Oh, what a day!!!!

Phillipians 4: 4-7 & 8-9
Rejoice in the Lord, always. Again I say rejoice. Let your humble spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. Let the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your heart and minds in Christ Jesus. If anything is worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace will be with you.

As I type this new post...the rest of the house is sleeping. It is late--well actually early, around 3ish in the a.m. I can't sleep. Sleep seems un necessary tonight, and Praise seems more in order! Praise to my tender loving Father, Lord and God! Praise because he chose to give strength to my sweet girls body and heal her from her severe allergic, anaphylactic shock today.

Here's what happened in Todd's words....

Around 3pm Maggie was playing on the back porch blowing bubbles, just before a nap. There were some ants on the edge of the porch and somehow she got into them. She complained to Leah that she had them on her and Leah quickly got her washed off and called our pediatrician to check about a quick dose of benadryl or pain medicine. Within about 2 minutes, she started swelling (eyes, ears, mouth, tongue, etc). Leah quickly hung up on the pedi and called 911. Maggie started throwing up, struggling to breath, eyes rolling back and became unconscious. She was in anaphylactic shock. Leah was trying to keep her airway clear as her breathing became more labored until the paramedics arrived. When they got here, they immediately gave her epinephrine, oxygen, iv, etc. They took off and headed to Cook Children's Hospital and a fireman followed with Leah in a separate car. They would not let her ride on the ambulance. I was in route home from my office (very quickly and illegally--Praise God no cops tried to stop me) and then diverted to the hospital. By the time they got her to the hospital she was already more coherent and the swelling had not gotten any worse. She responded very quickly to the Epi and IV benadryl. Within a couple of hours she had turned around and was doing much better!! Praise the Lord!! By about 7:00 they were releasing us to go home!

Can you believe it????Just 4 hours later!

After getting home she was doing great... eating, playing, running around, etc! Basically she is back to her sweet little self, just a little groggy and has sore feet! They sent us home on a steroid, a antihistamine, and want us to keep up the benadryl every 6 hours for 3 days. Now we have to keep an epinephrine injection pin nearby at all times since she is clearly deathly allergic to ant bites! She had been bitten before, but NEVER had any reaction.

Today was a day, unlike any other in my life so far. I honestly thought that my sweet Maggie might die. I clenched her precious, lifeless body in my arms and just screamed out to God to help and save her. My God heard my cry, and heard all of the many prayers being lifted on our families behalf, by our loved ones and friends... and he answered them!

Praise be to GOD alone!

Life can change in just one small second. I am ashamed that God had to get our attention in such a drastic way. I am ashamed we weren't listening for him more fervently. All of the sudden, priorities are back as they should be...1. God--loving him more, spending more time with hime, learning his plan, his message/spreading it, praise and worshipping Him just because He is God 2. Family--love them more deeply, savour every second, treasure the gift that they are, praise and worship God for giving me family I do not deserve 3. Friends--appreciate them, encourage them, praise and worship God together with them for all that He has done.

Although life threatening situations like these should always make us think about how precious and short life can be...these situations should also remind us that God is in control. That he truly does have the whole world in his hands, but more importantly to me..my world in his hands.

God has a wonderful and exact plan for each of our lives. Our children are actually His children, just loaned to us as a precious gift. God loves Maggie more than I ever could...hard to even type that.

As quickly as it went bad, it turned back around. Friends, we are blessed by God! We are very grateful for our immediate family in addition to our Christian family! It is truly a blessing to be able to cry out to our God and creator of all things when we are at our lowest and know that we are all in His tender hands.

Hug your loved ones a little harder and a little longer. Praise God more often and a lot louder!

Love to all,
Todd, Leah and Maggie

Sweet baby girl, sleeping as I type...sleeping her crazy day away, with new bites and bruises and booboos from this traumatic day...but peaceful and precious...I know it is like a zoo in her bed. 2 dogs, 1 cat, 1 frog and a glow worm and an aquarium music box...she wouldn't have it any other way!

Just being Maggie! Love you so much my precious darlin'!