JUST BELLA

We have taken Bella a few places over the last couple of days.  Between all the doctor appointments and the other kiddos stuff we have been a little busy.   It has been..interesting to adjust to some things that having a preemie baby brings.  As many of you know, our sweet Bella has a baseball sized fluid pocket on her head.  It does look abnormal.  It is also one of the first things you notice.  Being around her all the time I am used to it.  I just see Bella.  Over the last few days we have gotten several different "looks" when people see her for the first time.  I am happy to say that most people are very sweet and compassionate when they ask what is wrong with our baby.  A few have given us the what I call "pity" look.  And even fewer have looked at us like we were carrying around an ape instead of a baby.  At first it was hard for me.  I want people to see Bella for the miracle that she is, not the lump on the side of her head.  And then I realized if I want people to see Isabelle as I see her, I need to be ready so share her story (tears and all).  Because when you tell them she is a 24 weeker who had a bilateral grade 4 brain bleed, chronic lung disease, coded a couple of times, required several blood transfusions, had stage 2 ROP, has had 2 surgeries to place shunts (hence the lump on the head), that she defied odds again and again you begin to see the looks on their faces change.  I then get to bear my witness that God is real.  That Christ lives.  That miracles still happen.  That even though I would never have said "pick me" to the whole preemie roller coaster, I can now see even more blessings that have come to our family.

I hope that as we continue on this new path that God has set before us that I can continue to see, and help others see: JUST BELLA.