01-01 #2

It's like the rainbow after a storm today!  Dr Chin the cardiologist just came in and told us that according to her echos and the reports, it doesn't look like Penny has the Aortic Coarctation! Her aorta does narrow but it is most likely because of her size and not something that will need surgery!  Miracle #867 I guess!  He is still a little concerned with her PDA not closing but she's not showing distress from it so we'll continue to watch it with weekly echos and see where to go from there.  (insert big sigh of relief here)

Her blood sugars are going to be checked every 2 hours with the AccuCheck bedside machine rather than having the lab come up and take a vile of blood to check it every hour like we did last night.  There was a lot of crying done by all the Chus present last night and not much sleep.  This morning the nurse hasn't had to stick her at all because she's found that if you alcohol swab where she was pricked last time it starts to bleed again with much less pain.  I love that nurse! 

It is the hardest thing in my life so far to watch my baby hurting and be able to do absolutely nothing about it.  It hurts in a part of my heart that has not been touched until now.  This pain that love brings is the price I have to pay for the abundant joy that loving these girls has brought and will bring.  The more we learn day by day about being parents, the more deeply I understand God and His love for us.  While leaving Lydia at Methodist (also extremely difficult) we were walking out past/with a little family of a mom, dad, and 2 little boys.  One boy was doing what all little boys do and that is run around without paying attention to who or what was around him.  As we neared the parking garage, and the cars leaving it, the dad very calmly and firmly said "be careful Caleb.  stay close to me Caleb".  At that moment I heard God say the same thing to me (even though my name isn't Caleb).  I wondered what He could mean by telling me to be careful.  Then I realized that the thing that is most dangerous for us right now is despair.  And the way to avoid that is to stay close to Him.  Of course when He said that I had no idea that I would be faced with a very sick baby when I got to Lebonheur.  But He knew.  He's so good to us.

Jonathan and Penelope are both resting quietly right now and I think I'll join them soon.  We'll be going to see Lydia a little later this afternoon. 

Penelope holding Daddy's hand

Penelope Anne partying it up for New Years Eve

Lydia kangarooing with mama