And 44 days later..

Hello Friends and Family...well after a long stay at the hospital, I was discharged today.  However before we get to that, I got to hold my oldest (Caleb) for the very first time today.  I just love it!  And then I was able to hold Ezra (sans the huge amounts of drugs I was on when I first held him).  I am anxious now to hold Gideon.  It is still a strange feeling to have a son that I have not held yet, yet we are assured that their brains are still a bit immature and they are not impacted by the lack of touch that we would think they are.  The good news is, Caleb and Ezra are both off of their IV's!  I can't imagine how those must feel to our babies, and am so glad almost all are relieved from it.  Gideon is on a nasal form of air that is much less intrusive than his previous C-pap.  It is a little hard knowing he is struggling more than the others,  I find overall I must look at the big picture which is they are all doing remarkably well, and we are blessed beyond our wildest imaginiations.

Leaving the hospital was a very odd feeling.  At first I was very emotional, I really don't mind being stuck in the hospital when you are only down the hall from your babies.  And then I thought of all the miracles that have taken place in my room, being able to be in the hospital for 44 days with pre-eclampsia is a miracle as many of you know.  I felt a certain amount of loyalty to that room.  But alas, they don't let you stay there just because you like being there, so we left.  Then, I was outside for the first time and saw that while I was resting, winter really had arrived.  Minutes later we arrive at the Fisher House, it is really a lovely house with nice rooms, much homier than expected.  Then, the Wives of Officers had brought a great dinner with a variety of entrees.  Again, I thought I had lost my appetite due to the surgery, but it simply was a absolute lack of desire for anything from the hospital. All I can say of parenting is I totally get why parents can't get over their kids.  Jeff suggested we just stay in our room and just act like a normal couple for a minute, dinner wasn't even over and we both were like 'Yeah, let's go see the boys'.  There is nothing else in the world we would rather be doing, than spending time with these little lives whom we have known less than a week!

I have not and will never be able to know all the prayers that have gone up for us during this journey.  I just want to shout for joy, and yet I know all of this is the result of God's Grace through the power of so many prayers.  Thank you, dear friends who have been fervent prayer warriors.  I love you all!