Annelise in Omaha

Hello!  If you’ve found your way here, you’re probably already on our journey with us and following my Facebook updates, or our blog (essentially the same updates, but for people who aren’t on fb: https://anneliseupdates.blogspot.com/?m=1 ) about Annelise’s progress as a newborn  diagnosed with Trisomy 18.  She’s currently receiving life-giving interventions at Children’s Hospital in Omaha, NE because the hospitals in California either refused to provide heart surgery because they took it upon themselves to view her medical and cognitive challenges as “no quality of life”.... or the hospitals used the excuse of not being equipped to handle her challenges.  Enter Omaha!  The cardio thoracic surgeon here, Dr. Hammel, initiated a team of professionals that are dedicated to treating the medical. needs of babies with Trisomy 18 and 13, when other hospitals won’t... and have been so successful at getting these babies stable and thriving with their families at home! There are about 10 babies with trisomy here now from around the United States!  They keep rotating on through... some go home and others are born!  Our goal is to successfully get through Annelise’s needed surgeries, and go home! We’re on our way there! We are infinitely grateful for the care we’re receiving here, but can’t wait to get back to our home and our community there.❤️
We’ve received gifts beyond what we ever imagined from our friends who do life with us at church, but the offers of support have extended even beyond the people we see on a regular basis, and Kevin and I have been overwhelmed in a good way at the amount of friends from every season of life that have reached out and asked if we have a GoFundMe set up, or how they can help us and support us.  
It is a weird and vulnerable feeling to accept help from someone else.  I’d much rather be the one lending a hand, than be the one asking for help, since I so much like to feel like I’m in control of all aspects of my life. 
This experience has made me realize just how much I’m not in control of, and how much I rely on God to provide daily.  We get caught up in our own anxieties about the future, but the Lord has been so faithful in His provision of our needs, both emotionally and tangibly.  We know He is for us, and I like to avoid using “churchy” words when I can... but we’ve been so blessed! There’s no way to describe how incredible it has been to receive “random” blessings from friends at the most appropriate times.  You don’t always even know how God is using you to bless other people!  
I feel like it’s important for our growth, as Annelise’s parents, to set up this GoFundMe page ourselves, and put ourselves out there to ask for any help that you feel led to give, to support our medical adventure in the Midwest.  We took this leap of faith halfway across the United States and I feel that any question about it being the right move has been answered so many times over.... we are  in the right place for Annelise!   Kevin and I are so thankful first for your prayers.  It is so amazing to know that more people than we even know about are talking to God about Annelise❤️
Thank you for the many ways you’re there for us as so many levels of our support system!
We appreciate our team more than words can explain!
love,
Kevin and Jeanette