First things first…(everything in me wants to go full blown youth pastor and say “I’m the realest” to quote Iggy Izaelea, but I’ll reserve myself to placing it within parenthesis to at least make me seem more acceptable while still getting to write it. #forthewin).

Really though, first things first, here’s the latest Davy update:

Chelsea and I were laying in bed last night scrolling endlessly through old pictures of Davy in the hospital and we realized how far Davy has progressed. When you’re in the thick of life – day in and day out – it can be challenging to reemerge from the depths to see the whole picture. It’s also challenging to look back at those photos because in those moments the memories come crashing back into the mind, your heart aches with remembrance and emotions that haven’t been dealt with resurface.

However, those photos also help us see the greater narrative that God is writing.

There were moments that death hovered closely, but now vibrancy and life radiate from our little girl. There were days where Davy’s breaths were manufactured from a machine, but now she rips her cannula off – much to the displeasure of her parents! – and breath is produced from the growing strength of her lungs. There were instances where the doctors had to medically paralyze her to give her a fighting chance, but today I’m the one who needs some medicine to give me a fighting chance to just keep up with my electric chihuahua of a child!

There are times when reflection, no matter how much it hurts, helps bring about an eternal perspective and refreshment of the wearied soul grasping for air.

Overall, Davy continues to progress in amazing ways. Her milk feed rate continues to go up, weekly physical therapy and speech therapy appointments have helped her go from 4 months delayed developmentally to 2 months, she’s only on oxygen when she sleeps (what what!!), and she’s getting closer and closer to walking (Lord, give me strength for when that day comes…sorry…instantaneous prayer moment while writing). Of course there are still days where things are extremely challenging. Days when she throws her NG tube up four times in a 24 hour period, doesn’t make any progress in her therapies or regresses in overall development. Yet, again, taking moments to pause, breath, reflect and gain an eternal perspective have given us strength to continue in endurance.

(LOVE this picture.)

As we progress forward here’s how you can be praying:

• Feeding by Mouth: Davy was making huge progress in this area when all of a sudden things just shut down and started working their way backwards. We were praying that she would be feeding by mouth only, but God has shown us that timetable isn’t His timetable. Now we’re praying that she would be feeding by Christmas.
• All Tubes Gone by Christmas: We’re still praying that Davy would be completely tubeless by Christmas. She is now only on oxygen when she sleeps and her lungs are progressing incredibly well. No cannula or feeding tube would be incredible.
• Stomach: Davy continue to throw up and at times violently, which leads to her NG coming out and then being put back in. Doing that over and over while she cries in pain is demoralizing and exhausting. We’re praying that her stomach would settle so she won’t throw up anymore.

We grateful for all of you and are continually encouraged by your emails, texts, phone calls, meals, sacrifice and overall love for our family. Thank you.