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3, 2, 1....BLAST OFF!

I am constantly amazed at Ella's will to not only heal, but to survive and survive well!  This week has been such a battle to try (key-word being try) and keep Ella moving slowly and gently for the sake of her healing leg!  This little girl is always, always moving at one pace...fast!  It is all I can do to try and keep both of her feet on the ground and keep her from jumping or running on her recently operated-on leg, even when it confines her to a seated position with pain in the evenings from over-doing it.  Yesterday, when I accidentally caught the edge of one of her stitches and pulled on it as I was pulling up her pants (TWICE) really hard, causing her intense pain and sobs that shook her as she cried out, "Don't do dat, Mama. Be gentoe (gentle), be gentoe, Mama!", she has the courage to get up and go, go go!  Nothing keeps this girl down!

This morning, we went walking at our mall for some exercise.  Normally, Ella loves to run beside me as I walk briskly, but this morning, I strapped her into the stroller so that she wouldn't be tempted to run on that holey leg-bone, but as I began walking, Ella started rocking back and forth in her stroller as if she was just itching to get out!  She began asking every few seconds, "Mama, can I get out?"  I finally conceded with the stipulation that she would walk and not run.  But after only a few seconds, that little body couldn't contain the energy within and broke out in a jog.  I just had to laugh as this little fighter beside me happily ran and sang for the few moments that I allowed it.

Jesus knew exactly what trials my little Ella would face.  He equipped her with the spirit and personality to embrace the trials and push through them.  I have never, ever seen my little girl defeated.  I've seen her mad at times, but never defeated.

When we were in the NICU, that should have been my first signal that Ella would not be kept down.  She blew away all the doctors with her feisty nature and never-ending fight that kept her bypassing obstacles that they thought she'd never overcome!  I just want to take a moment to praise Jesus, the Maker and Creator of all we see!  He knew what He was doing when He created Ella.  Her body was not perfect and still isn't, but she was created exactly as Jesus designed for His glory and her spiritual benefit.  I'm not sure if Ella had been given a perfect body if she'd have the close relationship with Jesus that she has.  I often catch her talking or singing to Jesus.  What a blessing!  What a miracle!  God's will is not always easy, but it is perfect.


 2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

This is Ella meeting her new cousin, Kiera, for the first time.  She kept saying, "Iss ok, baby.  I'm hew, don cwy, I'm hew."  Ella had JUST had surgery 6 days prior and was heavily medicated for pain, but as you can see, her focus was completely on her precious cousin.  If only all of us could take the focus from our own pain and place it on others.  I'm learning a lot from my little girl.  :)  Thank you, Jesus, for this precious gift that You've given to me in my Ella!
Romans 8:26
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

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