Sunday, August 9, 2009

AN UPDATE FROM THE SHELLENBERGERS- 1AM 8/9/09

"Hello to all! I can't even begin to say how grateful Mitch and I are for the awesome support system we have in our family, friends, and people we don't even know! We are just overwhelmed with emotion of how the Lord has used these two tiny lives to bring His body together, uniting us in prayer. And believe me every single prayer has been felt and heard!

First things first, we finally named the babies, so when you pray you can now cry out their names. Our little boy's name is Jaron Mitchell. Jaron means " he will sing out, he will cry out. " The spiritual connotation is JOYFUL and the verse for him is Job.8:21 "He will yet fill your mouth with laughing, and your lips with rejoicing." Mitchell, I am sure you figure how we came up with that... his daddy's name. Even at the tiny stage, we think he looks like Mitch :-) Mitchell also means "who is like God." Our little girl is Teagan Colette. Teagan means attractive, and the spiritual connotation is faithful. Her verse is this.. Titus 2:10 "They.... should know their masters they can be fully trusted so that in everything they do they will make the teaching of God attractive."

Jaron and Teagan are still doing great, they are still on a minimal amount of oxygen and today they started their first feedings. They each got 1 mililiter of my milk and then 8 hours later would get another feeding if they digested the first, AND THEY DID, so they both got a second feeding tonight. This is a gut stimulation for them right now, getting their little stomachs ready to do what they were made to do. The nurses say that this process can be stop and go... so pray that they will continue to digest the mild, because this will make them grow. We are going to "chub" them up :-) Another thing to pray for - sometime this week they will do an echocardiogram (not scheduled yet) to make sure the certain heart valve ( i forget the name) is closed or open. In a lot of premies the valves are still open, and it could mean surgery (which would take place at Hershey) or it can sometimes mean just medication. Let's go the whole way and believe in Jesus name that these valves will be closed!! There's no other name that will be able to do it but Him!

We will be here until Monday, and then it will be traveling back and forth from home. Pray that we can get a good schedule figured out, especially for Kaylan. All of the sudden her world has been changed... although right now I think she's enjoying all of the attention she is getting from grandparents, aunties and uncles. She tells people she is a big sister, and likes to look at the babies, she even knows the process of having to wash your hands first before you go back. She's an awesome little girl.

We love you all so much, thank you a million times over for standing in the gap for our family!

Love,

Mitch, Heather, Kaylan, Jaron and Teagan"

13 comments:

  1. Rhoda & Jonathan CharlesAugust 9, 2009 at 6:05 AM

    Dear Heather & Mitch,
    We are keeping you & your family in our prayers & were blessed to hear this wonderful update this morning from you. We will share it at Habecker Mennonite Church this morning with all who are there supporting you with love & prayers.

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  2. Thanks for the update. Thinking & praying for you.

    Dan & Amy

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  3. Tears dripping down my face as I read such GOOD news of the progress of your miracles! Our God is an awesome God! We will continue to believe and stand in prayer with you guys "that the work He started in Jaron and Teagan WILL be brought to completion!" AMEN! We love you guys! Ryan & Jen

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  4. Thank you Jesus for your plans and purposes and for your gifts of Jaron and Teagon. They are already serving you and proclaiming that you are the healer, protector, provider, and most of all the KIng of Kings mighty to save. My prayer is that these 2 miracles would continue to unite the Body of believers to call out to you. How amazing is it that Jaron and Teagon declare your Kingdom by just being who and what they were created to be, without trying or striving, but by simply being. Thank you again Jesus in advance and continue to DECLARE it out loud (with the power of life and death in our tongues) that Jaron and Teagon strong, healthy, perfectly created servants of Jesus. Much love and Prayers Mitch, Heather, Kaylan, Jaron, and Teagon

    Love you guys,
    Anthony

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  5. That is so amazing that they are taking your milk! I pray for wholeness of every cell in their bodies.

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  6. hey we have been praying for you guys and thinking about you often since we heard the news of your little ones. we will keep praying and believing with you. may you continue to feel His presence and love carrying you through this time.
    Mark and Heather

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  7. I read an article in People magazine about premature babies and it gives a lot of hope for their future as happy healthy adults. Here's the link:
    http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20281882,00.html

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  8. Clyde and Donna Smith (along with Keziah)August 9, 2009 at 7:30 PM

    Heather and Mitch, you and Jaron and Teagon, (and course Kaylan) are in our prayers. Pastor Ron brought it to our attention that when Keziah was born it was during worship at Living Hope and when the twins were born was during worship at Living Hope! These little ones are truly anointed by our Lord for some awesome mission for HIM! Praise our Lord!!!

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  9. These little lives are a miracle already...God will continue doing miracles in their bodies.

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  10. They're looking for a PDA. My name is Amanda and I have had the pleasure of taking care of Kezie when she was in the NICU at Hershey. I'm sure her parents can tell you that there are some special people up there. We will certainly keep an eye on one or both of them should they need to come visit, but, like I told Lauren, we're hoping they can stay close to their family. Thinking of everyone daily.

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  11. Heather, love the names,I love the meaning of Jaron names, "He will sing out, He will cry out" May we all join him and cry out for on going miracles in their lives!! What an awesome God we serve, My eyes are filled with tears as I think about of Connor's birth and the 8 days I ran in and out of that hospital as he was in the NICU! My prayer is that if you are with Kalyan, Jaron or Teagon that you will focuss on who you are with and not who/what you should be doing. I know with Nolan I felt bad leaving him all the time yet I was so pulled to just sit and be with Connor,
    May you God's grace and mercy cover you my friend, I also pray for quick recovery as you heal from your c-section!! Love you all Shauna

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  12. Mitch and Heather, Praise the Lord, He is mighty to save. We praise Him for the good news of your update. We pray for continued progress for Jaron and Teagon, that every fiber of their beings would be knit together perfectly by the Master's hands. May His Grace, Strength and Faith continue to carry you. Love, Sonya and Tim

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  13. It's me...Auntie Carey. After reading this blog and my facebook posts I am once again reminded of how the Lord uses every situation for the good of those who love HIM...Jaron & Teagan you are bringing people to their knees, because you being born into this world a little earlier than expected reminded them to pray. For some it was added to their prayer list because they talk to the Father daily and for others you brought them to their knees for the first time in a long time...Praise the Lord! You are being used already and will continue to be through out your lives as you grow strong and serve Him. Mitch & Heather I know the Lord has given you a peace that passes understanding and it is being a testimony to so many of God's strength and peace. And Kaylan, I love you so much...you have the privilege like I have for the last 31 years of being the big sister.It's so awesome. I know you already love Jaron & Teagan so much and I know the Lord will give you a special grace for this time. Reagan and I love you all so much. This WILL be an added testimony of the Lord's incredible faithfulness to our family. I can't even explain right now in words the work the Lord has been doing in my heart since Thursday night when I got the "call". He has been constantly reminding me of His promises. 1 Kings 8:56 "There has not failed one word of all His good promises."
    Psalm 66:5 "Come and See the works of God; He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men."
    Last but not least, I opened an old bible today and out dropped a picture of the two of you (Mitch & Heather) from your "dating days". I found a picture of each of you (Holly & Andy, Corey & Carrie, and of course you guys) in this bible. These pictures were taken and put in this bible long before you had children, because you've always been in my prayers, but I know I found this for this time. Your picture was "sitting" in the book of Samuel 7. Here is what Samuel 7:22&25 says, "How great you are. O Sovereign Lord! There is no on like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. "And now, Lord God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised so that your name will be great forever. Then men will say, The Lord Almighty is God over Israel! And the house of your servant David will be established before you."

    We love you!
    Full of Faith,
    Carey

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