Happy 2nd Birthday Emily!

Today is Emily's 2nd birthday!!! We are all very excited, and Emily as well, that can be the only reason she got up at 7:30.

Happy Birthday Sweetheart

We hope today is very special for you!

Eating breakfast on my birthday morning!

Did you say party later mommy??????

6 Months Home ~ From Now to Then

Emily at 6 mths of age ~ Our Referral Picture

Emily at 14 mths of age ~ a few months before we went to get her

Our First Meeting ~ She was such a good baby!

Home for 2 months ~ Look at the difference

Home for 5 1/2 months ~ She is always this happy!!!

Our little monkey ~ Right before her lip surgery

Right after her lip surgery ~ look how beautiful she is!

Her new face is appearing right before our eyes :)

This picture was taken 2 days after surgery

And now Emily is back :) ~ This picture was taken 3 days after surgery

Tomorrow we go and see Dr Smith for a check up!! I am very excited about what is to come. She should be able to take her arm braces off and the stent in her nose will be removed as well.... I am not sure which one I am most excited about. She has done amazing with the arm braces and they don't bother her one bit. I do think she wakes up earlier and is taking shorter naps because she is uncomfortable, but she always puts her arm out after bath time to put them back on! She is such a trooper, I'm so proud of her! God is so good to answer prayer ~ this week has not been as hard as I expected, only because of His grace though! Even during my pitty party's last week before surgery He still granted me grace afterwards! We are so undeserving of his love, and yet He gives it and gives abundantly! Amen!

Our Sweet Emily did Great!!!! :)

Last night our precious Emily curled up in my arms and sucked her thumb ~ and today she is looking at me showing me her arms and saying Uh Oh........ Wanting me to take off the braces on her arms so she can suck her thumb today!!!! Surgery went extremely well, it took about 2 1/2 hours total, surgery and recovery. We then were sent to our room and and she is sleeping well but on and off. She is watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and zoning out every once in awhile. God is so good, he gave me unbelievable amount of peace this morning and I have done very well today! Thank you so much to all of you for your prayers, and those who came to the hospital!!! We love you all so much

Mommy and Emily right before the surgery!!!

Emily was in a great mood ~ & was acting like a monkey.

Right after surgery, and very much tired!

We are kinda ready to play, but it didn't last very long! She is still doing so good though

Kaylee reading Emily a book!!!

Cuddling with mommy!!! :)

Not to much longer.....

Well tomorrow is a big day in the Mueller home...... Its a day we have dreaded and looked forward to all at the same time. Emily has her first surgery for her lip tomorrow at 9 am. I have broken down a few time ~ well many times ~ thinking about how things are going to change. I know this change will bring sadness and happiness as well. So here is a few thoughts that I have had about this surgery ~

Not to much longer...... she will be taking the last normal bath for awhile, we cant get her lip wet.

Not to much longer....... I will be watching her suck her thumb with her tongue waving over it and being able to see it. I will miss this so much.

Not to much longer........ she will be able to eat so much more!

Not to much longer...... she will not clean her nose out herself ~ I know gross, this is the one thing we will not miss at all!

Not to much longer...... we will be driving to OKC!

Not to much longer....... we will be preparing her for surgery.

Not to much longer........ we will be waiting in the waiting room for the Dr. to come out and tell us everything went very well.

Not to much longer....... I will be comforting my baby!

Not to much longer....... we will be seeing her new smile ~ but at the same time be missing the old smile!

Not to much longer...... we will be loving Emily's new face, and her personality that matches it!

Not to much longer........ the surgery will be over and this well all be a distant memory! :)

We are prepared for what is to come tomorrow ~ but please join us in prayer as we continue through the next few hours and days to come! Pray for bonding, comfort, a low level of pain, patience from me and daddy, quick recovery, and for Emily to be willing to wear the arm braces she will be in to keep her from touching her lip. :( Please feel free to call or text me anytime! If I don't answer I will call/text you back asap!!!

My new friends~

We had a picnic in Enid with all our new found friends!!! We then played in the splash pad located in the park! The kids had a blast ~ even some of the big ones! This time is very special to parents and the kids because we are able to talk to people who have been through the same process we have been through and the kids are surrounded by people that look just like them! I love to see them all play together and have so much fun!! It is just an enjoyable time, with friends, family and all with things in common!

Ashley didn't want to swim, but Emily was trying to convince her!!!





Emily, JJ and Kaylee playing in the splash pad!

Lets see how wet I can get my mommy!!!

Emily and her new bff!!!!

We clelebrate Freedom!

We celebrated our freedom at Grandma and Grandpa's house!!! We had dinner and I nice show in the backyard! Although the weather was not the greatest it made for a very cool evening! Ashley, Kaylee and Kuyler lit all our fireworks and put on a great show! Although this was the day after Falls Creek, we had a wonderful time and stayed awake! Emily seemed to like the fireworks, she was not scared of them, but we had a hard time keeping her attention! I love spending 4th of July with my family and look forward to the tradition to continue!! We love you Grandma Sue and Papa and Grandma Illene!!!!



Daddy and his baby girl!!!







Emily and her mommy, watching fireworks!





Kaylee helping with the fireworks!








Grandma Sue and Emily ~ she loves her Grandma Sue!





Not sure if Emily is showing her Grandma Illene how to set in the chair, but it was cute!






Ashley and Kuyler ~ this was close to their 4 year anniversary of being friends and eventually dating!!! We love you Kuyler!

Falls Creek 2010

Another fantastic week at Falls Creek ~ We had a wonderful bunch of students that were well behaved, excited to be there and very obedient to all the rules!!! We strive to not make Falls Creek all about the rules, but when our student abide by them it makes it so much easier for us sponsors. This year we were joined by another church in our community, and what a blessing it was to be one body of Christ and not two different denominations. God is good! All the time! Kaylee surrendered to Missions ~ starting at her school! Ashley committed to Christ that she would talk to her friends and really be that friend who loved Christ always and wherever she was! They both have upheld that promise and commentment and are excited about sharing with others..... :) This year I took Emily, and although that did pose some issues through the week, I was very pleased with the outcome. Emily did wonderful, sleeping all night and loved hanging out with the girls!!!!! I myself enjoyed having her there, it was just a challenge and difficult sometimes to not be able to do everything I was able to do in the past years!!! God really spoke to me about Faith, and how I have lacked it in the past few weeks, in the small things! Things are much better, and I'm still learning! Thank you God for meeting us there, but most of all for not leaving us when we leave Falls Creek! You are always with us to the end!

Ashley and some of her closest friends!

Kaylee and two of her best friends!

Me and the gang ~ we will be friends forever and always!

Emily ~ the newest member of the band!!!! :)

Our Youth group playing the newest sensations ~ NINJA ASSASSIN

Our speakers for the week ~ The Skit Guys!

The did a wonderful job, and really spoke to all of us!

Myself with a few of the other Sponsors! I'm sure we are talking serious stuff

Falls Creek is just not the same with out Kayla, although she didn't get to go as a sponsor she came up and visited us for an evening!!!!

Emily enjoying the high chair time ~ because it meant that yummy food that our cooks cooked for us!!!!