Children's Miracle Network Day Two

Dear Madelyn Kate,
This weekend our family of three had the privilege of volunteering with the Children's Miracle Network Celebration Telethon. We are all so grateful for what CMN has done for our community and how it's efforts have directly affected us during your stay in the NICU and your stays in the Pediatric wing at Trinity Mother Frances Hospital. You spent so much of the weekend up at the news station right in the middle of everything and did so well.

Sunday morning Grandma was sweet enough to keep you at her house while I was helping out at the telethon and Daddy was in church. Since you did not really need to be there until around two in the afternoon, we thought you might like it better if you were able to just play and take your nap (we also thought our odds of you not screaming from exhaustion while we were doing our live interview were higher).

There are so many things that went in to making this weekend such a success. Everything from the decorations (which were super cute)...
to the yummy food that kept all the volunteers and visitors fed...
but I think the thing that struck me the most, was that this is not all done in a weekend. It's an effort that takes all year. Many volunteers. Countless hours of hard work. Generous people giving a dollar here or a dollar there at the checkout counter of supporting businesses. Not to mention the individuals who come up with creative ways to raise money throughout the year.

More than that, this sweet lady has been a champion on behalf of the children of East Texas for many years. Before you were born, I had heard your aunts and Grandma speak of Robin, but I had never actually met her myself. She is the TMF Foundation Director and is in charge of all of the year round, day to day fundraising and allocation of those funds. We have her hard work and dedication to thank for making miracles happen.
You may never truly grasp how much your life was impacted by her work, but your daddy and I do and we are forever grateful.

While you were playing at Grandma and Grandpa's house, Aunt Rachel and Aunt Marlo were hard at work checking everyone in and making sure they were where they needed to be. Emily was busy going out on the set to be on TV every single chance she got. I think she may have made as many appearances as the hosts!
April (who came to see you in the hospital after you were born and again the night you had to be transferred) was busy keeping everyone fed. So many restaurants donated yummy goodies that I am not sure any of us should eat at all for the rest of the week.
Around lunch time, I headed out to the house to get you and meet up with Daddy so we could go back up to the studio. You and Daddy looked so cute in your "MIRACLES" t-shirts.
As we were walking in, we snapped this picture of the three of us because I knew that everyone would want to hold you and I wasn't sure if we would get another chance.
First you went to Aunt Rachel.
Then you practically jumped out of Daddy's arms to Grandma.
Then Mallory...
and Emily...
One of the biggest blessings of the weekend was to be surrounded by such amazing people. Stories of hope, courage and faith that led families and continue to lead families just like ours through difficulties and trials. The rooms were full of "Miracle Children" who are living, breathing testimonies of the power of prayer and what can be done through the funds raised by the Children's Miracle Network.

We also were able to see some familiar faces. One of those special faces, Ms. Geri. She was one of your nurses from the NICU who coached me through your first bath (click here to see the pics from that) and lightened the mood in your room with her sweet smile and quick wit.
She took you out on set with her as she presented a check that the nurses in the mother and baby, as well as the NICU raised for CMN. It is so amazing to me that these nurses are so passionate about what they do and the lives that they impact that they give back in this way.
You immediately started grabbing at the microphone and slobbered on the hosts' arm. While you were out there with her, the host had her hold you up to show off your outfit. Grandma did such an awesome job turning your way-too-big-t-shirt into the most darling little dress.
They even held you up and turned you around to show off your sweet little bloomers. I think this is just about the only time in your life that we could get away with holding your hiney in the air on live television as the camera man zoomed in and got a close up of it similar to this one. Everyone got a good laugh out of that.
Just a few minutes later we took our place for the live interview. You did so well. I was nervous. Daddy wasn't at all. And you, well you definitely aren't camera shy!
Hopefully we can get a copy of the live interview.

Once that was over, we just enjoyed the rest of the afternoon at the celebration.
Your cousin, Allison was entertaining everyone in the waiting area by dancing around with her balloon. It was so precious.
You had fun playing with Uncle Jarrod (and drooled all over his shirt-teething has turned you in to a slobber monster).
He did not mind though. He even gave you some sugars in return.
It's hard for me to put in to words how much being involved in a celebration weekend as important as this meant to me. Knowing how much different your journey could have been had we not had a Children's Miracle Network hospital in Tyler with a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, makes your Daddy and I so grateful. Not having to wait hours for the transfer. Not having to load everything up and rush to Dallas, wondering the whole time how you were doing. Being able to have someone sit with you 24 hours a day during your stay. Having phenomenal doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists and hospital employees that cared about you and our family and worked hard to get you better.

Although a year ago I didn't really know what the Children's Miracle Network was all about, it will forever be a cause that has the support of our family.
Over $600,000 was raised to benefit children right here in East Texas. $600,000 to make miracles happen, just like YOU!
I love you sweet girl. You will always be our little Miracle.

Love,
Mommy