11/09/09 update

First of all, thank you especially to those of you who have been praying that I would be able to ward off this mastitis I felt coming on. So far, your prayers have been answered! The pain is completely gone and I no longer have the associated fever.

Malachi's chest tube has been removed which is good for two reasons. One, he gets to wear clothes. And two, WE GET TO HOLD HIM!! Right now he is only allowed one hold per day, so I got my chance on Sunday and John got his today.

Right now, John and I need to stay healthy. Obviously, if we get sick, we won't be able to see him. With surgery scheduled for early Thursday morning, we need to be able to visit him at the hospital. The should get him to start prepping for his surgery around 7:15 AM. John and I are currently staying at our new apartment, but we will hopefully be spending Wednesday and Thursday nights at the in-hospital Ronald McDonald house so that we can be close in case anything were to happen to him.

With the physical hurt that had been added to my ever-growing list of "trials", I think I allowed myself to kind of withdraw from everything that has been going on and just kind of sulk. I am trying to constantly remind myself that "the Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in EVERY DETAIL of their lives." None of this is coming as surprise to God. This isn't plan B for my life. Instead, this is what He has had planned for me from the beginning. I need to lean on Him and allow Him to transform me more into Christ's likeness through the suffering and trials that I have endured and will continue to endure as we walk through this period of our lives. To Him be the glory.

I received an article from a good friend regarding enduring trials. Here is an excerpt:
"So many people don't get to this good place because they refuse to embrace the trial all the way to the end. They're like the workers who never get paid; the athlete who never wins a game; the farmer who never makes it to harvest time. Unless you embrace what God is doing with unwavering submission, you will not reap the good. Stay in the game. Don't resist.

Jesus Himself modeled this kind of victory in the garden when He prayed, "Your will be done." Not my will, God, but Your will. Not what I want, Father, but what You want. That's the essence of submission right there, and that's where the victory begins."

A few more pictures:

One of our semi-regular nurses did us a favor of taking Chi's footprints after we left the hospital yesterday. How precious and ginormous are these feet!


Mommy and baby 11/09/2009

We got both eyes open at once for quite a bit today!! Okay, not that long, but we'll take what we can get!