2007 June - Aria MacDonald

This is something we hear a lot. Which is just wonderful. Our friends and family have been spreading the word far and wide about our wee girl Aria. So many times we have had people say they where speaking to people about Aria and those people have been moved to donate. Thank you so much!

We have had lots of kind and generous donations from people and organisations. It means a huge deal to us that we have your support. Thank you for stopping by to read about Aria and her progress.

A few things. Lots of people have been asking how much of the text donation actually goes to Aria. I am pleased to tell you the full amount thanks to the guys at Vodafone. No they didn’t ask me to say that. 🙂 It is really nice of them to support charities and not take a cut.

Secondly, lots of people are also asking about how we are going with fundraising. I am pleased to say we have reach 20% of what we need to raise for our living costs in the US. Not 20% of the transplant, we are hoping and praying the govt will fund that.

We still have a long way to go but 20% is a great start!

Thank you for stopping to in to visit Aria’s site! We very much appreciate your support.

Aria has the all important kidney tests mid July. The results of these tests will hopefully tell us when we might be heading off for transplant.

We have updated Aria’s photo album with her 1st birthday photos finally.

Hamish and I have spent pretty much no time reflecting on what was going on this time last year. Instead we have centred our thoughts on how far Aria has come and all the wonderful things that have brought us to this point.

It was one year ago today that we received the news of Aria’s diagnosis. On that day, as you will know, it appeared that there was no hope for Aria. This was a moment of profound devastation, best remembered but not dwelt upon.

One year on, there is much hope. She is healthy and well. With a great liver and still with her first central line! Amazing, totally amazing.

Sure, it has been challenging and will continue to be.

Thanks again to all the people that have enriched our lives. People that I would not of have the pleasure of being inspired by should we not of been sent on this journey. Two special people Jodee and Sam, mums whom I am honoured to know.

Thanks to Aria’s medical team, who really are tops. Such care and attention they show to our daughter and they all have a pretty good sense of humour. Very important, you know!!!

Thanks to all our amazing and generous supporters! So many people do so many wonderful things for us. Special thanks to Dan our web guru and Fleur our PR guru! Thank you to everyone, you keep our spirits high and our hearts warm.

Last night we where proud to attend another fundraising function for Aria. Our churches got together with the organisation of Cathy Tasker and others. Covenant Church hosted a fundraising Cafe for Aria. Yummy food was consumed and generous donations where given. Over $1,400 was raised for Aria!!! A big thank you to all involved whose hard work made it possible.

In other big news Aria is going to be a big sister! Another MacDonald baby is on the way, due beginning of December. We are really happy and excited.

Also you can now donate via text.  Text Help Aria to 469 to donate $3.

Yay! It is great to be here. Aria loves being back at home and is back to her normal happy and smiling self.

Thanks to everyone for their kind comments, text messages and emails on Aria’s birthday. We were really touched and grateful for the support. Thank you to the people that visited and helped with meals while we where in. Home cooking is such a luxury in hospital!

We are hoping this is the last hospital stay for a while. It is hard on our family and we love being home.

Yesterday was a great day, a time to celebrate the amazing first year of our incredible wee girl.

The good people at Starship let us go home for about eight hours enough time for us to get together with the extended family for a time to celebrate Aria’s life. Aria had great fun spending time with all her aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. She also seemed to love opening all her presents, sitting on mum’s lap and ripping open all the wrapping paper.

Aria also had a special gift for us, she has beaten her temperature, her teething seems to have finally taken a break and the lovely, funny, sweet girl that we all know and love is back with a vengeance. She is so happy and energetic, she is staying awake from 8am to 9pm full of energy and smiles. While this can be hard work for mum and dad, she makes every moment one of joy and happiness for both of us. Hopefully we will have the little ball of energy back at home on Wednesday, YAY!!!!

We would take one more opportunity to say thanks to everyone for their generosity and support for Aria’s first year of life you have all helped make it special for her and for us. Hopefully as you continue to support, love and pray for Aria we will see many, many more birthdays for Aria.

Lastly we would like to thank God who has been very good to us, giving us a beautiful girl and an incredible journey to go on. We know that as he has been faithful to us in the past year and he will continue to be faithful to us in the future.

P.S. Hopefully we will have some photos of the special day in Aria’s photo album soon, we will let you know when they are up.

Happy Birthday Aria!  One year ago our lives changed forever and we became the proud parents of Aria Evelyn Pearl MacDonald. She was beautiful from the beginning and we love her very much. 

She is a testimony of the graciousness of our God, who saw fit to take us on an amazing journey. He has given us a lovely daughter of whom we are very proud of. She is an amazing fighter and calm and content. She handles the tough stuff very well.

Happy Birthday Aria! We love you!

“The Lord has done great things for us, we are filled with joy” Psalm 126:3

Aria will spend her birthday at home with her family today! Yipppeeee! Although it is not what we planned it is still MILES better than her being sick and in hospital which could have been.

Also there is a very special person having a birthday today too. Jodee Reid, who means a great deal to our family, shares the same birthday as Aria. Happy Birthday Jodee!

Aria’s temp has been normal last night and today. This is great news. If it stays down tonight (Friday night) then we should get a leave pass to come home on Sunday to celebrate Aria’s birthday at home. It will be for a few hours but it is still better than spending the whole day in hospital and cramming into to a tiny room!

Maybe we will be home next week depending on a few things. Thank for your support. It has been a particularly sad hospital stay for Hamish and I.

Sunday is Aria’s birthday!  Hopefully we will get home to write a special birthday post.  It is a significant day for Aria and us.