Edelweiss

Many miracles have taken place this week. Eliza has been through more in her first 10 days of life than I have been through in my entire 30 years, and I applaud her strength. This is where the following miracles have come forth. Our first goal was to stop the seizures completely and so far we are on day 2 with no noticeable seizure activity! Because her major, once an hour, seizures have stopped she has more strength and is actually awake a few hours a day. I love to see her eyes open and looking around. She even protests when the nurses come to take her vitals! When I hear her cute little sounds my heart is healed.

 She is once again hooked up to the video EEG machine, which will tell us if there are any seizures that are happening that we are unaware of (this is a 24 hour test). If all goes well on this test we will begin bottle feeding. This may pose it's own challenges due to the fact that the medications that she is on make her very sleepy and she may not want to wake up, even to eat.  We shall see what the rest of the week has in store for us.

Yesterday (Monday), Eliza had another lumbar puncture to collect samples for the genetics test. We are hoping that this particular test comes back negative due to the scariness of the condition. But should it come back positive we will be prepared to live a happy life with the challenges it presents. This test takes at least 2 weeks for the results so we will keep our selves occupied with positive things.

Tonight during one of Liza's wake periods I held her and talked with her and sang to her. It has always been hard for me to sing to my babies (I just end up bawling and getting tears and snot in their faces), but I told myself that it was important for this little baby to hear my voice and to know it. So I went down my regular list of songs, Jesus wants me for a sunbeam, Jesus once was a little child, Annie's song, Popcorn popping, I am a Child of God, and Edelweiss. As I was singing Edelweiss I knew that song was for Liza, almost as if it were written about her.

"Edelweiss, Edelweiss
Every morning you greet me
Small and white clean and bright
You look happy to meet me (only I sing it, "you look happy to me")
Blossom of snow may you bloom and grow
Bloom and grow forever
Edelweiss,Edelweiss"

The Edelweiss flower is a dainty little flower, white in color and grows up high in the alps, it is flower that is not easily obtained due to where it is located. There is a book written and a short passage from it reads,

"There is a flower known to botanists, one of the same genus with our summer plant called 'Life-Everlasting', a Gnaphalium like that, which grows on the most inaccessible cliffs of the Tyrolese mountains, where the chamois dare hardly venture, and which the hunter, tempted by its beauty and by his love (for it is immensely valued by the Swiss maidens), climbs the cliffs to gather, and is sometimes found dead at the foot, with the flower in his hand. It is called by botanists the Gnaphalium leontopodium, but by the Swiss EDELWEISS, which signifies NOBLE PURITY." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Noble Purity

This has been a difficult week for me, I can't say the same for Liza because she knows nothing better. But in my darkest times and weakest moments I am reminded that they are dark because I have started to think of myself and allowed my faith to lack. This is Liza's journey, I am blessed to be a part of it, but this is about her, not me. Eliza is absolutely perfect in every way. She is so pure. I know that my Heavenly Father has blessed our family with her noble spirit. She is a giant among us and I see it in her eyes. She knows more of life than I can even comprehend. I can see she is a noble soul that has come from Heaven to teach us all about faith, hope, and charity. 

I continue to feel the prayers of our family and friends. I know many people have been praying for miracles and may this be a testament to you, that your prayers are being heard. I thank you so much for your continued faith.