Update 11/08/07

With Tired, but joyful eyes I wanted to update you all on our newest arrival. As many of you may have read in my previous blog, "Using your Resources," we have been anticipating the arrival of our newest daughter Cate. Well, she arrived yesterday at 1:55pm on November 7, 2007! Weighing 7lbs 1once and being 20 inches long. We had gone in for a regular appointment and the Dr. said that Ali was 4cm and the Cate was butt down so they where going to have to do a C-section. Because of our previous knowledge that Cate could be a baby born with some abnormalities there was a Neonatal ICU team on hand to exam her very carefully. The head nurse quickly noticed that Cate's breathing was not very good and that her little heart was beating very hard, so we got to kiss her quickly and the whisked her away to the Neonatal ICU unit for more test and evaluations. About an hour later a nurse practitioner came back to tell us that Baby Cate was not getting enough oxygen and that her heart was enlarged. Later that afternoon they did an echocardiogram to determine with more clarity what was causing little Cate's heart to be enlarged. They discovered that she has 3 areas of her heart that did not form properly and that she was going to have to be monitored very closely and that she would be in ICU for a week or two, pending on how she fairs. Wow, that is not what were expecting to hear, we were prepared for alot of things, just not that, but our hearts have not been troubled, well, maybe in moments, but I have felt like God has been saying, "Do Not Be Afraid, I am with HER," so, we're not. This little girl has had to fight everyday since her conception and now the fight continues, and believe me if she is anything like her mother, brother, sister, or father she will be a bit stubborn, and a bit of a show boat, theatrics always make life more interesting right:) By 10pm last night they were able to take her off the breathing machines and she has been breathing on her own since, with no support of oxygen. This morning she ate her first meal, two whoppers and a milk shake, ok just kidding, it was 10cc's of milk. The Dr. is very encouraged by her improvements and will keep her under a watchful eye as the days go on. We thank everyone that has prayed for us, for her, and we ask now more than ever, continue. We have won a battle, she is HERE, but the war is not over. Please ask Blesses Francis Xavier Seelos to intercede on her behalf, this is who she named after. He was our intercessor to get her here, now let us intercede to heal her heart! Thank you to all who have called and texted messaged. Your love, concern, and affection is amazing and Ali and couldn't say thank you enough. I get emotional sitting at my computer thinking of how much we are loved by you all, I have gotten phone calls and emails for all over the country today, and I don't know how some of these people found out, but thank you, my wife, thanks you, and my precious daughter Cate thanks you! Please check this Blog for updates in the days and weeks to come. It's easier for me to right down what's going on once, than to tell it over and over again. I am putting some pictures up of Cate and will put more as we get them. I am not spell checking this I only have a few minutes in my office so please excuse any misspellings or sentences that do not make sense, I am a little tired. We LOVE yall so much and words fall short for our gratitude. Please remember that battle is won, but the war is not over, your prayers are needed and appreciated.