Keep an eye on the fellow with the bad heart. He’ll be coming home soon.”

(...) This is not our forever house. It will serve for the time being. But there is nothing like the moment we enter his door.  Max Lucado, Travelling Light

 

 

Precious moments - sleeping

Remembering some precious moments with our beloved princess!
How she slept so beautiful and quiet when she was two months old!

Princess Vitoria

This is another beautiful video that a follower of Vitoria's blog, Thais França, made for us!

The song of the video is of a Brazilian singer, Ana Paula Valadao, and has a very special lyrics. It also has a video where the singer appears singing with a girl with Down's syndrome. I remember during Vitoria's baby shower, in her pregnancy, some friends sang this song for us, and I cried so much wondering how my baby girl would look like and thinking how precious she was (I admit I was so afraid how she would look like withou hair lol). I sang this song for Vitoria many times during her life, specially in some moments she was sick, and I also sang it for her in that night when she was leaving us, while I held her little and soft hand. I'd like to share it with its translation to English.

After receiving this precious gift in my life and have lived this beautiful story with her, it was clear that, despite many challenges, my beloved daughter was not a mistake of God or of nature, as many may superficially think or talk. Today I have no doubt that, yes, God dreamed the life of my daughter and each of her days were planned and written by Him in his book, as the Psalm says. I would not dare to change even one letter of the story He wrote.

In the eyes of the Father,
You're a masterpiece
that He planned,
With His own hands He painted


The color of your skin
your hair He drawn
Every detail,
In a touch of love


You are so beautiful
Perfect in the eyes of the Father
Someone like you
I have never seen


Oh pretty princess
Perfect in the eyes of the father
Someone like you
I have never seen


Never let anyone say
That you are not wanted
Before you were born
God dreamed about you

This is the lyrics in portuguese:

Aos olhos do pai,

Você é uma obra prima
Que ele planejou,
Com suas próprias mãos pintou

A cor de sua pele
Os seus cabelos desenhou
Cada detalhe,
Num toque de amor

Você é linda demais,
Perfeita aos olhos do pai
Alguém igual a você
Não vi jamais

Princesa, linda demais
Perfeita aos olhos do pai
Alguém igual a você
Não vi jamais

Nunca deixe alguém dizer
Que não é querida
Antes de você nascer
Deus sonhou com você

In the end of the video our friend wrote this message:
Beautiful little angel, today Heaven is in party to receive its newest and distinguished resident, your mission here on earth was fulfilled with honor, you and your parents taught us the true meaning of the word LOVE. May the Lord Jesus, in His infinite goodness, fill with grace the hearts and lives of your brave parents.

Crying, laughter and peace

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

How I miss to hold my little girl... to squeeze, to kiss, to feel her soft and perfumed hair, her cuddly cheeks and to see her naughty face of happiness to be loved!
But what a joy to know that she's okay, she has no more pain, she is free and I gave her freely into Jesus´ hands, with all my love, because I knew that, from now on, he would take care of her better than me... I knew a more fully love, a love that lets go the one you love, so that he can get well. If there is anything that can be worse than the pain of loss is the pain of seeing who we love suffer. I thank God so much because He was merciful with us and with my beloved child, because until the day before she left us she was well and happy. And when the suffering came, He picked her up and saved her.
How many beautiful memories, how much joy we lived! We were madly happy, irresponsibly crazy in love and caring for her. We surrendered ourselves without fear in this dive of no return  that is being mother and father of a precious pearl of great value. This no one, ever, can take away from us, not even death. Just as nothing can separate us from the love of Christ, in Christ nothing can separate us from our beloved daughter.

It was only a long journey in which she could not take anything but her own soul and all the love she received from us. What a great party should have been made ​​in Heaven to receive her. As in her birth, crying and laughter go together now, sadness and joy become the same thing.

It is life for who stays, and eternal life for who goes.

look at our princess...

We love you so much little princess, I hope you're running and jumping and has a super powerful skate out there, where Jesus has taken you into his arms... lol

The last sunset

 For I am even now being offered, and my end is near. I have made a good fight, I have come to the end of my journey, I have kept the faith: From now on, the crown of righteousness is made ready for me, which the Lord, the upright judge, Will give to me at that day: and not only to me, but to all those who have had love for his revelation. 2 Timothy 4:6-8

The righteous perish,  and no one takes it to heart;  the devout are taken away,  and no one understands  that the righteous are taken away  to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly  enter into peace;  they find rest as they lie in death. Isaiah 57:1-2

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.  He guides me along the right paths  for his name's sake.
Even though I walkthrough the darkest valley,  I will fear no evil,  for you are with me;  your rod and your staff,  they comfort me. You prepare a table before me  in the presence of my enemies.  You anoint my head with oil;  my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me  all the days of my life,  and I will dwell in the house of the LORD  forever. Psalms 23

F or everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 1 John 5:4

  
I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed — in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 1 Corinthians 15:50-52

For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:53-57

For this cause, my dear brothers, be strong in purpose and unmoved, ever giving yourselves to the work of the Lord, because you are certain that your work is not without effect in the Lord. I Corinthians 15:5-58

Jesus replied,  "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. "You heard me say, 'I am going away and I am coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. John 14:23, 27-29

These are some pictures of the last three days we spent with our little princess, before the day she passed. On Saturday, we walked in tan, on Sunday we played in the living room floor and I did a pretty braid in her hair. On Monday it was very cold, she was sleeping peaceful. I spent a long time in the afternoon with her in my lap, she was hugged to me while I warmed her next to my body. At night she slept in the lap of dad and Grandma Cida. I put her to sleep tummy down, and left the heater on because she was cold, with 35.2 ° C. Until 1:30 am I watched her in the crib, she slept quiet, had even dropped the pacifier.

Quarter to six in the morning the Lord woke her up saying her time with us had finished, that she should go... but He let she tell us she was leaving and say goodbye to us. She had high fever, 40 C, and we took her to the hospital where she arrived already going into shock. But there was not a focus of infection, her lungs were clear, the urine unchanged, the abdomen was normal, around all her little body it was not found the focus of infection. But she was having a devastating septic shock, an overwhelming infection, perhaps in the blood, perhaps due to many recurrent infections and prolonged use of antibiotics.

For an intraosseous access she received much serum. She was intubated, a central catheter was passed and doctors started drugs to raise her pressure and strengthen her heart, and antibiotics. But there were no answers, instead of rising her pressure dropped and the kidneys stopped working. Unlike other times, when she struggled, fought, resisted and reacted, this time she remained quiet and with no answers. She seemed to be saying that now she would rest from all her fight and her mission. Once the doctor told us at the end of the day, the immense gravity of her condition, we prayed that everything could be reversed and she could be healed and be fine again. However she remained the same. Then we cried to the Lord that she did not suffer more, if it was time to take her, that she could go in peace and without pain. I begged God that if she was to suffer, that was me, not her. So in a few minutes her heart rate began to decline.

Like a sunset, her heart was sinking softly as she was hugged and kissed. As the last notes of a symphony, the most beautiful song I've ever had the privilege of hearing all my life, this silent music that she delivered during every second of her life with us. Even intubated she gave her last two breaths and flew to Jesus, in peace... And let us lulling for this sweet song that was have loved her deeply, with all our hearts, with all our physical, spiritual, emotional and intellectual strengths, in joy and in sorrow, in good and bad days, for all her life, from conception to birth, from birth to death. This strong love, that I learned and realized I could feel just accepting and receiving her in my life, will forever be with me and guide me in all my days. A love that took me closer to God´s heart.

What am I going to do now? What will I make of my days, from waking up to lie down, if in the last three years I devoted every day of my life for this princess who I had the privilege of being mother?

I don´t know, I just know that I want to be a respondent to the daughter I had. There is so much to do. She rested from her mission, but we are still fulfilling our, which will always be closely linked to her, to her memory, to the priceless gift of life, to the inviolable right that is to live as long as one has to live with love and dignity.

Our ever loved Vitoria de Cristo

This is a another beautiful video, that our dear friend Claudia has done to our beloved Vivi ...
Claudia is a reader of Vitoria's blog in Portuguese, she lives in João Pessoa, Paraíba, in northeastern Brazil (we live in the southeast). Last year she came to São Paulo and came to visit us and meet her personally. At the end of the video there are two pictures of her with our beloved daughter. We are very grateful that she had prepared this lovely keepsake.

Our beloved Fabinho also left us...

Dear friends,

I received sad news that our beloved Fabio Gabriel also left us and returned to God. (Fabio was born in Barbacena, Minas Gerais, Brazil, in April 2011 with the diagnosis of acrania and anencephaly).

He fell ill on Tuesday night, around 8 pm (when our little princess was preparing to leave), and was taken to the ICU with pneumonia. He did not respond to antibiotics and his condition was very serious, progressing to sepsis and septic shock.
 
Tonight at around 9 pm his parents and grandparents said goodbye and returned him to the Lord, who so graciously let him stay for 1 year and 3 months of a very special and happy life, full of overcomings. Fernanda told me that her heart was filled with a great peace when Fabio rested.
 
Please be with us in prayer for them, may God continue giving them strength, comfort and much peace, knowing that they have fulfilled a wonderful mission of love and respect for life.
 
Now Heaven is celebrating, because the Lord has gathered another of His precious miracles. I can wonder how these two kids must be happy running, jumping, singing and waiting for us with Jesus. We miss them and thank God, they were always perfect and deeply loved!

Vitória de Cristo - beautiful memories

A reader of Vitoria's brazilian blog made this beautiful video with some amazing memories with our princess. I am so thankful for every single moment we had with her.

Prayers for a special little friend

Dear friends, please join us in praying for Fabio Gabriel's life, who is hospitalized in serious condition in ICU with pneumonia.

Fabio was born with acrania and anencephaly, like Vitoria, and is one year and three months old. May God sustain him and strengthen his parents Fernanda and Fabio' hearts, at this difficult time. May doctors be enlightened to do the best for this precious life. Father, please bring healing and recovery to Fabio, may he get well and return home with his parents who love him so much. In the name of Jesus we let his life in your powerful and mercy hands, amen.

Our beloved Vitoria is now with Christ

Dear friends,

With sadness in our hearts, but also with peace and gratitude to God, yesterday (July 17th) at 9:30 pm we returned our beloved Princess Victoria de Cristo to our Father, who with so much love and mercy let her stay with us beyond the wonderful 9 months of her pregnancy, for the most amazing two and half years of great happiness.

As she came into our lives with so much courage and sweetness, she also left us. Early at 6 am she woke up and was moaning with 40.5 C degrees of fever. We realized that something very serious was happening and after a bath we took her to hospital. She was rescued but quickly went into a highly severe septic shock. She was taken into intensive care and everything was done to save her. But unfortunately she did not respond to medications and we realized she was telling us that the time had come to rest, that her mission was fulfilled and God was calling her. Just as we respected her life for love to her and for trust and obedience to God, also by love, trust and obedience it was time to respect her death. She went quietly while we kissed her, hugged her, and we told her how precious she was, we would always love her and that she could leave in peace with God. And so she peacefully passed away.

Today was her funeral at 9 am and at 2 am her burial, when her beautiful little body returned to earth, because her soul is alive and radiant with Christ.

We are very grateful to many friends and family who came with us to thank God for her so fantastic and honored life that our beloved daughter Vitoria had and to glorify his name for this beautiful story he wrote. History which, humbly, we had the great honor to be part of. We just have to thank for having been able to love and take care of this little princess of heaven that lit up our lives and so many around us, taking us closer to our Creator.

We greatly appreciate the great affection of everybody, for all the prayers for her life and the messages of support. Many, many thanks for having lived this beautiful journey of love and life with us!

Our princess is an angel in heaven

It is with the greatest sadness that I inform our friends that our dearest Vitoria has left us. This is Vitoria's aunt writing. My sister, Vitoria's mother, is still in the hospital. Please remember us in your prayers. Vitoria was actually doing well yesterday. She had an inflamed throat, but no sign of infection in the beginning of this week. Unfortunately today she was not feeling well and was taken to the ER. Her heartbeat decreased, until it stopped completely. She died peacefully. I do not have all the details. My sister will write more when she is able to. Our dear Vitoria was a blessing in our lives and we will cherish her memory forever.

The Right Choice

Dear friends!

I've just watched this very inspirational video on Life Site News, about a mom who refused abortion for his disabled son. It is a very simple and touched video that brought tears to my eyes. She mentions a moment when a girl accused her of being a horrible person for not aborting his son, allowing him to be born and live with a disability. It is exciting to read how such comments hurt his mother's heart, but while many people have also been touched and inspired by her son's life through her courage to love him and show him to the world.

 Lacey  Buchanan wrote : “I am absolutely blown away by the response that the video has had,” she wrote. “I never imagined it would be this big, but I have definitely learned a lesson in not underestimating God’s ability to use people.”

“I am humbled and awestruck with the fact that God is using my son to fulfill His purpose! I just can’t wait to see how He uses Christian in the future!”

She also created a blog where she shares her journey with Christian.

Congratulations to all mommies!

Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you, even at my mother's breast. From birth I was cast on you; from my mother's womb you have been my God.
Psalm 22:9-10

meu maior presente!

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:13-14 



 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalm 139:16

 

 

It is an immeasurable joy for us to spend another Mother's Day with the sweet presence of our little princess. She's fine, just had some bad days with the growth of canines - now she has almost all the teeth, missing only the second molars. We also just discovered a new urinary tract infection, this time being asymptomatic and treated early, at home, thank God.

All mothers know that there is not one particular day that counts, but all the special moments we spend with our children and also to know that they are doing well. Last Sunday I was remembering the unforgettable moments of pregnancy, the first ultrasounds to see our baby, the first kicks, the first moments as she was born and I could see her, touch her, kiss her ... those were the best mother's days I could have lived!

I never imagined I would live so many days with my princess, it was all a dream so far away, a desperate prayer. Being able to give her a bath, change a diaper, cherish her in my arms when she  had a colic were simply sublime and unimaginable moments.

This Mother's Day also has many things to celebrate, because a few months ago our Vitoria fell ill and had to be hospitalized twice due to complications of urinary infection. Once again we saw God manifesting miracles and confirming that Vitoria is only alive because he really wants and has a wonderful plan for her life. Everything we can do for her is only because God has given us the privilege of caring for her, loving her, fighting with her and share her beautiful life path. So we are very grateful to him that this cute and sweet girl is here with us and now, also smiling and expressing her happiness and well-being for us!

Unfortunately every now and then some people who visit this blog superficially leave very offensive comments for me, from a deeply arrogant and ignorant point of view, accusing us of cruelty for having allowed our beloved daughter to be born and live as if we were forcing her to live and suffer. Vitoria is not a child suffering and does not need anyone's pity, but only needs the love of her family and respect of others.

Not only do I feel so sorry and mercy of these people who feel entitled to throw stones at us without any foundation, perhaps wanting to justify themselves of something, accusing us.

Cruelty would have been break her in pieces inside my uterus by fear and selfishness, or throw her violently from my womb when she was growing up safe and quiet, for considering her inconvenient for me, since she was so fragile and wasn't considered "normal" for society. Receiving this rare jewel in my life was the most wonderful decision of my life, because she has taught me the greatest lessons of life, courage, sweetness and determination, things I would never have learned if I had thought only in my own interests. Unfortunately not all people are prepared to understand and accept these differences, and it is very regrettable that these people lose valuable opportunities, keeping their lives immersed in mediocrity.

 The fact is that Victoria has the same right to live that anyone else who is reading this blog, and we have the same responsibility to love her and protect her as any other parents have for their children. Vitoria has never been forced to live, she has always lived by herself showing that her condition was not incompatible with life, as many claim emphatically. Vitoria loves life, in every new second of her life she shows us that she wants to live and wants our support for this. She is deeply loved and is fully aware of how much she is loved. She can express when she is in pain or joy, and she has expressed great joy at each new step overcome. It has been a great challenge for us because we did not abandon her even for a second on her fight. But we never regret of having just respected her life and given her the opportunity to be born and to show by herself what were her limits. Yes, she has many limitations, but she can live and she will remain alive while her Creator desires, even if her life does not please some people who seem to have a God in their belly and assume the right to dictate who should live or not. Fortunately our princess is here very close to us and safe, away from these cruel people and only God will decide about her life.

I'd like to leave a big hug to all mothers, especially my mother who is so wonderful and dedicated, even I being an adult and living far away, she is still so lovely, she worries and  takes care of me and Vitoria. And also to my mother in law whom I greatly admire, I am grateful and I carry with love in my heart.

And to all special moms, those who have their children physically present with them, or only in their hearts, but no less intensely present, that are worthy of being called MOTHERS forever. May God bless you!

I also greatly thank all the readers that leave messages of support and encouragement and to all who write to say they pray for Vitoria and thank for keeping this blog in English. I apologize because I can not always answer these messages, but all these kind words are kept in my heart. This blog is for you!

I want the whole bed for me!







cute and chubby mom's girl!

 

 

new hairstyle with long hair

 



she wins our hearts more and more each day!