A very special family...

My friend, Tricia and her family are going through a very difficult, very confusing, very uncertain time right now. Tricia and Brian have three beautiful children (Karissa, Abby & Zachary) and are pregnant with a baby girl, Cadenne Hope. I have had the opportunity to get to know Tricia over the past two years and she is a wonderful woman and friend. I am so honored to count her among my friends, even though we haven't ever met in person. She designed my daughter's birthday invitations and thank you notes and is so talented, you just wouldn't believe it! I've come to know and adore her, so it is with a full heart that I ask you to lift Tricia and her family up in prayer.

I'll include little snippets of information, but your best bet is to follow the links to Tricia's family blog throughout this post, because the best and most complete information is there.

In July, Tricia was hospitalized after having two grand mal seizures. They figured out that she's most likely been having petit mal seizures over the last few years. You can read the best information in Tricia's own words, but as a result of Tricia having the seizures and being on the medication that she now takes daily, she was referred for a level II ultrasound. Here is a quote from Tricia's blog on that day:

In the process of looking for those other things, though, the radiologist did
find a problem with the baby. The heart is on the wrong side, and the stomach is
higher than it should be, which indicates a congenital
diaphragmatic hernia.... basically a hole in the diaphragm, which enables
organs that aren't supposed to be there to enter into the chest cavity and shove
the heart over to the opposite side.

Tricia and Brian met with a genetic counselor after their ultrasound and were given lots of information. One of those pieces of information was that sweet Cadenne likely has a 55-65% chance of survival. I know that I was brought to tears the first time I read those words, so I can't imagine the feelings that must have flooded Tricia and Brian's hearts and minds.

Since then, they have had an army of people praying for their family and I'd like to see that army grow even larger today.

So, it's with Tricia's blessing that I ask you to remember sweet baby Cadenne and her amazing family in your prayers. They have a big day tomorrow with two major appointments, and they can use all of the prayers, positive thoughts, and encouragement in the world. Her blog contains specific prayer requests from the family, so I won't try to repeat them. They also welcome words of support, and I'm sure those are a source of tremendous encouragement, so please feel free to stop by if you'd like.

Thank you so much for helping me make this blog thing so much more than just words.

Tricia -- I love you, my friend. Sending you all of my prayers, love, and hugs. You'll be lifted up all day tomorrow.