Today is a very special anniversary of sorts. One I would rather not have to commemorate but its also one I embrace in celebrating, if that makes any sense at all. Today marks the 4th anniversary of Emma coming home on her ventilator.

It is so hard to believe its been 4 years. Sometimes it feels like just yesterday, but then I sit and think of all the things that have happened since then and it feels like a little lifetime. In fact, thanks to that vent we have been able to have a little lifetime. Emma's lifetime!

That vent has given us something very special. Time with Emma. I hate to think where we would be without it. It has not worked alone, God has been there every single second, helping it right along. We have been given 4 Christmas times we might not have had, 4 birthdays, a few trips to the dinosaur museum, trips to the park, and the chance to take Emma to church and the opportunity to meet some of the most wonderful and dear people in our lives. Its given me 1,461 more nights to tuck her in and say her prayers. Its given me around 9,000 more diapers to change and 9,000 more meals to start on her feeding pump, which I despite sounding like a pain in the rear end I am glad to have been able to do.

What looks like a box with some tubes and blinking lights to most people, looks like a lifesaver to me. It may sound corny but its like looking at a piece of Heaven, an extension of God himself almost, breathing life into my little girl.

If I have learned anything from this experience, its that every day we have with her is a gift. I will never take one day for granted. I cherish every moment we have with her. It makes me apply that same principle to my other children too. You have no idea how precious life can be until its almost lost.

I think back to the dreadful times that Emma's breathing and heart stopped and how we had to do CPR. I remember crying and screaming and saying to God that I wasn't ready for him to take her. With this ventilator I know other than an illness, that kind of apnea will not take her from us. Its such a piece of mind, that little blinking box with tubes coming from it.

We have never lost faith, during all our darkest hours, and we never will. It is truly by his grace, not just the doctors and machines that Emma is here. So today I thank God for hearing my prayers, and answering my prayers. I know looking at Emma, you would think she was really sick and needed a miracle. But we have gotten our miracle, God has heard us. He has given us her life, it might not seem like a wonderful life from someone on the outside looking it, being hooked up to machines and not being able to walk or talk, but it is her life and that makes it the most precious thing ever.


I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. (Psalm 34:4) I am not longer afraid of nights like the CPR nights, he has taken away my fears, he has answered me, he has given Emma a chance for happiness, he has given her life, first at birth, then twice the nights she left us and needed CPR, and again July 5, 2005 when she came home to us on her ventilator.

The fireworks were postponed last night here, due to rain. But I think in a way maybe they were meant to be done today, the real day that my family, and that Emma gained her independence!

We missed church today, it was just too hot to walk. Emma just can not tolerate the heat, it makes her shakey.

Cousin Killian came to visit and we babysat him for a while. Here are a few pictures that we took, figured everyone would want to see Emma with her new baby cousin, that she loves so much! Oh and had to include one of myself with him so you could see my new brown hair!

We have babies coming out our ears!

Our life is suddenly full of babies!

Emma's Aunt Kayla had her twin girls this morning. Kiana was 6 lbs 9 oz and 19.5 inches long and her sister Myiah was 6 lbs 8 oz and 18.5 inches long. All is well with them, I forgot to ask which one was born first. I should know as a twin and a mom of twins that that is a very important question to have an answer to. Here is a picture of them. I am not sure which is which in the first one I will have to take the time to figure it out. In the second one Myiah is on the right Kiana is on the left, the last pic is opposite . They are so pretty and they look so much alike! We are so proud of Kayla and are extremely excited to welcome another set of twins to our family!





They aren't the only little ones we have been blessed with. Yesterday morning our good friend Donna had her daughter Delia Rose. 7 lbs 5 oz 19.5 inches long. All is well with them too. It was a long journey for Donna and Brian since their son passed away April 2008. We pray Delia will help fill their hearts with all kinds of happiness. I think she looks a little like her brother what do you think?

I just wanted to post one more thing here on Emma's blog today. Its a prayer request. Please pray for the family of Robert Logan Anderson. We heard about him in church today. He died in an ATV accident, while at church camp, he did not go to our church but another one near here, and a lot of our youth and our pastor where there when it happened. We also ask that you pray for those that were at camp with him, as you can only imagine what it has done to their hearts. It sounds like a very emotional week was had at camp, and my heart is with his family right now. I can't even begin to imagine their pain as they laid their son to rest yesterday. I cried at church, and thanked God for one more day with my children. Hug your children a little tighter, and remember they are not ours, but God's we are ony taking care of them for a little while, we must take care that we make that short time as memorable and loving as possible.

Here is the Obit for the young man.

Shawnee resident Robert Logan Anderson died Tuesday, June 16, 2009, in Tishomingo at the age of 17. He was born July 8, 1991, in Oklahoma City to Monty L. Anderson and Danielle Y. (Alloway-Kenedy) Anderson.
He graduated from Shawnee High School in 2009 where he was active in band, Drama, and played golf.
He had enlisted in the Oklahoma Army National Guard and was to attend basic training on July 15.
He worked as lifeguard at the YMCA, the Municipal Pool, and Camp Bond. He was a member of the Church of the Nazarene where he was active with the youth group, was drummer for the Praise Band, and enjoyed helping at Camp Bond. He always had a smile, loved pulling pranks and wrestling on the floor, and no life he touched remained unchanged.
He was preceded in death by an aunt, Michele “Bobi” Anderson.
Surviviors include his parents, Monty Anderson and Danielle Anderson; two sisters, Rose and Sydney Anderson; grandparents, Phillip and Linda Kenedy of Burkburnett, Texas, Beverly and Gary Dockery of Hugo, and Sam and Donna Alloway of Tuttle; aunts and uncles, P.J. Kenedy, Mike and Melody Anderson, Ashley Alloway, Leslie Alloway; great-grandparents, Audrey Easley, Al and Pauline Maxwell, Gerald and Sybil Alloway and Blackie Norris; cousins, Michael and Melissa Anderson, Brandon Anderson, Cade and Alexis Vincent and other family and friends.
Service will be 2 p.m. Saturday, June 20, at Shawnee High School Auditorium with the Rev. Johnny Stevens officiating. Burial will be in Tecumseh Cemetery.
Memorial contributions can be made to Camp Bond, PO Box 855, Shawnee, OK 74802

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's day to all the dad's who are reading. Emma wants me to write something, and I am writing it in her point of view,she said "Mommy please won't you type this special thing for Daddy for me" it sounded more like "Squeak squeak gurgle gurgle" but I read between the lines HA HA.

Why I love my Daddy.
by Emma Richards *with help from Mommy*

I love my Daddy because he helped Mommy make me, I am half him. I have his big brown eyes, and girly long eyelashes, I am thankful I will never need mascara. When I was born Daddy came and sat with me in the NICU and held my head in his hand, I liked that, and he rubbed my eyebrows. When I got my trach he told me to be brave and he never left my side.

I love my Daddy because he helped breath life into me, when I stopped breathing when I was a tiny baby and my heart stopped. He did CPR, and gave me the air from his own lungs until help arrived. That makes him my hero.

I love my Daddy because he checks on me at night and kisses me and plays with me even though I am supposed to be asleep. He never complains when he has to change my diaper and he doesn't even mind too much if I drool all over his shirt when he holds me. Anyone that knows me knows, that I make a lot of drool so that really means a lot that he doesn't get mad.

I know my Daddy loves me very much, because he has never given up on me. He and my Mommy do what they think is best, to make my life easier and happier and keep me healthy. Daddy never thought twice when it came to getting me my trach or my ventilator, he just knew its what I needed. I know its hard for him to take care of me sometimes, I can be a real pain with all my bells and whistles but he does it all with a smile and kiss for me.

Most of all I love my Daddy because he takes good care of Derek, Ella, Mommy and me. He works hard so we can have what we need. He is strong and kind and funny and I happen to think he is the best Daddy in the whole wide world. I thank God every day in my prayers for giving me such an awesome Dad.

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What a sweet daughter I have saying all those nice things. I posted a picture of Darren with Emma when she was little, partly because its one of my favorites, but also becasue I have no recent ones, he tends to hide from the camera!

June 16, 2009

New pictures of baby Killian. He came to visit us the other day and we had so much fun cuddling him and he is such a good baby. I put him in Emma's lap for a second in her chair, and Ella got to feed him a bottle. We are so happy he is here.

June 12, 2009

I thought I had mentioned this before but I guess not. Our camera has died so no new pics for a while unless someone in my family (HINT HINT NANNY) comes and takes some of Emma. Yes, we are apparently very hard on camera's. Dad dropped ours in a glass of Dr Pepper (don't ask) several months ago and it was working for a while, off and on but now no such luck. I am considering a waterproof one next time!

All is well here. Emma is doing great, sleeping good, playing good and happy as ever. I think if all goes as planned we are going to venture out to Church this weekend, and hope that we stayed away from crowds long enough to avoid swine flu. Its slowing down here in Oklahoma, despite being a world wide pandemic now.

Tonight Emma will be watching Hockey and cheering for her Red Wings. Tonight we are hoping they win the Stanley Cup and we will be smiling and cheering for Daniel, since they were his favorite team too. His Mom says that they won the cup the year he was born and also the year he died. I think that is kind of neat. Sad but neat. Oh on the subject of Donna, she is doing great, sore from being so pregnant but doing good. She will be having a c-section on June 25. I am pretty certain they are going with the name Delia Rose. I bet she is so beautiful just like her Mommy and I can't wait to see pictures and eventually save up and fly to see her and give her tons of sweet baby kisses.

Speaking of babies, cousin Killian should be coming for a visit this weekend some time. We got his mom a present so she better come! I haven't got to hold him yet, and the kids are dying to see him too. I hope his mom will take some pictures, even with just her cell so I can post them here. I can't wait to lay him in Emma's lap on her chair and let her gaze at him.

Well that's it for my update, I just wanted to get back on here and let you know things are doing great.

Baby cousin is here (edit with pic)

Emma has a new baby cousin! Aunt Amanda had Killian Joseph today at 2:58pm, he is 7 lbs 10 oz and 20 inches long. Lots of dark hair with red highlights. Both he and Mommy are doing fine. We are so excited and can't wait to see him. Hopefully we can see him this weekend, since I have a cold and don't want to give it to my new baby nephew! Will post a picture when we finally get one.

Congratuations to my sister in law and her boyfriend.