From the Beginning

"It's all about You, Jesus. And all this is for You, for Your glory and Your fame. It's not about me, as if You should do things my way. You alone are God and I surrender to Your ways."

In August of 2007 (at 22 weeks of pregnancy), we were told that our unborn baby girl had only one foot. Upon leaving that doctor's appointment, I felt physically ill with so many questions racing through my head. What did they mean she was missing her right foot? How could this happen? Why did this happen? What was God doing?

After a very difficult third trimester (physically and emotionally), our baby girl, Hannah Noel, was born three weeks early on December 10th, 2007. Upon her birth, we were blessed to see that she appeared healthy in every other way but surprised to find that her only foot had just four toes. Our daughter was born with a rare condition in both her legs called Fibular Hemimelia. Hannah was born without her lower right leg and is missing bones in her left knee, leg, ankle, and foot.

On January 5th, 2009, surgeons at Shriners Hospital for Children removed the rudimentary appendage at the end of her right leg and amputated approximately 1 inch of her residual tibia. During surgery, they found that Hannah had a heal pad, a heal bone, and extra cartilage in her leg. Upon releasing some tendons, they moved the heal pad, cartilage, and part of the heal bone to the end of her leg to give her added cushion and to help with weight bearing when she wears her prosthesis. Hannah was an amazing patient! After 3 days in the hospital, we were released to go home. Three and a half weeks later, we returned to Shriners to get Hannah's cast removed and the pin pulled from her leg (they placed a pin in her leg to hold some things in place until they healed). That same day, the prosthetist made a mold of Hannah's right leg (for a prosthesis) and the orthotist measured Hannah's left leg and foot (for a brace). Hannah wore a compression sock for only two weeks to help with the swelling.

On February 13th, 2009, Hannah received her first right prosthetic leg and left leg brace! And on June 3rd, 2009 (after having her prosthesis and brace for only four months), Hannah began taking those first steps on her own. She now absolutely LOVES to walk and chase after her big brother. She's a very determined little girl.

This has been a difficult journey, and I still have my days of sadness. Yet, I am continually amazed at WHO my God is. This life should not be about me and what I want, but it should be about bringing God the glory and fame that He so richly deserves. Our precious, beautiful, joyful baby girl, Hannah Noel, was born to bring God glory. The scripture in John 9 where Jesus states that the man was born blind not because of any sin his parents committed but so that Jesus would be glorified has been such an encouragement to my husband and me. Our prayer is that God will use our baby girl with only one foot and four toes to bring Him all glory and fame.