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I have had severe and debilitating scoliosis ever since I can remember. My spine curves into my lungs and organs. I can't get all the oxygen that is healthy and this makes me tire easily. My spine curves in and pinches my stomach, minimizing the amount of food I am able to consume; thus, my small size. My upper body has a hard time supporting itself because my spine dramatically curves to (my) left. A doctor suggested once that because my body struggles to carry its own weight, having a baby should be discouraged. My right leg is also significantly longer than the left leg.

Since I have had this for as long as I can remember, I don’t know the quality of life I am missing out on. I know how to compensate my weight so people can't notice. I haven't worn a swimsuit since I was a junior in high school because of it (it’s visually disturbing).

On December the sixth, two thousand eight, I experienced God in a typically “unconventional” way. Anything I say here will not even begin to describe the miracle that happened. My roommate heard about a speaker that was coming to Nashville and invited me to his service. Because someone earlier that day had (randomly) asked for my weekend work-shifts, I was able to go. Neither of us knew anything about the speaker. Turned out this guy was a super-charismatic speaker. I was raised Baptist, so this was way out of my comfort zone to say the least; however, I believe I am pretty good at discernment and I didn't feel like anything he did or said was not of God. The praise and worship was great and the message was great. He stopped mid-sermon and asked anyone with a degenerative disorder to stand up. Okay, I would love nothing more than to blend into the wall, so I had no intention of standing up. But my roommate, who would hate to blend into a wall, picked me up and made me stand there. Ha-ha. The speaker proceeded to tell everyone to gather around those standing and just pray over them (wonderful…I hate being touched). My roommate was to my right, an older woman behind me and a young girl in front of me. They laid hands on me and started. Eventually, the woman behind me asked me if I was healed. I looked at her like she was crazy and told her the only way I would be healed was with a major surgery and a year of bed rest. They continued praying and I started to get really confused. What exactly were they praying for? And how long would I have to stand there and feel uncomfortable? Then an old man (never seen this man in my life) walked up to me and said “Does your back curve into your body? Like into your lungs? I think that is what God is telling me." STUNNED. I nodded “yes” and he said "Okay! Let’s heal this thing." He laid his hand on my back and as God as my witness they all felt my spine move and it is now completely straight. I did not feel my spine move unlike the people around me, but God knew that if I had – I would have freaked out :] After they felt my spine twist (my roommate said she event felt a kind of grinding sensation, like the vertebras moving over each other), they told me to stand up straight and put my feet together (something I have never been able to do) – I was able to stand completely straight, legs together, shoulders and hips in line…it was awesome.

I had a major surgery that night with the best and most divine Doctor. No recovery time. No pain. He even numbed my back so I couldn’t feel it moving. I am so undeserving. I am not perfect. There are people with much worse and fatal health problems (like my dad who I feel should have had this heeling rather than me – but who is God to have to justify what He does to us?) that needed this more than I did. I was okay with what my back was. I didn't like it, but I had accepted it a long time ago. To say I am thankful…I don't think is enough. I had to learn to walk again – physically and spiritually. My quality of life is incredible now. I’ve gained almost 15 pounds and I breathe freely. My faith has been redefined.

The speaker told us that you read in the Bible about people who just wanted to touch Jesus' robe because they knew that would heal them...just touching His cloths that He is inside of. This reminded me that the same Jesus who healed just as miraculously then is inside of you and me. We possess so much power and healing through Him. Think about that.

We went to the doctor yesterday for a series of skin ailments. Goodbye
Burt's Bees and hello Selsun Blue. Lucy has a barely noticeable amount
of cradle cap, which I accidentally call cradle crap over and over
again.

Plus she has eczema. This was the exact reason I gave up dairy, oh,
almost ten weeks ago. Remember on Monday when I mentioned falling in
love with the sesame-covered almonds at Kim's shower? Well, that's a
pretty good sign that I shouldn't be eating it. I felt a twinge of
nausousness when I left the party. Granted I didn't eat much of
anything else. Then on Sunday I bought a box of almond macaroons at
Whole Foods. So the little red spots in the folds of her elbows have
expanded to little patches all over her trunk. She looks a bit like
her newly discovered friend, Georgia the Giraffe.

I told the doctor I had already given up dairy. She smiled and nodded.
"You should give up nuts and eggs, too." I can't remember if she said
nuts or peanuts. But considering my recent almond obsession, I am
going to start there. I'm hanging on to the eggs for now. I've been
eating them all along and this seems to be a recent flare-up. And I'm
holding on to the Oreos, which are vegan. Thank God!

I spent the morning greasing her up, including rubbing some organic
olive oil in her hair. Good thing Henry remembered to buy some when we
went to Whole Foods. How am I going to take along olive oil to
Chicago? Maybe we will find restaurants with a litle oil on the table
and I can sneak a dip then.

When we left, I was sure to check her weight, which is 10.5 pounds. As
soon as I returned home, I compared notes to her two-month check up.
At that time she was 9 pounds 4 ounces. I was certain that she was
eleven or twelve pounds. Maybe that was because I tried to weigh her
by weighing myself and holding her. Obviously that didn't work. So I
was sure to calculate her percentages to make sure she is gaining
enough weight. I didn't use the same calculator as last time, but I
compared her weight at one, two and three months. Her percentages were
first, sixth and eighth respectively. At least she's gaining
percentage-wise. That's enough for me. When I thought she would never
wear all of those tiny baby clothes, I was dead wrong.

Now I need to figure out what to pack for Chicago. Not only will it be
Lucy's first flight, but her first night in the fifties. I hope she
will enjoy it as much as we will. We will send lots of updates from
our trip.

I'm also excited about my new iPhone app, QuadCamera, which takes a
series of photos with the click of a button. How fun. Maybe a flip
book is in the future.

Happy Birthday, Sherri!