Amazing

I remember driving to the hospital on Dec. 4th...trying to stay calm and thinking that we'd be home later that night after being checked out by the doctors. Instead, after hours of watching the nurses trying to stop labor, I remember listening to the doctors tells us that Lincoln was coming no matter what. April and I had no warning...it was the last thing we were expecting when we woke up that morning, and there we were having to quickly suck it up and accept reality. It was very surreal. For those of you who've been following our adventure, I'm sure you know what happened next:-)

Now, two weeks later...tonight, we sat in the Intensive Care Nursery...April holding Lincoln on her chest...and it still blows us away to call Lincoln our son. I'm sure many of you have been through a similar experience. If not the shock of parenthood, maybe some other big reality that seemed to attack with no warning. Like many nights over the last two weeks, we were able to spend a long time just sitting with Lincoln tonight. He's still going pretty good. He gained 2 more ounces so now he's 3lbs 3 oz's. He's still on a little oxygen but we're hoping his lungs will get stronger very soon. When we're with him, we never really say much. It's best not to do anything that might disturb him(I tend to have a loud voice so it's hard to always be quiet). A lot times we whisper things to him and kiss his head. Most of the time we just sit and are still with him. His warm skin against ours. His soft head against our chins. And feeling his little chest move in and out when he breathes.

April and I were talking recently and thinking of all the ways that we were already "ready" for a baby. We had most of his room set up here at home before he was born. Friends and family have been extremely generous in giving us things we'll need as parents. You want to know something weird? April just reminded me that I'd actually made an ironic comment the day before Lincoln was born. On the morning before his birth, I stepped out of the shower (the place where I think a lot) and I said, "What if we're so prepared because the baby is going to come early?" I don't know why I though that or said it, I just did.

The reason I bring all of this up is because as we sit with Lincoln, we are constantly reminded of how amazing God is. God blessed us when April got pregnant, he blessed us when Lincoln was born, and we are blessed to know that God is watching over Lincoln all the time...growing every part of him as each day goes by. We've also been blessed to get to know some great people who are taking care of our baby boy...Lincoln's nurses! It's been great to have conversations with them - laughing and sharing stories with them, getting to know about their families (visa/versa), and listening to them explain the realities of preemie world in caring ways. There's a verse that says, "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom." The adventure we're on is something we never planned or expected but God has a plan. Even on good and bad days, we know that God is watching over us. We know that even if Lincoln gets tired from trying to breath, God will be right there...He doesn't grow tired or weak. He created Lincoln with a purpose and He is Lincoln's everlasting God.