It has been a year...

Hard to believe that it has been a year since my precious Sayla Grace was born. Her birthday is Wednesday and it seems like just yesterday that we were holding her. I can still feel her and smell her precious skin. Not a day has gone by this year that I haven't thought of her. It has been some tough days and I am sure that those days are not over. I don't ever want to forget a single miute of her life and I don't want anyone else to forget her either.
We have thought alot about what to do to celebrate and remember her first birthday and also to thank everyone who traveled this journey with us, who prayed for us fervently. We want to rejoice with her on her First Birthday in Heaven...what a day.I know with Sage, I wanted her first birthday to be something to celebrate and it was a wonderful day...can you imagine Sayla Grace's First Birthday with Jesus...amazing!
We are having a "celebrate Sayla Grace" Party this week to honor our sweet girl, and we would like for everyone to come join us... it is a celebration of life. The celebration will be held Friday, July 29th from 6 -9pm (drop-in style) at Extreme Gymnastics, 287 knight Trail, Thomaston. We will release memorial balloons at 7:30pm. Please please please stop by so we can personally say thank you for your prayers and love. give me a call if you need directions....706-575-0897

August 28

It has been a little over 4 weeks since baby Sayla was born. I received the photographs from NILMDTS and have finally had a chance to look at some of them. I have laughed and I have cried ALOT! There are so many pictures that show the happiness and complete joy of a mother and a new baby. So many friends and family holding her and she just looked so peaceful even though there were TONS of things going on around her. It is like she knew her time, and she just allowed us to soak up the minutes, hours, and days of her AWESOMENESS!! God has been so good to us!! We have been blessed beyond belief by so many friends, family, and so many people that we have never met. From the memorial fund, cards, emails, flowers, and those text messages just to say "i am thinking of you"...all blessings.

I have my first opportunity coming up to share my story and impact that NILMDTS had on our family. Our photographer has reached out to photographers in the Columbus area to spread information about NILMDTS and the impact this organization can have on so many families. Pray that God give me the words that need to be said to give God the total glory!!

I have uploaded some more pictures of my little Angel ...enjoy them! Also, many have asked for our address to send stories of how Sayla had an impact on your life. It is 2207 hendricks church Rd, Thomaston, GA 30286. We appreciate each and every one!

And yes, that is a picture of Sayla with a Silly band on her arm..Sage decided she had to have it...enjoy and keep us in your prayers!

God Bless,
Mommy of an Angel

Sayla Grace

Sayla Grace

The photographs posted were from an organization called Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep. They are a wonderful non-profit organization that ministered to our family on delivery day through photography. The video above ...click Sayla Grace above and when it ask for the password enter SaylaG ....is also a video put together by Tracey Young, our wonderful photographer. Enjoy the video and share please!!

I hope you can see the joy in the faces of each of us...thanks,
Mommy of an Angel

One week has passed...

It has been one week since we buried our sweet little girl. Each day this week since Tuesday, we have thought back to what was happening in our life exactly one week ago. We have felt every emotion possible and we have had our good times and our not-so-good times throughout the week. The cards have flooded our mailbox with stories of how Sayla has impacted people's lives...from Oklahoma, Virginia, and many more places. It is so AWESOME that God has used my baby girl to reach so many people. What a proud mother and father to hear that another soul has been saved because of Sayla's little life.

I keep thinking about how awesome it felt to hold her...a miracle! My grandmother explained it as " holding a small bundle of the Holy Spirit", and it was so true. I want people reading this to know that God's will was so apparent in Sayla's life and how we were able to grasp the full effect that Sayla's life was in His Hands (this is just one of the examples that I want to share).

We knew her heart condition was serious and that the heart would probably be what put Sayla in Jesus' arms. When she was delivered, her heart rate was 65 (that isn't real good). God gave her the strength to fight and bring her heart rate up to 140 WITHOUT any help from anyone (except HIM of course!!) She took a turn for the worse at least 3 more times at the hospital and I guess it still wasn't her time. I honestly think she knew she had more lives to touch!! In the 3 days that we were blessed to have her, she was never, touched by any monitor, heat lamp, or any "medical" gadgets (other than a stethoscope). She maintained her heart rate, temperature, and weight on her own. The Dr's were completely amazed that a baby with her heart condition was able to survive on her own. Some may question the decision for "no gadgets", but honestly, I wouldn't change a thing about the decisions that we made for our girl! We have total faith in OUR GOD that he had every second of her life planned and no matter what..HIS WILL IS HIS WILL!!

I can also say that only a few times (maybe 5) did she ever lay down, because someone was holding, loving, and praying for her every minute she was with us. Daniel's grandma slept on the floor of the hospital lobby, because she didn't want to miss a moment of her (honestly, the lobby looked like a fall-out shelter)!! Aunt Cona sat up with her for 4 hours reading Psalms to her (when Jesus started sharing the Psalms with Sayla, she probably told Him that He could skip that book b/c Aunt Cona had already taught her that book)!!! There were so many people that shared every minute of her life with us and we are so thankful for those moments!

I still miss my Baby Girl so much and I know there is a long road ahead!! I am not angry with God, I rest in the comfort that I WILL SEE HER AGAIN SOMEDAY. If you don't know the God that I know, please please please seek for HIM!!!! He accepts everyone!!

Thanks for your prayers and words of encouragement!!
MOMMY OF AN ANGEL,
MANDI

I don't know exactly what to say right now because today was probably the hardest day of my life. I do want to thank each of you for your outpouring of love and support throughout the last few days and the previous 9 months too. We are so thankful to have such a loving community and extended family. I have so much more to share with each of you, but just can't do it all right now. But I can't wait to share..... one thing that I do want to share is something our cousin Jason shared with us that touched me deeply.

He shared that at a youth church camp in Lagrange this week, Jason (who is a youth pastor) shared Sayla's birth on Tuesday with 115 teenagers and 25 adults. They hit their knees in prayer for Sayla and our family. Jason then shared of her death on Friday with the group and the impact her life had on so many people. They hit their knees again...this time 3 middle school boys gave their hearts and soul to the Lord in salvation. That is what my Sayla Grace was sent here to do...she planted not a seed but a garden of seeds in her little life.

I would love to hear how she has impacted or changed the lives of those who have been a part of her story and her life. Drop me a card or email and tell me. It comforts me to know these stories and rest in the peace that her little life has a purpose. I would love to add your card to her baby book roohadley@yahoo.com (email me for the address).

Again..i have so much I want to share about her life with us and the sweet things that will make you smile as we have. God planned every single detail of this life...the timing of her birth, her life, and even her passing are UNBELIEVEABLE!! I cannot wait to talk about it all... so this blog will not stop :)

Thank God for the time with my angel!
High 4,
Mandi (mommy of an angel)

Headed home with a miracle...

Well we are headed home with our precious baby girl. She weighs 4lbs 2 oz and a special angel. We still aren't sure how she will do, but as we have said from the beginning..we have her as long as God allows us to have her. Until then, we will cherish every moment with her.

We are going to show her her home, meet her cat, feel the grass, hear the rooster crow, and spend some time with her big sister and brother. Lots to do with this little angel.

Thank you so much for the prayers...i have no words for this day..miracles!!!
We love you all!
Daniel and Mandi

The Day arrived...

It is late..or really early, not sure which since the day has been so crazy. Little Sayla Grace is getting her first lesson in blogging (at 5 am). She was delivered at 12:50pm today and was a blessing from the beginning. The staff at Doctor's Hospital has been absolutely amazing... she has left our side 1 time for a pediatrician evaluation and bath time. They have tolerated the 30+ visitors (at least), chic-fil-a party tray (thanks Alicia and Trisha), and we were moved to another room this evening so Daniel would have a bed to sleep on (and I am sure bc the waiting room was WAY TOO SMALL FOR THIS CREW). MY nurse has been a Christian lady with 13 children of her on and one with a similar story as Sayla Grace..unbelievable the people that have been put in place for this delivery!!!She weighed 4lb. 6oz and 16 inches long.

As I type this we have been blessed with 17 hours of her little life... far more than anyone has expected!!! Daniel and I are both on a roller coaster of emotions, her heart and lungs are apparently doing very well. Because of her neurological delays, she is having trouble swallowing and sucking, so we are definitely not out of the clear in those areas. I told Daniel today that I wish I were able to count the number of prayers that went up for our Little angel today... I am sure it was in the thousands. Please continue to pray for Sayla because she still has a long way to go in order for us to bring her home. Daniel and I have some tough choices to make tomorrow and the following days, so we are asking God to give us the wisdom to make those choics as he sees fit to do!!

Thank so much for everyone that came to visit today and sent prayers up for us! We can definitely feel God's presence in this room and all around her!

I will post another update as soon as I can!

Thanks again,
mandi and daniel (parents of a miracle baby )