1st Day of Christmas: A Partridge in a Pear Tree

I'm the type of person who can always see some familiar shape in the clouds. In fact, when I was a little girl, I liked to look at wood grain and see "pictures". (Growing up with 70's wood paneling and 80's oak everything, I had a lot of opportunities to develop my imagination!) Family and teachers often told me that this was a gift of creativity. But as Monk quips, "It's a gift, and a curse."

When they scheduled Kassarah's surgery for December 13, I immediately thought, "12 Days to Christmas". I'm hoping to carry this theme to you, our friends and family, so that the song might stick in your head this season, and you will pray for my sweet girl throughout the holiday.

On the First day of Christmas, my True Love gave to me: a Partridge in a Pear Tree. God, our True Love, gave us Kassie as our first born. As I think of her in context of the partridge, I can't help but imagine a symmetrical tree with a bird perched in the center, and a stick trunk. Of course to me, during this season of life, my imagination immediately turns the image into a brain and spinal cord. I tried to google a different image, but no - that's mainly how artists interpret the poem. Please pray today that the surgical team will be able to prune her little tree, but keep what makes Kassie "Kassie" perched in the tree. Pray that they can take out the rotten stuff, but that the tree and bird remain heathy. She has so much "fruit" to offer this world, and I am praying that she will have every opportunity - soon!

I thank you for your love, concern, and prayers. Keep singing praises to our True Love as we trust in His Will for our little family, and our baby, Kassie-bird.