No Fear in Love

Bringing little Brayden home has been a journey. The few days when we were home waiting for our room in to be scheduled seems like a haze. I was nervous, excited, and fearful. Just a few days before we have been delivered the news about a growing cyst on our baby's spine. The surgery that would be needed would be long, expensive, and extremely risky. The good news was that at the moment there was no immediate need. The doctors decided to wait, image regularly, and monitor this cyst to determine the appropriate time to operate. We have been praying ever since that this cyst would be a non-issue and never need this yucky operation.


When the doctor asked us to be at the hospital in a few hours on Monday, December 7th, we grabbed our bag, settled the dogs for the night, and headed to Ft. Worth. Neither of us said very much on the ride over. My mind was reeling with questions. Would I be able to care for this fragile little life that for the past 2.5 months has required teams and teams of doctors? I remember that I had asked David a few days before "What if I get him home and we don't bond? What if I don't love him?" I felt fear becoming even more dominated in my thoughts.

The night went surprisingly fast. We had Brayden in the room with us and even though we had divided up feedings...we found that we were both up at every sigh, whimper, feeding, and changing. David proved to be an absolute ROCK those two days. The next morning we had a busy schedule. Exit consultations with our neonatologist, nurses, dieticians, neurologists, surgeons, case workers, insurance reps, and paperwork with the adoption agency. On top of all of this, the birth mom ended up coming up to the hospital and spent most of the day with us, as well. David had a GREAT strategy...he asked me to take care of Brayden and the birth mom and he would take care of all the business with the insurance agency & the agency.


Just before everything kicked into high gear...I needed to talk to my Dad. I just needed to hear his voice. Up to this point, we still hadn't asked anyone's opinion on our decision to adopt this baby. We were very careful to isolate our hearts from earthly opinions to ensure that we were only listening to the heavenly father's voice and direction. But now....I needed to hear my earthly Father's voice. Nothing in this world makes me feel safer than my dad. When he answered I began to cry and he asked me what was on my heart? Looking back, how ironic was his wording. It wasn't "What was wrong" but "What was on my heart?" He knew right away that I had a heart issue. For the first time in this entire process, I asked someone if they thought we were making the right decision. Through tears streaming down my face, I asked my daddy "Are we making the right decision to adopt this baby?" Even though it was my earthly father's voice in the response, I felt the spirit move in me as he answered. “You know, when you & David first told me about this baby I wanted to tell you guys to not go any further in the process. You guys are my kids and I wanted to protect you. Then when the babies were born with so many complications, I picked up the phone so many times to tell you guys that I thought ya'll should wait for a different baby. But again, the Holy Spirit kept my mouth shut. Then when your mother & I came that first time to see Brayden in the hospital, I felt the Holy Spirit wash over me when I was standing by his incubator. I have never felt anything like it. I knew that God had delivered this baby to you & David and that through ya'lls faithfulness to the calling of God our family would experience blessings and miracles. Christ saw past all our special needs and sickness and decided to love us despite all the complications, to love us to the point that he gave His life for us. And in essence, you and David have been called to sacrifice for love as well, to see past all the things the world calls imperfections and love this little baby that God created. We are going to see the power of God like we never have before Kelli. And I can't promise you that it's going to come in complete healing, but I do have confirmation that Brayden was born for our family. And your mother & I are going take every step in this journey with you & David." He continued to tell me that God doesn't quite on us and that the word promises that He will finish the good work He has completed in us.


We got off the phone with my Dad asking me to go read 1 John 4:18. "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear." What an amazing verse my Dad gave me to meditate on. That phone conversation lead me straight to the word of God that I needed to loosen the power of fear that the enemy was using to bind me. There is absolutely no fear in love!! Over the last several weeks I have not worried once about the expense of future surgeries that are not even needed at this point....and there is no doubt that I love him.

Sometimes I think the enemy resigns to the fact that he has lost the eternal battle with us, so he ramps up the battle in other ways to keep us as ineffective in the Kingdome as possible. I believe that God has chosen me & David to raise this baby. Brayden was handpicked before he was even conceived to be our son and that through this, God will be glorified. The enemy does not like our Father to be glorified. Again, fear is something that I have rarely experienced in my life and boy was it powerful. But praise God Almighty, the King of Kings & Lord of Lords that he has defeated the enemy for us and there is freedom in His word.

Our first Christmas with Brayden, we had a little miracle baby of our own. God has miraculously protected and delivered Brayden from death & despair into life. Jesus came to bring us life and we hold in our arms a daily remembrance of that power that is available to all of us. "....So that we may have life and have it more abundantly." May Brayden's life radiate the abundance of life in Jesus. Thank you all who have prayed...please keep praying. We love you very much. ~ Kelli

Some Pictures

All is well...just waiting for our 1st Christmas with Brayden!! We are excited and will get to spend it with both sides of our family

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For this Child...

1 Samuel 1:27-28

27 "I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. 28 So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD."

It has been 8 years in the making, but our son has come home. 

Last Tuesday we brought Brayden home after having stayed a night at the hospital with him to make sure we could take care of him on our own.  It was a long night, but we made it through and were able to get him home by about 5pm on Tuesday.  Since then we haven't slept much, but you can't wipe the smiles off our faces.  That's not to say it's been all roses and cherries, as the diaper changes with a screaming baby at 2am can raise the blood pressure some, but it is all just part of the job.  :)

We have had several visitors, and our wonderful YoungLife friends have brought us dinner for 4 nights since we've been home.  Mimi and Papa Jack visited yesterday, and my folks (Nana and Pawpaw) have been by twice.  Oh, and I can't forget the life saver that Kaysi was the night we came home as she showed up with PIZZA!!!!  Can't tell you how AWESOME that was!!! 

Nana even came over last night and helped me with Brayden while Kelli had her bus tour for WyldLife -- it's an all night bus ride where they take about 200 middle school kids all over town to do different activities, and it runs from 6pm to 6am.  So, I had my mom come over and help me with Brayden since Kelli would be pretty worn out today.  She took the 11pm - 5am shift -- she's AMAZING -- and I took over at 5am so she could go home to try to sleep a little before the kept the babies at Church!!  Man, that was really great of her to do for us, as I'm not sure how Kel and I would've done without her help. 

Otherwise, we've seen our Pediatrician (Dr. Coco) and the Opthamologist (Dr. Norman) for routine check-ups and all seems to be well.  Our Pedi did tell us we have to be really careful in taking him out in public with it being Cold/Flu season, so we have to be careful where we take him, but we are going to try to get him to see my family and some of Kelli's family for Christmas next week.  We also have about 5 different hand sanitizers around the house so we can squirt some if we need it.  The last thing we need is to take any chances with him getting sick.

So, that's what we've been up to the last week and now I have to get ready to head back to work next week so I can get some training done.  The good thing is I have the last two weeks of the year off, so we'll get to have 1 week to see how Kel and I can manage me back at work, and then I'll get to be home for 2 weeks again. 

Love you all and hope to see/hear from you soon!!

Thanks for stopping by,
DD

Speechless

From the very begining...we have had things happen that have made me and David sit up and look at each other and say "Really? Did that just happen? Did God just do that? Did HE just save us from that catastrophy or send that person, phone call, email, or verse just to me so that I can KNOW and FEEL HIS presence?"  I could write for days and days on all the myserious ways that God's hand has been so incredibly visible to us through this journey. I mean, David truely had is right when he said..."This is the kind of stuff that has turned us into Jesus Freaks!" And it really is....

I don't have a lot of time this morning to post but I just couldn't head back up to the hospital without just a quick update.  Man.....I have been so usettled this week and anxious. I think I always tend to get a little edgey when Brayden has test that are pending. I need to learn to rest and dig in the word......So, Brayden had his very first brain MRI on Wed. When we called to get results yesterday, imagine my alarm when we notified that the results were not yet conclusive and the nurologist has ordered seperate MRI.  When I go the his bedside....he was already gone and down in imaging. So, I sat and started to feel my palms getting a little sweaty.....and my tummy wasn't feeling so good. Then around the corner came Ginger!! Ginger was the very first nurse I had met on my first trip to see Brayden alone. I remembered being very overwhelmed and scared and, at that time, wasn't really getting alot of attention or information from anyone. Ginger was the first person that had reached out to me.....I remembered that she was very calming to me that day. And here she was, rounding the corner to come talk and visit with me again.  We talked and laughed about what tremendous improvements Brayden has already made and how blessed his is.  It was just the conversation I needed to be reminded of all the miracles God has already done. 

Before long, Brayden was wheeled around the corner and back in my arms.  Soon after, the radiologist was at our bedside.  He took time to show me all the pictures and explain everything in detail. On the original MRI...at the very, very bottom was about 1 cm of Brayden's spine.  The radiologist had noticed a small inflamation and then narrowing and decided to order a second MRI on his spine. PRAISE GOD FOR THAT MAN!!  The nurologist and radiologist were able to find a small, fluid filled cyst that was located on Brayden's spine. However, it had not attached itself to the spine and they are extremnely hopeful that they will be able to drain the fluid without any further complications or side affects. Oh, I can't even begin to express......our God is so faithful and mighty. Thank you Lord Jesus for answering our prayers that their eyes would be open.....that they noticed and we were able to avoid serious implications down the road. Oh Lord, thank you for THAT doctor and his attention given to our son! Praise you for you have promised us that you will finish the good work which you have started....and you are not yet finished knitting this precious little boy together.

The nurologist said that he is also extrenmely pleased with Braydent, nurologically. He acts and moves just like a normal 37 week old baby. Considering all the damage that was done to his little brain in-utero, before birth, that this is truely remarkable.  The areas are definitley damaged but he believes that we will be able to manage them and work with Brayden. He does not see any signs of further damage and he said that this MRI in conjuction with Brayden's current functions, should bring us great hope. WHAT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY...that I had to share with Dr. Peters where our hope comes from.  He agreed and said that whatever we are doing....we need to keep doint it becuase there are definitely miracles happening his little Brayden's life. 

I am so grateful and just in a constant state for praise this morning. We are waiting to see when they will schedule the proceedure. So for now, the discharge has been postponed...but PRAISE OUR FATHER that this was identified and will be correct. Please continue to pray for our little angle. The amount of people that we have lifting Braydent the the feet of Jesus....I KNOW that is the "whatever you're doing, keep doing it!"  Please don't stop! If I could grant every single person that has faithfully prayed for our little Braydent...their hearts desire, I would. Becuase you all have granted me mine. I love you all...so very dearly!

Kelli

ps...sorry if there is alot of spelling errors this morning. :)

Waiting Game

Not much changed today with our status. David & I rose early this morning to head to Witchita Falls to complete some requirements from the adoption agency, Inheritance Adoptions. We were there most of the day and headed home around 4 for David to scamper off the class tonight for a final presentation in one his classes. I had a Wyldlife Leadership meeting tonight preparing for our upcoming Bus Tour in a few weekends. Neither of us were able to get to the hospital and it’s just awful on my emotions to think a whole day went by and we didn’t get to hold or love on our baby. But every time we leave, we pray that angles will circle his crib and guard him until we are able to get back and put our arms around him.


When I called this morning to check on Brayden’s morning Monica, our nurse, said he had a great night and is doing great with his feedings. No Room In scheduled from the rounds this morning, so it looks like we probably won’t be checking in tomorrow. That could change with tomorrow mornings rounds but we will keep everyone posted. The doctors have just advised us to view this as waiting for a baby to come…..we are just waiting on him to get ready to come home! We sure are ready!

For me personally, it’s surprising at how I still have days that the unknown gets to me. The unknown of Brayden’s future, my career, when he’s going to come home…how, when, where, why? I am definitely that typical Type A personality, I like to have all the answers and a plan and a plan to execute the plan…and so forth! But the enemy is here to steal, kill, and destroy. Steal my joy that my heavenly Father has given me in my salvation, kill my peace with lies, and destroy the hope that I have in the promises given to me in the word. Today, I did not do a very good job in defeating the enemy in his attempt to drive my emotions with fear. I hate to admit that today I truly struggled with fear and anxiety.


David said that we will have strong days and we will have days like today but that we need to remain open and vulnerable to each other so that we can be there to talk and pray through it together. Today was my weak day and the Lord strengthen David to encourage and pray over me. When things seem to be spinning out of control the Word, my husband, and my parents are my 3 anchors that I can count on. I am thankful for the days when I am weak and lean on Him. Tomorrow….is a new day and who know what might happen tomorrow. Please continue to pray for us and for Brayden. We are waiting for his Brain MRI results.

Much love

Kelli

ETD on Brayden Jackson

Hello Friends & Family,




We apologize for the recent vacancy of emails and blogs. David & I received word this week that Brayden is looking like he just might want to come home as early as Thursday/Friday. In reality, we are looking at checking into the hospital Thursday-Friday and then coming home between Saturday - Sunday. He will have to tolerate full feeds, maintain his temperature, and show steady weight gain before we can begin this process. We think we have finally found the right formula, he has taken all his feeds today without any throwing up. We haven't had weight gain in a few days but since we think we have the right food now, that should help with the weight gain. He will also have to pass a car seat test before they will let us go home. He will have to maintain his breathing and heart rate for 2 hours in a car seat, so we are praying he will pass the first time!



We are anxious and excited....AND TOTALLY UNPREPARED! David thinks and feels like he is trying to get sick with a headcold, too. He hasn't seen baby in a few days trying to stay away and get better. But how fitiing that Brayden is coming home in the midst of this holiday season. As we pause to remember the humble beginings of our Lord & Savior so many years ago. With no nursery or crib....no fancy matching diaper stackers, valanances, or bumbos the King of Kings entered this world in a stable and slept in a manager with hay amongst the livestock. We pray that we will reflect upon the miracle of life and already answered prayers that we only begun to see from our might Father. Thank you all for walking and reading down this journey with us. Now it starts to get exciting!! AND WE CAN"T WAIT!!!!!



much love~



David & Kelli



ps. Brayden has a brain MRI scheduled for tomorrow. David & I will be in Witchita Falls completing some requirements with the Adoption Agency. The neurologist wanted an MRI before Brayden was discharged in order to know what we need to have scheduled before we leave the hospital, i.e. physical therapy, occupational therapy, monthly appointments w/ a neurologist. Please pray for an amazing God-breathed picture of our little angels brain. We claim healing in the power of the blood of Jesus Christ and know that Brayden is wonderfully and fearfully made in God's image! Please lift up the doctors and techs as they conduct and read the MRI.

Angels Among Us

"Keep on loving each other as brothers.  Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained ANGELS without knowing it."  Ephesians 13:1-2 (emphasis added by me)

What does this tell us?  Well, first and foremost it claims the Truth that Angels exist and are among us.  It also reminds us to be very careful how we treat others -- to treat them with LOVE, as brothers.

I bring this up to say that over the past few months, with our joy over Brayden we have been entertained by Angels.  Now, I'm twisting this passage some, so please let me put this disclaimer -- I am going to talk about earthly (figurative) angels -- but this verse speaks directly to there being Heavenly Angels that are among us, and for us to be aware of how we treat others as they could be Angels and we won't know it. 

With that said...

The outpouring of love we've experienced over the past few months is indescribable.  We have received letters, phone calls, visits, and emails covered in love for Brayden, and my family.  THANK YOU so much for letting us know you care for us, and love us.  We are so thankful for our friends and family who are good about reaching out and letting others know they are on their minds/hearts. 

We have received several blessings from folks that know how hard adoption can be - financially, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and thru this process we've been so stressed we can't see straight, but then we'll get a phone call, or a response to one of our posts on here, or an email that really lifts our spirits and let's us know we are fighting the good fight. 

Kelli even had a very (shall we say) "intentional" conversation with one of the Senior Pastors at our Church just 2 days ago on Sunday.  (I would hate to say it was a "random" conversation -- because God isn't random -- He's very intentional) 

Kelli had sent a link to our blog to this Pastor who has since forwarded it over to our Head Pastor.  They have been reading our posts (and will probably read this) and it appears that God may be spearheading an adoption outreach program in our Church.  Kelli mentioned it to me on our way home Sunday and I have been mulling it over since then.  I don't want to get off track from the original sightline of my post, but let's just say it is a very intriguing idea, and one I would have never thought about -- yet can't seem to get it out of my head that maybe God is working on me in regard to this.  We'll see how it shapes up, but it would be a total 180 from our current "career path"  (whatever that really is).  To say that conversation was uplifting would be a tremendous understatement, so again, know that God works in "intentional" ways.

So...back to what I was saying -- The Lord has blessed us with tremendous friends and family and I need to confess a few things.  I am terrible when it comes to getting compliments.  It is something I need to work on, but I get pretty embarrassed when people tell me they're proud of me, or that I'm doing a good job, or whatever the compliment may be.  I sometimes fear that I brush those off too quickly and don't do a good enough job of thanking the people giving the compliment.  It is hard for me to take those compliments, yet I am afraid I can be a little rude when I brush them off, so please let me say that I am so very thankful for those who have come and told me that they are proud of what Kelli and I are doing with Brayden, but know that we feel like it was God who has chosen us to do this.  We are just following His will for our lives, even if it means it will change our lives forever.  We still don't know what kind of challenges lay in store for Brayden, and it breaks our heart to see him struggle thru with all the tubes and IV's in his body.  So far he seems to be progressing, but he has a long road to hoe.  Continue to pray for his complete healing.

I'll end by saying, again, I can't express in words what it means to me to hear some very dear friends and family members tell me they are proud of me...I'll say this -- my father-in-law (Andrew) drew my name at Thanksgiving which meant he had to say why he was thankful for me.  The words he spoke drove straight to my heart, and although as a "man" its hard to show outward emotion, I was immensely touched by the words he spoke.  He is a private man, somewhat like I am, so for him to say the things he said was very meaningful for me.  He may not say much, but when he speaks it tends to be very heartfelt and profound.  I can't say enough how proud I am to have married into the Overton (and McCann) family as so many people have reached out to us, and loved on us.

...shocking -- I know -- another long post!! 

Anyways, we love you all and I am so thankful to have a support group that picks us back up, dusts us off, and gets us back on the road Jesus has chosen for us.  We are the Church -- the hands and feet of Christ, and we are called to uplift each other, and love each other as brothers.

Please let me know how Kelli and I can return the favor when one of you is in need of love.  We are overflowing with it, and have learned some very neat ways to love back.  We seem to be on the receiving end of love for now, but know that very soon we will need to be on the giving end.

Thanks for stopping by,
DD

Sweet Times

We had some very sweet times with Brayden this weekend -- see the pics below.

Kel and I spent the majority of our weekend at the hospital since we are going to be out of town for 3 days for T-giving. 

Brayden is doing very well, and getting to be a BIG BOY!!  He is finally starting to pass his food which has been a big concern over the past 3 weeks or so.  It still isn't passing as often as we would like, but we are holding onto the progress he has made in just the last 4 days.  He has had an upper and lower GI over the past week, and those have all come back as "clear" - meaning he has no obstructions.  So, it appears that his intestines just need some more time to process food, so we just need to learn to be a little more patient.  :)

Because of the clear Upper and Lower GI's we were able to give him his FIRST BOTTLE!!!!  We were so excited that the Dr signed off on allowing us to let him start to bottle feed.  They are only giving him 10mL's every 3 hours, but he is taking it like a CHAMP!!!  He sucks that stuff down in no time, and the nurses have said he is doing very well there ... he has to be able to take a bottle before they let him come home.  Thank you JESUS!!!!


He had his monthly Brain Sonogram on the 19th, and it appears that he still has a cyst in the left side of his brain.  The good news there is that it doesn't appear to be getting any larger, so we are happy about that (if we can be happy about anything regarding the cyst).  There is also a bright white spot that is appearing and the Dr believes that to possibly be another cyst developing, but we probably won't know anymore on that until his next sonogram on Dec 19th.  At this point we aren't sure what the cysts mean, but being on the left side of his brain, the Dr said they could affect his motor skills on the right side of his body.  Our prayer is that Jesus will re-wire his brain and these cysts will have no negative effects on Brayden -- please join us in this prayer.

Otherwise, he is very well tempered, does not seem to be in any pain, and has really enjoyed the Kangaroo Care we have been giving him.  Kangaroo Care is "skin-on-skin" therapy that you can see in the pics below with Kelli.  We basically just strip him down to his diaper, and then we tuck him into our shirt and let him feel our skin.  The Dr's say that, of course, he should still be in his mother's womb, so the Kangaroo Care is the closest we can get to simulating that because it allows his body to feel our temperature, heartbeat, and hear our voice and breathing.  It also helps in keeping him warm.  The goal is 4 hours per day, so that is what we will shoot for from here on out.  Of course, that makes it hard for us to go out of town for T-giving, but we are excited to get to see some of Kelli's family on Andrew's side...but we will be anxious to get home too. 

Since it's the week of Thanksgiving -- I am so very thankful for Jesus who has blessed us with many things, but our most recent gift of Brayden has been truly a miracle -- in more ways than one.  I am thankful for the Lord putting Kelli in my life, to allow me to experience all of life's blessings and tribulations.  She is a rock and has been so great with Brayden, sacrificing so much time and energy and prayers.  I am also so thankful for our friends and family who have rallied around us to pray with us, cry with us, and rejoice with us in our most recent endeavor.  Obviously my focus is around Brayden, but we have always had immense support from our friends and family - even before Brayden was given to us. 

Please continue to pray for Brayden as he still has another month or so before they are looking to let him come home.  We are shooting for Dec 19th, and the Dr thinks we may even get to bring him home before that based on how well he is taking his bottles.  We still have some paperwork to get done with the Adoption Agency, so please pray we are able to get that completed and can get him home as soon as possible.

Thanks for stopping by
DD




Momma helping with his passy




Momma doing a little Kangaroo Caring (and fixing to steal a kiss!)





More Kangaroo Care




Brayden loves his Kangaroo Care time -- wide eyed here





Brayden getting a bottle -- Momma is so excited!!




WE STILL NEED TO SELL THIS THING!!!!!  --> $5,000

We need the money -- you need the EXPERIENCE!!!

We have to sell the ATV to raise funds and allow us to get Brayden home when that time comes -- SO COME BUY MY 4-WHEELER!!!!    :)

That's right folks -- we need the cash and you need the experience of riding an ATV with the wind in your hair, the hum of the engine, and the sweat dripping off your brow! 

I have it listed right now on Craigslist for $5500...but will sell it to YOU for the low low price of just $5,000 if you so choose to step out on that limb and enjoy the ride of your life!

I have LOVED having this ATV and I HATE having to sell it (just as Kelli hated selling the boat), but the time has come for me to grow up and sell some of our toys so we can pay for this adoption and the ensuing Dr. Bills that will begin to pile up shortly. 

I have more pics than this if you're interested, and would love it if you want to come test drive it as it's so much fun! 

Call me 214-802-5605 or email me if you or someone you know may be interested!!!!


2008 Polaris Sportsman H.O. 4X4 ATV 500
It is green with several upgrades -- push button wench, push button AWD, hand guards, tow rope in back, reverse override system, parking brake, front storage, rear storage box (removable), among others.  It has almost 40 hours on it with 311 miles -- not even broken in yet!!

Big Week for Brayden

Hello friends!

 We have a big week with Brayden this week.  Tomorrow morning they are going to run another contrast that they will be looking at his motility of the stomach in different areas. Since he is still not pooping, they are back to ensuring we are not looking at any obstructions.  They he has another brain sonogram on Nov 19th that they will be looking at the cyst to see what has occured with it's developoment over the past month. 

 I will report as we progress through the week. Please pray for Jesus's healing to radiate through Brayden's life this week. We love you.

Kelli

Prayin' for Poop

Yesterday Brayden's tummy looked much better when I got to the hospital and he was sleeping very comfortablly! The nurses told me right when I walked in "WE GOT HIM TO POOP!" and were super excited with me to finally see some things moving.  I got some bedside time with Dr. Lawrence and the Physical Therapist yesterday so I was able to get alot of questions and additional informatoin.  Dr. Lawrence ordered some contrast tests, upper/lower GIs, in order to see why we seem to be having this back up issue.  He said that, unlike the last time, didn't look like we were looking at an infection this round so we needed to see why little man wasn't doing-the-do! 

I got to Kangaroo Kare him from about 8:30 yesterday morning until they came to get him for his tests at noon.  IT WAS SO AWESOME!!  He weighed 3lbs 4 oz yesterday morning, so it was good to see him putting on weight.

I headed back to the house for an afternoon of work and David headed to the hospital after he was finished wiht his workday around 4:445.  Brayden got a night of more Kangaroo Kare with Big Daddy and absolutely loved it. The nurses and PTs have really stressed the important of Kangaroo Kare- skin on skin- for Brayden right now.  It is very calming and supports healing, considering he really should still be in the womb.  At this time in the pregnancy he would be rolling into a tight little ball with his hands and legs all tucked in. So having the skin on skin, while keeping his legs and arms tucked to the center of his body is really important for the new few weeks. 

Praise God...all the test results came back normal from his tummy tests!  YEAH..thank God for hearing our prayers and laying your healing hands on our little son. I am so thankful that God's hand has remained so evident and powerful in Brayden's journey and I know that He will continue to protect him. I sometime sit and wonder when I am holding him what kind of big plans God must have for this little creation for God to have put together such and amazing start to his journey.  I am so so so so ready to get him home with us! 

Thank you all to our precious friends and family who is ready and praying.  Please leave a post or send an email as we are creating a book for Brayden to see when he gets older of all the people who love and have prayed for him! We love you guys!!

Kelli Dowdney

Two Steps Forward...One Step Back

It's a shame that happens to be the a Paula Abdul song...but I'll let it slide this time.  :)

Brayden was taken off his breast milk feeds 3 days ago, due to his tummy just not processing it the right way.  The nurses are worried there may be some kind of obstruction, which in turn gets us a little freaked out.  His primary Dr is out of town, so today and tomorrow the nurses will be running tests to see if they can figure out what's going on. 

Kelli spent pretty much all day at the Hospital yesterday, as she wasn't able to see him Friday and Saturday.  She said that she got to hold him for a lot of that time, which was good for her, but we both find it hard to leave. 

This is really disappointing as he appeared to have gotten over the infection in his intestines, but now the nurses aren't sure if it's come back or not.  I guess it's the "not knowing" that really gets to us. 

Then again -- went to the Bible last night and my "daily reading" was Matthew 8.  In verses 23-26 Jesus calmed the storm -- "Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him.  Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat.  But Jesus was sleeping.  The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!"  He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?"  Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm."

The first part of that Chapter showed Jesus' Healing Power -- which in our case would be deeply desired, but I felt led to share the calming of the storm story.  Why?  Well, I know right now Kelli is experiencing a storm.  I too am worried about the little guy, but have found some very calming peace knowing that Jesus is in total control of this situation.  Not to say Kelli doesn't have peace, but I just know that she is so in love with Brayden that she loathes seeing him in pain.

What we have to remember is that Jesus already knows the outcome of this story.  He knows why Brayden is going thru this, and He won't put more on Brayden than he can handle.  It would be my joy to look back on this situation to see all the wonderful works Jesus will have worked through it.  My first thought is -- what if this swollen belly leads the Dr's and nurses to something more severe...maybe that's why it isn't going away.  Maybe there is a larger problem that the Dr hasn't discovered yet, but thru these tests and cultures being examined, maybe they are able to catch something soon enough that will save him from further complications. 

Jesus can calm the storm, He can heal the wounded, He has this all under control.  Am I still nervous about it -- in my "humanness" ...sure, I'm still worried about Brayden.  However, I have to do all I can to let that go, and trust that Jesus has our best interests at heart. 

Please continue to pray, as we continue down this path with Brayden with Jesus as our guide. 

Thanks for stopping by...DD

Chugging Along

Well, Brayden seems to have pushed thru the infection, he is breathing completely on his own (no more tubes - AT ALL), and he is back on regular feeds (breast milk).  He is also beginning to suck on his pacifier, and the nurse mentioned that if he keeps it up he may be able to start bottle feeding soon. 

His intestines are still a little distended (swollen), which does not allow him to process his food properly.  We haven't heard any news about his brain because he won't have another sonogram until Nov 19th.  He also had an eye test just two or three days ago and they found a ridge on his eye that is abnormal -- at this point they are going to see if it will heal on its own, but if not they will initiate drops to help.

So, right now we are taking the good with the bad and we are focusing on the fact that he seems to be progressing more than he is digressing.  He is an active baby and the nurses have taken a liking to him.  That's good because we need as many of them caring about him (and for him) as we can get.  Kel and I have been able to spend some good time with him the last couple days.  During the week, I get to see him on Tues Nights, so we went on Tuesday and the pics below are from that visit.  Then, today (Thurs) MiMi was in town and got to see Brayden and was able to hold him for the first time.  She was a smitten kitten, but we already knew that.   :)

We are so thankful for those of you who have sent well wishes and encouraging words.  We hold onto those dearly, and know that the prayers are making a difference.  We know his infection went away because God willed it to happen, and we are now continuously in prayer over his brain, eye, and intestines. 

Sorry -- no sermon tonight, but I wanted to get this update out along with a few pics. 

We are excited for his progress, but we know he still has a few hurdles he needs to overcome, but we are relying on the One who created him and know that He will mold and shape Brayden in Perfection.  (whether we as the world consider it "perfect" or not, which to me really doesn't matter)

We are also counting the days until we can get him home.  Kelli has been "nesting" recently and trying to find a crib, bedding, playpen, and all the other things you need (or want) when you bring a baby home.  We have registered for a few things, but what an overwhelming process that is -- we still can't figure out the right pattern for the bedding, but it will come (hopefully!).

Thanks for stopping by, we love you all, and know that we want to hear from you.  Email, call, or respond to this blog.  We would love to hear from you, and find out what's going on in your world -- as we feel like we only get to talk about us, but we want to hear about you too. 

Sincerely...DD

Here he is sucking on his passy



Momma likes him in a beanie




This one is just too cute not to post...

"Hey everybody...thanks for stopping by!"



He has always got this arm in the air!!  It's pretty funny



Cute pic, but we're glad he doesn't have the breathing tube anymore.



He's sucking his thumb in this one...needed to capture it on film.




He's a squirmer...and we think it's hilarious!!




Our sweet boy

Thankfulness & Joy

The last week, despite my concern for Brayden being sick this week, I have found myself full of joy and thankful for this journey we have started. Going back to the beginning, I have to say that it was mostly overwhelming fear, disappointment, and confusion. The God has been gracious to wash over my racing mind with peace, and joy, and gratefulness, and excitement! With so many things rushing through my mind on a daily, hourly, second by second basis......listening to all the "concerning" medical terminology and what they say our son will more than likely NOT be able to do.....it was hard for me find truth. I struggled! But I dug in the word and prayed and prayed like I have never in my life prayed before! And I was sitting in my office one morning and I felt it...I felt God's peace wash over me like a warm comfy sweater that you just pulled out of the dryer on a cold morning. I know it was from God.

Since, God has opened my heart and my eyes and allowed me to see His hand. Brayden hasn't even come home from the hospital and already what a tremendous impact he has had on my heart, on David's heart, on our marriage, on our relationship with the Lord....I am amazed and the transformation He is working in David's heart. I have always loved him very much, but His words and actions are such spirit-filled and spirit-lead that I am amazed! Well, not amazed...I am so thankful. I am now thankful for this journey and for how many areas of my life God is using this to change and mold and how many hearts He is calling. I have seen God move and shape the hearts of our parents and friends....provide in financial ways that David & I look at each other and say "Did that really happen?" We have days of laughter and rejoicing and lots and lots of love!

We know that Brayden's story has yet to be written and we hold on to hope and healing in the blood of Jesus Christ, the one true and living God. We praise Him and pray that we will stay focused on His abilities and not the inadequacies of ourselves. I am so thankful that David & I are right where we are and I can't wait to see where He will lead us over the next 18 years!

so grateful...Kel

   Heading to spend the day with Brayden! Our precious, dear friends from OKC

Debbie & Darrel Aebischer are in town and coming to meet Brayden today!!!!

SO EXCITED to see them and for them to see Baby D!

Then meeting David's parents for dinner and some BabiesRus time!

Be Careful Not to Take for Granted...

The wonders of the Lord. 

As of today Brayden's Infection Markers are down to 1.9 -- we need them to be at 0.5 or lower, but I will absolutely take 1.9!!  Thank you Jesus for allowing this to happen.  For now the Dr is keeping him on antibiotics until Nov 2nd - just to be on the safe side.  They are also keeping him on basically a "Gatorade" diet, so no breast milk until they know he can handle it.  However, they've dropped his "flow" of oxygen, which is good because he's breathing more on his own.  His X-Rays looked good this morning also - his stomach still has a little distension, but they just think it's gas (gets that from his daddy)  :)

Otherwise, this is the time we have to really keep our focus on the Lord.  We as humans tend to look at something like this and think -- "oh, well, things are better -- so we don't need your help anymore...Lord" when in all reality this was the work of Jesus, and we need to Praise Him for it.

So, Thank you Jesus for continuing to work thru Brayden and let us all know You are in control of this entire situation.  I pray that you would continue to work a miracle in this little boy's life, and that You alone would get all the glory -- not the Dr.'s, the nurses, the parents, or anyone else who is involved -- only You. 

One thing I have to remain focused on is what happens when Brayden is healed completely?  Do I thank the Lord a few times, and three years down the road take it for granted?  Or, do I remember the immense stress, pain, and heartache this whole sitatuation has caused -- watching a poor helpless little baby struggle to breathe, eat, and go potty -- things you and I take for granted everyday.  If I'm honest with myself I will understand that I won't always feel the presence of the Lord in my day-to-day life, like I do right now.  If I did, then that too would get "commonplace" and I would get complacent with that relationship (take it for granted as well).  So, I think (and this is totally my opinion) that the Lord allows us to get "dry" with our faith so that He can RENEW us every now and again.  When I say "allows" let me clarify -- It is not HIM who does this -- it is US that does it to ourselves.  We let life get in the way of our walk with Him and don't read the Bible like we should, we skip a Church service every now and then, we don't pray over the things we need to.  This happens because our reliance on Him dwindles -- things are going well so we don't feel like we need Him as much.  "Thanks for getting me thru the tough times, Lord, but now that all is well I can handle it on my own." 

In short, my prayer is that I never take it granted, but I know that I probably will -- the strange dichotomy that is being a Christian. 

Thank you Jesus for allowing to work thru all of us so we can continue to uplift each other in a world that is going to hell in a hand basket.

As for Brayden -- keep praying for his brain development and that he continues to grow big and strong. 

DD

I got to take a bunch more pics last night while at the Hospital.  He is getting bigger, yet still so small and fragile. 

Check out his new Camo Bedding!! 

Hey Folks!!  Thanks for stopping by!!!

Boy, waking up can be hard to do!

Just Chillin'

Go Team!

This is a big yawn/stretch

He can get a little camera shy sometimes  :)

The infection

Appears to be going away!  Thank you Jesus

When they found the infection his "markers" were at 1.9 -- normal is 0.5.  The next day they spiked up to 15 and the next test showed 16, so the nurses felt he was levelling off.  Yesterday he was down to 5 which shows the infection is going down.  He won't have another test until tomorrow (30th) at 4am. 

So, THANK YOU for all the prayers, but the little booger isn't out of the woods yet.  Even after we get his infection to go away, he still needs to get that brain developing and get rid of his cysts.  This infection has been a distraction from the cysts, and my prayer is that just maybe that medicine he got for the infection could work a miracle in his brain!

The nurses have become really fond of Brayden, which is AWESOME because they now all know his personality which helps them determine if something is wrong.  They said he is a squirmer and when he had his infection he wasn't squirming at all.  I called this morning and the nurse said he had tried to squirm right off his bed, so that is a good sign.

Please keep praying.

Love you all....DD


Brayden sleeping with his Prayer Bear



He had a pretty rough day last Tuesday and he was knocked out!!

The Lord works in Deliberate Ways!

Some say He's "mysterious," but over the past 6 months I've come to determine He's much more Deliberate in His ways than we give him credit. 

We have 2 PRAISE JESUS' for today -- 1. Brayden's infection markers are coming down.  As of this morning they were up a little from yesterday, but he had another test run, and it's showing the infection to be decreasing this afternoon!!   Thank you Lord.  He isn't out of the woods yet, but the last thing he needs right now is to try to fight an infection...so please keep praying.  2.  We sold the boat!!!  What's Deliberate about that is the fact that Kelli and I hadn't listed it yet. She and I knew we needed to sell it so we wouldn't be burdened with the payments anymore, but hadn't gotten around to listing (or even taking pics of it).  HOWEVER, the Lord picked the exact time for me to mention that we were going to be selling it, as I was talking to my tellers and mentioned we needed to sell our boat and our ATV to get ready for Brayden.  One of them mentioned her husband had been looking at boats for about 6 months, and even picked up the Boat Trader Magazine when he could find one.  So, on Sunday they came by and took a look, and I sold it to them this morning. 

For me to look at that situation and think that Jesus' ways are mysterious or mystifying would be ignorance on my part.  It would be a complete denial of the truth Jesus sets forth that He is Holy and Just, and that He knows the desires of my heart even before I do.  To tag onto this, it also appears we have a buyer for the ATV, but it hasn't been "sold" as of yet.  All of these things are preparing a way for us to be able to bring Brayden home without having to get into debt to do it.  As we've read in a recent Bible Study -- God despises debt.  He loathes it.  In turn, Kelli and I are doing what we can to reduce our debt and pay off where it seems prudent.  Thus, we're selling the boat, selling the ATV, and selling some other items we have in the house that have been identified as "wants" instead of needs.  That way it will help enable Kelli to stay home and only work part-time so she can care for Brayden when the time comes that he is able to come home.

Suggested Reading -- Job 38 and 39 (yes, the whole chapters).  These will give you a rather humbling look at the wonders of God that we tend to take for granted.  A little excerpt I like -- God is speaking to Job with a rather harsh tone and says this... Job 38:1-7 "Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm.  He said: "Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?  Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.  Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?  Tell me, if you understand.  Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone -- while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?"

The point being made here is, again -- there are no mysteries about the works of Jesus.  He is precisely deliberate in His timing, actions, deeds, and purpose.  Never fall for the world who says His ways are mysterious or that His timing is off.  It's our timing that's off -- not His.  Look back on the last 6 months of your life and really open your heart and mind to the wonders that God is working in you and through you.  Challenge yourself to be open to His guidance and will for you - and NEVER "be careful what you wish for" as that too is a worldly view of unworldly purposes.

In His Grace...DD

My Sweet Boy:

God's provisions

Today David and I planned on a day at home with Cameron and doing some errands around the house. But at 3:30 we got a call from Brayden's doctors. Dr. Lawrence said that Brayden had a tough morning and was pretty sick. Melissa, the NICU nurse that had been taking care of Brayden for the previous 3 days, noticed that he was acting quite different and began to order some tests. They found blood in his stool and he had an enlarged abdomen, followed by fever and multiple incidents where his heart rate fell. She immediately contacted Dr. Lawrence and they worked together to order the necessary blood work and X-Rays.


The X Rays showed enlarged intestines and his blood work alarmed them to possible infection. He ordered a procedure to give some relief and ordered a blood transfusion. We are extremely pleased and feel blessed that God has given Dr. Lawrence charge over Brayden's medical care. He is so involved and patient and informative when speaking with David & I. This afternoon, Dr. Lawrence explained to us that for whatever reason, premies often start having difficulty tolerating food around 30- 34 weeks and can develop what they refer to as N.E.C.K. It is an infection in the intestines that cause such inflammation, it could possibly lead to difficulty breathing and separation of the intestines. In such a case, they would need to remove the separated intestines in surgery and intibate for breathing, possibly needing a slow morphine drip.

PLEASE DEAR GOD, have mercy and healing on Brayden tonight! Dr. Lawrence visited Brayden before we left and said he was looking better and resting good. Dr. L was going to be there all night and into tomorrow morning. He assured us that he would be running XRays and blood work every 6 hours and would call with all results. He also assured me he would not leave the hospital tomorrow without seeing me.

I know this post is probably not as eloquent as our others....my mind feels scattered. A story God has laid on my heart as of late...is Lazarus. When Jesus first learned that Lazarus was ill, he responded " This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." David & I firmly believe that God's glory is at the core of this story and that Jesus Christ will be glorified through Brayden's life and journey! Knowing this we anchor our feet in His word, move forward with the confidence given to us in Christ Jesus, and boldly walk down this road with praise and thanksgiving. (I am sometimes amazed at the amount of love I feel radiating through my being when I am holding Brayden. How could I have fallen this madly in love with this little creature in such a short time span. Then I am reminded how much more God loves Brayden.) David & I are just stewards of this precious little creation and we will stand fast in God's calling.

Praise and honor to our King, who opened Melissa's heart and eyes to the changes in Brayden's little body. This early detection and start of antibiotics could very well be God's way of allowing Brayden to avoid this complication. We have been praying for Brayden's doctors...for wisdom, and intuition, and a gentle bedside manner, and a vested interest, and commitment to life. This was an answer to prayers. We pray Brayden has a peaceful night and there will be no further infection development in his little body. When Jesus was speaking with Martha about Lazarus he assured her that "I am the resurrection and the life." We pray in the name of Jesus Christ for His blood to cover this infections that is trying to rob life from our son! Please join us in this prayer.





Kelli Dowdney

A different Sunday...

  Today David and I planned on a day at home with Cameron and doing some errands around the house.  But at 3:30 we got a call from Brayden's doctors. Dr. Lawrence said that Brayden had a tough morning and was pretty sick.  Melissa, the NICU nurse that had been taking care of Brayden for the previous 3 days, noticed that he was acting quite different and began to order some tests. They found blood in his stoole and he had an enlarged abdomen, followed by fever and multiple incidents where his heart rate fell.  She immediately contacted Dr. Lawrence and they worked together to order the neccesary blood work and X-Rays.
    The X Rays showed enlarged intestines and his blood work alarmed them to possible infection.  He ordered a proceedure to give some releif and ordered a blood transfusion.  We are extremely pleased and feel blessed that God has given Dr. Lawrence charge over Brayden's medical care. He is so involved and patient and informative when speaking with David & I.  This afternoon, Dr. Lawrence explained to us that for whatever reason, premies often start having difficulty tolerating food around 30- 34 weeks and can develop what they refer to as N.E.C.K.  It is an infection in the intestines that cause such inflamation, it could possibly lead to difficulty breathing and seperation of the intestines. In such a case, they would need to remove the seperated intestines in surgery and intibate for breathing, possibly needing a slow morphine drip. 
 PLEASE DEAR GOD, have mercy and healing on Brayden tonight! Dr. Lawrence visited Brayden before we left and said he was looking better and resting good. Dr. L was going to be there all night and into tomorrow morning. He assured us that he would be running XRays and blood work every 6 hours and would call with all results. He also assured me he would not leave the hospital tomorrow without seeing me.
   I know this post is probablly not as eloquent as our others....my mind feels scattered. A story God has laid on my heart as of late...is Lazarus.  When Jesus first learned that Lazarus was ill, he responded " This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." David & I firmly believe that God's glory is at the core of this story and that Jesus Christ will be glorified through Brayden's life and journey! Knowing this we anchor our feet in His word,  move forward with the confidence given to us in Christ Jesus, and boldly walk down this road with praise and thanksgiving.  (I am somteimes amazed at the amount of love I feel radiating through my being when I am holding Brayden.  How could I have fallen this madly in love with this little creature in such a short time span. Then I am reminded how much more God loves Brayden.) David & I are just stewards of this precious little creation and we will stand fast in God's calling.
  Praise and honor to our King, who opened Melissa's heart and eyes to the changes in Brayden's little body. This early detection and start of antibiotics could very well be God's way of allowing Brayden to avoid this complication.  We have been praying for Brayden's doctors...for wisdome, and intuition, and a gentle bedside manner, and a vested interst, and committment to life. This was an answer to prayers. We pray Brayden has a peaceful night and there will be no further infection development in his little body. When Jesus was speaking with Martha about Lazarus he assured her that "I am the resurrection and the life." We pray in the name of Jesus Christ for His blood to cover this infections that is trying to rob life from our son! Please join us in this prayer.


Kelli Dowdney
   

What if we had birthed him?

That was the question I had to ask Kelli today, as we found out that the cyst on Brayden's brain is "polycystic" -- meaning there will be more (multiple).  The Doctor said that so far he is doing well with all the things we can expect him to be doing -- eating, sucking, sleeping, going to the bathroom, and growing.  So, those things are looking good.  We just need his brain to develop fully, and the Doctor is telling us he has a big uphill battle to fight here.  It appears that the cysts that develop will kill off those areas of the brain they are attached to, which is just as bad as it sounds.  The problem is that the Dr. really doesn't know what it will mean for his future.  He said that by putting him in a loving home it will help his development to progress further than if he was in a home where no one cared for him.  Yet, that was still a very hard pill to swallow.  You would think that even in this short time we would be getting more and more "used" to hearing bad news, but it still hits very hard. 

Kelli was fighting thru tears as she told me this today, and all I could think about was..."How would we handle this same situation if we had birthed him ourselves?"  If that were the case, then it would be no question of pushing thru this and doing what we need to do to take care of him.  So, many of you reading this may think we're crazy for moving forward, but again, we feel called by Jesus to be in this situation, and we know that He has made Brayden PERFECT in His eyes...so who are we to doubt that Jesus has everything under control, and He will give us the resources necessary to be the stewards over Brayden's life that we are chosen to be.  We must rest in that assurance, or get "cooked in the grease."

However, as I read in the Bible today...(John 19:10-11) "Do you refuse to speak to me?" Pilate said. "Don't you know I have the power either to free you or to crucify you?"  Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you (Judas) is guilty of a greater sin."  Why did He lead me to this verse just now?  Because He wants me (and you) to know that He is the one in control, that He has the power...to heal or not to heal.  AND THAT'S EXACTLY HOW IT SHOULD BE!!!  I am the selfish one who wants everything to be "perfect" but the image I have of perfection is completely different than that of God.  He is the Ultimate Artist and will paint our picture just as it should be. 

Does this mean I'm resigned to the fact that I will be raising a child with handicaps???  Definitely NOT!  Because I believe in a God who can HEAL, MEND, and REFRESH.  So, I will continue to pray for His will to be done in my life and the life of my family.  That His glory be shown thru all of this.  That His name be praised for "Everything under the Heavens and the Earth are Yours, O Lord.  And this is your Kingdom"

Wow, it appears that I'm becoming a religious nut, but go through something like this on your own, and you will quickly see that Jesus is the only one who can get you (and me) through this. 

Anyways, now that I've gone on forever...again -- I will end with this:

Please, please, please continue to pray for Brayden, his brain, and that these cysts would be healed.  We must call upon the name of the Lord with fervor.  Pray too that His will would be done here, and that if He chooses not to heal Brayden completely, that he would provide the resources to give Brayden the very best life we can possibly give him.  It will be hard...we could be more "nurses" than we are "parents" but we know that God has put Brayden on this earth so that Kelli and I can raise him up to be a symbol of God's purity.  That's right -- I said purity when the world might look at Brayden and see brokenness or "impurities." 

I love you all and thank you for stopping by...feel free to end with a 15 second prayer for Brayden...that's really all the time it takes. 

DD

  These are pictures from last week

a very proud Mama!!

And these are few from last night...just to add to David's pictures!

sleepin snug as a bug in a rug!

It's such hard work waking up!!What a big yawn!

Daddy being sweet saying "Night Night, little Brayden"

There is healing power in the name of Jesus Christ.

Kelli

I have grown to hate this word

James 5:14-16 says "Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up.  If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.  Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

As I have said a few times before to most of you in either emails or previous posts -- now is NOT the time to be bashful with prayer.  Brayden has another sonogram on Monday and we got the result yesterday.  It appears that his brain is clear of fluid - blood and water - which is good.  His brain has also "resolved" the situation with the white matter...which from what we understand means that there is no more white matter in his brain -- Praise Jesus!  However, they have now found a cyst on his brain. 

That is the word I wish I never have to hear again -- cyst.  Cysts are what kept Kelli from being able to move forward with our IVF treatments, she had a cyst that ruptured over Memorial Day weekend that landed us in the E.R. This word "cyst" is becoming the root of all evil for me. 

The light at the end of the tunnel here is...what does this really mean?  Well, from speaking to a nurse last night while at the hospital it appears that Brayden isn't the first preemie to have a cyst on his brain, nor will he be the last.  So, she said they aren't necessarily common, but they do happen.  She said that what it could mean is that he is just a little slower in his development...it could go away and there be no problems...or it could get worse which could lead to a whole slew of issues. 

Thus, NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO BE BASHFUL WITH PRAYER!!!  Seriously...what are you waiting for...take 30 seconds and say a prayer for Brayden. 



Ok, thank you very much for doing that.  :)

Otherwise, the little bugger is getting bigger by the minute - putting on weight quickly (like his daddy) which is very good.  Everything else in his tiny little body is growing just as it should, we just need some help with his brain. 

Hopefully these pics come thru, but we were at the hospital last night and were there when the nurses were changing out his mask and cleaning his face, so we got some really good shots of him with his eyes open and NO MASK!!!  

Enjoy!!

The blue tube they have in his face is pure oxygen to help him breathe while his mask is off.  Kelli is shading his eyes so he isn't squinting so bad

Here he is yawning since we woke him up to take his mask off...

This next one is just after he shut his mouth from yawning.   :)

This is probably a little close, as it looks like he has a Ginormous forehead, but the Iphone's camera is only so good. 

This last one is similar to the first one in that Kelli is trying to keep him from squinting so bad.

That's our little man -- Brayden Jackson Dowdney