Better and Better!

We are feeling weary so just a brief update but had to share our exciting news - it seems every day just gets better and better!

The NICU needed room and Evelyn Grace was the most stable baby there so she was moved this morning to the regular nursery (!!!) They are continuing to monitor her for the next few days to see how she does.  So far, so good - Praise the Lord! 

I was able to try nursing her today (it went "okay" for being seperated over 2 weeks- we'll have a steep learning curve) and I enjoyed every minute of snuggling!  We thought the regular nursery would have more flexible visiting hours but were disappointed to find we are only allowed to see her from 12-2pm and 6-8pm (at least there is no more leaving the house at 3:40am to make the 5-5:30am visit time!).

The best part of the day was that CALEB GOT TO MEET HIS SISTER FOR THE FIRST TIME!!  He LOVED it and had the biggest grin ever.  He was all over talking to her, touching her, kissing her, holding her, blessing her....it was one of the sweetest things I've ever seen.  Until it came time to leave and he was really, really uspet that "baby sister needs to come WITH us."  We couldn't agree more.  When we were finally driving away (with him all upset that she wasn't with us), he finally said "WAIT, we need to go back! I forgot one little detail."  What's that, Bud?  Caleb: "I forgot to tell the nurse not to let her cry!"  

We are overjoyed and humbled by the speedy recovery our little Evelyn Grace has been making.  We are overwhelmed and filled with gratitude for all your many prayers on her behalf - the Lord has been answering and Evelyn Grace is our true little miracle baby.  All babies are miracles (and after this experience we even more so realize what a true miracle a healthy birth and baby is!) but Evelyn Grace's healing and speedy recovery from what is a very serious (and often fatal) condition is a miracle and we praise the Lord for His gift of life to our baby girl.  We continue to pray for complete recovery and no relapse or build up of fluid in the lungs over the next days, weeks and months (something that can happen and put her back in the  NICU) and we continue to lean heavily on the Lord to keep her safe and sustain her going forward.  We aren't *quite* out of the woods hospital yet but we are seeing what seems to be the light at the end of the tunnel and anticipating having our daughter home and in our arms (where she belongs!) soon.

Please continue to pray for complete healing and a clean bill of health, for no return of fluid or complications, for no breathing complications, for healing and no infection of the holes where her chest tubes were, for peace for us me when we bring her home (I'm really worried about something happening to her or a complication coming up and us not noticing it), and for the transition home (as she learns to be loved on, to be held and touched, to be nursed and as we learn to balance life as a family of 4 and heal from this whole experience).  Thank you again for upholding us in prayer - we are so thankful for your outpouring on our behalf and also for the outpouring of love and care we have received (your notes, emails, cards, care packages, gifts of money to help pay for medical bills and travel, checking in on us, offerring resources, meals, cleaning, groceries etc).  We feel very blessed by you. Thank you really doesn't say enough.