Priceful Memories: Pray For Gracie

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Pray For Gracie

This little baby has touched my life now for a few months and she's only a little over a week old. Her name is Gracie and she was born with half a heart (HLHS). Right now, as I write this, the doctors are turning down the machine that's keeping her alive. If her heart beats on its own, she still has a very tough road ahead, but it means she's alive. If it does not, she will pass away. I can't help but hope that she'll keep fighting, that she will live to know the wonderful family she was born into and experience the joys of childhood. But her life is not in my hands, or even in the doctors' hands - it's in the Lord's. Please pray for Gracie and her family at this very difficult time. May we all be grateful for life and the opportunity of eternal families. Click here to see her journey.

UPDATE April 3: I woke up in the middle of the night and thought - I have to go see about Gracie. I decided to wait until morning, now, and I was so glad to see Gracie is still with us, at least for 2 more days. The doctors took her off the machine and she lasted 50 minutes on her own, and that was progress so they put her back on the machine. Now they wont try to take her off again until Friday. Keep praying...

UPDATE April 4: The doctors just started turning the machine down. Only time will tell now how she will do and I don't want to go to bed tonight. My heart aches for their family...they just said good bye to Gracie and the doctors went in to turn the machine off and take out the tubes. It's now 11:30pm and everyone at my house is asleep, but I can't sleep. I can't stop thinking about her and praying for her and bawling. Be strong Gracie!

UPDATE April 5: SHE'S OFF THE MACHINE AND STILL FIGHTING! Her stats are looking good for now, keep up the love and prayers...there is still a long, critical road ahead. I couldn't be happier as I woke up and hesitantly looked on their blog this morning! Yay for Gracie! Keep fighting sweet girl!

UPDATE April 6-7: Little miracle baby Gracie continues to improve and they are weaning her off of her medications. She is re-writing the medical books! We couldn't be happier about this news. I was really bracing myself for bad news this week and have felt to thank God each piece of good news we hear. I feel my faith in God has been strengthened. It shows He is still performing miracles today as he did in the Bible and Book of Mormon. I hope Kelsey, Gracie & Sadie (my cousin's baby, Gracie's cousin) will be playing together in the future. I love her already even if I haven't met her. I will stop updating here, so please see the family blog for updates.

6 comments:

Tiffany said...: thanks Jessi, it breaks your heart doesn't it? We at least have 2 more days with her... who knows from there. Like you said, it's not in our hands...; 4/03/2008 5:47 AM
Steve and Steph said...: I have been following this story everyday! I find myself thinking about this precious little girl throughout my entire day. My testimony has been totally strengthened and I appreciate my little Cooper that much more these days...Gracie has been in my thoughts and prayers. She already is a miraculous sweet baby girl...; 4/03/2008 7:07 AM
Unknown said...: I'm praying for her Jess. Thanks for sharing her story with us. It really does put things into perspective, doesn't it?; 4/03/2008 3:39 PM
Chelsea F. said...: I will definitely include Gracie in our prayers! Thanks for sharing her story!; 4/03/2008 4:32 PM
AshleyS said...: thanks for making me cry this morning...what a sweet family they are and their faith in the Lord and His will is so touching. How do you know this family? I will keep them in my prayters. Definitely puts things in perspective.; 4/03/2008 6:06 PM
jessicalangprice said...: This is my cousin Tiffany's sister-in-law, Michele. Tiffany is like a sister to me, so it feels a lot closer to home than it is. Plus, Tiffany has a little girl close to Gracie's age. It does help you see what really matters in life. I've told Tally a few times over the past couple days, "why does that even matter!?"; 4/03/2008 9:10 PM

Kelsey Speaks

April 14: Advertising works, even for kids. Kels just came up to me with my iPhone and the app "Team Umizoomi" ready to purchase. I asked her how she knew about it and she said, "this mom put team umizoomi on for her kids and it teached her kids and he did it all by himself!" I've seen that commercial too, but never realized how much she soaked in! I'm a sucker, I downloaded it.

March 14:

We were having a new babysitter come and Kelsey wanted her to play a game but wasn't sure she'd know how. "What language does she speak?" I said, "English." Kels said, "Oh no!" I said, "Kelsey, did you know that YOU speak English?" She looked surprised, "I do!?"

October 17:

We had our carpet pad replaced today and the carpet guy was using a heavy duty iron that smelled like burning. Kelsey came in and said, "Mom, is that dinner I smell?" Thanks Kels, thanks. Says a lot about my cooking!

October 11:

So I'm on the phone and the Kelsey does soemthing that makes Aiden cry. I tell Kelsey, PLEASE make it better, say your sorry and make him stop crying. She starts singing, "Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine, make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine..." I started cracking up. I think she's a little too obsessed with Tangled.

February 19:
Family prayer
"Thank you that Aiden is incredible and that he could watch Incredibles with me. And thank you that mommy can change things."

February 9:
Family prayer tonight by Kelsey: "Thank you that mommy could be a good listener (?), thank you that mommy can be so stretchable...in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." I laughed and asked her what stretchable meant. She said it meant that I can read Aiden books and change his diaper, put us to bed, play with us, and wiggle us and throw us, stuff like that. Does that mean she's grateful I can do mommy stuff?

January 5:
While at my mom's house in California, she said, "I want to stay at Mimi's forever!" I asked, what about your toys and our home in Utah?" She replied, "I like Mimi's toys downstairs." "But what about your friends back in Utah?" She replied, "they can get in the car and drive really, really far and come see me!" She has it all figured out.

January 4, 2011:
Tally read aloud a sign as we passed a church, "Jesus is making a list." She said, "No, Santa is making a list, and checking it twice."

December 20:
She was sad after I scolded her for taking her brother's food. I asked her why she was sad and she said, "My life hurts right now."
"With Christmas just a few days away?" I said. She perked right up.

December 13:
Tal was going to bed early and we all jumped in bed to give him hugs and say goodnight. Kelsey said, "I like it when our whole family is in bed together. Dad, you're hot. But I like it hot. You're the hottest."

December 9:
I had made a big effort to go to the gym and literally had 30 minutes to work out and then be back before everyone came over for play group. I get Kelsey out of the car and walk around to get Aiden. Kelsey says, "Mom, you can't wear THOSE shoes to the gym!" I looked down and sure enough, I was wearing my Crocs. I'm so glad she saw it before I'd gotten Aiden out of his car seat, gotten the kids checked into day care, and stepped on the treadmill. 10 points for trying, right?

October 22:
"Mom, I don't wanna have a baby in my tummy. I don't want to have a baby doggy come out."

October 3:
"Mom, you shut up and I'll shut down." (playing around with the word shut up to get a reaction from me).

September 30:
"Aiden, you have pretty eyebrows."
August 15
While sitting in our master bathroom, Kelsey said, "You guys have two sinks."
Us: "Yes, we have two sinks, isn't that nice?"
K: "No, I don't like it, you need to take one out. I need more room to sit."
Tal: "When you get married, you can have one sink in your bathroom."
K: "When I marry Aiden?" (who she said she wanted to marry when we were talking about weddings the day before).
Tal: "You can't marry Aiden, he's your brother."
K: "I want to marry DADDY!"
Jess: "He's mine, darlin. Daddy is already married to mommy."
K: "My cousins?"
Us: (Laugh, gave up...we'll have this talk one day when she's ready) She is constantly playing with my bouquet of silk flowers in my room and saying, "I'm getting married mom." I guess she picked that up on her own...I don't think I've ever talked about the flowers with her!

August 11:
As I'm putting her to bed I said, "Kelsey, your little body is so tired because you didn't take a nap today and little bodies need naps."
"And sometimes big bodies do too?" she said.
After the gym today, we caught her doing her hand clasp thing. Tally said, "Don't do that, you're doing it so hard you're getting sweaty."
She replied, firmly, "Well I just back from the gym." (which is true, but she was at the play place at the gym)
May
(While shutting herself inside the kitchen pantry)
K: Alright Aiden, I'm going bye-bye to Lily's house, 2 seconds, and when I come back, I'm going to Zoe's house. Okay? Okay, see ya later.
(about 2 seconds later, she opens the door)
K: Oh, hi Zoe's house!
She has been cracking me up (mixed with a little worry) with her imagination. If you ask her what she did today, she'll say she played with her cousins. We don't play with cousins everyday, but she does, in her imaginary play. She'll tell Libby and Zoe to come downstairs to the playroom or come outside with her. Then I'll hear her telling one of them to go hide or that this doll is for them or that they are nice. She will also throw in Lily and Edie, and an occasional Colton, Carter or Spencer. But that's more rare. Maybe because she sees them the most? Or because they are boys.
She also loves to pretend she's mommy and I'm Kelsey. She'll ask me, "is your pee-pees coming, mommy?" (No, is yours?) She'll also say, "you want a treat Kelsey? Okay. " Or my favorite, "You go in time out mommy, no-no." When I ask what I did wrong she'll say it's because I hit Aiden. Shocking.
She is also such a good sister. When I was reading my friend Mary's blog today who just lost her baby girl and bawling, she came over and gave me a big hug and said, "it's okay mommy." Then, because I wasn't paying attention to the fact that Aiden had run out of Cheerios and was "asking" for more, she fed him her Cheerios. Then she came up to me and said, "mommy, Aiden wants more Cheerios." She's a great little mommy.
5/?- (while Tal is at work)
K: Mom, I want to tell dad I had fun at the doctor today - daddy, I had fun at the doctor today - oh you did - yeah, dr. M was really nice. Yeah? Yeah.
She has little conversations with herself as she imagines the conversation she had or will have. These crack me up. She does it all the time, I just need to remember to write them down.
5/29 -
K: Mom, don't let Swiper come swipe our new house, okay?
M: Okay, I will. I'll tell him, Swiper no swiping, okay?
K: Yeah!
She's on this kick where she says "everytime" or "everday" with almost every sentence. I guess she's learning how to tell time/days?
She also sings all the time, usually "I am a Child of God." How can I ever get mad at that sweet little thing?
February 1, 2010
J: "Kelsey, get up on the stool so we can wash your hands."
K: "Mommy, you need to pull my pants up first."
J: "Okay, sorry"
K: "You don't need to say sorry mami."
She's been saying sorry to EVERYTHING and so I think she's heard that a lot lately from me. It's funny to hear your own words come from the mouths of your little ones.
January 28, 2010
K: "I want to be baptized."
J: "You do? How old are you?"
K: "TWO! Aiden wants to be baptized too."
J: "You have to be 8 to be baptized."
K: "Oh, I EIGHT!"
A little boy was baptized last Sunday and she started noticing it more in her books about Jesus and we talked about it a few times this week. But the subject hadn't come up this day - she said it out of the blue.

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Pray For Gracie

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