Subject: Natalie is gaining weight and now wearing contact lenses.:) It's been awhile so this is a long one!

Hello to you all,

You are probably wondering where I have been.??? Well, our server (the computer phone line) was giving me trouble and then once that
was fixed, our little Natalia has been taking up all of my energy. Any free time was used up with the other children, Stephen and the house.

I believe I last wrote when Natalia was going to received her first contact lens.  She now has two.  She has been wearing both since
Monday.  In this first week, I have managed to loose both at different times and amazing enough have found them the next day.  I had one checked and the office couldn't tell which one we had lost so I am still using it.  Then last night one must have popped out. I found it this morning.  She seems to be doing fine with both of them today.  They are a bit difficult to get in and out but I seem to be getting it done.  She seems to see me and I notice her trying to smile.  She isn't yet tracking but I am hoping she will learn in time.

Natalia has been very fussy for several weeks.  It's hard to remember her last pain free day.  Today we found out she has aurinary infection.  I am so glad to finally get a reason for all the crying. It's the crying that is so unbearable. I try so hard to make her comfortable and yet when these little things come up (and there will be more I am told) it becomes exhausting for all of us  Our life has definitely been altered. Stephen and I are trying to find a happy balance and try to spend time with each of them.

As of the last letter, Natalia hadn't really been gaining too much weight.  I then attended a beautiful prayer meeting and felt so moved by this groups prayers for Natalia.  One of the ladies held her little hand and said she really felt moved, and said Natalia would heal hearts.  Wow!!! Isn't that amazing.  I can only hope her little life could make such an impact.  It dawned on me a few days ago that she had gained weight in the last three weeks after that prayer meeting.  So ----PRAISE GOD-------- She is now over 9 pounds and I have scheduled an appointment in mid December with the Doctor who can begin to fix her cleft palate. And with some changes in medicine, she is hardly spitting up at all. Ya-Hoo!

I have decided to use a specific Doctor to work on her cleft lip. Although I have never met him, I am sure through a series of events that he is the plastic  surgeon who is suppose to fix her lip. Oddly enough, I changed hair stylists last May and this surgeon had his brochure on the stylists counter. I had seen it several times and after Natalia was born I was told that this plastic surgeon does cleft lips here and out of the country.  After talking to a friend from School who also suggested this surgeon I am sure the spirit is leading us to this man to fix our little one.  I am so excited and look forward to beginning the process in mid December.  If she continues to gain we will be on tract soon for the procedure.

Knowing that soon she may be changing, I want so badly to get a beautiful photograph of her. I have tried to capture her unique beauty and I'll have to admit, the angle through lens I get, doesn't capture the beautiful little girl I see when she is in my arms.  I have found a Pegasus mom who is a photographer and she is delighted to help me get a beautiful photo of Natalia.  I will share it with you all when we finally get it done.

A few things have happened over the past few weeks I wanted to share with you. One day I was doing laundry and talking to God thinking, Ok, You say you won't give us anything we can't handle.  Then I realized, Natalia is more than we can handle, I'll admit it! What is so amazing, is when I am really in some sort of need, I always get some kind of help or things seem to work out. He lets everything work out so we are able to handle this journey.

The other night, I went to bed exhausted. As I laid there I realized that I had been so busy the past five days that I barely made time
to pray.  This last week was so crazy.  I wish I could remember that
I can't do this by myself.  It would have been a lot easier if I would have let God help me a bit.  So now I am asking you all to please pray for me.  I need to get a bit stronger, and make extra time to pray, I need to make time with Stephen and each of the kids and I need to be more patient with everyone when things get crazy around here. I am slipping just a bit and don't want to become a complete basket case.  Thank you.  I know will feel better with each little prayer.

I went to the neurologist Wednesday and was reminded how fragile these little lives are.  I was told that she had not seen any trisomy 13 babies as old as Natalia and she was preparing me for what I might expect when these children begin die.  She talked about the problem with swallowing and aspirating, which leads to pneumonia then the ventilator etc...

We also went to the orthopedic office this week. That Doctor was very positive on how Natalia looks and thinks she'll do much  better than most of these babies.  As you can see, some Doctors give me more hope and so me just look at the statistics.  We all know, and I trust, that our God can do anything.  I am so ever thankful that I have a wonderful pediatrician who works very well with Natalia.

I have to tell you all, Natalia looks good.I think she looks strong. She drinks well and I think she swallows great too.  For all the pain she has been in and the way she continues to fight through all of the time it takes us to figure out what is wrong, I really believe she just may be one of the ten percent that survive longer than the first year. Here I need your prayers again.  If her life is to be short, lets ask God to really do something special with it.  I have not a clue what that could be or why I have been asked to work so hard and be so sleep deprived. But I will be here for her as any mother would be for her child.  We are surrounded by wonderful Doctors and I pray they will always be lead to make the best decisions for her.  I pray I can see and articulate the symptoms I see accurately so we can catch some of these problems that arise so she can amaze the medical field.  She has a darling smile and I hope someday we can capture it on film so I can email you all with it.

A friend asked me to be more specific with my prayer request for Natalia so we could praise God when he answers our prayers.  So here we are: She needs to gain weight and learn to tract objects visually. We will have another hearing test soon.  It would be great if herhearing is better that the ICU result of minimal hearing. Thank you, Thank you, and Thank you:)

Thank you all for your love, continued interest in our little one and your constant support.  I love you all and am so thankful for all of you.

All my love, ThereseAnn

**Jacqueline and Nicolas made their First Communion this last Sunday.**
Last Sunday was Christ the King Sunday.  St. Simon and Jude had a wonderful service planned with  a trumpet player and band music as usual.  The entrance procession and exit were filled with kids and
streamers.  It was very special.For those of you who are Catholic,
the 7:30pm mass is the latest one in the area and it is always an
enjoyable and moving service.  A great way to end the day and
weekend.