After being in the hospital for 13 days, I was more than ready to go home! Will had to first pass a 2 hour car seat test and be circumcised (which apparently you have to wait several more hours after that is done to make sure all is okay). So after the several hours of waiting (AGAIN…waiting!!), we broke free of the hospital!!
I cannot tell you how great everything felt – walking around, holding my son, the sun on my face, the fresh air, even riding in a car (even though that didn’t feel the greatest). I truly felt like a new person, not only physically but spiritually. God had done something to me in that hospital and I can now say that I will never be the same.
Walking through the door of our home was enough to put me into an emotional roller coaster! I was flooded with feelings of joy, excitement, scared, worry, thankfulness, EVERY emotion under the sun. It was my safe place that I could finally feel all of those things. We did our usual ritual of introducing the dogs to the baby and getting him settled when all of the sudden I caught a glimpse to our breakfast room table. It was COVERED in gifts. There were preemie diapers, preemie clothing, cards of encouragement, food, gifts for me to be pampered, and so much more. I later found out that our freezer had also been stocked with food. My in-laws had gone to the grocery store and gotten everything we needed.
You see…this is what community is all about. My closest friends and my community group knew that I had planned for months and carefully calculated everything I needed, right down to stocking up for the first year of Will’s life in diapers. But they knew I had nothing that would fit a preemie child. They took care of all of that for me!
I am forever grateful for my amazing support system. People that knew what I needed and I never had to say anything. People who prayed without ceasing for my family but also provided gifts of love and service. That is community. That is family. That is how I survived this crazy ride!!
