The Lord has done great things for us & we are filled with joy! - Psalm 126:3
After lots of kisses, the puppy finally fell asleep & Will laid down too to show the puppy how he sleeps.
Will gave the puppy lots of kisses. Whenever the puppy cried, Will would exclaim, "What's the matter, puppy? He misses his Mommy, Mommy. He's crying for his Mommy!"
After such a rough morning, it was nice to see some smiles on Will.
Today has been such a rough day for Will. With the exception of getting out of the house & playing with a new puppy, he has been pretty cranky. Mostly, we've just been holding him & watching Christmas movies. He begged to wear his Santa suit but then he just cries & says his mouth hurts. Bless his heart.
Cuddling with Lovie
Once the drug laced "silly juice" hit Will pre-surgery, he became very loopy & actually quite funny. He was fascinated with his red "rudolph thumb." (That's the pulsox monitor on his hand.)
Post surgery, he wasn't doing so well... & neither were we. It was a rough recovery time coming out of anesthesia - he was having a difficult time keeping medicine down & threw up all over himself & me.
He was a little more alert for this one - shortly before he was discharged:
We've also been playing a lot of pretend doctor to help him get ready. We took his doctor's kit to surgery & he spent a lot of time checking various doctor's hearts. He usually wears his stethoscope correctly in his ears but sometimes he pretends it is a seatbelt.
While in the first waiting room, he checked his new tiger's heart & looked for boogers using his nose thing (othoscope maybe?)
We also made a Christmas choo choo craft in that waiting room.
Surgery Update:
I have some pics from surgery but for some reason can't upload them tonight.
Thank you so much for praying for Will yesterday during his surgery. The doctor was really pleased with the surgery and felt they did the "best they could do with what they had to work with." We have been able to get little glimpses today & we can see some minor differences. Hopefully, we'll see more in the upcoming weeks or else learn to accept it as is.
We were especially THRILLED when the surgeons released us to go HOME!!! Will didn't even have to spend one single night in the children's hospital Christmas week!!! Thank you, Jesus!
He is doing okay - still in quite a bit of pain but on some heavy medications (lortab & hydrocodine.) I am having a difficult time getting food or liquids into him but we have found that about 30 minutes after taking painkillers, he perks up & will take some pudding, yogurt, & pediasure. I am relieved today that he is finally taking some nutrition.
Hopefully, his night tonight will be even better and he'll be back to his happy self soon.
Thanks so much for your prayers! Hopefully pictures will be coming soon.
We thank you for praying for Will & our family but we'd like to ask you to keep praying this Christmas. Several people have shared with us how they have used Will's surgery as an opportunity to teach their children about praying for others. We are so thankful to be out of the hospital but my heart was broken for so many families yesterday who are still in the hospital. Dallas Children's Hospital is not a hopeful place. It is an outstanding hospital but it is not a place of hope. I mean, yes, they can cure children (actually, God can but through them) & yes they have wonderful, compassionate nurses & doctors. But on the whole, I don't feel hopeful walking through their doors. We sat in a very full waiting room yesterday with other families. I don't know what all kinds of surgeries were being performed but at least two families were waiting on news for their little kids who were having brain surgery. When we were called back to see Will post-op, we walked with another family down the hall. We didn't really talk & for that matter, we didn't really walk. We practically sprinted down that forever long hallway with the nurse to see our little boys. The parking garage was jammed full. Moms and dads taking a break to head to lunch were weary. We saw precious cancer patients in wagons. There is a whole floor for leukemia patients. For many families, this was perhaps their final Christmas together on earth. I was begging God to protect my child & to be home in time for Christmas. Others are begging Him for just one more day together.
It's not the way I like thinking about Christmas. Christmas is magical and wonderful. It's a celebration of Jesus' birth and all about being with family- enjoying great meals and games and gifts & time by a fireplace. It's sweaters and hot cocoa and baking and giggling.
It's not supposed to be ivs and treatments and waiting rooms and hospital beds. My perspective was changed yesterday because the reality is that for too many families, this is what Christmas is this year.
Would you join me in praying for them? My heart is burdened for these families. As our family service project this year, we made crafts & cookies & gift packages for the kids on Will's floor at the hospital. Since he was discharged early (Thank you GOD!!!) we will be taking those tomorrow to the local hospital's pediatric unit. We will do that after attending the funeral for a friend's mom who died suddenly this week. Christmas Eve day is not supposed to include funerals and hospital visits. But then, I am reminded that the Savior we worship whose birthday is this week didn't come to simply feast & wear sweaters & sit by the fire with His family. (Not that he didn't enjoy a good wedding feast!) He came to serve. He sat with the sick and grieved with them. He knew the pain of losing a close friend and He wept. Though all about HIM, He made life about others. He is changing my perspective this week. I had my fantasy of what Christmas should look like... & it was all about me.
It's not about me at all. It's about Him and loving others in His name. Please join us in praying for those who are hurting and grieving and in pain this Christmas.
Merry Christmas!
Update as of Wednesday (12/24) - Today has been very difficult for Will. His appetite seems to be back and he is thirsty finally but every time he tries to eat or take a drink, he cries and says, "my mouth is hurting." I think the anesthesia has worn off and he is in lots of pain today. He has been very cranky as well. I think we'll be skipping Christmas Eve church as he is not doing so well and instead, we'll relax by the fire & continue cuddling and watching Christmas movies.
Tomorrow, we are taking Will to surgery at Dallas Children's Hospital. This is his latest Bible verse above- the one painted on his bedroom walls and that we have claimed for him from the womb - Psalm 139:14.
We believe Will is fearfully & wonderfully made and though we are very tense and stressed and nervous about his surgery & his recovery, we are placing him back in the hands of his Maker.
Please lift our little guy in your prayers Tuesday (surgery is at 10:45am.)
Our specific requests:
I will update via twitter on the side of this blog.
Thanks for praying in the midst of this busy season - we are thankful for you!!!
I was determined to make Christmas cookies with Will this year. Obviously, I am not a perfectionist, as I believe the above picture shows!
Ta Da!
Tasting some more
Several cookies went into the family bowl as Will enjoyed sticking his fingers in the icing and eating that.
He liked doing the sprinkles but was a little too liberal.
We are taking the cookies with us to the hospital on Tuesday to give to other kids on our floor post surgery. We decided to do little gift packages for the kids & nurses at the hospital as our family Christmas service project. As I tried to explain this to Will & why the kids in the hospital might be sad, he told me they were "probably sad because they miss their mommies." 
Will greeted Santa with a very friendly handshake & "nice to meet you, Santa." He then told him he is "Will & I'm two." He then told Santa he wants trucks, race cars, a motorcycle, & Little People toys. He doesn't quite get what Santa means- he just likes that for some reason he keeps seeing lots of Santas out lately.
I meant to take a picture of my list for "to do pre-surgery" but have been a little busy... cramming in Christmas activities!
He got to open a present that arrived from some cousins in CT - thanks, Dulins! He LOVES his rocket ship!!!
Will loves to play dress up...
We have made little packages as our family service project for other children at the hospital next week. Part of the package is a reindeer craft with the Legend of the Reindeer attached. We had fun one evening making our craft together:
I made rosemary cashews for friend gifts this year & about 13 Black Forest Cakes for the partners at R's firm that he most works with. Will enjoyed helping with "Mommy's Power Tool."
He calls himself a "cooker" & likes to "help" me with baking & making dinner.
On our way to the starting line...
30,000 people at this year's Rock!
Yes, I run with my camera. I love taking pictures of people in their Will shirts during the race. I'll post them on our facebook site sometime this week. Sometimes I felt like a runner stalker as I would run up behind someone in at Will shirt & take their picture & not even know who they were. Every single time I see a Will shirt, I am extremely humbled. It amazes me to see the support people have shown us and especially Will. There is nothing like seeing close friends, family, & total strangers wearing a shirt for your son. I especially loved it when someone who was not wearing a WTAWTAW shirt noticed our shirts & asked about them. Can I tell you how proud I was to point to the shirt & say, "That's my kid!" And then I had the opportunity to briefly (I was running 13.1 miles, people) thank them for running & thereby supporting Scottish Rite!
This guy was filming Rachel & I while we were running - maybe around mile 6 or 7? I yelled some things about loving Scottish Rite & Go Team Will! He just kept filming so I decided to take his picture.
At the finish line... pure adrenaline rushed smiles!
R beat me. I won't disclose how much but let's just say, he has now blown all of my half marathon times way out of the water with his lightning speed! However, I can assure you that I had more fun as I got to run with a friend and actually read the funny signs along the way & make jokes & take people's pictures. (There were some hilarious Tiger Woods signs as well a great grandma one! Rachel & I had fun keeping track of the funny ones to tell people about.) R ran fast yet alone, bless his heart.
I was just excited that out of the 6 half marathons I've run & the 1 full marathon, someone finally gave me a foil blanket! I've always wanted to look cool after running with one of these things on me!
Marathons are not so much spectator sports. Will was a trooper though & got to spend all morning hanging out at Victory Plaza with all 4 of his grandparents - lucky boy!
R just after he finished - his time was 1:44!
Will & his Honey & his Lovie hanging out at the finish line
Cuddling with Lovie
R drew "Thanks Runners" on my calves. It's in magic marker so it still hasn't rubbed off yet. Will loves my "abc legs" & enjoys locating letters he knows on my legs.
Some of the WTAWTAW team at the finish line. Of course, many were still running - especially those who did the full marathon this year!
We were really excited about Will running across the finish line all by himself this year but it didn't work out like we had hoped. They changed the way they do the finish & made it very difficult for runners to get back to the finish line area after crossing & impossible for spectators to do so. They told us we could let him cross later in the day but we had to travel back to the frontier so we let it go for this year. Now that I know about the new system, I hope to be able to figure out a way to have Will run across next year. The good thing is that though he had been practicing running & waving (little multi-tasker), at age 2 he wasn't disappointed and, in fact, didn't know he was missing out!
Thank you again! Running the Rock in 2009 was a blast & we raised somewhere around $10,000-12,000 - will let you know exact amount soon! Thank you for helping us Run the Rock & Rock the Cause!!!
Honey & Will
my running partner, Rachel, & I
people at the pre-party
Will & Dallas White Rock Marathon Race Director, Marcus
On Saturday morning of the marathon weekend, we took Will to his first Challenged Athlete's Foundation Event. CAF is a really neat organization that enables people with physical challenges to compete in athletic events by providing support & specialized equipment (such as super expensive & lightweight carbon prosthetic running legs)
This sweet friend of Will's was a cabin mate of ours at Camp Out on a Limb last summer. She is 3 and has hand differences. She is absolutely precious & I think Will has met his match in the love language department... like Will, she is definitely "touch!"
Will & the kids at the CAF event
Playing soccer with other kids with prosthetics
Our hotel had an outdoor heated pool. Will loved night swimming - especially since the big Reunion Tower ball was right over our heads!
As soon as we got to Dallas Friday morning, we headed for Texas Scottish Rite Children's Hospital for the "Autograph Party." 
He demonstrated his running skills for the elite athletes- including the Kenyans who won...
High fives & more autographs
Shaking hands with Dick Beardsley- winner of the 1982 Boston Marathon with a 2:02 finish! A big time celebrity elite athlete!
Flirting & posing with Jak (she is also a TSRHC patient & was jr. race director 2 years ago when Will was a patient champion.)
This precious girl is fast becoming friends with Will. They were cabinmates at camp this past summer & played together at the Nick Vujicic event last week. They had a blast playing chase & tickle & train at Scottish Rite Friday morning. Reena is also a patient & is 11 months older than Will. She has hand differences & is absolutely precious!
The Santas...
Will loved seeing another Santa & especially liked his beard.
