1000 days!

Today Ella is 1000 days old! Not sure how that happened, it flew by. We have now had 1000 days with our miracle, 1000 gifts. Everyday truly has been a gift with her. She wasn't "supposed" to be here, but God had other plans and I'm so thankful! Life with Ella seems too good to be true, even with all the pain and fear, I couldn't dream of a better child for us! Ella has taught us SO much in her 1000 days here on this earth. She has touched SO many lives, provided SO many smiles! She has been through more then most people go through in a lifetime before she has even reached her 3rd birthday, and yet she continues to face each day with a contagiously beautiful outlook. She randomly said "mommy, I love you!" last night while she was watching a show before bed. Last week she told me "You are the BEST!" and a few days before that she sat down, looked me in the eyes and said "Hi, my name is Ella, and you are Mommy the great!". My life is so full even though it looks completely different then it used to. Ella has undergone 3 open heart surgeries, 4 heart cath procedures, 4 hospital stays, a paralyzed diaphragm, a feeding tube, multiple times on and off a ventilator, an MRI, 2 ultrasounds, roseola, a cold, countless IVs, blood draws, echo cardiograms, EKGs... etc. To really try and fully explain the miracles that have taken place in Ella's life would be impossible. To most people she looks so healthy that it's hard to fully grasp just how sick she is inside. Even with her doing amazing she still has half of a broken heart, damaged lungs, abnormal liver, and more surgeries to face. At this point the oldest survivor of her conditions is around 9 years old, so we celebrate each and everyday. I can't tell you how many times I have heard doctors tell me how amazing it is that Ella is alive, and even more amazing that she is doing so remarkably well. We give ALL the praise to God, for sparing her life thus far, and we beg Him to continue to let us have her here on this earth. We have the Joy and Sorrow of being reminded everyday that Ella's life is fragile. It gives us the ability to not take things for granted and to soak up every second, but it also threatens to feel our hearts with fear. We choose not to live in fear, we choose to enjoy our time with Ella whether it lasts 1 more day or 80 more years. I can truly say that the last 1000 days have been the best of my life. I love the time I get to spend with my sunshine! Enjoy a "few" pics from our 1000 days of cherishing Ella! Here's to 1000 days of LOVE!