"Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it into Glory." ~William Barclay

Since her early birth at 29 weeks gestation, Anabelle Katherine Hodges has been living proof that miracles do exist ...she is proof of God's grace and glory.

We had a neurology consult on 9/23/08 w/Dr. Collette Parker at UMC in Jackson, MS. I had suspected for awhile that Anabelle may have a mild form of Cerebral Palsy, as soooo many preemies do. We confirmed that she, most likely, does have a form of CP that actually may be pretty extensive, which broke my heart for her and our little family. I'm sad because Moms want their children to be healthy, and no one wants to hear that anything could be wrong. I'd prepared myself for the diagnosis, but not the severity. God loves Anabelle more than I do, and He absolutely wants the best for her, as he does all of his children! I believe that if we get the formal diagnosis that Dr. Parker suggested on Tuesday, after the MRI on Nov. 3, 2008, THAT ANABELLE WILL BEAT THE ODDS AND SHOW WHAT A CHILD OF GOD IS MADE OF!!! She is a fighter, and she has been since birth. I truly believe that Anabelle Katherine can do anything ...she always has ...she always will!

I've pasted the mass email I sent out asking for PRAYER WARRIORS ON BEHALF OF MY ANABELLE! IF YOU READ THIS ...PLEASE LIFT HER UP IN PRAYER, AS WELL!!!!!




Dear Family & Friends,

As you all know, Anabelle was born 10 weeks premature in July 2007...and has all the subsequent preemie problems associated with being born so early. She is wearing glasses and has fine and gross motor delays.


Although her cognition and language are very age appropriate now, she was diagnosed yesterday with Cerebral Palsy @ our Neurology Consult. All preemies experience some form of trauma at birth and most have loss of oxygen, which can cause the problems that preemies seem to exhibit. I had a pretty good hunch that she had CP (or at least CP-like characteristics), as she is still having problems sitting up (at one year) and is lacking some of the reflexes that she should have. We have scheduled a sedated MRI soon to determine the severity of the CP. Originally, yesterday, Dr. Collette Parker stated that she may have a pretty extensive form of CP, but she stated that she's been wrong before, so she wants the MRI to determine the severity. As I said, Anabelle is talking so well (exactly age appropriate), and her cognition is right on target and she is very social ....AND THESE CHARACTERISTICS ARE QUITE RARE FOR THE SUSPECTED DIAGNOSIS WE WERE GIVEN YESTERDAY!!!!

My plea is for each and every one of you to please lift Anabelle up in your prayers ...please ask God for healing!!!! I know that she is going to have developmental delays (as I am quite the realist ...I'm the one that requested the neuro consult), but she is getting such good reports from her physical therapist and her occupational therapist ...and these reports totally contradict the diagnosis that we received yesterday.


If you will remember, Caroline was diagnosed w/a hearing loss at birth ...and God answered that prayer - Caroline has no signs or symptoms of a hearing loss to date. I believe that God can heal Anabelle - no matter what the diagnosis is. I would ask that you pray that the MRI reveals a less extensive form of CP! I would ask that you lift the neurologist and radiologist up in prayer, as well as the therapists that see Anabelle weekly. Please pray for healing, strength and continued faith and hope ...for Anabelle and our family.



Thanks so much for your friendship, love and prayers
...Melanie Rowsey Hodges