Remembering again...

Even though she has great belief, sometimes her nerves pit themselves in a battle against her faith in a great hospital staff and in God.  "Remind me again why we do this?"  That's one of the things running through Ashley's mind moments before surgery.  A calm reading of Psalm 113 and a prayer together help to ease those nerves and calm her down.  This post is an effort to remember a few things we hope not to forget and in the future, if ever needed, to remind us why we do this again and again.  

Tonight I remember:

How sweet and peaceful Ashley looked while resting "skin to skin" with Micah on her chest.

How wonderful and caring the nursing staff has been to us.

The blessing of fresh fruit.

How I appreciate a visit and prayer from a chaplain (other than myself).

How swift, efficient, and professional Dr. Francis was in performing Micah's birth.

How grateful I was when Dr. Cullen raised Micah up and kissed him on the forehead out of love.

How good it is to care for others who are nervously pacing the waiting area for a baby to come.

How wonderful it is for church family to come love on our new child.

How much of a blessing it is for family to stay with our other boys at home and rough house with the boys in the snow.

How sleep deprived you can be from all of the hospital and baby's interruptions.  We forgot how on edge we can be whenever he coughs, aspirates, or lies still sleeping for too long!

How much a sock monkey can make you laugh.

The thoughtfulness of fresh flowers can be from a friend in your hospital room.

How much a visit from hospital administration can mean and how much they care.

How grateful an Arby's sandwich from church family tastes when you got your wife's food ordered, but forgot to take care of your own meal by the 6pm deadline.

How meaningful it is to have a faithful elder of the church utter solemn and joyful words of prayer over your child and wife to a faithful and loving God.

and

How wonderful it has been to see our boys smile and hold their little brother.

While we may at times forget our experiences in the hospital, we are grateful for a God who never forgets us.  From Isaiah 49 we read:

15 “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast

    and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
16 Though she may forget,
    I will not forget you!
16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
    your walls are ever before me."