Friday, July 25

Hello Family and Friends,

As our nurse told us today, it seems like little preemies take two steps forward and one step back. Suzie had three very good days, but we encountered a few small set backs today. Suzie has another PDA in her lungs. This time, the hole was big enough for the doctor to hear a murmur. After the cardiologist assessed her, he determined that she was strong enough to put on the medicine that clears up PDAs for 70-80% of preemies. The two common side effects from the medication are high blood pressure and trouble urinating. When we left Suzie this evening, she didn't appear to have either of those problems so we are very thankful. They will give her a second and third dose of the medicine every 12 hours assuming she continues to do well. There were a couple of other minor things that happened today with our little girl, but everything seems to be under control now and she is stable again.

We attached some more pictures of our precious little Suzie! She looks like a little old man in some of them with all the tape on her lip and chin, but we think she is the cutest thing we have ever seen. Last night, I got to "hold" her for the first time, which was very touching. The nurse had me reach my hands in the incubator and he put her head in one of my hands and her body in the other. It melted my heart to be able to hold my sweet daughter even if only for a little while.

As you pray for sweet Suzie, please keep some dear friends of ours in your prayers as well. Kyle's good friend Patrick and his wife Holly have been going through pregnancy with us as Holly was just a week behind me. Today we found out that she went into the doctor because she hadn't felt her baby move for a little while and they determined that her baby was two weeks behind developmentally and her amniotic fluid was very low. They had just moved to Texas and were flown by helicopter to a hospital in Louisiana to perform an emergency C-section. This occurred just this evening and their little daughter, Addison, was born weighing 1lb 11 oz. We are waiting to hear a status on how she is doing, but we hurt so much for them and know that the prayers of believers everywhere was and is the biggest encouragement to us. So please pray for Patrick and Holly Briscoe and their precious little daughter Addison.

We love each one of you and praise God for your ministry to us!

In Christ,
Kyle and Steph

Psalm 31:24, "Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the LORD."