Today we celebrate the life of our 5th child...Henry Larsen Doriot...fondly known as "Gus".  Gus was only here with us for a short time...16 months to be exact.  Gus was awaiting a liver/ small bowel transplant but his body could just not hold out for a donor.  Today would have been his second birthday.  We are sad that we are not celebrating with him today but we rejoice that he is taking part in daily celebrations in Heaven! 

Gus was profoundly and bilaterally deaf due to the extreme high doses of antibiotics he received early in his life.  It was next to impossible to keep hearing aids in this kid's ears!  He would have gone on to get a cochlear implant if he had survived.

He loved to watch Signing Time videos.  Here he is sitting in his bumbo practicing his "signs"...or maybe he's just trying to pluck out his hearing aid!

The little "punk" signed "daddy" first...not "mommy".  I will be talking to him about this when I see him!!

He had many "girlfriends".  Here's Courtney his Personal Trainer...

and Laura, his Synagis Shot Girl...Synagis is a med to help prevent RSV or to lessen it's attack....too bad those gazillion dollar shots didn't really help Gus.  He contracted RSV in the hospital and that is what led to his major pulmonary bleeds.  PLEASE, wash your hands! lol!!

And now, the beloved Nurse Janice from the 2nd Floor.  The love was deep, folks!!

Gus often had to get blood transfusions....blood was fondly renamed  "red soldiers".  Here is a picture of the soldiers marching...

When he wasn't busy getting his "red soldiers" he would be out roaming the halls with his brothers and sister...in his "Gus Bus"!   

When Gus was at home, his sister would take him around the house for a "tour".  He was so small that he was able to fit in her doll stroller with no problem.

He loved to fly.  We flew to Pittsburgh several times to see his transplant team.  We would often get bumped up to first class because Gus was such a flirt!!  This is on one of the flights.

He even liked to "fly" in the pre-surgery area.  In this picture, Gus is waiting to go in to surgery to have his central line replaced.  Look at that cute little hospital gown...awwww...cute!  We had so much fun with him!

At the beginning of March '06, Gus cut two teeth and we could not control the bleeding.  We ended up moving back into the Ronald McDonald House so that he could await "the call" to fly to Pittsburgh for a transplant.  This was before he was intubated.

Here I am with Gus right before he leaves us to go Home.  We are on the edge of eternity in this picture!  Gus died on May 31, 2006.  He was among his entire family and his favorite nurses and Chaplain Sandy.  A great peace filled the room as he left.  I thank God that he allowed me to be Gus'  mommy.  It was such an honor to take care of this precious child.  I look forward to our reunion!!

Henry Larsen Doriot

"Gus"

January 18, 2005--May 31, 2006

Please consider organ donation.  There are a lot of children who die on the waiting list because parents do not donate their child's organs.  Organ donation is something you should decide before you are in the situation where you need to decide quickly.  It is not something that is easily talked about but let me reassure you that talking about it doesn't kill you or your child!

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This day, six years ago, we were welcoming our sweet little girl into the world.   Pete, my mother and I had left for the hospital early in the morning because it had started to snow...I was scheduled to be induced first thing that morning.  Dr. Pelletier was the on-call doctor...he's our favorite.  By the time we got to the hospital there was about an inch of snow on the gorund.  We all couldn't wait to see her!! 

I was in labor for about 5 hours.  Labor was a breeze, really it was!  I slept through most of it!!  Of course it helped that I had quite a bit of Stadol on board! lol!!  My mom stayed with me while Pete ran to the bank...we had to call him back though because I wanted my epidural and I wanted him there...to feel my pain! lol!! 

Around noon, our sweet pea was born weighing 7 pounds and 14 ounces.  She came quickly with no complications.  She was beautiful and small (my boys were whoppers!) and cuddly...I just thought she was wonderful!!

Now, she is six and she is is such a sweetie!!

 She is very focused:

 learning how to draw up meds at Wellmont

She is helpful: 

 helping make laundry detergent

She is great at math:

 She is a Daughther of the King:

 She is a great nurse!:

 Giving Gus his meds

You may not want to let her brush your hair!:

She is very dramatic:

She drinks out of the milk jug!:

She sticks by you through the thick and thin:

And these are just a few of the reasons why I think she is just GRAND!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET PEA!!!!!!

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Pink Chandelier by anniebee

DD1 came to me today talking about our dog eating the "chanticleer" that is supposed to go into her new dollhouse.  DS2 comes in and says "Did you see that chanticleer?  It is so cool!"....What???!!  There's a rooster in the dollhouse? Nope...that would be a "chandelier" in the new dollhouse...and yes, the dog did chew it up! lol!!

I personally think this "chanticleer" is really neat!  One day I'm going to have an all pink room!!

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"Joyful Hearts" Quilt from Thimble Works

Today, Pete and I attended a Candlelight Memorial hosted by our local funeral home.  Of course, I started crying immediately...it was the pianist playing a beautiful arrangement of "It is Well, With My Soul" that opened up the tears.  This song is really special to me because I sang it often to Gus, especially when he was in the hospital this last time.  I can honestly say that "it is well with my soul" for the Lord has given me this gift of grief without bitterness.  I never thought I would ever be able to survive the loss of a child yet the Lord has taken me on that journey and here I am...hopeful and doing more than surviving!  Don't get me wrong...not everything is perfect!  I am still very tired and need to nap often...grief work is hard but God has been my Comforter and I know that He will continue to comfort me.  Knowing this and having the hope of Heaven bring me great joy.  I will always miss Sam and Gus and some days are going to be impossible to get through.  Nonetheless, I eagerly await our reunion in Heaven!!

"It is Well With My Soul"

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blessed assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

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Milo joined us this evening for our Advent Reading.  At first, he was a little fiesty but after Nik started the doggie massage therapy he did well! lol!!  And when we prayed he lowered his head...no lie!  We couldn't get him to do it again though!!

Here's a link for Dog Massage  so you can make your pooch happy this holiday season!

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I don't know why I am in such a state of "shock and awe"...but I am!!  We all went out for the annual "Candy Round-Up" and then went to our local, family-friendly Pizza Inn for dinner.  When we got there, we were greeted by servers who were dressed in very interesting costumes...I'd love to post pictures but...well...it would not be appropriate at all! lol!!  We saw a dominatrix, a scantily-clad Little Bo Peep with thigh-highs/garter, a policeman in vinyl short-shorts, and Alice in Wonderland with a dress waaaayy shorter than I know her mama would've let her wear!  And then...as we were leaving....my sweet little children were given.....deep breath....candy cigarettes!!!!   What???!!!!  Sheesh....shaking her head and walking away.......

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Ok...I feel so much better now that I've said that....

We carved pumpkins tonight...well let's say we made a really good attempt at carving them.  Nik's pumpkin needed a wee bit of surgery...we used 3 pins to hold parts of it together!  Clever, eh??  All in all, it went better than I thought it would...I may have even had some fun...maybe...well...ok, I did!

Pumpkin guts are gross!

Nik wants to know if anyone can guess what is carved in the pumpkin on the far left...leave him a comment even if you don't know!!

Spooooooky! 

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Some of us will never be able to hop like a kangaroo...this kid can!!  Not sure what kind of kangaroo he's hopping like....

Yes..he was able to walk afterwards!

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