Christmas 2011 in Utah with the Walkers

Tyson and I are spending this year's Christmas in Austin with my side of the family.  So, two days before Christmas, before we jumped on our flight to Austin, the Walker family all got together for a little pre-Christmas celebration while everyone was still in Utah.  Good times!

Picture of the Great-Grandkids with Tyson's Grandmother:

And here's a picture of the adults attempting to get the Grandkids to all smile at the camera for that picture . . . . 

What's Christmas without matching Christmas pajamas for the kids? Thank you Aunt Tori.

Cousin Bonding, (Paelyn was just about to kiss Elise on the forehead in this picture)

Mmm . . . Toes!

Elise has discovered her toes and is loving those ten little piggies.  Notice the background of this picture - there you can see my pad of paper and lap top computer--- Instead of grading papers and preparing next semester's syllabi, I'm photographing Elise taste her toes.  She's just so much more interesting than writing exams.

Thanksgiving

This year we spent Thanksgiving with Tyson's family in Willard, Utah.  It was a fun day with family.  At the top of my Thanksgiving Gratitude list was:
1. The Priesthood
2. Primary Children's Medical Center
Both of these are what saved Elise's heart, lungs and intestines--- and possibly her life.  I can't express enough gratitude for having Elise in our life.  She is such a joy and I'm just so glad our little Elise was willing to come and be a part of mine and Tyson's family.

Some father daughter time while watching the football game.

Elise with her aunt, Tori.  

Ever since Elise was 3 months old, she has LOVED to do an assisted sit-up to standing position like she is doing here.  She'll do it over and over and over again with me . . .  I think I might have created a monster by teaching her this. 

Elise's Doll

Our friends, Christi and Jim, gave Elise a doll.  Elise is showing her affection for her new doll . . .

. . . by eating it of course. :0)

Thanks Christi and Jim- Elise really does love the doll you gave her!

Halloween Costumes

Since Halloween is about dressing up as something you're NOT, Tyson and I decided to dress up as U-fans.  In spite of the fact that I'm seriously considering getting my PhD from the University of Utah, I'll always be proud to be a BYU cougar.

3 1/2 Months- Still Going Strong!

Elise has discovered her voice now and is constantly "talking" these days. I love it.  It's hard to get work done when I have her right there next to me "chattering" away- plus interacting with Elise is so much more fun than grading papers and preparing lessons!  

I gotta say, Elise is the queen of Weber State these days.  Because I bring her to work with me, all of my WSU students get to see her. Students will often stop by my office just so they can hold Elise.  Even some of my guy students will come by to get a chance.

I figured I should get a mother daughter photo, since it is usually me behind the camera photographing Elise and Tyson.    

As a bonus, Elise has been sleeping through the night for 2 months now.  Yea!  Last night she beat her sleeping record and went 10 hours.  Definitely a blessing for her 2 tired parents.  

 Elise was smiling at Tyson while I took this photo. 

Elise at 2 months

 

We're so happy that Elise's heart is beating strong, that she is digesting her food without a problem, and that her lungs are breathing well. 

  

At her 2 month appointment, the pediatrician commented that Elise was well ahead of the growth curve in her muscle development, responses, and level of alertness.  Already Elise is an example to me of rising above challenges and how the Lord will make weak things become strong. 

It was a wonderful day when the medical equipment was picked up from our home because Elise was pronounced healthy enough to live without it. We adore our active, happy, and alert baby girl so much. Every day I count my blessings that she is here with us.  

Just a side note- Elise was diagnosed with a case of N.E.C.K., (this nasty, flesh-eating bacteria in the gut- which is fatal for newborns if not caught within a day or two of birth).  She also was diagnosed with an Atrial Septal Defect in her heart.  Finally her lungs were under-developed and her oxygen levels would desaturate into the 60's, (healthy lungs maintain oxygen saturation levels in the upper 90's).  Without the help of extra oxygen being given to her, brain damage could have resulted from these low oxygen levels.  


However, as of now, the N.E.C.K. is gone, her lungs are working just fine on their own, and the Atrial Septal Defect will be evaluated in 4 months.  It looks promising though that the Atrial Septal Defect will take care of itself so that there will be no need for a heart surgery at this point.  But, we won't know for sure until she is evaluated in 4 months by a cardiologist.

3 Weeks Old

Elise is now 3 weeks old.  Her first 2 weeks were spent at the Primary Children's Hospital NICU.  This last week we were finally discharged to take Elise home on Oxygen.  We have been slowly decreasing the amount of oxygen we give Elise during the day, (as much as her lungs allow anyway).   The stickers on the side of her face are what hold the nose cannula in.  Elise is our fiesty, but sweet, little O2 baby.  We're so happy to have our baby doll home with us.

Perspective from the NICU at Primary Children's Hospital

Elise is now 5 days old and has spent 4 of those 5 days in the NICU. There are so many memories of this week that I want to block out forever- memories that my bring my heart to a sickened despair, and even horror, whenever they manage to creep across my mind.  Any parent who has had a sick child knows exactly what I am talking about.

Please excuse this entry, if I'm getting too personal here.  But the reason I am writing this particular post is because there is one message that I have learned loud and clear:
the power and privilege of the priesthood is one of the greatest gifts from our Father in Heaven

When they first took our baby Elise away in the ambulance, she was put in a transportable incubator- which quite honestly looked more like a coffin than an incubator to me . . .  It was long and large, and had every kind of tube and machine hooked up imaginable.  It was terrifying to me.  We had just been told that Elise's condition could potentially mean heart surgery and seeing her wheeled away in it was my worst nightmare.

Tyson and I couldn't even hold Elise- all we could do was reach our hand in the side vent of the transportable incubator and touch her with our fingers.  I know the ambulance workers were attempting to give Tyson and I instructions as we stood there- but all I could focus on was reaching in and allowing Elise to grasp my finger.  I talked to Elise as she held my finger.  I told her over and over again how much Tyson and I loved her, how sorry we were that she was in so much pain and how badly we wanted to change the situation.  I begged her to be strong and to pull through this, even though she was less than 15 hours old.

I try to block out that haunting image in my mind of my baby girl, hooked up to more tubes than I could count, laying in that incubator- out of my reach.  In this moment, I felt more powerless and desperate than I ever have in my entire life.  Soon, Tyson traded places with me, and with a friend of ours, gave Elise a blessing in that midnight hour with their fingers through the vent.

And this is the lesson I have learned more clearly than ever:

There are times in our life when we are absolutely powerless and completely desperate, as I was in that moment.  There are times in our life when we are left to circumstances hat we cannot change, or worse yet, just as I couldn't reach Elise in the ambulance incubator, there are times in everyone's life, when healing or rescuing another is out of our limited grasp; and it crumbles our hearts.

As Tyson reached his hand in to bless Elise, I could feel the Savior's hand, reaching in past Tyson's hand, and cradling Elise for him.  Where our power as parents was falling short, I could feel the Savior's power to heal extended past ours, and surrounding Elise.  Where we could not reach, He could, and He did.

The ambulance workers told us that by the time they had reached the Primary Children's Hospital, there was a noticeable change in Elise's state.  Somehow, the road her body was going on was turned in the other direction during that drive to the hospital.  Instead of continuing to spiral downward, her condition has actually started to become more stable by the time the ambulance pulled up to the hospital entrance.  The ambulance workers told me it was what they called, a "healing ambulance ride" or a "miracle ambulance ride".  They said sometimes these unexplained change of events just happens in an ambulance.

But, I knew better.  It had nothing to do with a "miracle ambulance" or "unexplained change of events".  The change, in fact, was very explainable.  It was the priesthood power that was given to bless her just prior to the ambulance ride that was beginning to take effect within our little girl's body by the time we arrived.  It was the mercy and power of Christ that was working the miracle, not the ambulance.  It was the power of His love and His priesthood that was healing our precious little girl.

There is a still a long road ahead for us, and there are still some very tough moments Tyson and I have had to endure since then and, probably will continue to endure, until Elise is recovered.  But, one thing is certain:  when the Lord commands us to keep the commandments so we can be worthy of the priesthood's blessings, I believe He is not commanding us as much as He is pleading with us.  He is pleading with us to take the necessary steps that we need to, so that He can bless us and heal us with His power.  (He says  in 3 Nephi 9:13: ". . . will ye not now return unto me . . . that I may heal you?")

The Savior is pleading for us to allow Him to reach the precious things in life that we cannot reach for ourselves.  Every day when I return to Elise's bed at the NICU and I am able to hold my precious girl, tubes and all, my heart is filled with gratitude.  Gratitude to Tyson for being worthy to use the Savior's priesthood power and gratitude to my Savior, for loving and taking care of my baby girl for us.

7 1/2 Months Along

My belly growth has become exponential in the past 2 months!  Wow, had no idea how hard squatting to plug a cord in an outlet could become.

Sidewalk Chalk Art Competition

Tyson and I decided to take a stroll down our city's main street during the annual sidewalk chalk art competition.  Some of the entries were really impressive.  Here are a few of our favorites.  

5 1/2 Months Along

I've been getting requests from some friends to post a picture of me with my "Baby Bump".  So, here it is- me with my baby Elise at 5 1/2 months along, (we'll be at 6 months in a week).  She is quite the kicker- especially at night when I lay down to go to sleep.  If she keeps that up . . . wow, is she going to be a fun newborn- up awake all night long!!

Due Date Moved Up

I just got back from a trip to New York and Indiana visiting family, (WSU had its spring break).  It was SO NICE to lie around and just relax, rather than have to get up in the morning and go to work on a sick stomach!   I loved it!  Family is the best.  Though the trip would have been even nicer if I wasn't nauseated, (sigh). 

Anyway, Tyson and I went to my in-depth ultrasound appointment today.  According to the specialist, Elise's due date is estimated to be a week earlier than originally thought.  Now, her due date is July 21st.  Yea!  The sooner the better for us. 

It's a girl!!

 It is officially confirmed now---- our little one on the way is a GIRL!!! We are going to name her Elise (Eee-lease phonetically).  We also got our first blood test back and so far everything is reading normal..  We're going to keep praying and hoping that our little Elise stays happy and healthy until the day we get to meet her in person. 

We're Pregnant!!!

It's official; Tyson and I are due to have a baby on July 30th of this year, (yes- that is my birthday too)!  We're excited and scared all at the same time.  I am 15 weeks along, and according to the doctor, our baby is over a week ahead of its growth schedule. 

This is a relief, seeing that for the past months, more than half of what I have tried to digest ended up being thrown up . . . gotta love morning sickness.  Thank goodness my morning sickness is starting to "ease off" . . . not that teaching in front of a bunch of university students isn't fun while fighting the urge to hurl, because it is, don't get me wrong on that.  But, all of you women out there who struggle with terrible morning sickness, and even suffer for your entire pregnancy, my sympathies go out to you!  You're amazing.  Morning sickness is not for the faint of heart, that is for sure. 

When all is said and done though, in spite of the lack of food that has stayed in my body these past few months, according to our doctor, our baby has not been deprived of any nutrients. Like any mother feels, I believe that as long as our baby stays healthy and happy, I cannot complain.  I'm so grateful for this blessing.

I announced to my students that I'm pregnant today and told my students that if my baby can be ahead in its growth under these circumstances, it is destined to be an all-star athlete, (most of my students are majoring in coaching and/or exercise physiology).  They got a good laugh about that. 

We'll find out the gender for sure in 3 weeks.