Special Birthday Request

Mommy's cousin had a baby girl last week, and she needs some special prayers. Her name is Keira Lynn (isn't that pretty?), and she was born with a boo-boo in her heart. Cousin Jimmy & Amber had to go to Atlanta to have their baby so that she could have a special heart surgery a few days after she was born. The folks at the Children's Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House have been WONDERFUL to them. What a blessing it is to have wonderful people around to help you out when you're going through something as trying as this.

Mommy, Daddy, and I have a couple of requests...

• Please pray for Keira. We are so thankful that she came through her surgery well, and that so far there have been no problems. Please pray for wisdom for the doctors.
• Please pray for Keira's family. Her mommy, daddy, brother, grandparents, and aunts and uncles have all been amazingly strong during the past week. Please pray for God to continue to strengthen their ties with each other and with Him.
• Please consider something a little different for my birthday this year. Mommy and Daddy have been talking to each other and to me about realizing just how blessed we are. I have all that I really need - lots of nice clothes, fun toys, loving parents and friends, and most importantly, my health. Of course, I don't expect anyone to give me a present, but since my birthday is coming up in a little over a month, Mommy said that a couple of people have asked what they can get for me. This year, if you would like to give me a gift for my birthday, please consider sending Mommy and Daddy some money that we can put together and give a big donation to the Ronald McDonald House. We're going to start saving our money, and saving any gifts that come in from now until my birthday on July 25, and then send what will hopefully be one big check to this wonderful group.

Here's Mommy with a little more information about how the Ronald McDonald House has helped our family...

Immediately after Keira was born, she was moved to Children's Hospital and placed in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU). During her time in CICU, my cousin and his family are able to stay in the Ronald McDonald House free of charge! This house is very close to the hospital (in walking distance, even!), and gives them a comfortable place to stay with free laundry, kitchen access, and more. What a blessing to have these things that most of us take for granted during a time when they have to be in a city away from home, waiting for their newborn baby to be strong enough to move out of Intensive Care. I am so thankful for all of the wonderful people who have shown our family members such love and care during their time in Atlanta.

We want to start teaching Savannah the importance of giving to those in need, and we decided that what better time to do that than now? Won't you join us in helping the families of these sweet children? To learn more about the Ronald McDonald House, go to http://rmhc.org.

Thanks to everyone for your prayers for our little Keira!