Made New

Ethan's recovery from surgery has been amazing. 

The team at U of M really did a great job.

The ebb and flow of daily life has taken over.

We have entered this place

where

hospital life is not necessarily the norm anymore.

We have started to plan again.

And we have opened our hearts 

to this little thing called hope.

Ethan is getting stronger day by day.

We sit back and watch 

as the love

between our children strengthens

and peace settles over us.

Made new...

Home

"God said, 'I am who I am'."

I always marvel 

at the greatness of God.

Especially when He just 

swoops down

and does something huge 

and unexpected.

Ethan is home.

Surgery was successful

and he was extubated.

He was also given a port in his chest.

This will allow the team easy access for future surgeries.

The less time under anesthesia, the better.

He's a bit worn out, but he is home to recover.

And for that...we are thankful.

Somewhere In Between

"Happiness, not in another place 

but this place...

not for another hour,

but this hour."

Walt Whitman

This place we find ourselves is

somewhere in between...

It took a whole lot of miracles to get him here.
And now, we wait for surgery on Friday.

Truth is, we dread these surgeries.
Because they often take our boy away from us.
Leaving a long way to work towards getting him back in our arms.

His strength amazes me when he is home.
All of his issues just slip away.
Every single setback...
each surgery...
they all fade.
I forget that he has been in the hospital so many months.
His presence is so great
and I wonder what we did without him for so long.

This time home...
he reaches for me.
He scoots over to me and buries his face against mine.
He pulls me close so that I kiss his cheeks.
And it occurs to me...
this time
he knows home.
He finally knows...
this life outside the hospital.

Somewhere along the way...
in between all the surgeries and hospitalizations
we learned how important
this moment
 truly is.

"This is the day the Lord has made,
let us rejoice and be glad in it."
Psalm 118:24

Happy Birthday, Ethan

3 years ago, one of the strongest women I know 

gave birth to a baby boy

 with many complex and severe medical diagnoses.

Over the course of 8 months, she and her amazing husband

stood by as Ethan underwent multiple surgeries,

knowing

at the end of it...

they would never bring him home.

The selfless sacrifice they endured 

to give Ethan a life they could not

is the ultimate testimony of love.

We are forever grateful for the 

miracle of his life,

for their relentless perseverance,

and for the beautiful 

way our two families have 

become entwined as a result.

And Ethan...

he celebrated a magical 3rd birthday today.

For the first time...

at home.

Many more to come, sweet boy...

"I will sing of the Lord's great love forever;
with my mouth I will make my faithfulness known
through all generations."
Psalm 89:1

Exhale

That breath we've been holding?

Exhaled...

"The Lord bless you and keep you;

the Lord make His face shine on you

and be gracious to you;

the Lord turn His face toward you

and give you peace."

Numbers 6:24

Genuine Love

"This moment contains all moments."
C.S. Lewis

Pure, unbridled joy.

There is great beauty in these moments.

Stronger than ever.
Both in body and in spirit.



This next week is bittersweet.
Surgery for Ethan.
And the celebration of 3 years of life.
We stand right on the brink of finally having Ethan home on his birthday.
Knowing that surgery usually brings a lengthy hospitalization.

In the meantime?

We give it all.

Genuine, unconditional love.
Always.

"There is no fear in love."
1 John 4:18

Milestone

"Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement."
C.S Lewis

And then...
sometimes
it does get easier.

Another setback found Ethan back in the hospital this weekend.
He had a stomach bug and became dehydrated...quickly.
His body was limp and lethargic.

But...

He was discharged this afternoon.

For the first time
he bounced back.
No respiratory distress or lung issues.

Milestone.

These little things that most people wouldn't even think twice about...
become
monumental in the course of our lives.

So, here we go...
take two.

      

"He has made everything beautiful in it's time." 
Ecclesiastes 3:11