Our family is together.
Our hearts are full to overflowing.
It has not been without difficulties, sacrifices, hard lessons, and learning to live our lives in a completely different way. But it's so, so worth it. It always is.
It's included tears. On the first few days, when "normal" settled in and I realized I can never just go somewhere. I can't just get out anymore. It's included frustration and fatigue. It's meant no such thing as a date night out. It's meant hours upon hours of orientating new nurses. It's meant moment after moment of reminding the children why we can't do certain things.
But I continue to be amazed. Not once have the kids asked why. Not once have they questioned why things are so, so different than before. Not once have they complained that we can't do certain things because of Chloe. Instead, they've been amazing. They've taken to some of the nurses. They ask what time the nurses come. They ask if they can help. They help get us supplies, gloves. I constantly find random bows in Chloe's crib, thanks to her big sister.
And it's included so many moments of "wow, our family is together," and, "whoa, we're a family of five," moments, the type that just kind of hits you and you're in awe of the very moment that you look around the room and see each person enjoying being part of this crazy family.
We brought our sweet girl home October 3. Then flew her back on October 13. She got a virus. A "cold" to us, but we couldn't hear her murmur quite right. So we spent the next 8 days in the PICU. And we're back again. And there was fear in that moment, when we sent her on the plane, in a storm, back to Children's. But He brought us through that storm, just like others before...
And we're doing this.
And we're adjusting.
And it's the hardest thing we've ever done.
And we're learning sacrifice. Give and take.
And we're blessed.
And we're thankful to all those carrying us through this. For the random friends showing up with coffee on cold mornings after long nights. For friends bringing food with steam curling off the top of the dishes and filling our tired bellies and souls.
And we're learning. We're learning her schedule, the kids' new schedule, new work schedules, new nurse schedules.
And we're smiling and rejoicing. And we're dancing in the living room to White Christmas on family movie night.
And we're rocking our sweet girl.
And we're playing more with her.
And we're soaking up every. Single. Minute. With her. With our family. Togetherness.
And we're so, so thankful that she is here. She is home.
And we continue to take this road one step at a time. One prayer at a time.
And sometime, when I have a coffee in one hand, a sleeping baby next to me, and children quietly playing, I'll write more. I'll write about the hard days. I'll share about the good days. I'll let you laugh with me about the chaos that is our household. I'll share stories of love and laughter in our little home. My heart aches to write and my fingers to type. I long to share, especially with other new mama's and daddy's of little special kids, and especially with families anticipating home health care and what this crazy journey is like...
But right now, I'm focusing on family. And life. And new routines. And my sweet, sweet baby.
And as the weather chills and the hot chocolate swirls, and the calendar starts to look a lot like Christmas, we stop first this month, this new calendar month of November, a date we were originally told we'd never see with our sweet daughter...
...to give Thanks.
To all of you.
To Him.
*Follow Our Chloe Elizabeth on Facebook to see updated pics since we've been home
0 comments:
Post a Comment