Pictures

I tried to take a picture of the boys for Mark for Father's Day... It's tough to wrangle two babies and get them both 1) to look at me 2) not to close their eyes and 3) to smile at the same time! And apparently for Owen the temptation to deliver a few jabs at his brother was just too great!

Happy Anniversary!

One year ago today, Owen came home from the NICU. At 10 weeks of age, he slept in his bed, in his house, for the first time. I, on the other hand, barely slept at all that night! I have to say that God really knew what He was doing when he gave us Owen first. At the time, we didn't know any other way than having a baby in the NICU. That's just the way it was, and we dealt with it with relatively little emotion.

Now, our Gavin is 8 weeks old, and I canNOT imagine him being away from us and enduring what Owen did. When Owen was in the NICU, other parents would look at me in amazement - that I wasn't constantly breaking down, that I was able to carry on and prepare for Owen to come home. I didn't understand, but now that I've had a newborn at home, I do. And I don't think I could have gone through it if the boys had been born the other way around. I hate that NICUs have to exist, but I trust God's infinite wisdom. After all, He gave us Owen first.

Owen's first day home

Owen today!

Garage Sale-ing

This morning I got up, got the boys up, packed up their accessories and the double stroller, and we went garage sale-ing! I definitely got some cute, fun things for the boys, but after about an hour of pushing the stroller around with Gavin sleeping and Owen fussing, I began to doubt my sanity. I was about to turn back to the car, when I decided to head down just one more street.

And then it happened.

At the next garage sale I visited, it was time to feed Owen. I hooked up his tube and gave him a pour. The two little boys at that house were curious, and their mother apologized for them staring. I told her it was no big deal and explained to them what I was doing, and that it was because Owen has a heart condition. Another woman at the sale asked which one. I told her it's hypoplastic left heart syndrome, and that he also has a chromosome abnormality. She was shocked and said her daughter had also had the same condition, including a rare chromosome abnormality.

We chatted for a while, and the way she looked at Owen told me there was a reason for me deciding to head down that street. In fact, I don't believe I "decided" as much as I was led that way. She was amazed to see a child with Owen's conditions doing so well, and I know Owen was able to be a testament for the glory of God today.

What a blessing that Owen's purpose in life is revealed to us daily in such wonderful ways!

New Baby Sweetness