Another Step in our Journey

Tomorrow Ellison will have his colostomy reversed at 9:00am. This is the last scheduled surgery to repair the colon. Please pray that the surgery will go well and that our sweet boy will not have any complications. We are a little nervous taking him to the hospital during this terrible flu season but we know and believe that the Lord is watching over him. We thank you all for your prayers already but please lift us one more time tomorrow.

Also, please pray for Kevin Knight's family. He passed away after battling complications associated with the flu and pneumonia. He leaves behind a beautiful wife and two darling boys. Please pray for them and the extended family.

I hope to post some pictures soon. Sorry for the delay...life has been a little crazy lately.

Love you all,
MLV, NPV, and EAV

Well, we went to Dr. A's today and our next step of the surgery process will be on October 22. Ellison will have his colostomy reversed on that day...how exciting. Please be in prayer for us because it is another surgery and there's a lot goes along with surgery....mainly mommy worrying. Dr. A did say that Ellison was doing well and moving along just as planned.

Enough about surgery...One other exciting thing that has happened this past week was that Ellison was dedicated at church.

After the dedication, Aunt Dana, Uncle Michael, and Grace Ann came over to

give Ellison all of the balloons we used for decorations. He loved them. Obviously, Daddy liked them too.

Uncle Q and Aunt Amber joined us for the dedication party.

Uncle Q has a hard time keeping his eyes open for pics. He closed them in every one.

Chase eating that delicious Publix fried chicken.

Mommy and Daddy enjoying the party.

Daddy and Ellison playing with the balloons.

Pretty Sophie.

Pat, MaMa, and Carolyn at the party.

Uncle Chad holding the sweet boy. People say Ellison looks like Chad now.

Pops and Grandma making sure Ellison gets his lunch too.

Pastor Jerry loving on Ellison

Ellison was checking out the crowd at church.

We were very nervous about this but Ellison did really great.

It was a fabulous day. Praise the Lord and thanks to everyone that helped

make it wonderful!!!!

Has it really been a month?

I guess it really has been a month. Sorry guys! Life has definitely gotten a lot busier with mommy going back to work. Ellison has being doing so many new things lately. I try to catch them on video or with a quick picture but it is getting difficult. As you can see, he is eating new foods...we are now up to cereal, a few veggies, and bananas. He LOVES them...maybe not the greens but he still eats them. He is also rolling over...not on command. It usually happens when we aren't looking. At his last peds appt, he weighed right at 17lbs and was over 24 in long. We go to Dr. Abram's today for our next surgery update.

MaMa and Ellison right before bedtime.
Ellison and his MaMa. They have become such
good buddies! I think he knows she has a prize closet
waiting for him.


Such a model!

Uncle Quinn's hat looked so cute on Ellison.

We haven't made it to a game yet, but we still

support our Tigers every week! Win or Lose:)

This is a great face while eating some yummy green beans!

Ellison eating some of his first bowls of cereal.

Ellison and Parker at the New's Tailgate Party.

We had lots of fun. Thank You Matt & Lindsey!

Home from the hospital!!

We arrived at GMH on Monday morning for Ellison's first surgery. He spent almost three hours in surgery and the next four days recovering in the hospital. He is still feeling the post - surgery blues but is almost 100 percent after major surgery at 3-1/2 months old. (AMAZING)

The Lord was with us every step of the way. First, Ellison was unable to eat after a certain time the night before and instead of waking up with his normal angry scream for food, he woke up after we arrived at the hospital and actually smiled quite a bit before surgery. After surgery

we were able to meet with Dr. Abrams (surgeon). Dr. Abrams told us that the surgery was "textbook" (who knew that surgery could be textbook). He told us that what he saw during the surgery in regards to muscle structure and development was exciting and encouraging as we move forward towards the next step of reversing his colostomy. If we continue on this path Ellison could have the colostomy reversed within two months and the odds of normal bowel function are great. This news was welcome and was followed by a hospital stay that included great nurses, low pain levels for Ellison, visits from family and friends, lots of balloons and new clothes, and great food and sleeping arrangements. Ok maybe not the last two I mentioned but we made due on those fronts.

We just wanted to use this post to say once more that God is faithful. I cannot believe that it was almost four months ago when this part of the journey began. In the midst of that pain and hurt I could not see "down the road", I just knew that I did not want our new family to have to walk down it. It has came and went and we are through with the first surgery. I am trusting that very soon surgeries will be behind Ellison and he and his parents will always have a testimony to lean on in tough times. A testimony that says God was faithful to comfort, to provide, to watch over, and to heal.

Ellison looking around trying to figure out this hospital thing.
We finally got to put on regular clothes. He looked like my
baby that day.

Waiting to be discharged.

Bottoms up! Ellison had to lay on his belly with bright lamps

shining on his bottom for 20 min 3 times a day to help heal his incision.

It was the cutest thing. Yes, that is his mommy up in the crib with him. Their cribs held up

to 200 lbs so were good.

Ellison really enjoyed the fish at the hospital.

Taking a nap in mommy's arms.

Enjoying all of his new stuffed animals. Thanks Grace Ann.

Our First Beach Trip (July 25-Aug 1)

Ellison in his beach attire. Thanks Aunt Dana.

The last night at the beach we stayed at Uncle Jerry and Aunt Carolyn's house.

Ellison enjoyed the "bird noises" that Aunt Carolyn made. He laughed out loud

with his MaMa trying to make funny sounds too.

Uncle Quinn and Aunt Amber came to the beach for a few days. They are both

very good teachers...see they taught Ellison to read a book:).


Ellison and his grandmama getting ready to go eat seafood.

This outfit was too cute. I couldn't resist buying it before he was

even born. He's only worn it once and now it's too little.

Matthew let Ellison test out the ocean. As you can see, he's not

to sure about it yet.

Family photo of our first beach trip. You can

tell we have been inside a lot this summer...check out our tans.

Ellison had his own tent to keep protect him from the sun...Matthew liked it too.

He was trying to be the whitest man on the beach. He won that prize I think.:)

Chilling out on the beach.

Hanging with dad in the beach house.

We love this pic! Ellison had a different hat

to wear each time we went to the beach.

My dad and Matthew reading their books on the front porch.

Ellison and his pops. This swing was a life saver for us.

Our sweet boy loved swinging on it in the evenings.

I found my camera so here are some older pics!!

Just a cute shot after bath time
Matthew's friend Matt Rob came from Nashville to visit

Ellison back in July. We enjoyed a great time with him. Next time

we want his wife, Amy, to come.

Just hanging out in the bumbo. Ellison does really good in this
seat but eventually gets tired and his "bobble head" starts to fall over.

The First Step

Hello all,
Well we haven't posted in a while so here's the latest...
We all went to the beach last week and had a great time with our families. Ellison enjoyed relaxing with his pops and grandma in the infamous swing. He also enjoyed sleeping on the beach in his own personal pop up tent and shopping at the flea market with his MaMa, Aunt Dana, and Carolyn. Unfortunately, I left my camera at the beach house so I can't post any pics until Jerry and Carolyn go back to the beach.:). All of you with kids know that you have to pack your house when you travel with a baby so forgive me for forgetting the camera.

Last week, we met with Dr. Abrams...he said let's schedule the first of the two surgeries. So, Ellison will have his surgery on August 17 at 8:00am at Greenville Memorial Hospital. PLEASE be in prayer for us on that day. We may be in the hospital for the better part of that week depending on Ellison's level of pain. In this part of the surgery, the colon will be pulled down to the correct place. He will then have to wait for the incision to heal and then we will schedule the second part when the colostomy will be reversed. Please pray that Ellison will do well with the surgeries and that he will experience as little pain as possible and that he will not have any side effects or complications afterwards.

Tomorrow mommy goes back to work:(. Please pray for me as I am very nervous about this change. I have really enjoyed the summer and taking care of my big boy. He is so sweet and and such a blessing...I don't want to miss any new thing that he does while I'm away. Thankfully, he will be in good hands with his MaMa and Grandma.