Thank you!!!

There are so many people I have been wanting to thank, but I'm not sure if I will be able to get all of that accomplished individually, so I thought I might take the opportunity to try to thank some of you here. My only fear is that by publicly thanking so many, I will inevitably forget to mention someone. Please know that every kindness, comment, note of encouragement, and prayer has been immensely appreciated!

I am going to try to work through this chronologically so maybe I will be able to remember better all those who have blessed us during this difficult time.

First of all, I want to thank my midwife, Diana. I so greatly appreciate and trust her wisdom and counsel. She does such a great job of making difficult decisions under pressure. It was her advice and recommendation which led us to Parkview LaGrange Hospital when Alegria did not pass the NST at her office. She also has been a wonderful sounding board throughout all of the subsequent care Alegria has needed.

Thank you to everyone over at Parkview LaGrange. I was somewhat apprehensive in going to the hospital that our preferences and concerns might be discounted, but I was pleasantly surprised. Our stay at LaGrange was probably our best hospital experience ever. Dr. Egli, the nursing staff, and Mr. Packer thank you so much; you all were wonderful. Dr. Egli (whom we had never met prior to the delivery room) was one of our greatest allies in trying to get the best care possible arranged for Alegria. He certainly was a very outspoken advocate for Alegria and for us! Mr. Packer was also. Mr. Packer I am told did much of the behind the scenes legwork to get us in touch with all the right people in order for Alegria to receive the best care possible and us to receive all of the information, research, and answers to our questions. Thank you also to the wonderful nursing staff. I certainly do not remember each of you by name, but thank you none the less. Susan and Sandy were our 2 nurses in the delivery room and both did a wonderful job at trying to listen to my prefences and make us confortable amidst a more difficult labor and delivery. Also Erin was one of Alegria's night nurses who did a wonderful job at working with Ali on taking the haberman bottle. She helped me to see that with some work Ali would learn to take the bottle well.

Thank you to Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne. We had some great doctors and nurses while we there (unfortunately far too many for me to remember all their names) Alegria's neonatalogists Drs. Leezer and Biehl were wonderful in overseeing her care, listening to our concerns, and answering our questions. The pediatric cardiologist Dr. Ghazli and the plastic surgeon Dr. Mlakar were great too! The Mad Anthony's Hope House was also a great blessing. The Hope House mission states their goal "is to offer temporary, minimal-cost lodging to parents and families of children receiving medical care away from home; to provide families with a quiet haven during stressful times—a place of comfort, hope and emotional support." I would definitely say they far surpassed their mission! It was so nice after a long stressful day to be able to go eat some home cooked food and sleep in a comfortable bed!

Thank you Mom. Your help has been both invaluable and incalcuable. It was such a great relief knowing the other children were well taken care of while we had to be in the hospital with Ali. Also all the help you have given since we have gotten home has been greatly appreciated!

Nancy and Jeff thank you also for changing your schedules to be here while we were in the hospital to help out with the other children. I know they enjoyed the time and we appreciated it also!

Kim, Travis, Luke, and Emma your help has been very appreciated also both while we were in the hospital and now. I know this is a very busy time of year for you all, but it means a lot the time you have sacrificed to help us out.

Thank you also to all the rest of our family also. Mark and Stacey, Kathy and Rick, GrMomma, and everyone else. Thank you for all the help you have given us!

Thank you also to all the PW ladies. I always appreciate your prayers and encouragement!

Thank you to our wonderful church family. Thank you for the gifts of both food and money. Thank you all for all your prayers also. Thank you Pastor Aaron for keeping everyone updated on the prayer chain and thank you also for making the trip to Ft. Wayne to minister to us!

Also to all of those families with children with cleft palate/lips who have contacted us with offers of support and encouragement, thank you! Especially Ruth Ann in Topeka who helped teach us how to use the Haberman bottles! Thank you also to the Smehyl family in Sebring for sharing your story and encouragement with us!

Friends and neighbors thank you all also for the notes, cards, and food you all have given us. I certainly cannot begin to describe how encouraging it all has been to us.

Thank you also to Samaritan Ministries (the Christian medical need sharing ministry we are members of). It is such a wonderful blessing to know that God will provide for our medical bills through the help of fellow Christians. Thank you Samaritan for working with us to make that all possible!

And last but most importantly, thank you God. Thank you for this beautiful special little girl you have given to us to care for. Thank you for all the lessons you are teaching us right now, specifically teaching us to rely fully on You, lessons on what is really important in this life, and lessons on love and patience. Thank you for drawing us all closer as a family. Thank you for your provision.