How God healed Niah and continues to use her

At Niah's 6 month well check up, I brought to my doctor's attention how I could not feel Niah's soft spot. She checked and said it was very small and that was a concern if all of Niah's soft spots were closed. She immediately scheduled a cat scan. Just 2 weeks later we were taking Niah to get the scan and yes it is a very scary thing to even think you have to do a test like this on your child. That night I headed to Springfield with Matthew for a healing conference held by Randy Clark and Bill Johnson. I held my baby girl in my hands and sang through worship praying that everything would be ok. The next day we went to one of the classes on healing and Bill Johnson said lets pray for healing in kids for illness affecting their brain. I held Niah in my hands and just began crying out to the Lord for Niah's head that if anything was wrong that He would fix it. I felt such a peace after that prayer.

We got the cat scan results back and were told all of her soft spots and one of her 4 suture was closed. We got referred to a pediatric neurologist and a plastic surgeon. The neurologist look at the ct scan and told us that when a suture closes it can prevent the brain from growing, cause swelling, and stunt her developmentally. She said she wanted us to see the plastic surgeon and come back in 2 weeks. The plastic surgeon appt. started with a resident coming in saying the suture was closed and usually results in surgery but the doctor would be in to talk to us. Fear came over me, this was my baby and surgery on her skull involving literally sawing her skull apart. The dr. came in and told us, this is the only suture that can close and not necessarily have to have surgery (immediately it was like God said I am in control, prayer answer #1). He was concerned how her head was already growing at a point in the front. He said that it would be based on how her head shape was, how it grew, and her development.

These are Niah's actual CT scans

The first one shows how the suture down her forehead has closed and how the suture following your hairline is starting to close

The next 2 pictures show how her skull is starting to grow at a point or triangle due to the suture closing. You can also see how small her soft spot is where the sutures meet

This last one shows how the back sutures are very defined

These last 2 pictures are what a babies head should look like with all 4 sutures and fontanels (soft spots)

We started making the drive to Columbia about every 3 weeks which is an hour drive. On the 3rd appt. the drs. were alarmed because her head growth had stopped she was not staying in the 12% she was in for head circumference and had dropped down below the 8%. We were just needing her head to grow a cm every 3 weeks and it was behind 2 cm. They wanted us to do another ct scan. I remembered how much Niah hated the scan and I really didn't want her to go through that again so I asked the dr if we could wait through 2 more appts and see what happens. They reluctantly agreed and I felt a peace about my proposal. After the 2nd appt (6 weeks), Niah's head circumference not only grew but she was in the 14% so it grew more than they needed. (God answered our prayers) Still going to see the Drs. for checkups about every 3 weeks, she stayed right on target with her head growth. They finally said why don't you come back in 4 weeks instead of 3. Then after 4 weeks they said why don't you come back in 6 weeks instead of 4. At that appt. they said why don't we just watch her growth on her head when your primary dr. measures it at her well check ups.

Instantly I felt God say it is done! He promised me over 8 months ago that he was going to heal her at that conference we went to right after her ct scan and now the drs are telling me there is no reason for them to keep seeing her. All I can think the whole time going through this even though I was scared was I am so glad I serve a God that is bigger than this!!

Now being released from the drs. for 3 or 4 months just last week, I was at a mall letting Niah play in the mall play area. I started talking to a mom that had a son just a couple months older than Niah. With in 5 minutes she was telling me how the drs. believe one of her son's sutures may be closed and could cause developmental problems. She had no idea I have been there and I saw the exact same drs. as her. I immediately began to share about Niah and let her pour her concerns to me. Her son had not yet had a ct scan and I was able to leave her with God is bigger than this and I would be praying that ct scan showed everything was ok with her son and that his suture was open. I have prayed for that little boy and mom everyday and I am believing that he is healed. I may never see that mom again but I know my God is bigger. I love not only how God heals but how he uses healing to reach out to other people.

Here is my sweet little girl!!

Faith Booster.... God always provides!!

I know that God always provides and I trust Him to help me with almost every big purchase, to make the right decision. I do not want to take for grant it the little things (that are actually huge for me), I love the little things.

I will start with my car. I bought a new car in 2008 (it was a year old) and it was only a year old. We have not had any mechanical issues and have put very little money into it since I got it (which is a blessing in its self) but in Jan. of this year Matthew realized some pretty bad rust in the body. He told me a car is not worth anything if it has rust. Well come to find out cars have a 5 year rust warranty, which neither of us knew. Perfect right, no my car was 16 days out of warranty when we took it to the dealership. The dealership filed a claim with Nissan and they said, sorry we can't honor. I called, nissan and they said sorry I can't honor it. A little stressed about the 4,000 it would cost to fix, Matthew and I prayed about it. I just couldn't let it go, 16 DAYS out of warranty. I decided to start a claim on the BBB. Before, I could even get all the papers signed and back to the BBB, Nissan saw the claim was filed and called me. Nissan not only fixed my car, detailed it, but provided a rental and we didn't spend a penny. That was HUGE, God worked, and saved us 4,000 that we didn't really have. God is not done answering my prayers on my car yet. Currently, I took my car to get my tires rotated and the car aligned. The guy tells me it is almost time for new tires, and I call the Husband (the expert in this field) and say hey they say the tires are worn. The tires were just bought at the beginning of the year with less than 12,000 miles on them. So we ask are they evenly worn, and the man replies yes. We explain how new they are and he says go back to the place you bought them. We bought them online and with some very frustrating moments we find the purchase and talk to the company. The company says call the tire company directly, the tire company say the company you bought them from. Finally, the company we bought them in says, "Send your tires in to us." What buy new tires and mail our tires in, I DO NOT THINK SO. I prayed about it and decided to call the tire company one more time. That was it a case was open and we just had to go to a local dealer. Total savings $700!!

Those are really big things that were huge savings in our lives that God blessed us and gave us favor but there are a million other things.

Today, in fact I sold a bag of my old clothes on craigslist for $45 and then went into the store and bought Niah some winter clothes (she may have not needed all of it but she will look so cute). Total price for the 7 items I bought $50. The great thing was that I had $5 dollars that I found in my pocket! I really always pray before I go to the mall for favor, wisdom in shopping, and great sales. It always works!!

A very small thing that happened the other day that was such a blessing was that I needed to go to the store and it was pouring down rain while I was in town, as soon as I pulled in a car right next to the door pulled out. All mother's that have kids in car seats know what a huge thing that is, to just have to make a small little jot to the door instead of crossing the whole parking lot while caring a baby in the rain.

A huge thing to me maybe not so big to others that I am so thankful for is my child has never had a fever or has been sick except for some minor runny noses (due to teething, I think).

I will not bore you with any more stories but I will tell you how incredibly thankful I am for God's blessings everyday.

I believe that as my husband and I give, God gives back. And I am so completely grateful for His blessings. Some may think this is so cliche to say but I am writing it because I honestly believe that and see it in my life every day.

17 Months and 24 weeks

This week Niah is 17 months old! She is so funny and full of energy. Some of her favorite things to do is cook, "organize" papers, and be outside. Her favorite toys are her kitchen, her car, baby dolls, purses and the golf cart. Her favorite playmate is Kyah (her cousin who is 3 weeks younger). Her vocabulary and comprehension has gone through the roof, at 15 months her vocab was at 30 words and it has close to doubled since then. She is quite sensitive and picks up on the mood in the crowd and gets upset in stressful or upset moods. She does not like anything too loud especially people that are loud. Niah hates it when anyone cries especially Kyah and will cry even louder than the person crying.

Some cute things she has done:

Kyah left yesterday and she has said her name non stop since she left and now I ask her, "Where's Kyah" her reply is, "I don't know" and throwing her hands in the air. Every single time I ask.

I have started talking to her about the baby and I point to the my belly and tell her, "Mommy's Baby" and then I will ask her later where is "Mommy's baby?" to see if she remembered she gets it right half the time. Tonight I said, "where is mommy's baby" instead of telling me she points at her tummy and said, "Niah's Baby." We will have to work on that one :-)

Yesterday in church when my dad (the pastor) got done praying he said, "Amen" and Niah as loud as she possibly could replied with, "Amen."

We absolutely love Niah and she is turning into quite an incredible little girl!!

I was 24 weeks pregnant on Saturday. I have to say this pregnancy has flown by. Now that I am past week 13 I feel great. I never get heartburn and most of the time if I do not look in the mirror I forget I am pregnant. This little guy moves a little bit during the day but gets active in the evening for about an hour. The dr. believes I will have a small baby again,(he does not think I could deliver much bigger of a baby and my biggest prayer is that he will be small. I prayed Niah would be just a little bit bigger than a low birth weight baby which is 5 lbs 8 oz and said I wanted her to be be 5 lbs 10 oz read here Ironically, Niah was 5 lbs 10 oz or not so ironic because God heard my prayer. My prayer is the same, that this baby will be under 6 lbs. I have also added that this baby will be just as good of a baby as Niah or even better (if that is possible.