Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - Update

My sweet Olivia is doing good. She brings such joy to our lives. . .it’s unreal. They turned her vent settings down again. She is now 18/5 with a rate of 18 bpm and was on room air for much of the day. Olivia is getting so close to CPAP. I think the only thing that may hold her back is that CPAP can sometimes cause extra gas in a baby’s tummy. Because she had excessive air in her tummy before, I don’t know that they are in a huge hurry. Again, that is just my own speculation. She is probably going to start her feedings back up tomorrow. Please pray that the transition is smooth and that she tolerates it well.

I thought I would share a motto by which I try to live my life. When I was a child, I had a poster hanging in my room. It had a cute, furry lop-eared bunny on it which I’m sure is what held its appeal for me. As I got older, however, I noticed the words on the poster. It read:

What you are is God’s gift to you; What you become is your gift to God.

The first part has always helped me realize that God made me exactly the way I was meant to be. That was often hard for me to accept given the problems with my reproductive system. I’m sure that He had a plan though. I’m sure that Logan and Olivia were meant to be born at 23 weeks, although that’s something I’ll never understand. The second part relates to what we do with those gifts that God gives us. There have been many times where I have not been proud of who I was becoming. I’ve struggled with that as I try to figure out who God wants me to be. I know that He wants us to minister to other people. God also made me somewhat shy and unable to speak in front of large groups of people. . .so how can I minister? I guess this blog has allowed me to do so. I don’t know that I’ll ever have so many people’s attention again. I just hope that everyone asks themselves if God would be proud of who they are becoming. People ask me what they can do to help. Praying is always something that you can do and Olivia continues to need all of our prayers. Also, if you’ve ever wanted a closer relationship with God, *now* is always the best time. You may think that you don’t need God in your life if everything is going well. But, let me tell you, that can all change in an instant and we are unable to get by on our own ability. If all of us fostered a greater relationship with God because of my Logan and Olivia. . .that would mean the world to me. Please continue to make Logan’s life memorable. Please continue to pray for Olivia and help bring her home to her dad and me. We love her so very much.

I was so happy to read this update. I know I am not alone when I say Praise God! Olivia continues to fight each and every day for the very life that so many of us often take for granted. Ryan and Jodi ask us to allow Logan's life to be remembered. For his life to have meant something. I know that Logan meant so much to so many. And, each day, we all pray for Ryan, Jodi, and their precious Olivia.

Together we have been united in their plight. Together we bow our heads and pray for a little girl who wants and needs to be home with her mom and dad. Together we have grown in our walk with the Lord and together we have allowed our lives to mean something too. We all have the opportunity each day to allow God to work in our lives - we just have to let Him. Ryan and Jodi have allowed the Holy Spirit to move them and through Ryan and Jodi - we are all being moved.

I thank God for Ryan and Jodi. I am thankful for who they were and for who they've become. I am proud to call them friends. God reveals Himself to us each day and each day I see and hear God when I update this blog.

I pray God is working in your life - I know He is at work in the Glunt family.
Stacie