Today we celebrate Ella

We all hope to see you today at 3:30 at the Daniels Funeral home in Rio Rancho. 4310 Sara Road Southeast. Following the memorial for Ella, Christopher and Emily have invited everyone to join them at their home for appetizers and to share their stories.

-maria

To the out of towners

Emily and Christopher wanted me to relay to all of the friends and family that may be closer to OH that they will be having a memorial service there in the coming weeks. They will be traveling East soon and would like to have a memorial in Emily's home town. If you are near the Columbus area, please join them for this ceremony rather than trying to travel out to NM next week.

The family will be planting a tree here and in Ohio in Ella's honor. They would love if each of us would plant a tree for our children and Ella.

If you will be visiting Chris and Emily, please try to take a meal that they can freeze. The coming months are going to be tough and this is a simple way to help them out. Be sure to mark what your meal is, what temperature to cook it at and for how long.

Many of you have asked if you can bring children to the services on Wednesday. I encourage it. The family wants this to be a celebration. Don't feel obligated to wear black. And please feel free to bring your children.

-maria
on behalf of Emily, Christopher, Aiden and Ella

Funeral Arrangements for Ella

http://danielsfuneral.frontrunnerpro.com/runtime/113092/runtime.php?SiteId=113092&NavigatorId=385853&viewOpt=dpaneOnly&ItemId=961415&op=tributeMemorialCandles

The link above will take you to the Daniels Family Funeral Home page designed for Ella. You can leave messages and view the details for the memorial service. The service will take place at 3:30 pm on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2011 at the Daniels Family Funeral Services on Sara Road in Rio Rancho. Please see the link for a map and detailed directions.

Ella is being cremated so there will be no viewing of the body. The service is a celebration and Ella's first party. Please feel free to wear a bright color and celebrate with the family. The family has invited everyone to join them after the service at their home. 8000 Bluffs Edge NW, Alb. NM. They would love to share stories about Ella and see all of you who have been such a strong support.

If you would like to visit Christopher and Emily in the coming days, please send me an email: mariaoue@gmail.com or to the hawkes.family@hotmail.com. Please do not show up unannounced. Of course, you are welcome to reach out to Chris or Emily to arrange a visit, but your chance of a response is better if you email or call me. 505-715-7976.

Thank you for your patience in waiting for this update. There were lots of details that had to be worked out.

love,
-maria
on behalf of Emily, Christopher, Aiden and Ella

Update 9/14

Thank you for all of your calls and emails. There is lots of work to be done and each of you will be needed to some capacity over the coming weeks/months and years.

For today, Emily and Christopher are trying to get a little rest. They are exhausted and trying to get some important decisions made. There is still no concrete plan for the date and type of memorial service as of yet. There should be more information about that by tomorrow. I will definitely update you as soon as I know.

Your love and visits are important. Please respect their need for a short visit when necessary and I recommend you bring food that can be frozen and is labeled with what it is, how long and at what temperature it should be cooked.

Thank you again and I will see you all soon.

-maria

Ella 8/31-9/14 2011

Ella passed away at 5:05am today. She was at home with her parents, where she belongs. So many interesting things about her time of death. She was, almost to the hour, 2 weeks old. She had been in her own home for exactly 24 hours. The girl has style. And she made her exit on a storm filled night complete with lightning and lots of dramatic rain.

Tiny Angels

Tiny Angels rest your wings
sit with me for awhile.
How I long to hold your hand,
And see your tender smile.
Tiny Angel, look at me,
I want this image clear....
That I will forget your precious face
Is my biggest fear.
Tiny Angel can you tell me,
Why you have gone away?
You weren't here for very long....
Why is it, you couldn't stay?
Tiny Angel shook her head,
"These things I do not know....
But I do know that you love me,
And that I love you so".

Author Unknown
There is a lot to be done, but a few decisions need to be made first. Please look here for updates to come on the services. 

-maria
on behalf of Emily, Christopher, Aiden and Ella

Ella 9/13

Ella had a pretty good day. She arrived home around 5 am. She has had a couple of "episodes" where it gets very difficult for her to catch her breath and then she locks up a little. I have seen Emily calm her down when this happens until she is breathing all right again. Emily is a beautiful mother and takes wonderful care of that precious baby. Christopher does his part as well. He is a strong husband and an excellent father.

Ella slept today, which gave her parents a chance to sleep a couple of hours as well. Ella's pain is being managed very well and she seems rather calm. She is definitely an "old soul".

I was able to see her today. She looks beautiful. Aiden gave her lots of kisses and that is saying a lot because he is pretty stingy with his kisses. She still has very kissable cheeks. I told her about all of your prayers for her. I let her know that she could leave Chris and Emily and Aiden with all of us and we would do our part to help take care of them.

Ella is a very tough, determined little girl. She has had several of these "episodes" and she pulls through them to give us all one more chance to tell her how wonderfully blessed we are to have her. She will not be with us much longer, but she sure has left her mark already.

She is two weeks old as of now. I love her very much and I know so many of you do too.

-maria
on behalf of Emily, Christopher, Aiden and Ella

Ella is back in NM

She made it through the flight! Chris said she had one little scare, but she knew she needed to be here with her family. They arrived around 4 am, exhausted.

I'll keep you posted

-maria

Ella is on her way home

Everything and everyone is working together to get Ella home. Emily and Chris and Ella will all be on the life flight that will fly directly to Albuquerque in a couple of hours. Ella is tough and I am sure she can make it through all of the changes and her parents will be right by her side to comfort her.

Beth, Emily's mom, told me a fun story earlier today. Emily was exhausted and finally laid down next to Ella. She drifted off to sleep but said she woke up when Ella just kept scooting closer and snuggling up with her. She knows her mama isn't going to be far from her.

I have had a few calls today asking how Emily and Chris are doing. They are glad to be bringing Ella home. It is a very small victory, but they know she needs to be here.

I'll keep you posted.

-maria
on behalf of Emily, Christopher, Aiden and Ella

Ella 9/12

Doctors and Emily and Chris have agreed that Ella's last days would be better if she were in Albuquerque where their family can all be together. The trick is getting her here. There is a chance that she will be flown back to NM on the life flight along with both of her parents. Once here, she will be made comfortable and Aiden will be able to say good bye to the sister he just said hello to.

I know everyone wants to meet the beautiful baby that has arrived and been enveloped in so much love,  but please respect Chris and Emily's privacy as they go through all of this. There will be no visitors allowed at the hospital and the family is keeping their phones off so they can just enjoy the time they do have. There will be a definite need for visitors and conversations in the weeks and years to come, but they need this time with just the four of them.

It is time to pray again, or still. Pray that Ella is flown back sooner rather than later and that her parents are able to both travel with her. Pray that she is strong throughout the flight and doesn't suffer. And please don't forget to thank God for the time Ella has been with us. It is easy to be angry. It is hard to forgive. Funny how that is what we are always hoping for though, forgiveness.

Thank you for your patience with me. I am trying to keep you as informed as possible, especially now, but I understand if it is difficult to not have someone to speak to. Please feel free to call me any time and I will gladly share what I can with you. 505-715-7976

-maria

Ella 9/11

I have been procrastinating posting a blog entry because I am not sure what exactly to say.

Ella is not doing well. She is struggling despite everyone's best efforts. She is still breathing, and without being intubated. This is a good thing. Her oxygen levels are staying relatively normal, but she is having lots of fluid build up. Doctors are not sure how much longer she will be with us.

I suppose I should find something inspirational to pray for, but I am so lost. Elizabeth prays for Ella to not be sick any more. I mostly pray for Emily and Christopher to have enough strength to give to Ella and each other.

Emily and Chris are strong people. They are doing this hundreds of miles away from all of us, but they are enjoying every minute with Ella. She is a beautiful baby and they know how blessed they are to have her, even for this short while.

I hope to have better news tomorrow. In the mean time, please keep Ella and her family in your hearts and prayers.

-maria
on behalf of Christopher, Emily, Aiden and Ella

Ella 9/9 again

Just to update you, Ella will be off of her supplimental oxygen tomorrow. It is a big step. She is only a week old and she has touched so many people and made us all so strong. I am sure that strength will resonate through her and make her strong enough to breath in all of the love being sent her way.

-maria

Ella Update 9/9

Thank you all for joining the blog.

I don't have much new information. Ella is still struggling to get off of the ventilator. She just needs to recuperate a little more before the doctors feel comfortable removing it. Her oxygen is turned way down though so that is encouraging.

The last few days have been tough because the doctors needed a new IV and it is never fun to see your baby poked and prodded. Emily and Chris are by her side constantly though and she is drawing tons of strength from that. They tell her stories about all of us and how they met and apparently she is lulled to sleep (or bored out of her mind) by all of it.  :)

I mentioned setting up a calendar to sign up to watch Aiden and do some of the other tasks that have to be done at the Hawkes house, but we are okay for now. I will be sure to get it up Monday or Tuesday. Thank you everyone who is already itching to pitch in.

I am sending a package to Chris and Emily tomorrow. If you would like to send them anything, the address is:
Ronald McDonald House
c/oChristopher & Emily Hawkes
520 Sand Hill Road # M213
Palo Alto, CA 94304-2001

The best thing to send is something edible or readable. If you can write your favorite story about how you met Chris or Emily or Aiden and send them that, it will give them something to read to Ella while they are sitting with her. It may even have the effect of helping them crack a smile. Edible is always good because they are constantly snacking and never eating a proper meal. I am sending some jerky, nothing as good as what Chris has been making, but at least it will last.

Christopher and Emily are exhausted. They need lots of strength now. Keep them in your prayers, along with a strong recovery for Ella.

Thank you all,
-maria
on behalf of Christopher, Emily, Aiden and Ella

Ella Update 9/7

Ella is progressing with her recovery just as the doctors expected. She is moving around and healing up from the surgery. She is a tough cookie and determined to be a good patient. The recovery period is very long and there are weeks between now and her journey home so keep up the well wishes.

My brother visited her today. I guess she liked having a visitor because he said she was wonderful. And so well behaved. :)

Emily and Christopher are tired and hopeful, just as they should be. They are tough as well. Keep them in your thoughts too. They get to spend lots of time with her. They sit in the room with her until the doctors and nurses change shifts. They are the pillars that Ella is drawing strength from and all of you are the ones giving them strength. It is good to be a part of a team. They want to thank all of you for your support and prayers. They are felt and needed.

I will keep you posted,

-maria
on behalf of Emily, Christopher, Aiden and Ella

Ella Update 9/6

I apologize to all of you out there waiting for updates. I know that everyone is very invested in this beautiful baby and her family and more is better.

I have spoken to Emily and Christopher a couple of times. Here is the break down of most of their trip so far. Ella was transported and her heart rate was a little high. They pretty much have this under control, but it is something to look out for. It looks like she is having some trouble with her airway, and doctors think this may have something to do with her jaw being set back a little too far. The plan as of now, is to wait and see, but she may need a surgery to correct this. As for the surgery, the surgeons went in with a game plan and completed their check list in about 5-6 hours, which is what they expected. Ella did fine under the anesthesia. She was still a little sluggish yesterday, but hanging in there. Her blood pressure was a little high and she is a little puffy which suggests she is retaining fluids, but the doctors have assured Emily that she is urinating fine and I expect that today, that all worked itself out.

These are the facts. There are some saving graces though. Emily and Christopher were lucky to make it into the Ronald McDonald house out there which is about a mile from the hospital and not a huge expense to stay at. They have chores to do each day which remind them that life exists outside of the hospital. They eat regular meals and are being a good support system for each other. They have at least 3.5 more weeks out there, but the place is already becoming a doable second home.

Emily seems to be moving around great. We all forget that she had a baby less than a week ago. She is getting back and forth to the hospital and pumping regularly for Ella. She's pushing through the baby blues just fine and is one of the strongest people I have ever seen. I commend her parents for raising such a strong and determined young woman. Christopher is doing all right as well. He is a good support system for Emily and is figuring out the lay of the land so they can occasionally eat something that is not cafeteria food. All in all, they are a stronger together.

Aiden is doing well too. Right now, his grandma and grandpa are spoiling him rotten. He has adapted well and seems to understand his role: Hang in there until the rest of the family gets home. He is an intelligent kid and he knows Mama and Papa took Ella to the hospital.

That is the bulk of the info I have as of now. I will update you as often as I possibly can. I will also be sending a care package to Emily and Chris once a week. If you have any suggestions or would like to add something to the package, let me know. They are a long way from home and my hope is to send them something physical that reminds them that all of us are thinking about them and praying for them every day, all of the time.

Thank you all for your support in all of this. Emily and Chris really appreciate knowing how many people care.

love,
-maria
on behalf of Emily, Christopher, Aiden and Ella

Surgery 1st post

Ella is out of surgery. It sounds like she did well. I haven't spoken to Emily and Christopher yet, but I will update you as soon as I do. The surgery was expected to last about 5-6 hours and that is how long it took.

I know how frustrating it is for you to not have more information, so as soon as I do, I will relay it to you.

Thank you again for your prayers. This is a huge hurdle to be through. It is definitely a success point and Ella isn't even a week old. The recovery process is long. Please keep the Hawkes in your thoughts througout it.

-maria
on behalf of Christopher, Emily, Aiden and Ella

Ella's Surgery

I got a quick update from Christopher and Emily yesterday. Ella arrived okay and they have completed all of the tests they needed to run. She will be having surgery today at about 9:30/10am. Please say an extra prayer or keep her in your thoughts today. This is the toughest of the 3 surgeries and Ella has to be on bypass for it. Pray for her parents as well. This is a very difficult day for them.

I will keep you updated with as much info as I can.

-maria
on behalf of Christopher, Emily, Aiden and Ella

Ella Day 3

A quick update:

Ella is being flown to Palo Alto tonight. Probably in a couple of hours. Unfortunately, neither of her parents are able to go with her because of the staff necessary that is taking up all of the room on the plane. Emily is on her way out there now and Chris is going to pack up their bags and meet her there first thing in the morning.

Ella is doing fantastic. She is maintaining a good heart rate and actually gained a little weight, she is 6 lbs 1 oz,  which is saying a lot because she still isn't getting any milk. Don't worry, Emily is pumping and freezing the milk so Ella will have all the nutrients when they start her on a little bit more solid liquids.

I will keep you updated as much as possible, but there won't be much for the next couple of days. Ella will not have surgery until she is stabilized at the hospital there and they run their tests to be sure they know what they are in for before the surgery. We expect surgery to happen somewhere around Tuesday.

Keep up your prayers and remember to pray that Emily and Chris get good rest in there somewhere. They send their love to everyone. I will be in touch soon.

-maria
on behalf of Emily, Christopher, Aiden and Ella

Ella: Day 2

I can't believe Ella is only 2 days old! She seems so much a part of everyone's lives so far, that it is hard to imagine what it was like before she arrived.

Today, Aiden met his sister. Oh yea, baby scrubs!!!

She was intibated last night because her oxygen was dropping low and the doctors have said they will most likely leave this tube in until after her surgery. That's right, she is eligible and ready for surgery. This is extremely exciting. Everyone was worried about her, but her heart rate is steady and she seems strong enough to travel to Palo Alto where she will be stabilized and they will run a few more tests to be sure they know what to expect before surgery, and then she will have surgery next week some time.

She will most likely leave tomorrow with one of her parents on a "life flight". The other parent will fly commercial immediately after.

This brings about another way you can help Chris and Emily. If you have unused airline points that you would like to put towards a ticket for them, let me know. Ella will be there for 4-8 weeks and Chris and Emily need to stay as long as possible, but they will have to fly back eventually and if this surgery is successful, there will be another surgery in 3-6 months. Then there will be another one in about a year or 2. There is lots of flying involved, so if you would like to donate a free ticket, please let me know and I will start coordinating this.

I have a few corrections and things to add to my last few entries. First, Ella has an awesome godmother. Me! I am so blessed. Her godfather has been proven to be a good guy too. It is Fred Landavazo III, my father. Next, Ella was born with an extra rib. I have decided that this is to help protect her from a broken heart. Finally, Emily and Chris are rock stars. They are taking great care of Aiden, Ella and each other. It is a wonderful site to see how they have grown as a family during all of this. I am blessed to have them as my compass in all of this. I would be lost without them and I am supposed to be helping!

The next phase of my help is to set up an online calendar. I will have open dates for watching Aiden, bringing food to them, mowing the lawn, taking care of the pool, checking the mail, etc. We are set for about 2 weeks, while Emily's parents will be here to do most of that, but the calendar will allow you to sign up for what ever you feel comfortable contributing.

Thank you all again for your prayers and support. I have been keeping track of all of them and relaying them to the family. I'll create a book with all of your support and comments for them to refer back to when they need the extra push, so keep them coming.

love,
-maria
on behalf of Christopher, Emily, Aiden and Ella