Traveling...

We've been on the road for the last week and a half...hence the long time of not posting anything. We had our end of the semester time with our staff team a few hours North of Eau Claire, then we were home for a day and a half before we went to spend Christmas with our families. Now we're at our Christmas conference with roughly 30 students from UWEC and 1100 students from our region. It's one of my favorite things that we do, and it caps off with a rousing New Year's Eve celebration. So we'll get home eventually :). We hope you all had a great Christmas and have a fun New Year. Much Love, the Joneses

Planning and Eval

We're wrapping up the semester and spent a good portion of the week thinking through this past semester and preparing for the next (I love the irony of calling it "spring" semester when it starts in January and there is NOTHING "springy" about it). I'm excited for it. We work with such great students, and we, as staff, really enjoy working together...have I mentioned lately that I just really love my job :). Aaron is currently participating in a men's event which he, of course, enjoys. Tomorrow we need to get some things done before Christmas, like most people I'm sure...primarily, the Christmas cards :). Hopefully many of you will receive yours before it actually is Christmas...

Christmas time

We're finishing up the semester on campus, and it has been busy! I did some Christmas outreaches on campus last week, and Aaron was meeting with numerous students wrapping things up with them. Then we went to Rochester this weekend to visit some friends. It was great seeing them, and we were also able to stop up to the ICU to see some of our favorite doctors and nurses (Hi to the Mayo staff!). Everything there was so familiar, and it was a little wierd to be there without Payton there. That's where she spent most of her life. But I'm still glad we stopped and were able to visit for a little bit. I so miss my Sweet Pea, and it's hard to come up onto these "firsts" (like Christmas) without her here.
We hope you are all doing well. Christmas is always a busy time of year, but this year I feel a renewed appreciation for why we celebrate Christmas..."for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior"... We pray that the truth of this Savior (and what He came to save us for) is real to each one of you...And not just knowing it, but making Christ - His life, death, and resurrection - a part of your life. much love, the Joneses :)

Ponderings...

It's been a busy past few weeks - as I'm sure everyone is with Christmas drawing nearer. We're doing Christmas outreaches on the women's side of the ministry, and I've been running with those.
There are two things I'd like to share with you. The first is a poem I got in a booklet someone sent to us. I just really liked it.

There is a new lamb cradled on Thy breast tonight,
A sweet small lamb, so lately mine
I scarce can keep my arms from reaching out
As though to snatch her back from Thine.

These arms of mine are wonted so to her, dear Lord,
They curved about her little form
So sweetly, and from dawn of time my breast want meant
To be her pillow, soft and warm.

What does one do with aching arms and empty hours,
With silent rooms, and dragging days?
The things I knew before will not avail me now-
Teach me new lessons and new ways.

Take Thou, I pray, these idle folded hands of mine
Which can no longer busied be
With dear, familiar tasks for her ...In mercy, Lord,
Fill hands and heart with tasks for Thee!

by Martha Snell Nicholson

The second thing I'd like to share is something I read last week. I did a training time with our interns, and we read an article by A.W. Tozer (EXCELLENT Christian author - I highly recommend him). The article was from the book, The Knowledge Of The Holy. Anyway, we read an excerpt from that book, and I've been thinking about it all week...what do I really believe? So I thought I'd share a few quotes for you to ponder as well :).
The following are direct quotes:

What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.
Were we able to extract from any man a complete answer to the question, "What comes into your mind when you think about God?" we might predict with certainty the spiritual future of that man. Were we able to know exactly what our most influential religious leaders think of God today, we might be able with some precision to foretell where the Church will stand tomorrow.
That our idea of God correspond as nearly as possible to the true being of God is of immense importance to us. Compared with our actual thoughts about Him, our creedal statements are of little consequence. Our real idea of God may lie buried under the rubbish of conventional religious notions and may require an intelligent and vigorous search before it is finally unearthed and exposed for what it is. Only after an ordeal of painful self-probing are we likely to discover what we actually believe about God.
Low views of God destroy the gospel for all who hold them.
Let us beware lest we in our pride accept the erroneous notion that idolatry consists only in kneeling before visible objects of adoration, and that civilized peoples are therefore free from it. The essence of idolatry is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him.

Tozer always makes me think! Hope I didn't bore you :).

The Club

One thing that has been interesting through all this is you find out how big this exclusive "club" for bereaved parents really is. We received numerous cards from people we didn't know who had also lost children. It's this desire to reach out to others when you know the hurt they're going through to try to help and alleviate it in any way possible. I know I'll probably do the same from now on whenever I encounter another parent who has lost a child - and also any parents with a heart baby. There's something to be said for having someone there that knows what you're going through. Right after Payton's first surgery we called friends who also had a heart baby. They were probably the biggest encouragement and really helped calm us that first night after her first surgery. I remember hugging her when they came to visit, and it was almost a tangible feeling of sharing the load, someone else knowing what you were now carrying. It's been so encouraging to see the heart of people to just be there. We have such a great community around us that we're so grateful for.

Thanksgiving

I know you're waiting on the edge of your seat to hear about Aaron's hunting expeditions... no luck :(. I felt so bad - he really wanted to get a deer. But he did have a great time. He said on the way back to Portage last weekend he saw more deer on the drive than he had in the woods that day. I wish I had a picture to post of him in all his gear...actually, I wish I had a picture just so I could see him in all his gear :).
I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. We bounced back and forth between our parents homes, but it was fun to see the fam. During the week we had an opportunity to see, yet again, how the Lord has taken care of us through all of this. He has met our needs and taken care of us and provided for us in so many ways. So though this is a little late to post, that was one of the main things I was thankful for this Thanksgiving - the goodness of the Lord as our Provider. Feel free to post if there's something you're especially thankful for. I'd love to hear it :). Much love, Aaron and Heather

A hunting we will go...

So if our car gets out of the shop today, we'll be heading south so Aaron can hunt this weekend with his uncle and cousins. He's REALLY excited about it. It's been a few years since he hunted last. We'll let you know if he gets anything.
The athelete's Bible study on campus went really well. There were 14 students Tues. night which was great! It's harder to maintain consistent attendance because of their schedules/road games, but hopefully it'll continue to grow. I was also able to attend the sophomore study (my freshmen from last year), and it was great to see them. I'm looking forward to being a part of that again - AMAZING to see how they've grown in their knowledge of and relationship with the Lord.
We hope you all are doing well. It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is next week already. Being in the hospital with Payton for 8 weeks, I feel as if I've jumped from early August straight to late fall. I need to go for now, love, the Joneses.

Snow and such

Well, for those of you who don't have the privilege to live in the "North" we had 7 inches of snow in Eau Claire on Friday and other areas had up to 16 inches! We, however, didn't see a snowflake fall because we weren't in Eau Claire but west of the Twin Cities in Spicer, MN for a training time. However, we did come home yesterday to the slushy, white stuff.
For any of you who know me, what I'm about to say will be very funny. In a half hour I'll be attending an athletes Bible study on campus. Aaron is working with a football player to start and AIA group on campus (Athletes In Action). It's a ministry within Campus Crusade directed to (who else) athletes. And so those of you who know me know how incredibly athletic I am and the irony in this. (To give the rest of you some perspective, I'm fairly certain than in playing volleyball EVERY year in gym class from 7-12 grade, it was grade 11 where I finally hit a serve over the net - really, I'm not kidding.) But despite a tremendous lack of athletic ability, I'm really excited for this. I get to work with Aaron and be a part of a group where there's women who want someone to encourage them.
Our training time and the men's/women's conferences went really well this past weekend. I continue to be reminded about how much I love my job. What a privilege to do what I do. And if you can get through support raising :), you get to work with the most amazing people - I consider it a "best kept" secret about this job. I get to work with such fun people who are also dear friends. The students were really challenged, and it was fun to hear some feedback of what they learned and how they grew in their knowledge of the Lord.
I'm learning that it's a challenge to leave home for a few days and then come back home. The leaving and being somewhere else can divert my attention, and then I come back home and "reenter" the grief - the missing her. I'm getting close to finishing the book A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss. Again, I highly recommend it not just for the grief process but just processing loss in life. It's been very helpful and given Aaron and I some great things to think through as well as some great perspective on death and suffering.
I guess that's about all for now, much love, the Joneses

Newsletter

For those of you who get our ministry newsletter in the mail, this will be a repeat, but I thought I'd post the letter I wrote to our ministry partners. I talk a little about Payton, and since most of you did not have the chance to meet her, I thought it would be good to put it on the blog as well. It'll be a few days 'til the next post as Aaron and I will be attending a staff training time and then men's/women's conferences. I'll bring back the report :).
Yesterday was one month since she died. It was a harder day. I miss her so very much sometimes. Life goes on, but for me the re-entry is a little slower. I'm so grateful for the friends, the church, and the life God has given us - great people that add so much joy to life. But there's still the loss of such a wonderful little person that can't be replaced :).
Here's the letter:

Dear Ministry Partners,

As many of you are aware, at about 8:30 a.m. on October 6, our sweet, baby girl went home to Jesus. She received the heart transplant she needed but rejected the new heart. We want to express our deepest gratitude for the overwhelming love and support so many of you have shown us. Thank you, first of all, for praying. We know it was not for a lack of faith or prayer that the Lord decided to take her home. Thank you, also, for so many cards and expressions of sympathy and encouragement as well as such kind gifts toward a memorial for Payton. We’re currently praying about what to do as a memorial for her and will let you know when we’ve come to a decision. We’re grateful for you, our ministry partners. Thanks for standing with us during this time and as we ease back into our life and work.

Aaron and I are doing okay. We always miss Payton, and sometimes it hurts more than others. She had a long road in front of her filled with doctors appointments, surgeries, and therapy. We’re grateful she’s been spared from that struggle, but we still miss having her with us. She was such a beautiful baby who endured so much, and from what some of the hospital staff told us, she was so strong and patient through all of it. We realize most of you did not have the opportunity to meet Payton so we’d like to share a little of her life and personality with you. She was a good baby who only cried when she was uncomfortable. She loved to be held or to be in her bouncy seat. When we put her to bed at night she would cuddle down and either play with her hands for a little bit or go right to sleep. Then she had to sleep with her arms outside the blanket; if they weren’t she’d push the blanket down until her arms were free. Before she went back into the hospital in August, she was trying to find her thumb, and when she was happy, she’d kick her legs and move her arms. She was beginning to engage with people more and smile. Initially she hated her baths, but she was starting to get used to them. However, she always loved being naked. It was always so sweet to pick her up in the morning and take her out to the family room. She just looked up at us and seemed ready to start the day. Mornings were her happiest times. She was a sweet, sweet baby who was dearly loved by her family. Aaron and I were so proud of her and how strong she was throughout all of this.

The Lord has taught us so much through Payton. He has again shown himself as Faithful and Provider through the ways that He abundantly, abundantly met our needs. Throughout her short life we saw so many ways that He protected us, provided for us, and stayed close to us, not only financially but through the people He brought across our path. We have again been reminded of how precious life is and how much God values life. Each day is a gift. We have seen the power of prayer and the bond that exists between fellow followers of Christ, whether we knew them or not. We have seen, through no effort of our own, the Lord take a small baby girl and point so many back to Himself through her life. And we have seen with hard circumstances and deep pain the Lord bring forth so much beauty.

Again, thank you so much for your love and support. We look forward to continuing to update you on what the Lord is doing at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire.

With Jesus’ Love,

Aaron and Heather

Pictures from FL

Just walk to the end of a pier over the ocean on a very windy day and you too could have this stylish look!

Obviously you can't go to Disney World and NOT have a Mickey bar :)

I loved how the sun came through and hit the surface of the water.

The view from our condo on the beach...lovely :)

Sunrise at the beach.

This is Payton's tree from the Ecmo team.

Back home

We left 80 degree weather in Florida to return to 32 degrees back in Minneapolis. I'm not sure I'm ready for winter - but for as much as I dislike winter, I'm not sure I'd like to move. We love where we're at and the life the Lord has given us here. We just had a wonderful time. We spent a day at Sea World and a day at Epcot (Sea World was planned and Epcot was a spur of the moment decision - and by the way, it's great to hear the Europeans pronounce Shamu - it sounds like Shuh-MOO - I loved it :) ), but the rest of the time we didn't do too much. We were able to visit with a few friends down there which was great. It was nice to spend time together and time reading and relaxing... all in warm weather.
A dear friend gave me the book A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows Through Loss. I read the first half and have found it really helpful. (I recommend it for anyone going through a rough time, not just death, but divorce, sickness, suffering...) One thing he mentions that Aaron and I have found to be true is a greater sensitivity to joy and pain. I feel like I'm able to really appreciate the joys and beauty in life, but I'm also more sensitive to pain, not just my own but pain in others. Another thing he mentions (when going through loss) is a more intense focus on what really matters - which I felt a lot when Payton was in the hospital and still feel. It's just been good to read something that can point out what I may not be totally aware of or see someone that has felt the same things I have. Well I guess that's enough "deep thoughts" for now (and if I could remember a Jack Handy quote, I would end with that :) ) Anyway, love Aaron and Heather ...Oh and we'll try to get a few pictures from the trip up as well.

Hello from sunny Florida :)

Hi! I meant to post before we left but ran out of time. We flew into Orlando last Tuesday and will be returning to the cold midwest tomorrow :( The weather here has been just beautiful - usually mid 70's and sunny. We have had a fun and very restful and refreshing week. It has been such a blessing. And to Londa and Jill - we've eaten at Chick-fil-a twice! :) If you've ever had Chick-fil-a, hopefully you know what a tasty treat it is - we need some up north. We've spent a lot of time just resting and being together and have really enjoyed it. I'll keep this post short but will let you know more when we get back. much love, Aaron and Heather

Cute Story

We went to church this morning, and after we were talking to some friends. During children's church they had the children make little packets with candy and stickers in it - I think meant for the children to give away to encourage someone. So we're with our friends and their daughter gives Aaron this little packet and tells him it's for sad people. It was very sweet.
We continue to be so blessed by everyone's kindness. Thank you so much for sending cards and gifts. We're going to do something for a memorial for Payton; we're just not sure what yet. We'll let you know when we decide.

Tree

I feel I should clarify one thing. My husband, a Packer fan, brought into union with his wife, a Bear fan, wasn't "whole-heartedly" chearing for the Bears. He has Robby Gould and Bernard Berrian (Bear's kicker and receiver) on his fantasy football team...he needed the points :).
We went to the cemetary today - we go most days, though not for very long since it's not terribly warm. But the ECMO team from the hospital (the people that ran Payton's life support system) gave us a lovely gift, a tree. Not just a cute shrub, but a tree - for sure 8-10 feet high. We brought it over there and they're going to plant it near Payton's grave. It's a Flowering Thunder Child - an appropriate title I think. As anyone from the hospital will tell you, she was a strong baby, and it took quite a bit of narcotics to get her to sleep. (What I've learned through all this is that babies have a higher metabolism than adults - they can burn through doses that would knock an adult out for a long while). They'll be planting the tree soon; I'll be excited to see it when it buds in the spring. Much love, Aaron and Heather

6 and 0

Well, with 5 minutes left in the Bears game last night and with yet another interception thrown by Grossman, Aaron and I left Buffalo Wild Wings where we were watching the game and went home. I was really tired, and we were both annoyed with the Bears...only to find out this morning that the defense pulled it out and they won. And I missed it!!! :) Oh well...what's football without some frustration I guess...
I've been watching Anne of Green Gables the movie which I have been itching to do ever since reading the books to Payton. I've had to educate Aaron in the process (seen when he referred to Anne's best friend as 'Debbie'). And I'm willing to bet that at least a few of you (and by 'you' I mean the females), with this reference, will also get the itch and go to your local library to check the movie out to watch again as well. It was never planned, but in high school after a sleepover we'd start the movie in the morning and at 4 in the afternoon still be in our pajamas and finishing the movie.
Thanks so much for your cards and prayers and posts and encouragement. It really means so much. It's a blessing to know that others loved your daughter and valued her life as well. I'm not always sure what to post, but I feel closer to you all and to Payton when I do... so I continue :). And now, at the public library again, I need to see if they have Anne of Avonlea in stock :).

Monday

Here comes the cold, rainy weather of fall. I, like many others I'm sure, am not ready for it :). Well, we've just started down this road of grieving. I'm not sure what the next weeks and months will look like. Aaron and I went to our campus' fall retreat this past weekend. It was good to see the students and spend time with them. It's just going to take me awhile before I'll be able to really engage 100% in campus ministry. One student there, a junior, was a girl I had met when she was a freshmen. Right at the beginning of the fall we had a significant conversation about who Jesus is and what his death and resurrection really mean and how they open the door to a relationship with God - not just church attendance and doing all the "right" things but really knowing God. Well, at the end of that conversation she made a decision to allow Jesus to be the first priority in her life - realizing her own imperfection and need to acknowledge Jesus as the one who came and died for her sins on the cross. Well, now she's meeting freshmen and leading a Bible study in that same dorm. She brought a freshmen girl with her to the retreat. This freshmen was facing some of the same questions about life and who Jesus is. At the end of the conversation this freshman came to the same decision - she needed Jesus in her life as well. It is always a total joy to me to see how the Lord can use me to talk to a student and then use that student to reach out to others too. I continue to be reminded of how much Aaron and I need Jesus and the strength, peace, joy, and love that He offers. It's been hard the last few days. I don't know where we'd be without the prayers of others and the Lord's grace and strength. At the funeral we had a passage out of John 6 where Jesus basically tells the people following him that they have to be willing to give 100% - well some leave. So Jesus turns to the 12 disciples and asks if they'll leave too. And Peter replies, "Where else shall we go? You alone have the words to eternal life." I think we've identified with that passage through this whole journey. Where else can we go? Well, now I've written quite a bit, and we need to go (currently at the public library :). Much love, Aaron and Heather

Still loved

What to do now... so I post. Aaron's aunt printed out the WHOLE blog for us (with all the comments) which ended up to be 400 pages! Anyway, Tuesday night, after the busy day of the funeral, I read the comments from last Friday's post where we posted about her passing. Your kind words were a healing balm. It's a joy as a mother to see that your child has touched so many lives - well, really it was the Lord who did it. Londa started this blog so we could keep friends and family updated, and I have been astounded at how He's used it and how far it's circulated. I'm glad through all of this that He's used it and worked in so many hearts - I'm still not sure how or why, but He did.
Aaron and I were sitting on the couch yesterday, and I was trying to figure out why my arms were so sore when I hadn't been doing anything (and haven't exercised in a few months). Then I realized that I had hugged a few hundred people on Tues., and that's why my arms hurt! We had a good laugh. I'm such a weakling, but if anything, it's physical proof to how much we just know we're loved and prayed for right now. Thank you. The service on Tuesday went really well. I was so grateful for how it all just came together. On Sunday's (oct.8) comments, someone posted the words to a song, "Glory Baby". We used that song for a slide show of Payton. I thought the lyrics were so beautiful.
I miss Payton a lot. It's a strange kind of grief because I've (we've) been missing her for 2 months while she was in the hospital, but it's the knowing that she's gone. I'm so glad she's in heaven. She had SO MUCH in front of her - not just her heart (which was obviously the most urgent and pressing matter) but so many other problems that had to be dealt with, and I'm glad she won't have to go to doctor appointment after appointment as well as further surgeries. But we just miss her.
We've decided for the time not to get our internet hooked up, but I'll post again soon. With much love and gratitude, Heather and Aaron

Loved

We don't have the internet at our house at the moment (we disconnected it during the hospital stay), and I haven't had the chance to read all of your posts (but I will!) - THANK YOU so much for your overwhelming kindness, your love, and your prayers. We are so grateful. As we're planning the service, it's incredible to continue to see the Lord's provision in this and how things are coming together. We've got a long road in front of us. Please keep the donor's family in your prayers as well. I continue to think of them as well and know they're hurting tremendously. Also, to the ICU nurses, if any of you read this, please know how grateful we were for all of you. I was always so blessed by the ways you loved and took care of Payton. We didn't get a chance to say goodbye. Hopefully we'll come visit sometime in the future. At least for me (Heather), it just doesn't feel "normal" to not be heading into the unit and seeing you all there.
...and to Mephisto, you are ALWAYS welcome here :)

Service Information

Beloved friends and family, Payton's visitation will be on Tuesday, October 10th from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. imediately followed by a service and then lunch. It will be held at Bethesda Lutheran Church in Eau Claire (123 W. Hamilton Ave., Eau Claire, WI 54701).

You are all welcome to come celebrate Payton's blessing of a life with us.


Driving Directions:
From North or South on 94 take exit number 65 (Hwy 37).
Go North (right) on Hwy 37.
At the first stoplight go right onto W. Hamilton Ave.
Bethesda Lutheran Church will be about 1.5 miles on your right (at the corner of W. Hamilton Ave. and State St.).

We look forward to celebrating her life with you. Thank you for your continued prayers and encouraging comments on the blog. The Lord has been so good to provide us with friends and family like you. We love you.

Home

At about 8:30 this morning Payton went home to be with Jesus. Her heart wasn't working at all anymore. We know it wasn't for lack of prayer or faith that Payton wasn't healed on this side of eternity. His plan was to take her home, and maybe this spares her from a great deal of suffering that she could have had down the road. She had so many more hurdles in front of her. We miss her deeply, and there's a hollow ache - but we're so happy she's with Jesus and whole again. We feel a peace that everything possible was done, and the staff took such good care of her. She looked at us a little this morning, and we were able to hold her before she went. Thank you so much for mourning with those who mourn and rejoicing with those who rejoice. We are doing both right now. Thanks for loving our little girl with us. We'll let you know about the service arrangements. Love, Aaron and Heather

Nap time

We've been in and out to see Payton this evening. She's very swollen, but she opened her eyes a bit and looked at us which is joy to see. Her heart is still about the same. They're doing a blood treatment at the moment to see if that helps. We're going to try to crash for a few hours. With the emotional roller coaster that the last few days have been and little sleep we're both just wiped. We'll keep you posted as we know more. THANK YOU for your warm and generous response in prayer and love. It's been a tremendous encouragement to see how many people are in this with us - a debt of gratitude we'll never be able to repay.

Still needing prayer

Payton is not doing well. The doctor said it's getting harder and harder to get her to do what they want, and I asked him if we should stay here tonight and he said yes. It seems that she's rejecting the heart. They keep working with her.

Another post :)

There's not much change at the moment. Aaron and I slept for a few hours this afternoon. It's been a long day. Thank you so much for your overwhelming love and encouragement. I've cried a few times reading posts. We're going to go get some supper. I'll try to post again later this evening. We keep praying as well - we know the Lord is good no matter what happens. Thanks for loving our baby girl and praying with us.

Needing another Miracle

Payton is not doing very well, and there are two very serious concerns at the moment. The first has to do with blood circulation. They were working earlier to help get her blood circulating all through her body - they're not sure if during this time if there were periods where her brain wasn't getting enough blood and therefore enough oxygen. If it wasn't, the result would then be brain damage. The second concern is that mechanically her new heart is working minimally. Electrically it was firing, but it wasn't really contracting at all. The doctor said this first 24 hours will show if the heart will start to work stronger or not. If it doesn't start to work, then comes the hard decisions. Everyone is working very hard and doing the best they can for her, but we knew going into this we were facing huge odds. We'll keep you posted.

Peace

Wow! Thank you so much for the overflow of love and support. I was amazed that people were posting at 1 and 2 in the morning! Thanks for keeping us in your prayers. Aaron and I just feel an amazing peace today. We're exhausted, and it's been a long day thus far...but we just feel peace, and we're so grateful for that. Speaking with one of the techs, it was a rough night in the OR, and today is incredibly critical. This new little heart needs to get stronger. I just feel drawn to keep posting - especially knowing so many of you keep checking. We just feel covered with love and prayer - truly humbling but we're SO GRATEFUL!!! Thanks for praying specifically and consistently. People that were up all night are still with her taking care of her - she's in good hands. I just keep praying for Jesus to be with her and for His presence to be tangible to her (even as she's heavily sedated).

New Heart

We met with the surgeon at about 7:30. The new heart is in. He was discouraged, though, because she had to go back on ECMO (heart/lung machine). Her little body has been through A LOT in the last 48 hours with the circuit change on ECMO and then the transplant. She should be up to her room soon, but she's been in the OR for 12 hours with all the time needed for prep, removal of her heart, and then putting the new one in. So she's still got quite a fight in front of her. The doctor said it's not unheard of for a transplant patient to have to come out on ECMO, but we'll need to see a turn around in the next 3-5 days to know that she'll pull through. Thanks so much for your posts and prayer these past few hours. We continue to ask for your prayers as the next hours and days are so crucial. We'll keep you updated as best we can. Much love, the Joneses

Arrival

The heart arrived at 2:15, and they've begun the switch. It'll be quite awhile before they're done. She probably won't get up to the room until 9 or 10 this morning. We're praying for the doctors, nurses, and technicians as this is truly an all-night ordeal for them. We're not sure when we'll hear more, but we'll let you know when we do. All the family is here safe and sound. Thanks SO MUCH for praying with us.

New Day

Well, it's 1 am, and I just read the posts - aparently many of you are night owls :). At 10:30 I had checked with the nurses, and they were able to get the IV lines in - very good news as this was a concern. About a half hour ago, they started the incision to open her up and get her ready. So the heart is hopefully close and will be here soon. They'll keep us posted through the night. At 8:15 we watched as they put her on the elevator to wheel her down to the OR. We came back and prayed, and I know I've felt a peace and I think Aaron has as well. She's in the Lord's hands now. I know so many of you are praying for us even now - thank you so much. It's definitely a comfort. Grandmas and Grandpas are here or almost here. We'll keep you updated as we know more. Love, the Joneses

We have a Heart!!!

Just got a call from Heather Jones that they have a heart for Payton on the way! This is an incredible answer to prayer and also a chance to continue asking the Lord to preserve Payton's life.

She will be taken down to get prepped for surgery around 8pm. Aaron and Heather will be with her some during this time. Pray for good IV access to her veins and arteries during this prep time. The heart is being transported right now and surgery will happen around midnight. Pray for the opening up of her heart and for the ability to work well with scar tissue that is present and that it wouldn't create an issue. Pray for ease of removing the old heart and the ECMO tubes. Pray that her body would accept the new heart and that the Lord would preserve her life. Pray that as surgery ends she wouldn't need to go back on ECMO.

Payton is in the best condition she can be for this. Her lungs and liver are good and apparently the infection they thought she had isn't there. Nerologically she is doing well and today was looking at Heather. This is a very risky operation and a equally long and risky recovery so please keep Payton and her family in your prayers. This is the chance she needs!

Check back here for updates.
Londa for the Jonses

Wednesday

The tests they took yesterday haven't grown any bacteria - so they're fairly sure there isn't an infection. However, some of her numbers are still coming back as abnormal, and they're trying to figure that out. Her body is using a lot of oxygen, and if there's no infection, they're unsure of that as well. She seems to still be doing okay with the new circuit, and her coloring is much better today. But overall, the longer she's on this artificial system, the more frequently these anomalies can happen. They continue to troubleshoot the best they can to keep her as stable as possible for as long as possible. Thanks for praying for Payton and praying for us, and please keep the doctors, nurses, and technicians in your prayers as they do the best they can for her. They have taken such good care of her, and we're so grateful to be here.
There's music in the lobby over lunch hour this week, and today, Payton's surgeon and our nurse's husband were playing in the jazz quartet. That was really fun to go listen to today. That's about all for now. much love, the Joneses

Tuesday P.M.

Based on appearance, Payton looks a little better tonight. Her skin doesn't look so blotchy. It'll still be a little more time before we know anything definitive about an infection. They changed the circuit (tubing) on her ECMO this afternoon which is a bit of a process. She did pretty well during this which we're grateful for. So we just continue to wait to see if the circuit change helps and to see if she does indeed have an infection. Thanks for praying with us. As I've said before, she's been on ECMO so long, each day is tedious to see how long she can remain stable. Otherwise, it's been a lovely fall day here. I enjoyed eating lunch outside and getting some fresh air. Hope you are all doing well - much love, the Joneses

Tuesday

Today, Payton is showing signs of infection again. They've taken some samples to see if they show anything. Those will take 1/2 a day to a day to test. If you could continue to pray for her, we'd really appreciate it. I'll let you know when we know more.

7 weeks

Payton has now been on ECMO (heart/lung machine) for 7 weeks today...longer than probably anyone anticipated, and she's the longest Mayo has had a baby on ECMO. We're already on "borrowed" time - she would not be here without the Lord sustaining her. And so I continue to wonder what the Lord's plan is in all of this. When we went overseas on an internship with Crusade, the Lord really worked on breaking my "preplanning tendancies" that year. But it's been a whole new ball game to live day by day and sometimes hour by hour. Thank you for persevering with us in those days and hours with your encouragement and prayers - I know the Lord has worked through those prayers. She's such a sweet baby. I scrubbed her little head to wash her hair this afternoon, and there's nothing like soft, fluffy, baby-shampoo smelling, baby hair. We're almost through Anne of Avonlea (book 2); so we're getting there. We'll continue to keep you posted. Much love, the Joneses

Quick Post

Just a quick post before we go home for the night. Payton had a good day today. We stopped by before church this morning, and she was resting really well without a lot of sedation. Then she woke up when we got there and opened her eyes and looked at us and looked around. I cried I was so happy. She hadn't been that awake for a week with all the sedation she's gotten. It was a good sign that neurologically she's doing good. So it's been a quiet day. I'm so amazed and grateful that she continues to hold on. We'll keep you updated this week. Time to head home and finish watching the game - Go Bears! :)

Just keep waiting

Payton is doing pretty good today. It's been quiet which is always good. We spoke briefly with her surgeon earlier. He no longer plans on doing any trial turn down on ECMO or possibly taking her off of ECMO. They feel it'll be best just to keep her on as long as she's able and wait for a heart. She's been on life support for 6 1/2 weeks (on Mon. it'll be 7) which is a long time. They let her wake up a little this afternoon, and she opened her eyes part way and looked around. After being asleep for a few days straight I think it was hard for her to get them open :).
The 3 women on our staff team came to visit, and it was fun to spend some time with them. I continue to enjoy hearing how things are going on campus. Our students and staff are doing such a great job. We'll continue to keep you updated. Thanks for loving our little girl with us.

5 months

Yesterday Payton was 5 months old. Despite all of this, she's growing and getting longer. She is doing a bit better today. They still aren't sure she had an infection, but she was showing signs of being sick. Her numbers are looking better today. She's still sedated quite a bit; so she's not waking up or moving much, but we're grateful that she's doing a little better. Because she was so sedated, I went home with Aaron on Monday afternoon, and we returned back here to Rochester yesterday morning. With the nice weather, I figured it would be good for me to be out in it a little, and it's a beautiful drive home, especially with the leaves changing colors. Aaron wanted to lead his Bible studies on Monday evening, and it was a quick trip. But I went to the student leaders meeting on Mon. night, and it was SO GOOD to see some of the students that I haven't seen for 5 months. We have such a great group of student leaders, and I'm so proud of how hard they've been working this year.
And I know I say this over and over and over, but truly, we are so grateful for your prayers and love and encouragement. We'll continue to keep you posted. Much love, the Joneses

A Day at a time

Payton is showing signs of infection. They're giving her more antibiotics and have sedated her quite a bit so her body can rest and fight off the infection. As the doctors have said, it's amazing that she hasn't had one yet, but it's still hard to have it happen. So they are still going to do the echo to look at her heart, but they will not do a turn down on the ECMO. With an infection, she's not viable for a transplant because when you get a transplant you're on immunosuppresants (so the body doesn't reject the new organ) - not good when you have an infection. This doesn't mean she can't still have a transplant, but she'll have to get rid of the infection first. I've been praying a lot in the last 24 hours, but my nerves are pretty shot today. Aaron will be here most of the week which helps. The Lord continues to provide, though, and we're so grateful for that. Thanks so much for you prayers and encouragement. We love you, the Joneses

This week

We have a big couple days coming. Tomorrow she'll get the ultrasound of her heart, and on Tues. we'll meet with both surgeons. We have no idea what's coming. We're already on borrowed time on the ECMO as she'll have been on life support 6 weeks tomorrow. Also, they are a little concerned today that she may have an infection. Thank you so much for praying. If you could continue to pray for us in the next few days we would appreciate it. We'll keep you posted. Much love, the Joneses

Quiet Days

Well, I feel like there's a joke somewhere - Payton just filled her pants, but with all the tubes and dressings (and it usually leaks to the bedding below and that has to be changed) it takes a small team to change her diaper... How many nurses does it take to change a 10-11 lb. baby's diaper? At this moment 3-4, but I wish I had a better punch line. But she really does have wonderful nurses that are taking such good care of her. We continue to be so grateful for them. The last couple days have been pretty quiet. She's been sleeping well without the aid of a lot of drugs which is always good. She looks so sweet and peaceful. At this point, unless something happens, it'll be a quiet weekend until Monday. They're going to do the echo (ultrasound) and turn down on the ECMO to see how her heart is doing on Monday at noon. Then her transplant surgeon and former surgeon will talk on Tues. So we'll know more and potentially have more decisions to make then. We just keep praying for the Lord to continue to sustain and heal her. Thanks for posting - so fun to see the names of old friends now living all over. And continued thanks for praying with us. I know people are checking this blog that we've never met, and it's so humbling and such a blessing to have people taking time to pray for you and to see the body of Christ come alongside you in such amazing ways. Much love, the Joneses

Holding Steady for Now

The doctor came by at about 5 today. It's kindof a lot of information to try to remember, but I'll do my best. She did do better with her echo (heart ultrasound) on Mon. but how long could she really last off ECMO. Just to take her off ECMO would be a major operation (scar tissue and controlling bleeding as I had mentioned previously) plus the need to possibly open that VSD more (another very serious operation)- but once she's off ECMO they can't put her back on. She's really stable on ECMO but how long can she maintain that. The longest they've had babies on ECMO in 6-7 weeks (she's at 5 1/2). But he basically said she's far exceeded his expectations at this point. As I've said before I know that's only because of the Lord sustaining her. So the plan is to leave her on ECMO until Mon. and then do another echo to see what her heart looks like - possibly choosing to come off ECMO or not. We still have the odds against us. We would appreciate your continued prayers in the coming days as decisions are coming. My 2 biggest prayer requests is 1. tremendous discernment to the Lord's plan in all this - that we'd be able to hear His voice for the next steps - and 2. that we wouldn't have to make any "pull the plug" decisions. Obviously we continue to pray for healing and for the Lord to touch her body. I continue to be amazed at how alert she is when she's awake and how well she's holding out for this long. Thanks for your love and encouragement and prayers. Much love, the Joneses

Tuesday

Just wanted to leave a quick post that the doctor didn't get up here today. So I don't have any news yet. I'll let you know when I hear more - hopefully tomorrow. We just had a laid back day. We've started Ann of Green Gables. Thanks for praying with us.

Prayer for Wisdom

Payton did really well during the trial turn down on ECMO, better than she did the last time. This baby has more surprises up her sleeve... Well, Her surgeon was just in and here's what we know for now. He's trying to figure out what to do next. Tomorrow, he will look at the echo (ultrasound) that they took of her heart while they were doing the turn down. He's unsure of whether they can/should try to take her off the ECMO. 1. They're not sure how well she'd do off it for how long. 2. She's been on the machine for 5 weeks which means it'll be harder to get those canulas (tubes carrying the blood into/out of her heart) out because of scarring which can lead to trying to control bleeding if they're removed. 3. She's been stable on the ECMO but how long can she remain that way (at 6 weeks you're getting to the point where it's been a long time to be on life support). 4. If she comes off ECMO it would be very beneficial to make that hole (VSD) in between her ventricles bigger so the blood can flow back and forth easily, but this is a very delicate procedure because you don't want to cut valves or anything else around there...and is it possible to make it bigger - he's not sure. Basically, they're goods and bads on either side and which way will give us more time to wait for a heart. So that's why I ask for prayer for wisdom, that the doctors would see clearly what the next steps should be. I continue to be amazed at how the Lord has sustained Payton. She's doing well for a baby who's been on life support for this long. She's still having more "Father Abraham" moments where she's moving and looking around. But each day and each next step is so fragile and so tedious and feels to rest on such a fine line. It continues to remind me of how much Aaron and I need the Lord each day and how important it is for us to continue to remember his sovereignty, power, love, and faithfulness in the midst of this. Thank you for covering us in prayer. I feel so blessed that we have such a support network. I often look at other families in here and know they can't have the love and support that we have. Back when we met with the genetics doctor, hours before we would be admitting her into the hospital which we obviously didn't know, Aaron told her that maybe we had Payton because the Lord knew that no matter what happened she would be wanted and cared for and loved. I have thought of that often since then. Thanks for loving and praying for our daughter with us.

5 weeks

Today we're 5 weeks out from surgery and on ECMO and 4 weeks on the transplant list. It was a pretty mellow weekend. Daddy and Uncle Cory watched football with Payton while mom took a 2 hour nap. It was a good Sunday for all :). Aaron left at 8 this morning to go back and work a few days, and I, of course, have assumed my post with book in hand.
Today is a busy day. She's getting a head ultrasound right now and in a few hours will get an Echo (ultrasound) on her heart while they do a trial turn down on the ECMO to see where her heart is at. I'm not at all sure what the next few days will bring, but we'd appreciate your continued prayers. At some point decisions will have to be made, and we're not sure when that point will come. As far as I know she's still viable for a transplant - I haven't heard differently. So we just continue to pray that she remains stable and infection free. Also, for a transplant to be possible they'll need to find a vein for IV access, which I've mentioned before, and as time goes on, another concern is that there's not too much scar tissue built up so that they are able to put a new heart in. We'd appreciate your prayers for this as well. Thanks so much for continuing to pray - we are so grateful as this waiting gets long, especially when you don't know what you're waiting for. The Lord continues to abundantly provide in so many ways, and we're grateful for that as well. Much love, the Joneses

Father Abraham

I don't know if any of you grew up singing and doing the actions to the 'Father Abraham' song in Sunday School (I personally loved it as a little kid), but that's what Payton was doing this afternoon for about 3 hours. She was wide awake and just moving her hands up and down and her feet kept kicking just like in the 'Father Abraham' song. I was just amazed that this little baby who has been on life support for 4 1/2 weeks was alert and just moving away. I had been telling her for the last day and a half that daddy was coming, and I think she just couldn't wait to see him like her mamma :). So she's still holding her own. Her surgeon popped in yesterday and said all we need now is a break from the Almighty. I continue to be amazed at how the Lord is sustaining her body and protecting her from infection. I know none of this is a guarantee for the future, but I'm grateful for His daily provision. Thanks for persevering with us in prayer. I was thinking this afternoon of all that needs to happen for us to make it out of these hospital doors (and even all that will have to happen after that), and it just totally overwhelmed me. So I had to stop thinking about it and go back to trusting Him for today. I've always loved Matthew 6:25-34 and Jesus' reminder that He knows our needs for each day. We're grateful for each day we have with our sweet girl.

Wednesday

They didn't turn down the ECMO yesterday, and then they were planning on doing it today. However, now they're going to wait until next week. So for now the days have been pretty quiet. She is still doing okay, and we're grateful for that. We're just plowing through the books :). For anyone who is new to the blog, I'll put up the site again that has pictures of Payton. My friend Holly took these pictures, and Aaron and I just love them: www.hollypetersphotography.com/payton . Aaron comes back tomorrow afternoon. It's been a great start to the year, and he's been enjoying working with the team and getting reconnected with the students. So, we're still in this holding pattern. Boring continues to be good :). We'll keep you updated. Much love, the Joneses

1 Month

Well, today Payton has been back in the hospital 1 month, and she has been on ECMO (heart/lung machine) four weeks. It's been a quiet day (meaning, we've read a lot!). Yesterday they changed all the tubing, etc. on her ECMO machine, and so they're letting her rest. Tomorrow they plan to do an echo (ultrasound) on her heart and a turn down on the ECMO to see how her heart looks. Aaron left for Eau Claire this morning, and Aunt Cindy is coming to stay a few nights. And yes, as much as I love my husband, I am celebrating a definitive Bears victory :). So all is well (and cold at 54 degrees!) here in Rochester.

Marriage Rivalry

Happy Football Season everyone! Aaron and I are in Payton's room watching our rivalry game of Bears vs. Packers. Hopefully our marriage will survive as the end of the afternoon draws near :). Sorry we haven't gotten an update on in the last few days. She had lots of loving from Grandmas and Grandpas, but otherwise not too much has happened. Payton is doing amazingly well. She continues to hold her own. Her left lung is looking much better, and her heart is doing okay as well (she still needs a transplant, but it's doing okay). I just feel that she could not be doing this well unless the Lord was sustaining her. We're grateful for each good day as it comes. Specific prayer requests continue to be protection from infection, continued strength to receive a heart (continued health of major organs), and a major vein for IV access. Thank you for praying with us. As we've said before, we have no idea what the Lord's plan is in all of this, but we want to be sensitive to Him and His leading. We're praying for His voice to be clear in the days and weeks ahead.

Provision

Well, we've had a couple good days. The doctor came in today and said her lungs are sounding really good, and she looks great - in his words, "If she stays like this it makes the possibilities possible." So each day is just spending time with her and enjoying these 'boring' days and hoping for more as we wait. We're now on book 5 of 8 in the Little House books. Reading for a few hours a day, it doesn't take long to get through them. Thanks for praying for her not to get an infection. We continue to be grateful she hasn't gotten one and continue to pray for protection from one. One thing I've been grateful for is that Aaron and I haven't gotten sick. It would be so hard to not be able to see her, and so I'm grateful for the Lord's provision in that as well.
We've had a lot of people ask if we need anything. So I feel it would be good to let you know that the Lord is abundantly providing for us in many ways. Our freezer, fridge, and pantry space at the house is full. And with Crusade, we have great insurance. Probably one of the most tangible ways that we're experiencing the Lord right now is just in His generous provision - a reminder that He knows our needs, has gone beyond in meeting them, and continues to take care of us. Thanks for your perseverance in praying for us and with us for our sweet baby.

Still waiting and praying

They turned down the ECMO yesterday to see how Payton would do, and she did worse than last week. They were hoping that maybe she'd make some progress and her heart would be a little stronger, but that wasn't the case. At this point, it's unlikely that she'll ever get off the ECMO. We're in a critical week. On Monday she'll have been on ECMO for 4 weeks which is the point where your body starts to "tire" from being on the system. We aren't made to function this way, and though they do the best they can, the body doesn't like being on this artificial system. Today she looks okay. Her organs are still holding out (liver, brain, lungs), but it's a matter of how long she can hold out this way and be a viable transplant candidate - and that waiting time is getting shorter. A very good thing is that she hasn't had any infections to this point - something to be grateful for and to continue to pray for. So that's where we're at right now. It's been a challenging few days knowing we're entering into this crucial time and approaching a point where tough decisions could be coming. The Lord has been gracious and continues to give strength and peace. As we continue to say, thanks so much for praying. It helps me take moments of rest knowing others are praying when I'm not :). We're so blessed to have such an amazing support system around us. Much love, the Joneses

Happy Labor Day

Well, I hope you are all having a great Labor Day weekend. It's hard to believe how quickly summer goes by. They're forcasting rain here in Rochester, and since I brought my raincoat with me to the hospital, it's bright and sunny and beautiful outside :). Aaron got back to Eau Claire safely last night. The staff meet with the student leaders today, and tomorrow he'll go with some of his men to meet new freshmen on campus. One of my best friends from high school is coming to spend a few days with me. So I'll be holding down the fort here.
Payton continues to hold her own. I'll let you know what happens tomorrow regarding the ultrasound on her heart and potentially coming off ECMO???
Much love to our staff family as you are starting or have started the school year. I'll be praying for the Lord to continue to work in the lives of students here in the Upper Midwest Region.

Still waiting

Sorry I haven't posted in a few days. Not much has happened. Payton is still holding her own which is good. She had her eyes open a lot yesterday. She is getting an ounce of milk an hour which is also good. We had arts and crafts in here yesterday as well. Child Life services here in the hospital came, and we got a mold of her hand and foot. Then they pour plaster into the mold, and you have a beautiful (lifelike) relief of the image after.

Aaron went home on Thurs. night and returned to Rochester last night. Classes at UWEC are starting on Tues., and the students/staff are gearing up to get the get the year started. So yesterday Aaron, our other staff, and student leaders surveyed around 1000 freshmen and passed out cups with our Crusade info. on them along with cans of pop! - a really great turnout! Aaron plans to go home on Sun. night to help kick-off the school year next week. (Hello to the UWEC students - I miss you all so much!) Grandmas and Grandpas are visiting this weekend, and I am just enjoying sitting with Payton and reading to her. We are now on book 3 in the Little House series, Farmer Boy. Aaron has enjoyed segments of this book - especially hearing about the hefty meals they used to eat :). It seems on Tues. they'll do another echo (ultrasound) on Payton's heart and maybe try to pull her back/take her off the ECMO again. So that's where we're at right now. Again, THANK YOU so much for your prayers - the waiting gets hard, especially not know what the outcome will be at the end of it. Much love, the Joneses

110 and Beautiful, Beautiful Baby :)

Well, 110 ended up being the birthday card count - THANK YOU!!! I absolutely could not believe it. I'm humbled and blessed by your kind words and continued prayers for us and Payton. I've never gotten so much mail in my life :).
My friend in Eau Claire is a photographer and does amazing work. We were in to get our pictures taken the very end of July - which I am SO grateful we got that done before all of this happened. She has so kindly put together a slide show that you can see online. Here's the address: www.hollypetersphotography.com/payton. I am thrilled with the pictures because they capture so many of her little expressions. (and if you want to see Holly's website, just take off the "payton" at the end)
So far we're the same here. Payton is still pretty stable and holding her own which we're very grateful for. We'll continue to keep you updated, and again, thank you so much for your prayers and for blessing me on my birthday. We love you all, the Joneses

Still on ECMO

We spoke with the surgeon, and when they pulled back the support of the ECMO, her heart showed signs of deteriorating. So she needs to stay on it for now. They'll keep an eye on her and may try again in a few days or a week. But at this point she's ready for a transplant. We're hoping that she could maybe come off the ECMO as it would give us more time to wait for a heart. She's limited in how she'll be able to stay on life support and still be able to receive a heart as the body naturally doesn't like being on that machine. So that's what we know for now. As usual, we'll keep you posted. Thanks so much for praying with us.

Please Pray

Wow, I don't really know where to start. We talked with the doctor this morning. He said that they pulled the ECMO really low this morning while doing an echo (ultrasound) on her heart, and her heart did really well (in the doctors words, she did surprisingly well) - it held it's pressure and the right ventricle looks like it has improved, but they're still concerned about a leaking valve that could potentially put too much blood into her lungs... but she was holding her own. So they just took her down to the OR to potentially take her off the ECMO. They'll essentially let her work on her own for about an hour at least to see how she does to see if they can take her off. It's looking like she'll still need a transplant at this point, but being off ECMO would give her more waiting time than if she was on it. And obviously, once she's off ECMO, she'll hopefully be able to hold her own a little while to wait. The other issue of taking her off ECMO is getting a veinus line. She'll still need dialasis for her kidneys, and they have to have a veinus line for that. At this point, though, he said she's at a really good place for a transplant. If/when they take her off ECMO it's possible to put her back on in the future if she needs it but very difficult.
It definitely seems like the Lord has brought some improvement (thanks for praying!!!), but we know she's still His and continue to pray to keep our hearts and hands open before Him. She'll be down in the OR for a while now, but we'll try to post later today when we see what happens. Thanks for praying with us - much love, the Joneses

Heather's Birthday!

Aaron here. Heather and I went to church today at a local church. We haven't gone for a few weeks. It was great to be with a body of believers and worship the Lord corporately. Then we came back and ate lunch and had birthday cake that Heather's mom made. It was delicious, and it fed the us and all of the nurses in the unit. Heather and I went out to dinner for her birthday last night and just spent some time together. It was good to just be together for a little while. We have been assured that it is necessary to take care of ourselves and each other.

Payton is still about the same. She is sleeping well today. Her surgen plans to take her down to the OR again tomorrow to clean her chest up again, but other than that we are still just waiting. Thanks for praying even though there's not a lot of new stuff to update you on. We hope that you all had a great weekend!

25 cards

I had 25 birthday cards in my box yesterday. Well, I was trying to figure out HOW in the world so many people knew it was my birthday, and then I read the post from my mom. Thank you so much for your outpouring of love - I am really blessed by it.
Not much new to report. Neurology took a good look at her yesterday with a thorough head ultrasound and EEG. Both are normal which is always good to hear. I've been reading to her a lot which I really enjoy doing. We finished Little House in the Big Woods and started Little House on the Prarie last night. I've forgotten so much of what's in them that's it's been fun to reread them. Grandmas and Grandpas are here this weekend. Being that there's no shortage of lovin' for the baby, Aaron and I are going to dinner tonight which will be good for us. We'll continue to keep you posted on what's happening. We love you all, the Joneses

Still hoping

Payton's heart/transplant surgeon stopped by again today. He said she's still holding up really well which is good news. They will take her back to the OR again on Mon. to again, clean things up and keep checking on her. At this point the plan is to do an extended/steady decrease on the heart/lung machine (ECMO is what it's called - I get tired of typing it out) to see how her heart does. I talked to the director of the heart/lung machine (ECMO) program to have him fill me in a little more. If you recall this was the original plan last week, but it was cancelled. Two nights ago they changed over all the circuitry on the ECMO and gave her a blood transfusion. With this she was off ECMO for 4-5 minutes and her heart held up pretty well during that time. He feels that in order to ask for a heart in good conscience we need to be absolutely sure that she can't come off ECMO. The doctors don't really think it'll work, but obviously, it's a serious thing to get a heart from a donor and they want to make absolutely sure all other routes are exhausted. This won't hurt her, and she'll of course be monitored. I write all this to say, wouldn't it be amazing for the Lord to heal her and for her to be able to come off and not need the transplant. We don't know what His plan is, but that's what we'll be praying for, and we continue to ask you to pray with us. Again, thank you so much for your posts and prayers and encouragement. We love and miss you, the Joneses

Friends

Aaron and I met a great couple here who's baby boy is accross the hall from Payton. They adopted him from S.Korea with heart problems. He's a little sweetheart. Her father works for Family Life (ministry of Campus Crusade), and we have a lot in common. We've enjoyed talking to them and getting to know them the last couple days.
Yesterday, we went up to the Patient Library here at the hospital, and I ran accross the Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. So I decided to check out the first one and read to Payton. My mom read them to me, and I loved them as a girl. So, now she can hear my voice consistently, and I can hold her hand and read to her.
At this point no new news - which is sometimes good news. Thank you for praying. Much love, the Joneses

Tuesday

Payton went to the OR later yesterday afternoon. The surgeon that would do the transplant took her down to sortof clean things up and simplify and close her chest more so she's able to remain on life support a little easier. He said at this point transplant is still a longshot, and they've got to get her lungs looking a little better to really make a transplant a viable option. Her heart is enlarged and that's not helping the left side of her lungs out at all. So they're doing a little more with the ventilator to try to work on it. He said her lungs aren't bad, but they aren't good - and for her to take a transplant her lungs absolutely have to be ready for it.
We're in a place now where we're "transferring" from the surgeon who did her first 2 surgeries to this new surgeon who would do the transplant. He's been very honest, and we appreciate that. He was in this morning and continues to keep an eye on things, and I'd say, overall, we like him. So that's where we're at at the moment. We'll continue to keep you updated. Much love, the Joneses

Thank you

Aaron and I read all of your posts - thank you so much. We are SO BLESSED to have so many wonderful friends and family - and so many people praying. It continues to just amaze us and humble us beyond words. I know personally I am doing better yesterday and today just having some sense of direction to focus on with her. We are still well aware of the odds we're facing, but we still feel a peace and continue to live in this place that He has called us to. A heart transplant feels like something that you hear about "other people" going through, yet here we are in the midst of it. Probably along with Payton's health we just need prayer for upcoming decisions that may need to be made. No one wants to have to make such life and death decisions, and they become especially heavy when it's your own child - we continue to ask Him for discernment.
She had her eyes open a few times this morning. We try to get close and talk to her and touch her so she knows we're there. She looked in my direction for awhile, and that's encouraging. Talking to one of her doctors, he just affirmed our decision to move forward with a transplant - he said that's what he would've done. And that's an encouragement as well.
We wanted post a few pictures that we had taken right before she went back into the hospital. The first is of her sleeping in her stroller in the waiting room at the clinic. As we posted before all of this - she was such a trooper. She did so great going from appointment to appointment and would sleep or just kick and look around. The second isn't very clear, but she was gathering her blanket and putting her face into it. It was cute :).

Psalm 33

"By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
and by the breath of his mouth all their host.
He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap;
He puts the deeps in storehouses.
Let all the earth fear the Lord;
Let all the inhabitantsof the world stand in awe of Him!
For he spoke, and it came to be;
He commanded, and it stood firm.
The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
He frustrates the plans of the peoples...
The Lord looks down from heaven;
He sees all the children of man;
from where he sits enthroned he looks out
on all the inhabitants of the earth,
He who fashions the hearts of them all
and observes all their deeds...
Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,
on those who hope in his steadfast love,
that he may deliver their soul from death
and keep them alive in famine.
Our soul waits for the Lord;
He is our help and our sheild.
For our heart is glad in him,
because we trust in his holy name.
Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
even as we hope in you."
Psalm 33:6-10, 13-15, 18-22

I've been reading this Psalm all week - reminded that He is the Creator, that He fashioned Payton's heart, that He is greater than the plans of men, and that He is with us. It's been an incredibly long 2 days. Aaron and I gave all this to the Lord on Friday night and, of course, have continued to lift it all before Him in prayer since then. That said, here's what happened today.
When we arrived at the hospital this morning all the doctors were in her room - including the doctor that deals with transplants. I wasn't quite expecting it; so it threw me a little. We went into a private room to wait while they talked a little more. Then the transplant doctor and 2 others came to meet with us.
Currently her liver is good, her lungs are pretty good, her kidneys are functioning to an extent, they think there will be some veins for access, and neurologically she's good. So at this point she would be a candidate for a transplant. He prefaced all this by saying that the chances of her getting a heart and getting out the front doors of this hospital relatively okay is 10% or less. Anything else surgically really isn't an option - she has a pretty serious heart defect, and the chances of her recovering on her own are pretty much slim to none. Then he went on to explain a little of what's involved in walking down the road of getting a transplant. After he left, Aaron and I prayed for a bit and talked, and we both felt a very real peace from the Lord to pursue that option. So at this point she is listed or will be listed very soon as a needed recipient of a heart.
This doesn't mean that we get a heart and she's in the OR. IF we get a heart, they reevaluate her to see if she could still take it and then they accept the heart.
So at this point she's holding her own on life support, and we wait. How long we don't know. It'll be an issue of how long she can maintain on the life support - days, weeks, maybe months? - if she starts slipping it's a whole other set of decisions. So we take it day by day, hour by hour.
Today Aaron and I have felt a very real peace from the Lord and even joy. So we've been incredibly grateful for that.
They'll take her back down to the OR tomorrow to clean everything up and close her chest a little more to help prevent infection.
She opened her eyes when we came back in the room this morning and looked at us and looked around a little. It was fun to see her with her eyes open. She's such a beautiful little girl.
Thank you so much for your continued prayers. They have helped sustain us. We're starting down a long road and humbly ask that you continue to lift us up. We remain in the knowledge that He is in control and want to continue to submit to that.

Here's what's coming...

We spoke with the surgeon again this morning. Today they're doing an ultrasound on her head just to continue to check for bleeding and make sure she's okay. Then later radiology will come by to look for any possible veinus lines that could be used - it's part of what they'll look at that would make her a candidate for a transplant. As we've written before, veinus IV access on her has been an issue. Then tomorrow they'll slowly begin to ease back a little on the support of the heart/lung machine to see how she responds and will do an echocardiogram on Mon. morning to see where here heart is at and (hopefully) if there's some chance she's improving and they could try once more to take her off the machine. So this weekend is the "praying-for-a-miracle" time and Monday will be the day where we find out if she's improved at all and if transplant would be an option. Thank you so much for praying with us. We can't say it enough - we're so grateful to know we have the prayers of so many at this difficult time.

We need a miracle

We spoke with the surgeon a little bit ago. The echo showed that her ventricles are weakening from what they saw on Wed. The other peds cardiac surgeon who does transplants will evaluate her today to see if she'd even be a candidate - we'll find that out in the morning. The only way she'll live at the moment is on the life support of the heart/lung machine. There really aren't any surgical options. So if she is a candidate for a transplant we need to decide whether we'd want to go that route - which to get a heart is like winning the lottery as our surgeon put it - or if we'll keep her on life support for a prolonged period to see if there's any chance. We've basically lost her at this point as it seems a transplant or a miracle is her only hope. We're praying for the Lord to be close, for Him to bring healing, and for His help in the hours to come. We covet your prayers.
Our family is here with us as well - just so you know we aren't alone.

Long Week

Well I just realized all my posts from Wednesday, I titled as Tuesday. It all blurs together - I guess sometimes you just have to laugh at yourself :). Goodness - we'll I'll try to keep my days straight from now on :).

Friday

Well there wasn't too much to report yesterday. They were trying to let her rest. They ended up putting her on dialysis yesterday evening. She was starting to get pretty puffy by the end of the day. The dialysis started at 8pm, and she looks a lot better today as it's gotten a lot of the fluid off her. The good news is she made the transition onto dialysis very well and responded well to it.
They did an echo on her heart this morning to see how she looked. One of her valves is a little leaky, and they wanted to check on that as it's one of the indicators of her readiness to come off the heart lung machine. The pediatric cardiologist is unsure of her readiness to come off the heart/lung machine today, but they'll let her surgeon look at the echo as well. So at this point we're not sure if she'll go down to the OR this afternoon or not. She may need to rest a bit more before they try to take her off. I'll try to let you know later what we hear.

Tuesday post-OR

We just spoke with the surgeon. He was encouraged and said Payton had made some improvement. He is quick to say we're still not out of the woods, but he's also cautious to say anything positive - so it's a good thing when he does. They did what was planned. She's not ready to be pulled off the heart/lung machine, but they did pull the canula back into the atrium so her heart has to work a little harder. They'll see how she does tomorrow and then if she is ready on Friday to come off the machine. There are a few doctors and specialists here who have spent many hours and long nights watching her, and we've been so grateful for the care she's gotten here. They've just done an amazing job. And as always, we love our nurses. We've gotten to know many of them.
The prayer requests I gave earlier still apply - kidney function, lungs (no fluid build-up), and of course her heart. Again, thank you so much for praying. After I posted this morning about praying for her kidneys, one of her doctors noted some improvement - it's incredible to see God at work.

Tuesday afternoon

Payton just went down to the OR at about 3:15. We'll let you know how it goes.
Just thought I'd let you know since she's going down later than we anticipated.

Tuesday

Well, the plan still remains to take her down to the OR a little later today to move the canula tube from the heart/lung machine back to allow her heart to work a little more on her own. It seems like she's about the same as yesterday. Her face is less swollen, but it's still a delicate balance to get her fluids right. Her urine output has been slow for a little bit now so they're trying to figure that out. Too much fluid and she's swollen and her body runs out of places to "store" it and it goes to her lungs - too little fluid and her blood pressure drops.
She consistently has 2 nurses taking care of her and one more to run the heart/lung machine. Needless to say she's well watched and taken care of.
Specific things to pray for at the moment: good kidney function, her right ventricle to continue to get stronger to be able to pump blood adequately, her lungs not to accumulate too much fluid, and for Aaron and I - we're back in the old "hospital routine" and in some ways it feels like we never went home. We just miss having our baby girl with us. Again, thank you so much for praying - it is such an encouragement to us to know that so many are praying. Prayer got her through the first surgery, and we know that's what'll see her through now.

Monday

Payton made it through the night and was stable - obviously still critical but stable. We talked to her surgeon a little bit ago. He had come up to clean the opening to make sure there wasn't any excess bleeding, and he was encouraged with her heart activity. As far as I can tell it's increased since last night. The current plan is to let her be today and then take her back to the OR tomorrow to adjust a canular on her heart from the heart/lung machine to see if they can work on getting her off of it. She's very pale and very swollen which is to be expected, but it's still hard to see her like that. Please continue praying; as her nurse said last night - it's up to Payton and God now. We'll do our best to keep you updated - assume that no news is good news. Much love, the Joneses

The next few hours

Well, like I said, Payton made it through surgery. We're waiting for her to come up to the unit - probably another hour. We're still not out of the woods. I had written in a previous blog about the thickening at the base of her artery in her heart - it turns out her aortic valve was not so great either. What they ended up doing was opening the hole in between her ventricles (VSD) so that she'll function on one ventricle and mixed blood (oxygenated/nonoxygenated) will be pumped to her body through her pulmonary artery. Her oxygenation will not be as good, and she'll get a little blue if she gets real upset/excited. She'll be on the heart/lung machine as long as she needs for her right ventricle to get stronger to get the blood to her body (at this point her left ventricle is stronger from working to get the blood through her aorta. The nurse said people can be on the heart/lung machine for 2 days or 2 weeks and both are normal. We're praying for a quick recovery, but Payton is always full of "surprises." Also, as far as getting a veinus line in, they ended up putting a port right near her heart which can be there for several days but obviously not for the long haul. That'll be something to pray for that they're able to find a vein at some point. Her chest is also open and will be until the swelling goes down and she's able to tolerate it being closed. So now we just wait, and for the immediate future take it hour by hour.

Surgery is over

At about 6:45 they came and told us they were finishing up. She's doing okay. They'll keep her on the heart/lung machine overnight so her heart can rest. We're currently waiting to meet with the surgeon to find out what he did. We were able to hold her for a few moments this morning even with the breathing tube. We were grateful for that. At 2:45 we walked with her down to the OR. That's all we know for now. We'll either post later tonight or first thing in the morning. We're grateful that she made it. Obviously these next few day are critical and we'll do our best to keep you in the loop. THANK YOU for your prayers. Like heart surgery #1, this one came unexpectedly as well (we found out at 10 am this morning - though we had an inkling something was coming). So we're pretty fried at the moment - it's been a long day.

Surgery Today

This is Londa giving you an update from Aaron and Heather. Payton is being brought down to surgery very soon. This is earlier than expected and very dangerous. The doctor will be performing one of two possiible procedures, both of which have many risks to her life. I'm assuming the procedure will be decided once they get to the OR. At this point the Dr has been trying to get a Venus line into her for the last hour. Once they get her into surgery it will be 5-6 hours before they are finished. Please pray that they would get a line easier than they are. Pray that God would spare Payton's life and heal her heart.

Sunday

Well, Payton was still intubated today. She's also been on a heart med to help regulate her rhythm, and her veinus line has remained in to this point. We're hoping they'll extubate her in the morning. If she keeps doing okay they plan on it. We'll see what happens. Tomorrow the doctors will talk about what comes next. I have no idea what they'll decide, but we'll let you know tomorrow as soon as we can. The earliest they would discharge her would be on Tues., but I'm not sure that'll happen. We'll try to get some pictures up soon as well (if we brought the camera cord... not sure about that). Anyway, we'll talk to you soon.

Still in Rochester...

Well, true to form, Payton likes to keep us on our toes... We were packing up and getting ready to drive back to Eau Claire last night (friday), and Payton started to wimper. So I put her on the bed to check her diaper, and shortly after she went into what seemed to me like a seizure (about 5:45 pm). It scared me to death, and fortunately we were still here. We managed to get ahold of the peds cardiologist on call and told him what had happened, and he wanted us to take her to the ER to be checked. After talking with cardiology they admitted her into the PICU (pediatric intensive care unit). They were checking her over last night when Aaron and I left at about 10. We had been at the house a half hour when they called us to come back because she had gone into an V-Tach (ventricular tachicardia) arhythmia. They managed to get an arterial line in but wanted to get a veinus line in as well to administer the heart meds to help control the arrhythmia. It took a few hours to find a vein, and in the midst of it they sedated her and ended up intubating her so they could keep her still and not loose the line. Aaron and I slept in a sleeping room here on the unit from about 12:15-5:15 and then checked on her again and went back to the house to sleep a few more hours. She's doing better today. She's been keeping her heart at a normal rhythm most of the time. They will keep her here to watch her. The cardiologist said on Mon. they'll talk through more what next steps need to be taken which comes as a result of the echocardiogram she had on Wed.

Her first surgery they widened her aorta at the arch as it comes out of the heart, but at the starting point of the aorta in her heart it's narrow. They couldn't repair it becuase she was so small. Well, the echo showed that that spot had worsened and is potentially more narrow. We met with her cardiologist on Thurs. morning and they wanted to wait as long as possible to address it because the bigger she is the "easier" it is to operate on. They're now not sure if her V-Tach episode last night is related to the narrowing of the artery in her heart, but it seems likely. The original plan was to come back when she's 6 months to do a heart catheter - they go up through her leg artery to look at her heart. This will give them a more accurate picture of what her heart is really doing - more so than the echo will. Then we were to meet with the cardiologist and her surgeon (same one that did the first surgery) to see what needed to be done next. I think now they'll be looking to see if they need to up the date for the heart catheter and go from there. It's scary because this is a very serious surgery, and of the 4 things they were watching on her heart, this was the most serious - "tricky" to fix.

Also, yesterday afternoon we met with genetics. When she was discharged in June they were leaning toward her having something called CHARGE syndrome. I looked it up this summer and agreed that it definitely seemed to fit. So we talked with the doctor for awhile yesterday who confiremed it. CHARGE is a clinical diagnosis, though there is a test for it, but it's only 60-70% accurate. Probably the best place I found that explains what Charge is is chargesyndrome.org, and there's a link "about Charge" that explains it. As she continues to grow and develop we'll continue to learn what applies to her and what doesn't. No child has every single symptom, and Payton doesn't either. Overall, this wasn't a surprise to us; we just wanted to wait for confirmation from the doctor before we made it public knowledge.

Needless to say it's been a long few days. To put it mildly, it's a bummer to see Payton intubated with lines and swollen from fluids. To have her home, we almost "forget" all that needs to be addressed, and this week was a big reminder of the long road we have in front of us. We continue to ask for your prayers, especially as the next few days will probably reveal more regarding the next steps for her heart. We'll keep you posted.
Much love, The Joneses

3 Pounds and 3 Inches

We're here at Mayo. We pulled in Monday afternoon and got right into the Ronald McDonald house which was a blessing. It's a little like being "home" - at least it feels comfortable and familiar. There was a dinner brought in by a church tonight with homemade pies and cakes with homemade ice cream... a definite perk! :).

Well, yesterday was a very full day - we were at the clinic from 8:30 - 5. We learned appt. are a flexible thing here when we finished her first appt. an hour after we were supposed to be at the second. But I have to say, we never waited longer than 15 min. which we were very grateful for. Everything is so organized and efficient. First was a hearing test which was inconclusive but was followed up today. It's hard to tell much yet because she is so young, but she is for sure hearing medium to loud sounds. They'll continue to test as she grows to learn more specifically what she's really getting. Next we went to Ear/Nose/Throat. They are not planning to open up her right nasal passage until she's 2 or 3. It can close back up if they do it when they're real small. Also, they put a scope through her nose and her vocal chord is still paralyzed - so that's still a wait and see as well. I'll be bringing her back at the end of the month for a swallow study - they couldn't get her in this week. Next was plastic surgery. Her neck is healing beautifully, and the doctor was very pleased.
In the afternoon we saw neurology. She was measured and weighed - she's 23 inches (gaing 3 since birth) and about 10 1/2 lb.s (gaining 3 since birth). We first talked to the nurse practitioner and then the doctor so that appt. took awhile. There are a few follow-up tests he wants as well. They're concerned with seizures, but she didn't have any when she was in the hospital, and to our knowledge she hasn't had any. But they still want to make sure she's doing okay. Then we ran around for an hour trying to find the right desk that had called us back with some further instructions about future appt. (ended up being ENT) and then we came back to the house.
We had her first appt. at 8 this morning with gastro regarding her g-tube to see how that was going. We talked with the doctor there and later in the morning met with a nurse who gave us some really helpful info. regarding care and when it needs to be changed, etc. After gastro we had an electrocardiogram where they put little stickers on her and attach what looks like mini jumper cables - it took about a minute or 2 and then they take off everything and she was done. She just layed there and smiled, content as could be. Then she had a chest x-ray which went really quickly as well. After lunch at a Greek restaurant, Aaron brought her back for her echocardiogram and hearning test, and I came back to the house. Aaron said she did great though. Tomorrow morning we see the cardiologist who will put together the tests/x-ray she had today. Then tomorrow afternoon we see a dietician for her feedings, ect. SO FAR we just have the 2 things tomorrow - but as we're learning, they commonly add things on (i.e. the dietician was added today). And on Friday we have 2 appt. with genetics in the afternoon and will then head home.

Payton has done REALLY well for having 2 straight days at the clinic. She's been in her stroller where she can lay out pretty good and will either sleep or kick around if she's awake. We've been thrilled. She's been a little trooper, and we're so proud of her. She continues to charm the nurses - as usual :). It's been fun to see her be more active when she's awake, and she'll smile more. And she's getting a lot better for her baths. I forgot to bring baby wash; so last night I found the mildest soap I could - Ivory dish soap - and gave her a quick bubble bath. She didn't break out into a rash or anything. I don't think I caused any terrible harm to her :).

It definitely does not feel like it's been 2 months since we've been here. It feels like hardly any time has passed at all. We're hoping to head over to the hospital tomorrow to say hello to the nurses on her former wing - hopefully a few that we had consistently will be working. We're excited to see them and show them how she's grown.

Thanks to all of you for praying for us and for her. We continue to need prayer. Being here is a reminder of the long road we have in front of us which can be discouraging at times. Already we have more appt. scheduled, and I'll be coming back for a day the end of Aug., beginning of Sept., and in Nov. One of the most precious things to me, though, are the friends of ours who have kids praying consistently for "Baby Payton". It's such a blessing to me know that kids (who have such great faith - often more than us adults) are praying for her. And I know that has to be a delight and joy to our heavenly Father as well. We'll update again as we learn more this week. Much love! Aaron, Heather, and Baby Payton :)

Mayo Visit

Wow! It's hard to believe that it's August already. Payton has now reached the 10 and a half pound mark. She is doing great and has had lots of quality time with grandpas and grandmas, aunts and uncles, cousins, etc. over the past month. She continues to keep us busy and making sure she gets the attentions she needs.

We are currently preparing to go back to Rochester for Payton's three month check-up with all of her doctors. We are leaving tomorrow (Monday) afternoon and her appointments start bright and early Tuesday morning. We have full days at the clinic on Tuesday and Wednesday, then just a couple appointments on both Thursday and Friday. We plan to come home Friday as of right now.

While we are there, we hope to stay in the Ronald McDonald house again, but it's only available on a first come first serve basis. So we have hotel reservations for now, but we will call the house when we get into town to see if they have an open room.

We'll do our best to keep you posted this week as we know more. Thank you!

Here are a couple pictures for you all, especially you Karen!

Growing!

Well, Payton is doing great! She left the hospital a little over her birthweight on 7 lb. 11 oz. and has been gaining nearly an ounce a day since then and is now 9 lb. 9 oz. Her cardiologist had put her on a formula fortifier (adds calories and some vitamins) to add to her milk, but it can make babies a little groggy. We ran out of it on Mon., and I wanted to see how she did without it. She's been less fussy and more "smiley" since she's been off of it, and her pediatrician is really happy with her weight gain. It's fun to see this change. She'll look more and is awake more and smiles a little more.
At this point we're lined up to go back to Mayo either the first or second week in August so she can have follow up visits with everyone as well as another echocardiogram on her heart and a swallow study to see if she's able to work on feeding. I'm really praying we'll be able to start working on feeding her orally. I know her G-tube is necessary, but it'll be so wonderful to hopefully get rid of it at some point.
Aaron and I continue to make this transition into parenthood and are getting the hang of things as time goes by :). (as seen by the length of time between posts :). We're now initiated into the club - and anyone who's a parent know how busy that membership is! :)
Our camera miraculously started working again so here's some more pictures. She's such a beautiful miracle, and we're really enjoying her.

Long time no post!

Wow, time really goes by quickly! We're officially in the role of "new parents" - always multiple things to get done at any point in the day. So we apologize for taking so long to get another post up.
Payton is doing very well. We've had a few doctors visits, and her pediatrician and cardiologist are pleased with how she's doing. She's getting chubby thighs and cheeks - filling out like babies are supposed to :). She taking her milk well and her heart rate and oxygen rates have been really stable. So, overall we're very grateful to have her home and doing well.
We've had her home for 2 weeks now and are getting to know who she is :). She's a sweet baby and a good sleeper. She's also getting used to baths and no longer totally hates them - though not totally loving them yet either :).
We go back to Mayo the beginning of August for follow up appointments with everybody. So until then the goal is just to love her and take care of her and watch her grow (which she's doing! So far she's been gaining nearly an ounce a day).
Our digital camera is "broken"; so hopefully we'll get it figured out soon and get more pictures up.
Much love! Heather, Aaron, and Payton :)

From Home

I can't tell you how great it feels to be sitting on our couch, in our home, watching our baby sleep in her bouncy seat, posting this on our computer, all while watching the NBA finals on our TV!

Since being home Payton has done really well. She is a pretty happy baby. She sleeps really well at night and most of the time hardly moves when we plug her in for feeding every third hour. Her heart rate and breathing have been great, they are really only affected when she gets mad. That usually just happens when she has a full diaper, gas, or when she gets a bath.

Thank you for continuing to pray for her and us. Mom and Dad are expectedly achieving a high level sleepiness, but we are starting to get into a routine. We had our first check-up with a pediatrician here in Eau Claire on Monday. It went very well. On Thursday we have an appointment with a pediatric cardiologist that travels here from Mayo ever other week. At this point we expect that to go well.

Here's Payton in her "going home from the hospital" dress. It's a dress that Heather wore as a baby. Awww.

At the Ronald McDonald House.



All packed up and ready to go home to Eau Claire!