Disclaimer: We started writing this post in the hospital after Judah was born... then we brought Judah home and are just now getting around to finishing the post. If you've had a kid, you'll understand ;)
Wow - it has been quite an emotional 24 hours for our family. We've pretty much experienced every emotion over the past 24 hour period, with the overwhelming feeling of JOY throughout. As many of you know, Hudson was delivered at the very same hospital we are at today, just over a year ago. We knew coming back here would be a hard thing to do, to relive all the smells, sights, sounds, etc... However, this time around we fully expected (and indeed experienced) a much different journey than Hudson's birth. It is amazing how our minds work and the different triggers that exist - for example, the smell of the hospital, smell of the soap, the layout of the delivery room... all of it brings us back to December 22, 2008 when our Warrior was born. In fact, we even had the very same anesthesiologist and very same Dr. deliver Judah who delivered Hudson. The similarities in the delivery room were a bit unsettling, yet reassuring at the same time. It is so amazing how God uses these sorts of situations and scenarios to show us how much He loves us and how He is in control. You see, whereas last time around we were nervous, scared, worried, uncertain, etc... However, this time around we were confident and assured that Judah's path would be much different. Our trust and our hope in the Lord was most certainly not in vain; I write this as I sit watching my beautiful bride holding our precious Judah close to her - no wires, no breathing tube, no monitors... just Judah, mommy and daddy. We are reminded of the line from a popular worship song -
Wow - it has been quite an emotional 24 hours for our family. We've pretty much experienced every emotion over the past 24 hour period, with the overwhelming feeling of JOY throughout. As many of you know, Hudson was delivered at the very same hospital we are at today, just over a year ago. We knew coming back here would be a hard thing to do, to relive all the smells, sights, sounds, etc... However, this time around we fully expected (and indeed experienced) a much different journey than Hudson's birth. It is amazing how our minds work and the different triggers that exist - for example, the smell of the hospital, smell of the soap, the layout of the delivery room... all of it brings us back to December 22, 2008 when our Warrior was born. In fact, we even had the very same anesthesiologist and very same Dr. deliver Judah who delivered Hudson. The similarities in the delivery room were a bit unsettling, yet reassuring at the same time. It is so amazing how God uses these sorts of situations and scenarios to show us how much He loves us and how He is in control. You see, whereas last time around we were nervous, scared, worried, uncertain, etc... However, this time around we were confident and assured that Judah's path would be much different. Our trust and our hope in the Lord was most certainly not in vain; I write this as I sit watching my beautiful bride holding our precious Judah close to her - no wires, no breathing tube, no monitors... just Judah, mommy and daddy. We are reminded of the line from a popular worship song -
"I'm pressed but not crushed persecuted not abandoned
Struck down but not destroyed
I'm blessed beyond the curse for his promise will endure
And his joy's gonna be my strength
Though the sorrow may last for the night
His joy comes with the morning!"
**This is the continuation of the post after being home from the hospital for a few weeks **
Joy is truly the overarching theme throughout this journey. Some interesting tidbits that caused us to pause and reflect on God's divine providence and the fact that He is so firmly in control and works all things together for the good of those who love Him:
26 February was the same date that Hudson came off the ventilator a year ago, and stayed off of it for nearly 2 weeks, even making it to the step-down pediatric cardiac unit (7C - if you've been there, you know what I'm talking about...)
12 March - Malynda's birthday & Judah's 2 week birthday; it also happens to be a very hard day to remember as last year Hudson was rushed back to the PCICU after coding on 7C his first night there (coding = heart rate/blood pressure dropping below life-sustaining levels). This year, however, we were celebrating 2 weeks of life at home with a healthy, happy Judah & Conner on Malynda's birthday.
These are just a few examples of how the Lord can use seemingly insignificant dates and times and cause certain associations of sadness and pain to be replaced with joy and happiness. As we enjoy each moment and simply bask in the healing aspect of having our healthy new baby boy at home with us, we thank God that every good and perfect gift is from Him. We thank Him for allowing this healing to take place, while we also never forget how very deeply our lives have been forever changed by the short time our Warrior spent with us here on earth.
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." - James 1:17 (NIV)
Struck down but not destroyed
I'm blessed beyond the curse for his promise will endure
And his joy's gonna be my strength
Though the sorrow may last for the night
His joy comes with the morning!"
**This is the continuation of the post after being home from the hospital for a few weeks **
Joy is truly the overarching theme throughout this journey. Some interesting tidbits that caused us to pause and reflect on God's divine providence and the fact that He is so firmly in control and works all things together for the good of those who love Him:
26 February was the same date that Hudson came off the ventilator a year ago, and stayed off of it for nearly 2 weeks, even making it to the step-down pediatric cardiac unit (7C - if you've been there, you know what I'm talking about...)
12 March - Malynda's birthday & Judah's 2 week birthday; it also happens to be a very hard day to remember as last year Hudson was rushed back to the PCICU after coding on 7C his first night there (coding = heart rate/blood pressure dropping below life-sustaining levels). This year, however, we were celebrating 2 weeks of life at home with a healthy, happy Judah & Conner on Malynda's birthday.
These are just a few examples of how the Lord can use seemingly insignificant dates and times and cause certain associations of sadness and pain to be replaced with joy and happiness. As we enjoy each moment and simply bask in the healing aspect of having our healthy new baby boy at home with us, we thank God that every good and perfect gift is from Him. We thank Him for allowing this healing to take place, while we also never forget how very deeply our lives have been forever changed by the short time our Warrior spent with us here on earth.
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." - James 1:17 (NIV)
