haha

I LOVE bathtime baby pictures. Adelyn LOVES her bath and "chew toys" (in this case she's wearing a few) :)

Fun combo I think...

Read more...

AZ pics and video...great time!

I've had a few family members ask about our trip to AZ 2 weeks ago...I'm sorry it's taken a while to get this uploaded :) We went to visit Alan, Steph and our sweet niece, Nora. We loved every minute and were able to repay them for their help when we had Adelyn. We were able to help cook meals and hold Nora and look after her so her parents could have a few child free minutes :)

Nora is so sweet! She is adorable and I LOVED cuddling with her. She is definitely a Flies in that her napping skills are nill :) We did figure out how to rig her up on her boppy and she seemed to like it b/c she slept longer (she usually wakes up when you put her down...so she was taking her naps on mom and dad!) as far as I know, they are still keeping her on the boppy :)

Adelyn was so funny...she's in her "grabby" stage and is reaching for EVERYTHING...every time you set her down next to Nora, she'd look at her like "ooh, can I play with you? You look interesing..." and she reach and try and grab her face.....a few times she succeeded...Nora took it in stride and handled it very well :) You should have seen us trying to distract Adelyn so Steph could get pictures of her and Nora together! Quite funny I hafta say...

It wasn't typical AZ summer weather while we were there....it was pretty mild....I think the hottest it go while we were there was 110 (compared to the 115, 120 degrees they normally have). It even rained our first night there! We took Adelyn out to their pool a couple of times. I swear we have a water bug on our hands...she could be in the worst mood and the minute she's in water, she's happy and talking and splashing....makes bathtime my way out of a super crabby baby some nights :)

We went out to eat our last night there...little Nora's first dining out experience...she did great! Of course she attracted alot of attention from other diners....how could you not notice her, though? So cute.

The plane ride both ways went great. Adelyn yacked and played and stared at people the whole time. It was naptime both times we were in the air, but does our child sleep? Never. She stayed awake most of the time....made friends with passengers and flight attendants alike...aside from a spilled orange juice incident on the way home and dad changing a super smelly dirty diaper in the plane bathroom (he lost to rock paper scissors for it...ha), both flights were incident free :)

It was a FANTASTIC trip and we were sad (as always) to leave. Alan and Steph (and Nora!) we miss you so much. Thank you for letting us crash for a few days :) We love you so much.

Read more...

Miles Update 8.23.09

So from the beginning, this has all been to keep y'all updated on how the Flinns have been doing so that you can keep praying.
I have no words. I'm shaking with excitement for Tommy and Amber. Check out their blog www.theflinnfiles.blogspot.com
Please keep praying for his little body to heal, for Tommy and Amber's rest and strength. Pray that he will have no long term effects from what his little body has been through. Pray for his heart. God is good....God is faithful...my faith has been challenged and restored through this wonderful family's story.....God has definitely made things for His glory.

Thank you, sweet Lord.
Amen.

Read more...

Miles Update

Amber is going to start writing updates on her and Tommy's blog, The Flinn Files.
And Tommy and Amber have a prayer request:
Miles is having a lot of difficulty coming off of morphine. Every time they get it lowered, he starts having a reaction; which includes very high heart rate, high body temperature and high blood pressure--all of which are obviously not good. In order for Miles to exercise his diaphragm and lungs so that they get healthy and strong enough to do all of the work they need to do, he has to be off of the morphine. Morphine sedates his body so that the ventilator takes over, and then Miles doesn't do his part in breathing like he should. (He's on a machine that will take over for him if he doesn't initiate or have a deep breath.)
Also, I got an email a bit ago saying the Drs. think Miles may have an infection...they were going in to do a spinal to run some labs/cultures. PLEASE PRAY.

Read more...

please please pray

Miles was transferred back to Bay 1 of the NICU today....his resting heart rate has been in the 200's (not good) and they don't know why. Please pray for his little heart....pray that they can fine out why and intervene or that God will slow the rate without intervention. Pray for Tommy and Amber...they are having a rough time. Pray for strength for them. Pray for their sweet boy.

Read more...

God is so faithful! (sweet Miles)

Here's an email update we got from Amber yesterday. They got to hold their sweet boy for the first time! Keep up the prayers! God is performing miracles and hearing the petitions of His people. We are still collecting emails/letters for Tommy and Amber if you want to send them words of prayer/encouragement. Let them know you are praying for them! :)
Thank you thank you for your prayers. God is so good. He is so faithful.

Hi everyone, We are trying to keep everyone updated and we just discovered we could access the internet from Miles' room.
Miles did well today. His heart rate is still high and he shakes a lot. They definitely think his is withdrawing from morphine. His heart rate has come down a little bit though, so hopefully his body is starting to adjust being on a lesser dose of morphine. His right lung was a little more collapsed today, which is most likely a result of him not getting as much help breathing on the new machine. They will probably try to adjust the pressures on the new machine to expand his right lung more. His carbon dioxide output was good today, so they are able to keep him on the new machine. They also did a ultrasound of his diaphragm again today. His right side still isn't moving as well as the left. They are hoping with time that this muscle will build itself up and he won't need surgery.
Most importantly though Tommy and I both got to hold him today! He was very awake when I held him and he wouldn't stop looking at me. I think he really liked being held because his heart rate seemed to be lower when I was holding him. And he finally feel asleep in my arms. It was amazing. :)
Amber

Read more...

seriously...how can you NOT believe?!

Here's another letter we received last night regarding sweet Miles. Praise God! I know not everyone's "situation" turns out like this and I know if things had gone differently for the Flinn's He still would have used this for His glory.....but seriously...how after the last few weeks, how can you NOT believe?!

You are participating in a miracle, FFC'ers!!!
Doctors and nurses have said that Miles was one of the sickest babies they have ever seen. And NOW they are saying that he is the fastest healing baby they have ever seen!!! Go God! Miles has had a wonderful few days. He is transitioning well to breastmilk. The plan is to transition him to a C-PAP machine, which is the last step before him breathing all on his own! He is initiating many breaths on his own and his oxygen levels are all near normal.
Hopefully Tommy and Amber will be able to hold him within the next few days. The tests have shown that his lungs are either normal or very minimally sick, which is a miraculous improvement. They are bringing him off of many meds, and Tommy and Amber have been able to watch him move, open his eyes, change his diaper and he grips their finger now, too.
The primary issue of prayer right now is any long term damage he may have incurred from this past week; particularly from the ambulance ride, where he had to be resuscitated twice.
Please pray for no damage to his brain, for a long life for this little one. Pray that he will continue to heal and baffle the doctors with his recovery, giving God ALL THE GLORY!
Miles' name means "merciful" and "soldier". How appropriate!

ps...we are getting a scrapbook together today for Tommy and Amber, if you want to send them a note of prayer/encouragement--even if you don't know them--to add to it, you can email me at nickandabby@gmail.com

Read more...

Praise God!

Praise God! We got this email this morning from the girl at church who has been sending update emails to the church body. I'm so excited and I wanted to share with you the awesomeness of our great God! :)

In Exodus 17, Aaron and Hur held up Moses' arms so that Joshua would overcome the Amalekite's.

We are, in essence, doing the same exact thing for Miles! Through your prayers, Miles has been sustained! Tommy and Amber are literally overwhelmed with all of the people who are praying for and showing concern for their little guy. The wanted us to THANK YOU for continued prayer. There have been so many wonderful reports of people praying and they are SO encouraged and thankful! Yesterday one of the nurses said that Miles has far exceeded their expectations since being off the ECMO. Yeah for God and his praying people!!! Tommy and Amber are constantly giving God the glory to any and all who will listen.
He had a great day yesterday, praise the Lord! He has transitioned well off of ECMO. They are thinking about putting him on a different ventilator today, one that would give him deeper breaths. He also has some tests today to assess his current condition. He will have an ultrasound to see if the blood has been absorbed into his body from the brain bleed earlier. He also has an EKG to measure the pressure in his lungs and heart valves, which will indicate to what degree his lungs are healing. They have been easing off of the paralytic meds today, too, so he may start moving on his own soon. And they are going to ease him into tiny amounts of Amber's milk to see how his gut reacts. So today is a big day for prayer!
Here are specific requests from Tommy and Amber (We ask big things because God is a BIG God!):
1. That the ultrasound would show that all of the blood from the brain bleed has been absorbed into his body.
2. That the EKG would show significant improvement in his lungs.
3. That he will not sustain any permanent damage as a result of this trauma.
4. That he will continue to heal perfectly and completely.
THANK YOU!!! He still has a very long way to go, but with God all things are possible!!!

Read more...

Baby Miles

I talked to Amber yesterday afternoon and Miles is doing well!
Two nights ago he developed a brain bleed b/c of the anticoagulants he had to be on for the ECMO. They decided yesterday to take him off of the ECMO and put him back on the vent. We prayed like crazy yesterday (and still are!) and Miles did fine! When I talked to Amber he was on the vent, his oxygen levels were good and he was in surgery having repair done on his carotid artery where they had the ECMO line in. God has shown is awesomeness through this. My faith has been strengthened by the Flinn's story following a weak time. I wonder what would have happened if things wouldn't have gone so well...I believe I would be feeling the same way after seeing Tommy and Amber's faith and trust in the Lord and seeing how they were just placing everything in His hands. God is good regardless of the outcome.
Miles is doing well, but is still very sick. Please pray for his continued healing, that he would tolerate being on the vent well. Please pray that the bleeding in his brain resolves, the blood gets reabsorbed and he has no cognitive/development difficulties in the future. Please pray for his lungs to continue to heal. He still has the infections and holes in them. Please pray for Tommy and Amber, that the Lord will continue to sustain them and they can get rest and spend lots of time with their sweet boy! :)
...if anyone wants to write them a letter/note of prayer/encouragement (regardless of whether or not you know them!) Please email it to me at nickandabby@gmail.com or if you live nearby, you can swing by and drop it off....we are going to put together a scrapbook for them and get it to them next weekend (Aug 22/23). Nick, Adelyn and I are leaving for AZ tonight to visit family, so I'll make sure to check my email while we are there :)
thank you for your prayers! The Flinn's really appreciate it and have been so encouraged!

Read more...

a day at the lake

Saturday we went to Storm Lake to be with my mom's family. Adelyn had her first lake/boating experience. She loved the water. Nick skiied and I TRIED...I've been TRYING since I was 7 years old to get up, but alas I cannot seem to get the hang of it...I've had alot of almosts, though! :) Anyway...it was fun and my cousins had their 2 little boys, so the 3 babies got to hang out :)

Read more...

Miles Update

Nick, Adelyn and I went up to IA City today to spend some time with Tommy and Amber.
Miles is having a good day. He's hooked up to the ECMO machine and tomorrow they are going to do some dialysis to make sure he doesn't get some fluid overload. His kidneys are functioning and he's been voiding fine on his own, but they just don't want to risk him getting too much fluid and his body not being able to take it off. The ECMO is circulating and oxygenating his blood so his lungs aren't having to work...it's basically like he is back in the womb again as far as that whole system goes...
Tommy and Amber took us back to see him. Despite the tubes and wires all over his body, he is so sweet. He has a full head of dark curly hair...and the cutest pouty lips! Tommy and Amber are able to touch him, but not alot and they can't stroke his skin...they don't want to stimulate him...
it was so hard to see a tiny baby connected to so many machines with wires and tubes everywhere...he's sedated and paralyzed so he cannot move and fight the wires...
In the next 5-7 days they are going to maybe wean him off the EMCO and get him on a ventilator...
My heart is full of emotion for them. They are doing well.....they are clining to the Lord for strenght, but they have been so encouraged by everyone's prayers (let's keep it up!)....God can move mountains and they (and we) are so confident that he can heal their sweet boy.
Please pray that God will heal Miles...that his lungs will heal and be able to function on their own..that his circulatory system will work itself out and his body able to function without the help of machines. Pray that Amber and Tommy will continue to find their comfort, strength and peace in the Lord...there is a long road ahead of them and no person could handle this without HIM!

Read more...

no words, but please pray

My heart is aching and I just feel sick....but this is not about me...
Our dear friends, Tommy and Amber had their sweet baby boy, Miles, 2 nights ago. He was born with some lung problems and was placed on a vent. As of this morning they are taking him by ambulance to Iowa City. He's not breathing on his own and is totally dependent on the vent. He has developed pneumonia as well as pulmonary hypertension....we don't know how he is doing right now.
Please please pray for Tommy and Amber...as well as for Miles....
I don't even know what else to say besides please pray!

Read more...