Perseverence

"Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will.  Then you will receive all that He has planned." Hebrews 10:36

Today marks the end of a 6-week long journey (which started 4 1/2 years ago!) through surgeries, body casts, loss of independence, and immobility.  Today Nora gets her cast off!!!  Many of you are not familiar with hip dysplasia, but if you pregnant or having children, your baby will be checked at birth for it - all babies are.(http://www.hipdysplasia.org/) We found out before I was even out of the delivery room four and a half years ago, that Nora had something wrong with her hips.  She has run the gammut of harnesses, surgeries, body casts, and braces.  I am convinced that God created Nora with her "disability" for a reason and a purpose - to teach her compassion, strength, and courage.  She has dealt with it more maturely and more courageously than most adults would - she ASTOUNDS me.  She truly is my hero.

..........Continued from yesterday......

Yesterday we had the pleasure of taking Nora & Archer down to Iowa City to get Nora's cast off.  She was so incredibly brave!  After about 30 minutes of "sawing" and "cracking" the cast off...she was finally free!  But we weren't able to let her walk just yet - they needed to do x-rays to make sure the surgery did as it was supposed to.  After x-rays we reviewed them and talked with Dr. Dietz.  Hesitantly, we asked if the surgery was successful and if she will require more surgery.  His reply was that the surgery was successful, but that he can't guarantee that she won't require more surgery - but he is very optimistic that this will be it for now!  Praise God!  It was so, so comforting to be able to hold Nora close to me again.  I have missed that, and so has she.  Last night we spent the night cuddling on the couch, just me and Nora.  She is happy to be out of her cast, yet she's a bit tentative.  She still can't walk (without support) and has trouble lifting her legs, but Dr. Dietz said that she should be back to her old self hopefully within two weeks.  We thought we were going to be able to send her back to daycare today, but she just doesn't have the strength and can't walk yet, so Grandma Hurst gets to stay with her in the mornings and I get to stay with her in the afternoons!  I LOVE my time with her!  I was so sad on Tuesday when I thought it was our last day together.  I took her to Happy Joe's for lunch and then for a walk (in her wheelchair, of course!) on the Heritage Trail since it was so nice out.  I have so thoroughly enjoyed our special time together - it has reminded me of the special one-on-one time I used to have with my Grandma Gaul on the farm, which I SO fondly remember.  I hope Nora remembers this time together with me just as fondly <3

I want to take this opportunity to thank EACH and every one of you for your support.  You will never know how much it has meant to our family for the meals, cards, time spent, and most of all prayers.  We are humbly blessed to be surrounded by amazing people.  Thanking God today for His many, many provisions! We. Are. Blessed.

 In the Elevator on the way to Nora's appointment!

 Nervous....

 See ya stinky!!!