In respect of Ashley's continued healing please do not copy/print any blog pictures.

Monday, November 19, 2012

Hello everyone!

Thank you for your continued prayers! Ashley started her therapy sessions on Tuesday (8-24-10) of this week and I started work on Monday (08-23-10). Being at home has been a big adjustment for all of us. We are still trying to settle in and now with me away from the house all day, David and Adrian are caring for Ashley. Adrian will soon need to start looking for work to help us financially (Please pray on this). David is doing all the care for Ashley and Adrian helps him as well and keeps up with the house as much as he can. She has no home nurse since she no longer has the trache (thank you, God!) and we learned how to give her medications and feedings so we were told she may not qualify for a home nurse to care for her.

We are in the process of applying for a home provider so please pray that she gets approved. Returning to work has been a rollercoaster of emotional feelings for me. It is very hard to kiss Ashley every morning then leave the house then get to work and put it all behind me so that I can function at work. It has been good seeing everyone and I appreciate the hugs and words of encouragement but sometimes I feel I need to be at home with Ashley. She is like having a new baby again. You want to be there for all the first time moments. At the beginning we waited for her to open her big beautiful brown eyes (Thank you God!). Then we loved it when she started moving her legs and arms. Then it was beautiful to see her yawn so gracefully. Then she started turning her head and following us. Then she started following commands by taking deep breaths for the nurse and putting her lips together to give kisses. Then she started smiling and making noises with her voice. Then we heard her laugh this was awesome! Then she started saying "yes," "no," "mom," and "dad" very clearly; taking her first steps and walking.

I rush home during lunch to see her, eat, then tell her I have to leave again and that I will see her after work. She looks at me and nods her head okay. It has been hard for David to get Ashley up and ready for therapy every morning without me. We did everything together in San Antonio and helped each other so we could get her dressed and us dressed as well. David said she did well at her therapy sessions. It will take time for Ashley and the Therapist to get aquainted and move forward with her progress. I wish she could be going all week long like in San Antonio rather than three days out of the week. We trust in the Lord and his plan. Ashley sleeps very well at night. We are still working on getting her to swallow and talk more. Its seems that since she found out we were coming back home she started talking less and swallowing less also. Some late afternoons we take her outside to walk in the driveway. I have her walk fast to get her legs moving as they were doing in San Antonio. I am showing her how to bounce the basketball outside and she trys to follow it with her hands to keep it bouncing while she bends her knees as well. She holds the basketball with both her hands and gives it a light release throw to her sister. We had her kicking the ball also. She enjoys watching her favorite movies because we can hear her laugh out loud.

Alyssa gets her up to start dancing. She moves her feet side to side and her shoulders up and down. Unfortunately David has had to work on several things around the house as well. Two of the toilets were leaking, and the tredmill that he was going to have Ashley use for walking broke down. We were looking into getting her an exercising bike for in doors but the one that was on clearance was out of stock. Plus he and Adrian are trying to paint the front door because it really needed painting. The white had turned to black and was peeling off. Plus he wants to see how he can treat our yard because it is full of stickers. I had taken Ashley to walk on the grass to get her legs to adjust and balance on uneven ground but the stickers were getting on her shoes and socks so we had to go back to the drive way.

While Im in the kitchen and she sits in the living room, I call out to Ashley to raise her hands so I can see her. Even though I can see her from the kitchen, I do this to get her to exercise her arms on her own and she raises them up high. I miss my Ashley so much but I know that the Lord is re-creating her to where he needs her to be.

When God takes something from your grasp, He is not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to received something better.

Ashley is a child of God. He gave her breathe not just once but twice. As a human being and as her mother I hurt and cry everyday for my Ashley. I know that it wasn't her calling yet and the Lord has big plans for her. We will not let any "bad spirits" come between our family. The Lord is watching over all of us and everything we do in our life time on earth. We will all have to answer to him someday. So be good to one another, protect your families, pray and live the LORD'S way everyday and praise HIM for everything that you have because HE has blessed us.


Thank you love you all,
Lourdes Olivarez

God Bless and Have a Great Day!