Update on Stellan

Stellan is not doing well at all. They are air lifting him to the Boston hospital. Please pray for him and his family. To read about his story and that of the whole MckFamily please click here.

Not Me! Monday!

Normally, on Monday I try to post all the crazy, funny, outrageous things that didn't happen to me and/or Little Man. But this Monday isn't going to be like that. This Monday I am asking everyone who visits my blog to pray for baby Stellan. He is back in the hospital with SVT. The new medicine they thought would help him doesn't seem to be working. His heart is still working overtime and his MckMama is heart broken to see her baby like this. I will be praying for the whole MckFamily during this difficult time.





If you want to read more about MckMama, Baby Stellan, and the MckFamily click here.

I put on your shoes, but I didn't walk in them

Tonight, my heart is heavy. The weight of all the indescribable hurts of those I have never met are weighing me down. To read about all the mommies and daddies who's little ones are hurting and knowing nothing that I can do to take their hurts away. I am a fixer. I want to fix everyone's hurts.

That isn't my job.
That is God's job.
Not Mine!
I am trying to remember that tonight.

Like the title states, I put on the shoes of a hurting mommy but I didn't have to walk in them.

On February 15, 2003 my little Jacob Christopher was born at 5:26 a.m. After a very rough delivery he was born not breathing.

Instead of holding my brand new baby they rushed him into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. I was informed before I saw my son to not look in the other rooms. I was told to not gawk at other babies in the NICU. I was supposed to just walk straight into his room after washing my hands.

In the hours and few days that followed Jacob underwent several tests. They thought from his rough delivery that he would be developmentally delayed. The did an MRI to test for that. He was refusing to eat. So I nursed and pumped for him. They gave him vitamins and kept him hooked up to iv's.

The night that I was released from the hospital and Jacob had to stay there I was devastated. I looked at Jacob's dad and I burst into tears. I had never been so sad in my entire life. I told him Mommies don't go home without their babies. The nurse walked in and saw how hurt I was and found me an empty room so I could stay another night.

When there were no more empty rooms in labor and delivery I was sent home once again, without Jacob.

The whole time Jacob was in the NICU I never had to question whether or not he was going to make it.

I knew ... eventually he would eat.
I knew ... eventually the yellow tone in his skin would subside.
I knew ... my baby was ok.
I knew ... he was going to come home and be with me.
I knew ... I was his mommy and I would be the only one taking care of him.

While I was checking up on MckMama and Stellan and The Freeman's baby Kayleigh I remembered all the tears I cried for my little man. For my little man who I knew was fine. My heart goes out to the whole MckFamily and The Freeman's.

I am praying for every single mommy and daddy tonight who is standing in a NICU over their babies. I have hope and faith in God's plan's. God is by your side through all of this.





Tenth Avenue North says it best ...

I'll be by your side where ever you fall
In the dead of night whenever you call
Please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
MY HANDS ARE HOLDING YOU

Walk in His Strength

Mindy

I held him LONGER

Tonight, I enjoyed Jacob. I hugged him closer. I read more books at bedtime. I looked at the color of his eyes so I knew every single shade in them. I smelled in his scent. I held his tiny hand. I giggled at his chewed finger nails. I didn't tell him no when he asked for chocolate milk before bed. I pulled out my favorite sappy children's book I Love You So ... by Marianne Richmond.
Even though Jacob protested the reading of it ... I read it anyway. I wanted him to know, actually I needed him to know, how much I love him tonight. Especially, tonight!
I tucked him slowly into his own bed. I once again told him how much he means to me. I kissed him on his head and as I walked out the door I looked back. I need to remember these moments. I need to store these moments in my heart. I need to remember them when days are tough and long. I need to remember them when I forget what a miracle he is. Miracles happen all around us everyday. Tonight, I held my son longer.

And ... as my child sleeps in his own bed. There is another boy, Stellan, who is fighting in a hospital bed. His mother, MckMama, by his side praying for him, crying for him, being strong for him, and loving him. She has already fought so many battles for him. She has prayed many, many hours for him since the days he was still growing in her womb. She is a momma who knows that miracles can happen, that DO happen. Tonight, before I tuck myself into bed, I will pray. I will lay myself on the ground before the Lord and humble myself for this little boy.

Will you do the same? Will you pray for him as well?

I am a believer. I believe in a God who performs many miracles. I believe in a God who knows the plans for this child, His child.

I will pray for this family. I will pray that the Lord keeps them strong. I will pray that the Lord will show them His will. I will pray the Lord will hold Stellan's heart and fix it.

MckMama, Prince Charming, and the whole MckFamily tonight I will pray for you. Our God is the same today as He is tomorrow. He is unfailing, unyeilding, and forever faithful to us.

Walk in His Strength,

Mindy

Can I become a better Christian by reading blogs?

Hi, my name is Mindy and I am a blog reading addict!

It started off really small I would just read Bring The Rain by Angie Smith.



I love reading what Angie has to say. She is such an amazing Christian woman. I look forward to any and all posts she writes. I pray for her and her family all the time.


Then as I was snooping around her blog I saw the button for MckMama and to pray for Stellan.



After I started reading about Stellan's story and the Many Small Children. I was hooked.


Then I started snooping around her blog and I was hooked on another blog and another blog and another blog.

Now I check on my blogs everyday. I feel like they are my best friends. I am inspired by the stay at home mothers. I am inspired by the authors. I am inspired by the decorators, the preachers wives, the preacher himself. I find myself longing to read about their lives. I relate to them when the discuss their weaknesses. I pray for them when they need to find inner strength. I laugh when funny things happen in their lives. I love all my blog friends. (Side note: Can they be your friends if all you do is stalk their blogs? I think YES!)

But the more and more I read the more I wonder ...


Is it possible to find yourself becoming a stronger Christian by reading these blogs?

Many of the blogs I read inform me of some amazing books they are reading or books that they have written.


I just ordered From Blushing Bride to Wedded Wife by Marla Taviano. (Another sidenote: I know that I am not married yet but this book helps you when you become a wife and the proceeds of the book went to an orphanage in Cambodia)

I digress. My point is I now have a wish list of books that I want to read by reading these blogs. So here is my official wish list.


* Living Simply by Joanne Heim

*Misplacing God: (And Finding Him Again) by Joanne Heim

*She's Gonna Blow! Real Help for Mom's Dealing with Anger by Julie Ann Barnhill

Ok I know that this is a short list but it will get longer the more I read these blogs.

Does anyone have any good Christian book selections for me to add to my list?