Welcome 2011 01/12/2011
 
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Haylie's turned 5 not that long ago and is THRIVING.  God is good.  She has been (knock wood) healthy, growing like a weed and bringing joy and sweetness (and a little rambunctiousness too) wherever she goes.

She is just a light and a joy.  She has had NO pain, NO complications, NO worries since her surgery and we are so blessed that she was in the most capable and compassionate hands of Dr. Poppas.

Thank you for taking time out of your lives to get an update every now and then about Haylie.  I'm now working full-time so it's a little more difficult to update this site, but I know it's important as a way to fill you in our lives.  I can't believe I didn't write at all this past year...it's all been a bit of a blur. 

This year I began working full-time for the first time since Haylie was born, we moved for the first time since Haylie was 3 months old, we took the girls on our first every family vacation and Haylie started school.  The time it does fly by, but you are always on our minds, a part of our hearts and in our prayers.
 
Our Sunshine 10/27/2009
 
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I will try to write more often, but Haylie has been doing great!  I cannot believe it has been almost a year since we left for Haylie's follow-up in New York.  Haylie has done so well and we have been so blessed for it.

It's sometimes hard for me to imagine that our little fundraiser brought so many people together to help us get Haylie to NY.  We never would've made it without the love and support of our family, friends and 'perfect' strangers.

’Perfect’ sums it up, really.  

When we’re having a bad day, week or month even, I only have to look back on the Spring of 2008 and remember how when we had nothing, we were given everything for her. 

With your help and selflessness, God really held us up in His glorious light for a brief shining moment for her, for Haylie.   
Appropriate then that she is our "sunshine." 

I'm putting a picture of her from her birthday this year.  We'd just returned home from her party and she HAD to try on the ballet outfit that she received. 

She is a grand blend of brute and beauty, girly girl and mud pie maker.  She is a conglomeration of little lady and fierce lioness, of bulldog and ballerina.  She is strong and spoiled, funny and wild and she dances, flips and twirls through her life with fiery abandon.  She's of God, but has been given to us. 

How lucky I feel to have her in my little world
that she makes seem so vast.

Thank you for sharing in her story.
 
 
Our Summer 2009 08/08/2009
 
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This is a pic of our girls, Kate (brown eyes) and Haylie (blue eyes).  They've had a quiet summer.  We are readying for the school year for the first time and things have been going well with that.  Although Haylie and I will miss having Kate at home, I know she will thrive and have a great kindergarten year.

I hope you are all enjoying your summer and looking forward to a wonderful fall.  I'm looking forward to spending more one on one time with Haylie and a future of beautiful possibilities.

Haylie turns 4 in September and I can't in a million years believe she's only been with us for almost 4 years...I can't help but believe that she and Kate have always been with me, been a part of my very being from the beginning of creation.  I'm a very lucky mommy.
 
 
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Well, it's officially been a year since Haylioke and since we left for New York with Haylie.  We made such great friends and had such great support from all of you, so we'd like to remind you that your help and your prayers and blessings will remain with us always ~ THANK YOU!

I can honestly say that it feels like ages ago, as so much has changed since then.  Haylie is doing better than we ever could've hoped for.  She still remembers aspects of the surgery and, of course, talks about Dr. Poppas and Ash-a-wee very often.  I think she will always have a memory of the trip, which was one of my main concerns, but I do think now, her memories are good.  We tried very hard to make her feel as though this trip was a fun adventure, and I'm hopeful we succeeded.  She has also been very healthy for the most part this year, so that is always a bonus.

She loves to do flips and handstands and she even does some moves that remind me of the old-school break dancers.  She's pretty much in constant motion and upside down most of the day.  She and Kate make each day tons of fun.  They couldn't be more different, but they are so sweet with one another and are very loyal to each other.

Once again, my cup runneth over...

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 Hope you are all doing well!  If you've been keeping up with us, sorry that I haven't written in a while.  Our lives have taken many twists and turns this year and we're doing our best to navigate life and keep our heads above water.  I'll try to update you more often.

Haylie has been WONDERFUL!  She's growing like a weed and is running around like gangbusters.  I couldn't ask for a more spirited, lively bundle of sunshine!  She and Kate are active and enjoying the early Spring we've had in Texas this year.  Hopefully we don't have a brutally hot summer!

All of our CAH projects are on hold for the time being.  I hope to resume them within a few months.

If you get a moment out of your lives...write and fill us in on how you're doing.

Take Care & Blessings ALWAYS!

 
 

We started out 2009 a little bumpy...

...Grandpa Jack (my paternal 86 year old Grandfather) came to live with us so we can care for him.  We all love him and the girls can't wait to wake up every morning to greet him.  They adore him.  While it's been an adjustment for all of us, especially Grandpa, we are all doing well.

...Teddy was laid off temporarily from his job as a roughneck so we're having some stress about that, but I know somehow we'll get through it all.

But we can't complain BECAUSE...

...Haylie and Kate had a great Christmas and are being happy little girls.  They are just precious to me.  Kate talks a mile a minute and Haylie has the sweetest squeaky little voice.  They've both (knock wood) been healthy and I just cannot ask for much more than that.

I hope you are all happy and well!  Take care!  ~Angela

 
 













Little Angels

It will be a beautiful Christmas for our family.  I can't express how joyful we feel and what a relief it is now that the stress of this year is behind us.  If you've been a part of helping our Haylie this year, thank you forever.  If you haven't, you should know that miracles can happen if you believe in God...we've experienced it and seen it in our lives.  We chose hope, and with that, we now know that anything IS possible!

Happy Holidays and May God Bless You Always!
The Bettis Family

 
 

I am forever, first and most thankful for the two little miracles running around in my living room right now, giggling and playing with one another (which will inevitably turn into fighting & hair pulling).  They are a silent, whispered prayer, prayed many moons ago, answered with absolute perfection by God. 

I'm thankful for Kate's sweet, gentle and purely kind spirit.  Her joy and giggles make any day better.  I'm thankful for Haylie's big personality and rambunctious nature...she's genuinely the softest little soul I know.  I'm thankful for my husband for taking such good care of our family.

I'm thankful for our family and friends.  You have stood by me, from near and far away, and held me up at times when I couldn't hold myself up and you may not even have known it. 

I am thankful for all of the new friends we've been fortunate to meet this year and who helped us through a most trying and scary time in our lives with our Haylie.  Your support, kindness and generosity of spirit will be remembered as long as we live.

I'm ever thankful for Dr. Poppas for taking such good care of my Haylie and for the nurses and fine people at NY Presbyterian Hospital.  I have never seen such excellence in a physician or a hospital staff.
 
I'm thankful that I want nothing more than to live to see my children grown, self-sufficient, fulfilled, content and happy.  Before them, life didn't always hold the significance that it does now.  

We have each other, great family and friends, a roof over our heads, food in our belly's and when we go to sleep at night, we have comfy blankets to keep us warm, soft pillows to rest our heads upon and angels keeping watch.  

I am simply thankful that God has been so good to us.

Love and Blessings to you all always!
Angela





 
 

Dr. Poppas' prognosis is that Haylie has healed PERFECTLY!! 

Our prayers have been answered!  We now don't have to go back to NY City for any follow-up appointments for another 10 YEARS!!   This outcome will save our Haylie further trauma as she grows in the coming years and we couldn't be more elated.

Our older daughter, Kate also went to NY with us.  Since Haylie has talked all about Dr. Poppas since May, Kate was really excited to meet him.  He did not disappoint, as he treated her with as much kindess and caring as he's always shown Haylie.

No matter where in the world you live, if you have a child with CAH and are looking for THE BEST surgical care for your child, you need look no further than Dr. Dix Poppas.  You are more than welcome to call me and I'll try my best to answer any parent-related questions you may have.
 
Needless to say, we are thrilled beyond measure!  God is GREAT!




 
 

Hope this finds you all well.  Haylie is doing great and we are trying to navigate cold and flu season.  Had another scare the other night when Haylie ended up with another adrenal crisis due to a bladder infection.  Bless her heart, they had to stick her little arms 6 times before they successfully got blood from her and each time she told the nurses, "Thank you for my boo boo shot."  She doesn't understand, but she sure is a brave little soul (with good manners to boot!).

We are readying everything to go back to NY on November 4th.  We're hoping we get a chance to stop by and that Haylie's nurse, Ashley will be working that day.  I know that would be a big treat for Haylie, since she still talks about her all the time.  Haylie has a memory like an elephant.  She and Katie are my own personal GPS, as they tell me where I need to turn to go to my Mom's house or other family members' houses...even Walmart or HEB! 

Well, I'll write more when we return from NY and I hope for the next few years, our lives will be back to "normal", whatever that means.  Take care & God Bless!