I still get worried...

Lucy hasn't slept thru the night in weeks...so when Tim's alarm went off at 7:20 (On a SATURDAY!!) and woke me up, I hopped up saying "Lucy slept thru the night?!" I ran in there, certain I'd find a dead child. She was face down (WHY does she have to sleep like that?) but breathing comfortably. Back to bed I go, but the adrenaline has already surged me alert for the day. After about 30 minutes of laying here, trying to convince myself that it was ok to go back to sleep on this gray weekend morning, Lucy quietly opened her door (she doesn't sleep in her crib anymore!). I heard the door, but no words or cries came out. I went and got her and brought her back to our bed. She might have even been sleep walking because she has been asleep in our bed for an hour now. I so enjoyed laying here, watching my hubby and child sleep peacefully; appreciating the fact that no one was going to come in and interrupt our family time. I'm a nurse in a hospital, so I often contrast our "normal" life to "how it could be". And I'm frequently thankful that we aren't in the hospital, as patients, for any short or long term issues. No one is coming in (this morning) to take our vitals, or wake us from a sleep to ask us what we want for breakfast, or how we slept? ("Well, I was sleeping fine, until you asked me that!") Our health and our freedom flabbergast me sometimes as I pray a prayer of contentment...to make me content, and to remind me of these precious times if and when we ever meet such trials.


Then my mind wandered to other families....to an individual who isn't having that weekend family-bed peace. Baby Clarissa for one. New Day foster home admitted this baby girl (presumably from an orphanage that realized they couldn't take care of her medical needs and asked New Day to care for her), and within one day she was admitted to the hospital in heart failure and on a ventilator. It's not because New Day broke her, but because they work hard and they care EXPERTLY, and have access to city hospitals who CAN help. And because of generous donations made in $5 increments by people who care all around the world to help pay for the expert medical care these babies need for a chance in life. The staff at New Day are the "parents" who show up and advocate for these kids day in and day out....and play and love and teach them too. You see, as kind and thoughtful as medical staff are (we all have the best intentions when we care for our patients), patients always heal better when a parent is at their bedside, praying, advocating, blocking our sometimes unnecessary interruptions in order to give their child 15 minutes more sleep. I value parent input and advocacy immensely as a nurse.

So this morning as I lay here with my perfect little family, knowing I will do anything in my power to keep this family intact and whole, I'm praying for baby Clarissa to not only recover from this crisis, but that she would soon know a mother's arms surrounding her in protection and love. She already has a Father's love that knows no end.

Won't you please give $5 to the chip in campaign button on the left, (matched to equal $10) for New Day's medical fund?? Thanks.