Amazing Julia Grace

I am blessed to have my little girl in my life. Julia entered this world on June 2, 2006 with "slim to no chance for survival" and defied the odds. I have posted about Julia's Journey here: http://www.carepages.com/carepages/JuliaGraceCarlson

They were so excited it was coming to beBruce Carroll Sometimes Miracles Hide:
They were so excited it was coming to be, two people so in love
and now soon there would be three, for many years they planned it.
Now soon it would be true, She was picking out the pink clothes, he was
looking at the blue.
The call came unexpected the doctor had bad news, Some tests came back
and things weren't right, said you're gonna have to choose,
"I'll wait a week for your decision" and then the words cut like a
knife ,
"I'm sure everyone will understand if you want to end its life".
Though they were badly shaken they just had no choice,
Because they knew God creates no accidents and they were sure they
heard His voice Sayin'.
(chorus)
sometimes miracles hide, and God will wrap some blessings in disguise
and you may have to wait this lifetime
to see the reasons with your eyes, cause sometimes miracles hide
It seemed before they knew it the appointed day arrived,
with eager apprehension they could barely hold inside,
The first time they laid eyes on her confirmed the doctors fears
but they held onto God promise they were sure they both could hear.
(chorus)
Though she was not like the other girls they thought she was the best,
and through all the years of struggle neither whispered one regret.
And the first day that she started school and took her first bus ride,
they'd remembered the words that God had spoke and they both broke down
and cried.
You see to them it did not matter why some things in life take place,
cause they just knew the joy they felt when they'd look into her face.
They learned that sometimes miracles hide,
they said God Has wrapped our blessing in disguise and
we may have to wait this lifetime to see the reasons with our eyes,
we know sometimes miracles hide. We've learned sometimes miracles hide.
Two people so in love...now soon They were so excited it was coming to be
Two people so in love...now soon there would be three
For many years they'd planned it
Now it would soon be true
She was picking out the pink clothes
He was looking at the blue

The call came unexpected
The doctor had bad news
Some tests came back and things weren't right
He said, "You're going to have to choose
I'll wait a week for your decision"
Then the words cut like a knife:
"I'm sure everyone will understand
If you want to end it's life"

Though they were badly shaken
They just had no choice
They knew God creates no accidents
And they were sure they had His voice saying

Sometimes miracles hide
God will wrap some blessings in disguise
You may have to wait this lifetime
To see the reasons with your eyes
'Cause sometimes miracles hide

It seemed before they knew it
The appointed day arrived
With eager apprehension
They could barely hold inside
The first time they laid eyes on her
Confirmed the doctor's fears
But they held on to God's promises
'Cause they were sure they both could hear

Though she was not like the other girls
They thought she was the best
And through all the years of struggle
Neither whispered one regret
On the first day that she started school
And took her first bus ride
They remembered the words that God had spoke
And they both broke down and cried

See, to them it did not matter
Why some things in life take place
They just knew the joy they felt
When they looked into her face
They learned

Sometimes miracles hide
They say, "God has wrapped our blessing in disguise
We may have to wait this lifetime
To see the reasons with our eyes
But we know sometimes miracles hide"there would be three
For many years they'd planned it
Now it would soon be true
She was picking out the pink clothes
He was looking at the blue

The call came unexpected
The doctor had bad news
Some tests came back and things weren't right
He said, "You're going to have to choose
I'll wait a week for your decision"
Then the words cut like a knife:
"I'm sure everyone will understand
If you want to end it's life"

Though they were badly shaken
They just had no choice
They knew God creates no accidents
And they were sure they had His voice saying

Sometimes miracles hide
God will wrap some blessings in disguise
You may have to wait this lifetime
To see the reasons with your eyes
'Cause sometimes miracles hide

It seemed before they knew it
The appointed day arrived
With eager apprehension
They could barely hold inside
The first time they laid eyes on her
Confirmed the doctor's fears
But they held on to God's promises
'Cause they were sure they both could hear

Though she was not like the other girls
They thought she was the best
And through all the years of struggle
Neither whispered one regret
On the first day that she started school
And took her first bus ride
They remembered the words that God had spoke
And they both broke down and cried

See, to them it did not matter
Why some things in life take place
They just knew the joy they felt
When they looked into her face
They learned

Sometimes miracles hide
They say, "God has wrapped our blessing in disguise
We may have to wait this lifetime
To see the reasons with our eyes
But we know sometimes miracles hide"

St. Anne

When I was pregnant with Julia my sister found a portrait of St. Anne at a yard sale. My sisters daughter thought St. Anne was the patron Saint of little girls so the portrait was left for me and Julia. St Anne is the Mother of Mary but I prayed to her anyway. The best way any non-Catholic could. I was thinking about her today and did a little research of my own. Here's a prayer I found that seemed fitting.

Prayer to Saint Anne

Glorious Saint Anne, filled with compassion for those who invoke thee, and with love for those who suffer, heavily laden with the weight of my troubles, I cast myself at thy feet and humbly beg of thee to take the present affair which I recommend to thee under thy special protection.

Vouchsafe to recommend it to thy Daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and lay it before the throne of Jesus, so that He may bring it to a happy issue. Cease not to intercede for me until my request is granted. Above all, obtain for me the grace of one day beholding my God face to face, and with Thee and Mary and all the Saints, praising and blessing Him to all eternity. Amen.

My Savior, My God by Aaron Shust

My Savior, My God

I am not skilled to understand
What God has willed, what God has planned
I only know at his right hand
Stands one who is my savior

I take him at his word and deed
Christ died to save me this I read
And in my heart I find a need
For him to be my savior

That he would leave his place on high
And come for sinful man to die
You count it strange, so once did I
Before I knew my savior

My savior loves, my savior lives
My savior's always there for me
My God he was, my God he is
My God he's always gonna be

Yes, living, dying; let me bring
My strength, my solace from this spring
That he who lives to be my king
Once died to be my savior

That he would leave his place on high
And come for sinful man to die
You count it strange, so once did I
Before I knew my savior

My savior loves, my savior lives
My savior's always there for me
My God he was, My God he is
My God he's always gonna be

Big Day!

Today was a big day in the Carlson household! First we went and viewed the new apartment. It's 1000 times better than what we have now! We signed a letter of intent to lease the new apartment and put down a small deposit. It looks like we'll be moving in the beginning of October! Yay! Just in time for my Birthday!

Second Miss Julia has a new talent!! This one is a huge milestone for her! We've been working on it with her therapist. She's rolling all over the place! She started rolling on my bed tonight to get to the curtains(she loves to play with them). I was helping Nick with some homework and she rolled herself half off the bed onto a pile of blankets. So now that she knows what it's like to be mobile she's going to be into EVERYTHING! She's quick too! This move is just in time! The stairs here are horrible. I think the Lord said, you have this new apartment so let's make Julia mobile!

Can you say attitude? She also pulls her hair when she doesn't get what she wants! I've decided this one's not so cute anymore and I'm correcting her.

I'm so proud of my baby girl!

Julia's congenital heart defect (CoA) quilt block

HEAVEN'S VERY SPECIAL CHILD

HEAVEN'S VERY SPECIAL CHILD

A meeting was held quite far from Earth!
It's time again for another birth.
Said the Angels to the LORD above,
This Special Child will need much love.

His progress may be very slow,
Accomplishments he may not show.
And he'll require extra care
From the folks he meets down there.

He may not run or laugh or play,
His thoughts may seem quite far away,
In many ways he won't adapt,
And he'll be known as handicapped.

So let's be careful where he's sent,
We want his life to be content.
Please LORD, find the parents who
Will do a special job for you.

They will not realize right away
The leading role they're asked to play,
But with this child sent from above
Comes stronger faith and richer love.

And soon they'll know the privilege given
In caring for their gift from Heaven.
Their precious charge, so meek and mild,
Is HEAVEN'S VERY SPECIAL CHILD.


by Edna Massionilla