Music To My Ears...

Wait... what day is today?  As I was writing my students' assignment on the board today I realized today was the 14th... and then it hit me.  Today was Mia's check up with Dr. Sargent (plastic surgeon).  I really dreaded the appointment today.  Not for normal reasons, but because I knew I would have to wake Mia early from her nap, drive 90 miles an hour to Erlanger, wait a REALLY long time to see Dr. Sargent and then see him for 1 minute or less.  Aaaannnddd... so it happened exactly as I said.  I felt a little guilty about feeling this way, because it sure was a huge improvement from those previous appointments where we heard she had to have surgery, or the one where her scab was ripped off her head.  Yes, it could be worse.  However, entertaining a 1 year old in a waiting room for an hour and 10 minutes and then another 25 minutes inside a 8 x 8 room is certainly not fun and games.  Drew could not go with me to this appointment because he was still in school, but I was able to slip away and take her.  Drew woke her from a very deep sleep and she was not to thrilled about it.  But, the car ride was very quiet as she just laid her head on her carseat as I weaved in and out of traffic to hurry and get us there.
After the long wait, Dr. Sargent and the entourage waltzed in the door.  After the normal exchange of asking about her progress, he squeezed her head and remarked that the contouring was perfect and growing beautifully.  He was pleased with her incision and gave her the medical thumbs up.  Then, he said those words... 5 words I have been waiting to hear for a very long time.  "See you in a year".  I almost felt myself saying, "could you repeat that... I just want to hear it one more time."  But, I held back.  Instead, I just let it dance in my brain.  Music to my ears... music to my soul.  I wanted to break out in a showtune version of "Looks Like We Made It", but I could literally hear Mr. Manilow begging me to let it go.  Instead I settled on a big smile and a sweet kiss on Mia's $60,000 little head.  Worth. Every. Penny. 
When we got home Maddie and Drew celebrated our year long release.  As Maddie prayed her prayers tonight, she remembered to thank God for "Mia's good news".  Such a precious heart. 
As I watched the two of them wrestle each other on the floor tonight I couldn't help but think about this journey we have been on.  When we found out we were having a little girl, I began to think about names.  The name "Mia" had stuck in my mind, so I decided to find out the meaning.  As I pulled up the search result, I knew God had given me her name.  "Mia- means 'wished for child'".  After infertility and a miscarriage, God had decided to bless us with our wish... our hope.  So, Mia Hope was born and she changed our lives forever. 
I titled the blog "Journey of Mia Hope" and my has it taught me a lot about hope.  I have learned to place my hope in Christ and let Him do the rest.  I think 1 Corinthians 15:19 says it best, "If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied."  I am overjoyed that my hope is not just in the world... and I am thankful that this journey taught me that.

Pounding the anvil

“There is no human experience which cannot be put on the anvil of a lively relationship with God and man, and battered into a meaningful shape.”

-Robert W. Kellemen

I ran across this quote and it was one of those "stop you in your tracks" kinda quotes.  I read it a few times and really let it soak into my brain... then slowly into my heart.  2011 was a big year for us.  In the same year, I gave birth to an 8lb precious little girl and handed her over to surgeons for cranial reconstructive surgery.  Big. Year.

During one particularly tough day of Mia's recovery, a sweet sister in Christ reminded me to "keep God your end point, not healing."  Those were tough words to swallow.  But I praise God that she reminded me to use this time to be shaped into His image so I can in turn reflect this back to Christ.  It was really a turning point for me.  Up until that moment I had been trying to appear to be strong on my own, but it sure was a whole lot easier when I let it go and allowed God to be my strength. 

Mia just turned 15 months old.  It was exactly a year ago when Dr. Good first had a hunch that she had craniosynostosis.  I cannot believe it has been a year.  As I am typing this I realized that I had not one time thought about her head today... and as crazy as that sounds, I have not been able to say that for a year now.  Each morning I woke up with thoughts of that head and went to bed with thoughts of that head. 

Mia had a great 15 month check up.  We hadn't seen Dr. Good since her 12 month appointment which made us realize that we had made it through the entire winter with NO sickness!  Praise God!  The moment he saw Mia, his eyes lit up and you could tell he could not wait to get into our room and see her.  After a round of hugs, he sat on the exam table and settled in to ask us a hundred questions about her progress.  We were excited to share the good news and show off that pretty pink scar.  Her scar is barely visible now.  It is now hidden behind a layer of pretty blonde hair and it only peeks out every now and then. 

After a weigh in, pokes and lots of questions, Dr. Good deemed Mia perfectly healthy and sent us away smiling ear to ear.  I love that my pediatrician celebrates my girls' good news as much as we do.  He is such a wonderful caring doctor and I am so blessed we were placed in his care.

 While we were chatting, Dr. Good mentioned that he had been told by several people that they had read my blog.  My prayer has always been that this blog would be a blessing to others.  If you are reading this blog because you have been personally affected by craniosynostosis, please know that I am praying for you.  Remember, God can use this journey to "batter you into a meaningful shape."  Just let the anvil do it's work.

Yes, I am this cute.