VALENTINE'S DAY 2014 - My Favorite One - so far

On February 14^th, my wife and I had plans to go out for dinner. Our two oldest children were at a church activity for a couple of hours and we had a friend at our house ready to watch Aria. It had only been one week since Aria’s brain surgery but she loves our friend and we thought it would be fine.

As we tried to leave, she starts begging us not to go. She’s clinging to us and didn’t want us to leave her. So, my wife came up with a brilliant idea of ordering some food and having Aria be our waitress and include her in our romantic evening.

I headed out to Pei Wei to pick up a couple dinners to bring back. While I was gone, my wife set up a small table with candles in the front room. When I came home, we sat down and Aria came to take our order and asked us what we wanted to drink. She brings our drinks and then takes our food order. Our friend helps her put food on the plates and she brings us our food. Every few minutes she would come in and ask us if we need anything more to drink or some more food.

She was so cute. It was great to be able to include her in our special evening. After we were done, she asked if we’d like to go to a private room to snuggle and kiss. She was coached by our friend but it was really sweet. She walked us upstairs to our room and then went back downstairs to be with our friend.

We didn't get to be alone too long because we had to go pick up the kids from church and then we all headed to the airport to pick up my sister, Tammy, who was coming into town to spend a week with us.

Overall, it was just a great and wonderful evening and definitely one to remember.

Love For Aria Hope - The YouTube Video

Our friend put this video together in honor of Aria. In this video you can see how adorable she is.

They also put together a medical expense fundraiser called Love for Aria Hope. 

THANK YOU to everyone who has shown your love through your prayers and financially!! THANK YOU!!

Four Surgeries in Past Five Months for Aria Hope

UPDATE - Feb.'14

In the past five months, Aria has had four surgeries.

In Oct. '13, she had a fundoplication.  I talk about it here. Future Surgeries

In Nov. '13, she had her 2nd chiari brain surgery but this time they cut the dura (the sac around the brain). It was at this time the doctor realized that she also suffered from hydrocephalus (too much water pressure on the brain).

In Dec. '13, she was back in the hospital because she was leaking spinal fluid through the incision that's in the back of her head. She was there a couple days to watch for infection. Later in the month she started developing lumps near her incision but we hoped it would go away.

In Jan. '14, Aria went through another Chiari brain surgery to fix the spinal fluid leak in the back of her head and she spent two weeks in the hospital with a temporary shunt in the small of her back hoping to allow the brain to adjust to the hydrocephalus. We chose this option because the other option was to put a permanent one in her head.

Feb. '14 saw us back in the hospital because she had developed lumps in back of head again and within two days of telling the doctor they put her back in the hospital and put the shunt in her head, making this her fourth brain surgery. The good news is that they didn't have to open up the back of her head again and in three months they'll check to see if the shunt can be removed. We didn't know this was an option when we first heard about shunts but we're glad that if her body can heal and deal with her hydrocephalus it can be removed.

A friend started a medical fundraiser for us to help us with our hospital expenses called Love for Aria Hope. The video of Aria that our friend put together was very sweet. It brought tears to my eyes.

We're also very thankful to those who blessed us financially during this major event in our lives.

We're even more thankful for your prayers for Aria's healing. Please keep praying for her.