Big Day

 It's a bit of a scary thing to have your child go "under the knife" especially when they're young.  Juliet did when she was 4.  Now it's Mia's turn and 8.  Don't tell me Cal will when he's 16!  HA  Let's just leave that on alone, shall we. 

About three months ago, I was checking Mia's teeth after she had brushed them.  I noticed  a pea sized lump inside her lower lip.  She knew it was there, but it didn't bother her.  We kept an eye on it, but it wasn't going away, if anything it was growing.  We took her in to the doc and she said, "Yep, that's a cyst and I'll refer you to the ENT for it".  So we waited about 3 weeks for the appt to see the ENT (thanks to our lovely Health Care).  He looked at it and said it was going to need surgery.  Mia heard that simple word and instantly clammed up.  It was written all over her face!  So we decided (with the ok from the ENT) to keep a close eye on it and recheck in the weeks following.

In the coming weeks, the cyst grew.  It grew to the size of a grape!  You could see it when she talked and when she smiled.  It seemed huge!  The day I made the appointment with the ENT for a follow up, Mia accidentally bit the cyst while eating.  I don't now how she went as long as she did without biting it, but she finally had.  We didn't want this to happen because then she could possibly get another one, but she did.  So her follow up appointment turned into a Pre-Op appointment!

 Meemers, all checked in and waiting for her turn!

It was a long wait.  One of the nurses got the movie player for her to watch a movie and hopefully relax a bit.  They gave her some anti-anxiety meds as well as Tylenol with Codine for pain after surgery.  They then gave her "Happy Juice" aka Laughing Gas as they wheeled her back to surgery.  They had to put an IV once she was alseep too.

She was in surgery for over an hour!  Definitely hard to sit there waiting, wondering how she's doing.  I chatted on Facebook this morning with Jen (my BFF of 26 years).  She lives in India and I love that I can connect with her on the other side of the world in real time! (and for FREE might I add) Anyway, she gave me Phil 4:6-9 to focus on.   
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your mind in Christ Jesus.  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  Whatever you have learned and received and heard and seen in me-practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you."  
Can I get an AMEN?!
Paul encourages us as believers to focus on the things that are true, right, pure, lovely, excellent... instead of concerns and worries.  Like stressing as if God's not going to take care of Mia.  That is actively filling the space in our heart with good things and not anxiety... doing what we can to focus on the right things.  So as I'm writing this in the waiting room I'm choosing to dwell on those things of God that he has given us, and not let my mind be filled with the enemy and the anxiety he is hoping I'll chose.  Praise God for the option to choose peace.

Just about the time I finished writing some of this, they came to get us!  When we got to her in recovery, she was sleeping soundly.  She looked so peaceful.  It was amazing to walk through recovery to her and hear all the nurses and doctors comment on how sweet she is and how pretty she is, and so on.  Mia has always been this way.  Just her presence alone makes people happy!  Jesus has given this gift to her and it's amazing for all to see it already in her!

Here she is all groggy!  hehe

She was completely out of it!  I took a few pictures with my phone simply because I didn't think she'd remember once she completely woke up.

She doesn't remember this ride to the car at all...can you tell why?!

She is doing very well this morning.  She has a few dissolveable stitches inside her lip, and it's pretty swollen this morning, but she is her normal spunky self today.  I'm sure I'll be the one keeping her down today.  Last night she was ready to jump on the trampoline at one point (don't worry, the good mom in me didn't let her! lol)