Pictures, Prayers, and Praises!

Sometimes life is hard...

Some days you just need someone's hand to hold.

Some days you just need to know that someone is there for you, so you don't have to do it alone.

Some days you just need to stare deeply into someone's eyes to find strength for the next moment.

Some days you just need to be held...

And held...

And sometimes being held is all you need to bring a smile to your face.

Sometimes the discomfort you're feeling is just too much and you can't hide it anymore.

Sometimes you just need to cry on someone's shoulder.

Sometimes the hardships you're facing take so much out of you that you fall exhausted at the end of the day.

Some days you may even just need someone to carry you through.

Yes, some days are hard....

BUT God always gives grace!  God always provides us with ways to get through each moment.

Some days being surrounded by friends gives you the determination to get through!

Some days you can find joy in the simple things, even when you don't feel very good!

Some days you feel loved and supported by way of a listening ear!

Some days God surrounds you with family or friends to provide you with the strength you need!

Some days that strength will give you the confidence to do great things!

And some days that strength will even provide you with JOY to smile in the midst of it all!

Yes, God is so gracious to provide you with JOY for the journey!

And some days things that used to get on your nerves can make you smile!

Some days you you will be able to distract yourself from all the hard stuff by rocking back and forth while making funny faces and learning to make noises with your mouth!

And God will always provide you with sweet rest in the midst of the chaos.

Yes, God always provides you with what you need, even though the road often is not easy.

Can I challenge you to rest in Him today?

We are so thankful for God's abundant grace! Giving us so many things that we don't deserve. Each moment with our sweet boy is a gift!

Prayer Requests

1. We are still waiting for Samuel's custom trach to arrive. Please pray that when it does arrive it will help Samuel to breathe more comfortably and keep his airway from collapsing!
2. Samuel has still had many days with fevers, including the past 3 days. He is currently on antibiotics (again) even though they haven't found a specific infection. Please pray that they are able to figure out the cause of these fevers!
3. Samuel has been getting continuous trickle feeds since Thursday evening. They started him with 2 ml/hr and he is now up to 6 ml/hr, so I really do mean a trickle! So far his belly seems to be staying soft, is not tender, and he is having good output into his ostomy bag. Please pray that he will continue to do well with the feeds so that they can keep increasing his intake!
4. Please pray that the inflammation of Samuel's intestines will continue decreasing so that they can reverse the ileostomy soon!
5. Continue to pray that God will grant the doctors wisdom in every decision. We are still waiting for them to make a decision about Samuel's heart, and whether we will need to stay in Delaware until his next heart surgery or if we will be able to head back to Arkansas Children's Hospital for a while once the trach and GI issues are resolved.
6. Pray for rest and healing for Samuel's body. His lungs, heart, and GI tract still have a long way to go, and it is often hard for Samuel to get comfy and rest with his fevers. Along with his fevers his heart rate and respiratory rate always shoot up and he gets pretty fussy. Pray for rest and comfort for our brave boy!

Praises!

1. Samuel has the biggest smiles! It is so fun to watch his personality develop!
2. Samuel has been getting milk for the first time in 2.5 months, and seems to be tolerating it well!
3. We have had a few visits from family members and friends in the past few weeks! It always lifts our spirits, gives us a taste of home, and is refreshing to be able to get out of the hospital for a bit!
4. Seth and I are allowed to handle Samuel quite a bit more on our own now! It is fun to be able to move him around in different positions, and be able to get him out of bed some!
5. We still just feel so blessed every day to have a place to stay at the Ronald McDonald House!

This is His story, and it is ALL for His glory!