One month update!

It's been one month since Anna's device was activated in Verona, Italy, and we have seen remarkable things.

First, Anna's babbling has changed.  She used to "babababa" all the time.  Now, she is quiet when the device is not on, and when she speaks, it seems more imitative of speech.  She likes wearing the device and asks for it in the mornings.

Before the surgery, Anna could say words like "papa" and "purple," but they came out as puffs of air
with very little voice behind them (even though, at other times, her voice was very strong).  Now, she says those same words with more voice behind them. 

Anna has also added "yellow" and "blue" to her spoken repertoire.  These are words she was attempting to imitate pre-surgery, but now she can say these words, or at least something close and recognizable as these words. 

In the past week, Anna has also mastered the "mmm" sound.  She could say "mmm" before at random, but never on command.  Now, she can say "mama" and "moo" (as in cow) when you ask her.  (Note:  If you are thinking about leaving a comment to highlight the irony of Anna's being able to say "mama" and "moo" during the same week, please don't....it's not lost on me, I promise.  A trip to Italy, stress, lack of self-control, and a well-documented weakness for kettle cooked salt and vinegar chips have caused this mama to be approximately the size of a well-fed heifer.  But hey...it's a small price to pay for "mama" and "moo.") 

Today, Anna added a new sound, "h," and a new word, "hot."  As Lucy was getting into the bath, she exclaimed that the water was "hot, hot hot!"  Anna had her back to Lucy, so she didn't see Lucy's mouth, but she still turned around, and repeated the word, "hot."  We know Anna can hear voice. It is often hard for her, especially in noisy environments, but she can definitely perceive and repeat certain voice sounds.

And so, I am left with some observations. Sometimes miracles come in big, sweeping events, as a family acquaintance personally observed when she witnessed a roomful of deaf children in another country receive instantaneous and miraculous healing of their ears in one incredible moment as the word of the Lord was shared. Oh, how my heart wished that for Anna!   But God's ways are not our ways, and He has many ways to heal.  Sometimes, His miracles come little by little -- a surgical intervention made available, funds to meet needs found, and one "m" or "h" sound conquered at a time.  No matter how healing comes, it comes by way of the miraculous intervention of a loving and merciful Father.  Thank you, Father, for every little moment that is the making of Anna's miracle.