Eddie Dickinson - Greg's Dad

Friends, as some of you may know, my dad has recently been diagnosed with lung cancer and will begin his journey through final diagnosis, prognosis and deciding on the course of treatment this week at M.D. Anderson in Houston, Texas. Both he and my mom have been strong so far and I believe are determined to maintain a positive attitude throughout this next challenge. I firmly believe that in conjunction with smart doctors; having a positive attitude will lead my dad down a path of healing. In this challenging time, it is difficult to maintain a positive outlook, but I am always reminded of what is said in Romans 8:28 – and believing that God will work all things for the good of those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose.

We really appreciate your friendship and ask with confidence in the power of prayer and in the power of our God that you would pray for healing for my dad and peace for my mom. There will be a lot of travel to and from Houston, so we would also ask that you pray for God to clear the paths and provide safe travel for them both.

They will be maintaining a Caringbridge site and you can find the link "Eddie Dickinson" to the left.

Again, thanks for each one of you and your prayers and support in the past for our family!

With much love, Greg (and Holley)

Lily's 2nd birthday party

Lily and big brother Thomas posing at Lily's party...

Singing happy birthday to Lily...


Cake table...

Silly Lily...

My beautiful birthday girl...

Pumpking pinata...

Painting pumpkins...

kid tables...

Praying for my precious Papaw

A week and a half ago my 91 year old Papaw (my dad's dad) was trying to fix his mailbox with some type of welding type tool and a spark flew on to his shirt that had some gas on it and it caught on fire. They live out in the country in Mississippi. Thankfully the lady that comes and helps them during the week was there and helped put the fire out and drove him to the hospital. He was later air lifted to a burn center in Augusta, GA where he has been since. 9% of his body was burned with most of it being 3rd degree. He made it through a 5 1/2 hour surgery the following Saturday where they did 3 different skin grafts. He has numerous other health issues including diabetes and heart problems so the doctors have been amazed at how he has done so far.

Today they are wanting to send him home feeling like he will recover at home much better than being somewhere so far from home and away from my mamaw (they've been married almost 75 years). I am asking that you pray for him today and for my dad and step mom. The doctors are wanting my dad to drive him home. Currently he can barely stand up or walk and my dad is just very concerned and stressed wondering how they are going to make the drive with him and take care of him. Please pray for wisdom for all involved. For patience, understanding, strength, and safe travel. I know God has brought him this far and will continue to be with them. Praying for a full recovery and that through it all God will get all the glory! Thanks so much!

Lily Cate one day old...1lb. 6oz.

Lily Cate...one year old...14lbs

Lily Cate...two years old...22lbs

I can't even believe that my tiny miracle baby is two years old today! I have been so emotional leading up to this day. A part of me is sad because my last baby is getting so big and growing up so fast. And another part of me is so filled with amazement at God's grace and work in Lily's short life. This morning I couldn't even get through my prayers without just breaking down. I was so overwhelmed with how many people sent messages remembering it was Lily's birthday before I even mentioned it. It just reminded me of how her tiny beginning was such a testimony of God's grace and mercy and how even the tiniest and youngest person can be used by God.

It really seems like yesterday that this whole saga began. Being put on bed rest after having a recovery cerclage placed and spending several days in the hospital on that lovely magnesium drip. I remember being in bed and thinking I can do this. Whatever it takes I can keep her in as long as she needs to be. Then barely two weeks later Houston gets hit with a hurricane and everything is a mess and so crazy. I remember going to the doctors office for my first appointment after being on bed rest and knowing that something was wrong but never would have dreamed it was that wrong. I will absolutely never forget the doctor looking at me after examining me and saying her bag of water was coming through my cerclage and asking what I wanted to do. I remember thinking what do you mean what do I want to do...I want to keep her. Whatever it takes I'll do it.

I'll never forget the high risk doctor assigned to me at the hospital downtown saying that he would be surprised if I made it another day without having her and how annoyed I was at his negative attitude. I will also never forget the NICU doctor/resident coming and going over statistics on Lily's chances of surviving being born this early. As soon as he left the room I told Greg to throw it away! I wish I could show him how wrong he was!!!

I remember seeing her for the first time and thinking am I dreaming? Is this really my baby? I personally was really sick/weak at the time (although I didn't know it yet) and it was just so hard to process anything those first few weeks. But somehow I never doubted that God was with her and that I would take her home!

And now my feisty 1lb 6oz. baby is almost 22lbs and absolutely doing amazing. She is talking like crazy and even started asking "Why". Her favorite phrases are "I do it" and "I got it." She is fearless, an amazing climber, very funny, she loves being outside and getting dirty and absolutely LOVES her big brother. She is finally on the growth charts and has blown every medical professionals mind at how well she looks and how well she has developed. There is no other explanation except that she is a miracle of our loving, healing, powerful God. To Him be the Glory forever and ever!

Prayers for Lily tomorrow

Lily following big brother to her first day of preschool!

Thomas was way too cool for pictures with little sis!

Lily's classic face!

She is seriously too much!

Almost 2 going on 16!

Lily started preschool one day a week last week. She did great and made it through the day without vomiting at school! I was so excited to pick her up and see that she was in the same outfit she started in!! She has great loving teachers. I know she is going to love it!

Tomorrow we go back to Duke for Lily's endoscopy. Please pray that everything goes smoothly and for the doctor and nurses to be compassionate and knowledgeable and to be precise. She will be under general anesthesia which is always a little scary but the worst part is that she can't eat anything until after!

I will update as soon as we know anything. Thanks so much for your prayers!

Myrtle Beach trip

This past weekend we went on our first family of four vacation. All of our vacations in the past have been with extended family or friends. It was also our first time to visit Myrtle Beach. It was so nice to only live 3 1/2 hours away from a beach but it simply isn't the same as the Gulf Coast beaches that we are used to. We had a great time and the kids loved the beach and pools. It was really hard to get used to the dark sand and the changing tides each day. We learned our lesson the first day about setting up on the beach too close to the water. By the tame we came back out after the kid's naps the water was coming up under our chairs! Luckily all of the kids toys were still there and nothing got too wet! I guess we should have caught on when we saw the rented chairs so far back on the beach! The second day we learned our lesson and just started way back and had a long walk to the water the first half of the day.

Thomas enjoying the water...

Lily's signature "cheese" face...

Thomas kissing a little fish that some boys caught and gave to him...

This one cracks me up...Lily saying, "I don't know"

Lily's sweet face again...

Our two silly monkeys...

Thomas' first day of pre-K

Today Thomas started Pre-K. He was excited but not nearly as excited as I was! It really didn't phase him. He wasn't nervous or sad when I left. He just went right in and started playing. He went to the same school last year so I think that helped.

I love this picture...Lily just adores her big brother!

She missed him this morning when we dropped him off. She would look at his seat in the car and say, "where bubby"?

My big stud walking to the car...

Once we got to school he was too cool for pictures!

He was not very interested in me anymore...ready to start his day!

He had a great first day. Thursday Lily will be going for her first day too!

First, thank you all so much for praying for Lily's appointment on Thursday. They were definitely felt. Overall it was a a great experience from the moment we got there until the moment we left. It was a really long day but Lily did great.

I really like the new GI doctor. I felt like he was thinking outside the "reflux box" which is all I wanted someone to do. He also is not an experimental medicine pusher which I also agree with and like. He had several different theories as to why she is vomiting so much but our next step is for Lily to have an endoscopy on September 15th to check for eosinophilic esophagitis. To find out more about it click here. I am not very good at explaining it.

Her appointment with the high risk developmental clinic went amazing. She saw a child psychologist who did several types of testing to see what developmental age Lily was currently at. It wasn't a big surprise that Lily passed with flying colors. Several times I was actually moved to tears watching her to see how God not only allowed her to survive her early arrival but how He has grown her and developed her in such a way that the ONLY explanation is that she IS a true miracle of His work. The doctor said she had never seen a child born as early as Lily and score as high as she scored. On all areas except for one she scored in the 95th or 98th percentile and was scoring at a 25 month old age instead of a 19 month old which is her corrected age right now. I say this not to brag about my smart child but to share His great work in her life! God is so good!

What a day...thanks for your prayers. We will definitely keep you posted after the endoscopy. Have a great Labor Day!

"I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders.

I will be glad and exult in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High." Psalm 9:1-2

Heading to Duke...

Tomorrow we go to Duke for the first time to see a pediatric gastroenterologist to hopefully start getting some answers. I have been waiting for this appointment for forever it feels like. I am sooo ready to have some sort of answers as to why Lily is continuing to vomit so frequently. After another vomiting episode last night that woke her from sleeping, Greg and I sat down and just felt so sorry for her. After so many of her vomiting episodes we are just angry and frustrated and just so over it all that I think we forget how awful this must be for her and her little body. I mean last night she had been asleep for almost two hours and woke up wining and moaning and within a couple of minutes vomited up everything still in her tummy and right away she was feeling much better and went back to sleep. How awful she must have felt to be woken up by that...

So in the midst of me anxiously awaiting this appointment, God has been teaching or at least trying to teach me that I am putting too much expectations on people to meet my needs instead of simply relying on Him. He alone knows my every need better than I do and yet I am putting so much faith in this doctor that I haven't even met and hoping and almost begging that he will give me answers when God has been with us and with Lily from her tiny beginning and is and has done amazing things with her.

Our past two sermons have really hit home with me and I felt like God was staring me in the face trying to get my attention each Sunday. Two weeks ago is was from Mark 8:1-21 and it was about ten lies that Satan wants us to believe. Several of them I realized I have been believing. One was that Jesus doesn't care. In my most frustrating moments and darkest places I almost start to believe that. I think where is God, why isn't He answering my prayers and healing Lily of this one last issue. Which brings me to the next lie that Satan wants us to believe is that Jesus is just one miracle after another. God didn't want us to be in love with the gifts He is giving us but be in love with the Giver. I think we saw Him heal Lily in the Nicu time and time again and I just felt like he should do it again when I want it. But I am realizing and learning through our sermons that He doesn't instantly heal because He wants us to dwell in Him and not wander. Instead of me putting so much hope in a doctor or in different therapies etc, I need to go back to the One who is hope and who so graciously and lovingly never leaves me even when I try to leave Him and whose Word is full of all wisdom and direction that I will ever need. To hear the full sermons click here. The sermons I am referring to are from 8/22 and 8/29.

So what I am trying to say is that I know God is with Lily even in her sickest moments and even in my most frustrating moments. I know that the same God that has healed and grown my tiny 1lb. 6oz. baby girl will continue to do so. I know that even though He has healed her/us in the past our lives aren't free from suffering and aren't' going to be perfect. He heals us in a way that we have to stay with Him and if we abide in Him and keep coming back for "His touch" Jesus will finish what He started.

Please pray for tomorrow that the doctors will have compassion for Lily's quality of life and will have full understanding to the depth of her problems. Pray also that even if we don't get any answers or hope for answers that I will continue to trust The Healer and know that He is in control and will heal her in His timing.

Our neighbor down the street gave Thomas a big boy bike recently. Thomas has been riding a skuut bike and is amazing on it. Our hope with him riding the skuut is that he wouldn't have to use training wheels. Here is his first attempt at riding the big boy bike. He did great but it is still a little too big for him.

Thomas loves to dance...and we love to watch!

First family hiking trip...

These are some pictures from our hiking trip to Hanging Rock State Park. It was our first hiking trip with the kids. They loved it! Thomas had a blast seeing all the water falls and loved using the map to tell us which way to go! It was beautiful and only took us about 40min to drive there from our house. We are looking forward to more trips like this.

You might notice in some of the pictures that Thomas is soaking wet. Right after hiking to the first waterfall, Greg slipped on a rock with Lily on his back hitting Thomas and causing him to fall into the freezing cold water. I of course was trying to get a picture of all of them and couldn't get to Thomas fast enough! He fell just perfectly in between two rocks and wasn't hurt at all. It scared us all but Thomas handled it perfectly and within a few minutes was ready to go back into the water! What a trooper!

Lily update...22 months

This video is only a glimpse into how wild and crazy Lily and Thomas get when they start playing together. This activity of chasing each other around the house happens after every meal while I am trying to clean up. They both love it and laugh and scream the whole time. However it usually ends with someone (usually Lily) getting hurt. Imagine that!

I wanted to update you on Lily. It has been a while since I've talked about her and her progress. I wish I could say that the vomiting has stopped or at least gotten better, but unfortunately it hasn't. I will say that her random episodes of vomiting are fewer now which is good. At least now we are learning the warning signs and can sometimes make it to the toilet or trash can or just avoid getting it all over ourselves. She mostly now vomits when she gets hurt, scared, really upset and when we leave her, like at nursery. This is the third Sunday in a row that she has vomited at church! UGH!! But it is also totally affecting her sleep. We can't just put her to bed and let her cry because she will throw up. So nap time and bed time now are very stressful.

She is still on Prevacid and after trying another medicine and after several months with her current GI doctor, we decided it was time to move on. She now has an appointment with a pediatric GI doctor at Duke. I know this is probably where she should have been all along since it is very comparable to where she was in Houston and they are used to dealing with preemies like Lily. So I am anxious for the appointment which isn't until August 30th. So for now we just hope and pray for a few vomit free days!

She has quite the personality these days. She is very independent and stubborn! She climbs anything and everything. I will be doing the dishes in the kitchen and turn around and she is on top of the kitchen table, or climbing the shelves in the pantry, or climbing in anything she thinks she might can fit in. She loves playing outside and loves watching her big brother Thomas and wants to do everything that he is doing. She can climb the rock wall on the swing set and climbs the monkey bar ladder all the way to the top! She absolutely has no fear with anything. Even water. She loves being in the water and will just jump right off the side or stairs ready or not! She is really funny. She will try to say or do just about anything you ask her to. She loves making you laugh and will continue to force her funny little laugh if she sees you are laughing! She absolutely loves playing in the dirt and mulch! The dirtier she is the happier she is! Greg asked me yesterday if I thought she would every play with dolls! Who knows. She is truly her own little person!

Slide show of our trip to Lake Martin

Our last stop was to Greg's parent's beautiful home on Lake Martin. We were excited that we got to pick daddy up at the airport on the way there. We love going to the lake and always have such a great time there. It brings back so many special memories especially since we were married there! This was Lily's first time to really get in the lake. She loves the water but really wanted to get in without her life jacket! Both kids loved the boat and Thomas really loved driving the boat. We enjoyed spending time with Greg's sister Leah and her two precious boys, Owen and Ethan. It was so much fun watching all the kids playing together. We also got to see a lot of other extended family which was great. Thomas, Lily, and Greg went to the farm in Goodwater, AL and the kids got to ride a little horse named Buddy! Thomas loved it but I think Lily was more interested in the dog! We all had a great time and were sad to end our trip to Alabama. Looking forward to seeing all of our family again soon!

Slide show of our trip to Hartselle, AL

So, our next stop in our three week vacation was to Hartselle, AL to visit my mom, step dad, and sister Shelby. We had a great time and enjoyed seeing my great-grandmother who Lily is named after and seeing my Granddaddy and step grandmother, and my aunt and cousin. The kids had a lot of fun swimming, eating yummy food, and playing with the cats and dogs. Thomas was super spoiled with a lot of one on one attention from my sister and mom! I also got to get out and do a little shopping in the cute downtown shops. Thanks Gran and Papa Carl for a great visit!

Slide show of our beach pictures. Press play to get it to start. I couldn't figure out how to do a normal slide show so I had to do it as a movie! Whatever works, right?

So, it has been quite a while since I last updated the blog so I have lots to catch up on. For now, I am going to start with the most recent. About a month ago the kids and I took a 3 week trip to visit family in Alabama while Greg traveled with work for a couple of weeks. We started our vacation at the beach with my dad, Leigh, my sisters Leslie and Allison, and my sister Lauren and her 4 kids. Needless to say our condo was quite crazy with that many kids! We had a great time and Thomas and Lily loved catching up with their cousins. Lily LOVED the beach and ocean! I was super excited that she seemed to have taken after me with her love for the beach! Her first day in the sand she did a belly flop right into it and starting moving her arms around like she was making a snow angel. Thomas loved the ocean and liked to build sand castles but he is a lot like his daddy and really didn't care for the sand to be anywhere but on the beach! :-) We missed daddy but loved hanging out with Nana and Pop and my sisters and nieces and nephews.

My next blog will have pictures from our next stop in Alabama!

Easter Pictures 2010

Family picture...

Is there any candy in there bubby?

My three favorite people...

sweet Lily...she wouldn't be still for a picture

My little stud...too cute!

Excited about chocolate, just like his mommy!

Easter Lily...

Needing to share...

Ok, bare with me...I have had so many thoughts flowing through my head lately and just feel compelled to share. I really have been moved to tears so frequently lately and so randomly. Or at least what I call random. I know nothing is really random but ordained by God. For example I will just be driving and be listening to a song that I have heard a thousand times before and suddenly I am hearing it in a new way and am in tears. One of the songs that this happened with is the the song, "I Can Only Imagine" by Mercy Me. And I know this has probably been overplayed, over used, etc.. but listening to it last week, I heard it completely different. For the first time I really pictured myself in front of God asking the questions in the lyrics.

"Surrounded by your Glory, what will my heart feel.

Will I dance for you Jesus, or in honor of you be still

Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall

Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all, I can only Imagine."

I immediately just started crying picturing myself with my Creator and thinking how could I ever thank Him enough for the blessings in my life. Lily was the only one in the car with me so of course I just thought back to her past 18 months and how I could ever go before God and put into words what he did for me by healing her and growing her so perfectly when all odds were against her. I believe completely that all children are a gift. All are custom made by God and unique in their own way. But there is something about being with Lily, watching her walk and run, looking into her amazing blue eyes when she is making a funny face, seeing her interact with her big brother, and just realizing that if it weren't for our gracious God, she would not be here. Period.

And while thinking about this I am feeling the weight of my own sin so much. Wondering why am I not just on my knees praising Him constantly. Why am I not racing every morning to get into my Bible to find out more about this amazing God who has been so gracious to me. I don't really know the answer other than I am human and crave humanly desires. I don't even know why all of this is coming out now. I just feel God is working in me and trying to teach me or tell me something. I can only hope and pray that I will have ears to listen and that I will be obedient to follow. Which is partly why I am sharing this. I should be doing other things while my house is actually quiet for a moment but just felt compelled to share.

Many people have said I should write a book about my experience with Lily. While I am flattered by that, I am by no means a writer. I simply write what i feel. However I often think I just wish my brain were a type writer. I wish I could just push the print button and all the thoughts in my head would just print out. It is always when I am in the car or in the middle of something that I feel God speaking to me or reminding me of moments that I should put into words but I usually don't have the time or make the time to do it. We started this blog to inform you about Lily's progress, but it quickly became my way to release all that I was feeling emotionally, spiritually, and physically and was my stress relief.

So maybe I'm writing this to myself to say enough with the words and good thoughts. Put them into action. Get into the Word more, pray more, be more bold in my everyday life and routine. And simply stop putting limits on what God can do with and through me. Who knows? But I do know that NOTHING is impossible with God. Whatever you are experiencing when you read this, I pray that you know the peace, joy, and unconditional love that only comes from knowing Jesus. And that with Him you can get through anything that comes your way.

Have a great day!

Thomas' 4th Birthday Party

Checking out the stats...

Check out this shot...

Having fun...

His cake...yes, that is pink icing...not really sure what happened there??? I mean, surely they knew the name Thomas was a boy??? I didn't see it until we opened the box at the bowling alley!!

Thomas and his cute friends had a blast at his bowling party. It was only the second time Thomas had bowled. It was too cute watching all these little guys bowl! It was so low key and I had nothing to clean, etc!

Lily is excited about the drums...while visiting our friends in Texas last week she tried Cole's drumset out!

Too tempting not to touch...

Enjoying Thomas' birthday doughnut breakfast...

Sorry it has taken me so long to update you all on Lily. Thank you all so much for all of your prayers, emails, and words of encouragement, etc... We really appreciate it so much. I know each of you has your own daily needs, struggles, and prayer requests, so I'm really touched when you take the time to pray for Lily and check in on us.

So, knock on wood, she is doing much much better! Not really sure what exactly happened. Her angel of a doctor from Texas mentioned for me to try some things, like splitting her night time bottle, trying pediasure and mixing instant breakfast into her milk instead of formula, and since doing those things she really has been better. I don't know if it was coincidence, or if Lily just likes it better, or if she is just physically better. Who knows, but I'll take it! Her tests were both normal but we go back to the GI doctor this Thursday for follow-up. Thanks so much for praying so specifically for this. Definitely working so keep it up!

She is constantly sporting the bruised head and/or face look these days. This week alone she had her first black eye and several bruises on her forehead and cheeks. We think big brother had something to do with the black eye. He reportedly stacked his big euro pillows up so she could climb on his bed. I think they were "jumping" and she fell off. I know it sounds like I left them forever. But I promise, I was only 7 feet away and it all happened in less than 5 minutes! She is very independent and determined and such a little dare devil. She climbs anything she thinks she can fit in or on and lately likes to push over the dining room chairs which make a very scary loud thud! There is definitely not a dull moment while she is awake!

She is very quickly becoming a little toddler instead of my little baby girl. Kind of sad but I did get to have a "little" baby for much longer than normal. Oh, and she has gained weight! When we went to the doctor on March 2nd, she weighed 17lbs 4oz! So pumped about that!

Thanks again for all of your prayers and support. I pray you all are doing well and have a wonderful day!

Happy 4th Birthday Thomas!

Thomas at 5 days old!

Thomas...First birthday1


Thomas...Two years old!

Thomas...Third birthday

Happy 4th birthday!!!

opening his walkie talkies...

Birthday morning with Krispie Cream!

Happy Birthday to my sweet Thomas! I can't even believe that he is already 4 years old!! Right before my eyes he has become a little boy. He is no longer a little toddler...kind of sad! I had a little emotional moment with him on Friday when it hit me how old he was getting. He told me he would pray to God to not let him get any bigger! So sweet and innocent!

He is finally getting tall and actually taller than a few of his friends now. He still has quite an imagination and is always coming up with something wild to do or say. His latest creative outlet is with scotch tape! He tapes his little chairs together to make a train, and tapes anything and everything to different toys. Really quite entertaining to see what he has taped together! I'll have to post some pictures of it. He loves riding his scoot bike and his riding tractor outside. He is starting to play with Lily more and it is so precious for me to watch!

He still cracks me up with some of his funny phrases and words. Here are a couple of his latest that I can remember. Asking me to do him a favorite, meaning a favor. Saying he wants to read a motion, meaning a devotion. He often says "no I amit" meaning no I'm not. Asking for "erections" to his friends house, meaning directions! And he is always praying for Lily not to throw up...really sweet but kind of sad he thinks he has to pray that all the time!:-) Oh, and thanks to his dad, he is calling me Hollywood all the time!

We celebrated his birthday yesterday with doughnuts for breakfast and a mini cake for lunch. He is having his birthday party at the local bowling alley with his friends from school this Friday. That should be really interesting! I will definitely post pictures from that!