July 26

July 26th will always be Adeline's day . It marks the first day of her fight for life.  Here is her story.

July 26th is always a tearful day for me.  I have a heightened awareness of what I almost lost.  I also have a greater appreciation for what I have.  

I had to work tonight.  As I drove home, I was anxious to go and check on Adeline.  I needed to have that quiet time with her.  She was awake when I walked in her room.  She was sniffling and asked to go into my bed - something she does very rarely.  I brought her in and laid her on my chest.  I felt her breath, I smelled her hair, and I marveled at how big she has grown.  We laid like that for a half hour.  She just fit. 

As I lay there taking her in, I thought about all the things that I would have missed if Adeline never made it into this world alive.  I remembered back to the first time I heard her laugh and how tears fell from my eyes.  It was just a tiny gurgle that was over powered by the oxygen flow in her cannula but it was a laugh that made me laugh until I cried.  I remembered the NICU nurse practitioner telling me that she could see it in Adeline's eyes - a will to live, a life to lead.  I doubted her.  Looking back I believe the nurse was telling me something she truly believed.  Adeline is the brightest yet quietest presence in the room.  Her quiet determination has not only changed my life but has made an impact on her teachers and therapists as well.  Adeline has taught our family how to love deeply, dream big, and believe in the unbelievable.

Not too surprisingly,  Adeline perked up and ended our late night snuggle.  Late night is her brightest hour - just like her Daddy.  I thought it would be a good time to get one of our conversations on video.  Here is Miss Adeline approaching four years of age.  She is the baby that doctors said would never be born alive.

Only by the grace of God. . .