Can you view pictures through tears?

Smiles all around. She is home. Enough said.

NOTE: I added some pictures from the twins' birthday on the 8/16/09 entry entitled A Great Weekend for the Laird family. You will have to follow the link on the right side of the blog to see them.

Today is the Day!

Today is the day Isabella comes home. She will be having her graduation ceremony first with all the doctors/therapists/nurses/patients in the program. They will all share something wonderful about Isabella. I hope that I will be able to get some of those comments for you. I am also hoping that someone will be able to provide pictures to me quickly so that I can get them on here for you to see sometime this evening!
Praise be to God who has allowed this progress, fostered healing, maintained life, and blessed us all beyond measure. I know that there will be great things ahead in the life of sweet little Bella -- to come through something like this in the way and measure she did, God is saving her for some great work in His kingdom!
I wanted to share a few verses in Psalms with you this morning in honor of our God and the way He has so beautifully dealt with Isabella during these 7 weeks...


"In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." Ps. 4:8

"But I have trusted in your lovingkindness; My heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord because He has dealt bountifully with me." Ps. 13:5-6

"He rescued me because He delighted in me." Ps. 18:19

"Some boast in chariots and some in horses, but we will boast in the name of the Lord, our God." Ps. 20:7

"You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance." Ps. 32:7

"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Ps. 34:18

"I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction...He put a new song in my mouth...Many O Lord are the wonders which you have done and your thoughts toward us; There is none to compare with You. If I would declare and speak of them, they would be too numerous to count." Ps. 40:1-5

"For the Lord God is a sun and a shield; The Lord gives grace and glory." Ps. 84:11

"The Lord preserves the simple; I was brought low and He saved me. Return to rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you." Ps. 116:7

"YOu have enclosed me behind and before and laid Your hand upon me." Ps. 139:5

Meeting with the School/Doctors

The team of doctors/therapists met with the school and Jenny and Matthew yesterday. The meeting went very well. Without too much detail, the school was willing to accomodate every request the doctors put forth for Isabella's return. She will begin attending on September 8th. Prior to that, she will have someone coming to help her at home. Also, she will have a full-time aid at first. She will be seated in the front of the classroom and away from any distractions. Of course she will not be granted permission to participate in outdoor recess or P.E., so she will have accomodations needed there as well. Academically, they will work with her to determine the best course of action for her, testing strategies, etc. Jenny was very pleased with the meeting and just kept saying how great the school was for being so willing. I am, once again, beside myself with awe in a God who works out details even to the most minute aspect...
You can pray for Isabella that she will continue to develop her cognitive skills, making bridges between questions and answers.
She will begin outpatient therapy soon. Dayton Children's Hospital (where she was initially after the accident) will do physical therapy once a week and speech therapy twice a week. She will also be getting speech/occupational therapy at her school.
Tomorrow Isabella comes home. They will have a special "graduation" for her before she leaves. I wish so much I could be there. My heart is once again torn and aching, but also overwhelmed with grateful emotions that she is coming home.... Praise God for this huge step in development. He is forever moving us forward. If you haven't already recognized Him, acknowledged Him, or praised Him for how He works in your life, do so today. Nothing is more important...
Thank you for praying for the Laird family. I, as writer of this blog, am praying for you, each reader, that you would be somehow touched by this blog and spurred on toward knowing God more...

A new day for Aleacia

Today Aleacia went to school. Jenny said that she was a bit uneasy but did just fine. I know that returning to life as she once knew it will help her tremendously. Please pray for her and her transition. Pray for her not to be scared or lonely without her sister there.

Great News to Share...Homecoming Day

Isabella has been granted a release date from the hospital THIS THURSDAY. She will be leaving just a few days prior to when the expected. They are running several evaluations the remainder of this week and packing in as much in-house therapy as they can. She will be able to return home 7 weeks to date after the car accident. I know my sister, Matthew, and her sisters will be so glad to have her home and that much of the emotional healing that still needs to occur will begin to slowly happen...
As I know you will certainly be, Jenny has once again asked me to add that while visitors will be welcome, please be respectful of their time together as a family for a while until normal life has somewhat returned.
Thank you for the prayers! They have been granted and Bella is coming home! I can hardly sit here and write without jumping out of my chair. It has been a really long 7 weeks for us all, doubtless also for the Laird family.
Rejoice today for the Lord is good!

Another small victory...

I spoke with my mother a few minutes ago. Jenny wanted to share with you that the bone in her mouth that was sticking out from her jaw and causing her much discomfort (the same one they were going to file down after her screws came out) did an unexpected thing last night. It broke off! She was putting wax on it to keep it from cutting her when it just came loose. She was able to pull it out of her mouth and says it is very sharp, thin, and much resembling a shark tooth! We will see what her surgeon says next time she is evaluated about the course of action now that it is no longer an issue! She was so thrilled to be able to have one less issue to manage! Thank God for even small victories... Together they will encompass larger ones and longer gains!

How to say thank you

Now that the initial chaos, confusion, and shock of the accident is settling around Matthew, Jenny and her family, they are beginning to reflect in awe of those many who have given so generously of themselves in so many ways. While they would love to be able to thank in person so many of you, it just isn't possible. They do, however, want to be sure that you, the readers of this blog, are aware of just how much you have impacted five lives.
Praying, interceding, faithfully remembering the Laird family and laying them before the throne of God each day throughout this time is an act of servanthood for which they are overwhelmingly moved. Please accept their sincere and heartfelt thank you. Your prayers have been heard and answered.
For those of you who have given of yourselves in so many other ways, they also would like to offer thanksgiving. You have put aside yourselves and allowed God to use your finances, hands of service and feet of doing to minister to this family. Thank you for allowing God to use you in this way to care for the Laird family.
Eternally grateful,
Jenny, Matthew, Isabella, Aleacia and Sophia Laird