CHECK THIS OUT!!!!

YES, I'M YELLING! (and yes, you have to scroll from bottom to top, or you can just believe she's crawling backwards. Sorry)

How great is our God!! Just know that God is always at work. We don't know what or how He's going to do something. Then, right before your very eyes, when you least expect it, you see His strong and loving hands at work. We thank you Lord for the marvelous opportunity to witness your work, but also to share it with so many that have prayed for this very moment. That all will see that You are King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, and we will give you honor and glory for ever and ever.

I love to swing!

Stephanie is working with Iliana on the platform swing. The exercises on the swing are to help Iliana with her balance and hopefully her vision as well. Iliana enjoyed swinging and did pretty good. She could not have held herself up like this a year ago.

I'm not sure if I've said this already, but Iliana pretty much lost a year of development while on the phenobarb medicine. Although she did improve physically, her cognitive development seemed to stall. So it's as though she did not make any progress in her mental development for a year, in addition to the fact that she was already behind due to her "illness". She is taking notice of things and people more often. Since Dwight adapted the walker to suit her height, she sees something she wants and she goes for it. I FINALLY have to tell the older children to pick up their small toys so that Iliana does not put them in her mouth. She takes things from table tops and the couch. What a joy to have to constantly keep my eye on her because she is going everywhere. She even followed me around in the kitchen the other night while I was getting dinner ready.

Also, I mentioned previously how I look forward to the day Iliana is able to say "I love you mom". Although she didn't say it, her actions last night told me so. I was at a bible study and sat her in front of me on the table when it was over. She looked at me and smiled and put her arms around my neck. I've never had her hug me like that. It's as though she was showing me her love. My friend Doris even commented on how she gave me that hug. Needless to say, it brought tears to my eyes.

Hi! I finally get to go to the beach.

This is the second time, that I can remember, Iliana has been to the beach. We have avoided it for the past 2 years because whenever she gets overheated, she begins to seize. She likes sitting in her chair and playing in the sand. She wasn't actually waving, I just happened to catch her with her hand up. She sits in this chair very well and is very content. As soon as she heard the waves today, she began to mimic their sound. One of the possible side effects of her illness at birth was that she could suffer a loss of hearing. She had her hearing tested last week, and all seems well.
What a wonderful blessing to know that even though she can't speak to me (YET), she knows she is loved because God has allowed her to hear it from me. However, the Lord gives us hope (wink*) that we will hear those I love you's uttered from her lips one day.

Iliana is being fitted with her new braces in this picture. She was able to get them this past Friday. At first, she wouldn't even take a step with them. She would only raise one foot and then bring it back down again, as if to tell me to take them off. It took her some time, but now she does ok with them, we just need to find some bigger shoes that will fit when she has her braces on. She is supposed to wear them all day, except when napping.

Her first time in a rocking chair outside of Cracker Barrel. She sat like a big girl would.

You can see she was enjoying doing things her big sister can.

Iliana has begun her physical therapy sessions at home again. We are blessed to be able to have Stephanie working with her again. I'm looking forward to what Iliana will do in the near future. I would also like to say that Iliana fell out of her crib yesterday. YEAH!! My excitement may come as a surprise to many, so let me first say that Iliana was fine. She complained to me a bit, but was not hurt. You also have to understand that Iliana's crib has been in the highest position possible since she was born. In the past 2 and a half years, there has been no need to reposition her mattress. She wasn't doing anything that would make her fall out. She has finally done it and we thank God for it. Of course, it will now be moved. I do not wish for her to fall out again. Please pray for her time of therapy. Both the therapy for her physical development and the one for her cognitive skills development. She receives one hour a week for each. Please pray for her therapists, Stephanie and Jean, that God would guide their teaching and would reveal to them the path that they should take when teaching her. Please pray the same for Dwight and I. That He would send forth His light and His truth to guide all of those involved in her care.