Mar. 24, 2010 What a wonderful group! March has been a super great month for getting new members to the group and I want to thank everyone who has helped us to grow! My New Year's Resolution was a very simple one-Choose Love, and with so many absolutely faithful and encouraging supporters, I have found it pretty easy to stay in that place. March has found me to be IN GRATITUDE! I feel that Chloe, myself and the rest of the family have benefitted each and every day since the inception of this group, how can I NOT be in a positive place? God really is so good, all the time. Each day, you are ALL remembered in MY prayers! Our Little Miss Warrior Princess is just blossoming more each and every day. The pink and purple crocus just down the street have nothing on her! This has been a tough, cold, snowy winter and having such a compromised respiratory system has made it necessary to keep Chloe inside most of the time. She hasn't been a winter wallflower completely though! We have had some sunny, warm days, especially the past few weeks as we move into spring, and Jennie and Lance take every opportunity possible to get her outside. In the past two weeks, she has spent many hours on a blankie outside, discovering some pretty remarkable things in just her front and back yard! Having a battery pack for the ventilator makes it possible for Jennie to move her about throughout the day. It is a bit of an ordeal, but nothing that my remarkable daughter doesn't just see as a new normal. We were also able to have her take part in the festivities of her first official fundraiser. Many new and local people got to hear about Chloe and Chloe got to experience the most beautiful music! Watching her tilt her little head to the 'just right' position to hear the music when it began was so very, very memorable. It will be one of the visuals I will take with me for the rest of my life! Getting her out to the event was a pretty big deal but well worth every minute of preparation to make the trip to Boulder. Another night, Sierra had a fundraiser for her school at the Chick Filet in town-of course the family all had to be in attendance! One weekend, her Uncle Brandon was selling his chocolate fudge at a Buy Local market in town. The whole family made it down to 'help' and after 'helping' for a few minutes, Chloe decided selling was tough stuff and fell promptly to sleep! These days, Chloe actually has an opportunity to 'just be one of the family'. So many months of having that NOT happen because of the lengthy hospital stay makes these times out super special. The kinds of things we many times take for granted have become very apparent to us since Chloe's birth. We have felt incredibly blessed that Chloe has built a really great immune system and has not gotten sick this winter! With all the doom and gloom predictions of record flu season looming, there certainly has been concern whenever a sniffle germ rushed through the door and somehow escaped the massive amount of sanitizer in the house! But...only one cold bug grabbed hold of The Warrior Princess and she handled it very well. Thank God for big favors, because a respiratory infection, or any situation involving her lungs could have very negative consequences. This baby started out tough and prefers to remain that way! I am certain that the amount of continuous prayer from all of our friends and family has kept her well! As she grows, her development continues to be on track in most areas, especially considering that she has had to compensate for such a small amount of stimulation because of the serious medical issues and long, long time in the hospital early on. Now, even without ears, with the one bone conducting aid she seems to hear sounds and responds to noises, music and voices. She is learning more and more signs and loves to play with her toys and most of all...her Grandma! HA! Maybe not JUST her Grandma...she just loves to engage with everyone and loves getting attention. She pulls hair, grabs glasses, pulls hands away that are wiping her nose or trying to get her suctioned and let's everyone know in no uncertain terms when she is either angry or happy! Chloe has a beautiful smile and loves, loves, loves to be tickled! Her physical therapy continues to go well, and she is able to stand holding on to the couch or with some other form of support. She weight bears much better on her legs and is getting closer and closer to making the giant crawling leap! She is just a delight and if I could figure out how to get them loaded on the new Facebook, I have some GREAT pictures. Just wait until you see her, so adorable you will just want a Chloe of your own! Hopefully, I will get some help and get pics up soon! One more month, and we will have made it to the one year old mark! Wow, what a year! This family has been tested on most every front and we still march forward, hand in hand. Thank you again for supporting us in doing just that! Until next time ,love, blessings and peace to everyone.
