My Miracle Girl

Happy 16th Birthday, Mackenzie!!

Mackenzie Diane Freemire - Second daughter of a second daughter - free spirited, talented, beautiful, gentle spirited, giving, loving, encouraging, crazy, intelligent, wise, God loving, compassionate, patient, kind, peacemaker, family clown, comedienne, artistic, dancer... I could go on and on about her.  I can tell you that she is a joy.  She is also a miracle.  She has seen so many difficult times.  At 5 months the Dr.'s thought she had Cystic Fibrosis and was hopeful she would live into her teens!  She did not have that.  She had "failure to thrive" - a very fast metabolism.  We had to add melted butter to her baby food!  Can you believe that?

At 9 months she broke her leg in her growth plate and was told she would most likely not run, skip, jump, walk normally - that the growth in her leg would be stunted and not grow to be the same length as her other one.  She is now a beautiful dancer who brings me to tears when she moves...she is art in motion! 

When she was 14 months she had croup so badly she was hospitalized and in an oxygen tent.  Then when she was in 6th grade we discovered a strange growth in her inner cheek.  We spent many hours and weeks and months traveling to Children's Memorial in Chicago as they worked to find out what the growth was.  She had a lymphatic malformation or Lymphangioma.  The growth was not fatal in and of its self, but if it burst she cold bleed out.  They performed surgery on her telling Scott and I that there was a great chance that she would not smile, pucker or whistle if they hit a very fragile nerve...in other words half of her face would be paralyzed.  As you can see, God had other plans.  She has a wonderful smile and a happy disposition.  She finds joy and happiness everywhere.  The room lights up when Kenzie comes into it.  There have been many other trials and tribulations, but God is sovereign and ruler of all and He has plans for her!  Boy does he ever.  I can't wait to see what He has in store.  She is my sunshine!

HAPPY SWEET 16 MACKENZIE!!! You were my gift from God 16 years ago today!  I love you!