Elly is stable

Picture taken 8-12-06



My visit with Elly on Sunday was quiet. I think that I totally exhausted her on Saturday after taking 109 or 106 pictures. I did not take my camera this time so that I would not be tempted.

I did get to wash her face and little bottom. She always looks so beautiful after her face is clean. She liked it very much and she did not fuss at all.

I was quiet content in just soaking her up inside of me. I could look at that little face forever. She slept most of the time and she slept very peacefully. I am amazed at how stable she is. She is quiet the little fighter.

Today is Tuesday the feast of the Assumption. I have been asking Our Lady to interceed for her on this her great feast. I know that she is with Elly in a very Special way. I have asked our Blessed Mother to cradle Elly in her hands just as she did her little precious baby Jesus. What better mother can there be than the Mother of our Savior? She loved him with all of her heart and so I ask her to love my Elly with the same tenderness.

Elly's leakage is getting better and that could mean that she is healing the hole in her intestines. I dare not get too hopeful just in case the hole does not close. I am trying to find a nice middle ground in trusting and being peaceful and just taking it with faith. Its not easy but then Faith is not easy is it? I thank God for the opportunity to allow me to grow in virtue and to trust in Him. Like Our Lord I sometimes say,"Lord let this cup pass me but not as I will but yours be done."

A friend of mine sent this to me and it is so inspirational:

Malachi 3:3 says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire

and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver."

She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.

The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it"

I have a long way to go before the image of God visible but I can relate to the burning of this silver. I must be one stubborn mule to have to be refined in this manner 2x. I think I will try and be more moldable from now on! :)

On a lighter note, I am pumping enough milk to start my own little dairy business!! I don't think Elly will have a big enough appetite to finish off all the milk coming out of this factory!!!

May Our Lord be with you always and my His angels watch and protect you each and every day. Thank you for your prayers and you will be in mine.