1:25 p.m. Update

We just received an update and Isabelle is off the heart/lung bypass machine. They are hoping to wrap up her surgery within the next hour. Continue to pray that she will remain stable through the balance of the surgery.

Also please pray that they will be able to take out the breathing tube late tonight or in the a.m. She will do better, with her Glenn, once she is extubated. Last week she had a hard time breathing on her own which led to a delay in taking out her breathing tube.

I wanted to post pictures of Torie (19) and Michaela (14) but unfortunately the hospital computer won't let me download photos. The girls are our unsung hero's right now. Due to the flu season and H1N1, MUSC won't allow children under 18 to go into the PCICU. Because of this, Phil and I traveled to Charleston and left Torie and Michaela to hold down the fort at home with AnnaGrace (9) and Sarah Mei (4).

Torie works full-time at Tractor Supply. She took this semester off of college. It wasn't by choice. Our China trip took her out of the 1st 3 weeks of classes this semester. She petitioned her professors to make up the work, but the majority of them said they'd fail her for missing so many classes (despite the fact that she was in China picking up her new little sister!). As disappointing as it was to miss those hours of classes, the Lord had a better plan. In April she will be traveling to Austria to attend a Torchbearers Bible School session. She'll return to the states at the end of June and resume her classes at UNCC. We're so thankful that she'll have this opportunity for intense Bible study and international travel! In the meantime she arranged her work schedule, while we're in Charleston, to work in the late afternoons/evenings and take care of the girls during the day.

Michaela is continuing her on-line homeschool classes while we are away. I'm amazed at her ability to juggle her school work, take care of the horses and 47 chickens, and still find energy to do crafts, baking and reading with the little girls in the evenings.

I know I'm bragging, but Phil and I are SO proud of how Torie and Michaela have stepped up to the plate in this time of "crisis." They are going to be amazing Keepers at Home one day! Please pray for their continued strength until Phil returns home tomorrow.

Also pray for AnnaGrace and Sarah Mei. They are used to being with me 24/7. First I was in China for 2 full weeks, then out of town last week and now again this week. It's beginning to take a toll on them both to be seperated from me and out of our daily routine.

Hopefully the next time I update, it will be to say Isabelle is in the PCICU.

(We just got word that one of my favorite nurses, Heather, is going to be Isabelle's nurse again today in PCICU!! Whoohoo!! God takes care of even the little details.)