Hope

Yesterday was a really hard day.  I wasn't sure how to communicate what I was feeling, so I just put up nursery pics.  Saying goodbye to Caleb and my parents...as well as a hard conversation with the doctor...and the move from the hotel to the Ronald McDonald House...all added up to a very emotional day. 

Today was significantly better.  We had plenty of good things to celebrate (which I will share later). People we love came to visit from Cruces as well as from across town. We had relaxed time to spend with Baby Boy, and I got to hold him for the first time since moving back to Pres. :-)

Tomorrow is still unknown.

 

We are learning about hope.  What is it that we are hoping in?  Are we hoping in Jude's progress?  Does our hope rise and fall with each new piece of news the doctors share with us?
 

If we are placing our hope in anything else but Jesus, our foundation is nothing but shifting sand.  We can't place our hope in our little guy's progress...in oxygen levels or platelets or MRIs.  In Jesus alone can we place our hope...in the One who is the same yesterday, today and forever.

"Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine

and puts them into practice is like a wise man who

built his house on the rock. 

The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew

and beat against the house; yet it did not fall,

because it had its foundation on the rock.

But everyone who hears these words of mine

and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man

who built his house on sand.

The rain came down, the steams rose, and the winds blew

and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

Matthew 7:24-27

Tonight, we're celebrating:  

• Jude opened his eyes today!!!  Brandon was with him when he first saw it, and I got to see it later in the evening.  What a blessing to see those sweet little peepers, and for him to see his mommy and daddy!  Thanking God for that tonight. 
• His platelet levels increased again on their own.  This is such a victory, and we're very happy with this trend.
• His MRI didn't reveal any more bleeding. It looked pretty much the same.  We're thankful for that, and we are still praying that the Lord would bless the areas damaged by the bleeding. 
• They removed his umbilical artery line.  This was partially used as a blood pressure monitor that tracked him moment by moment.  With his stability in this area, it is no longer needed.  :-)
• The Ronald McDonald House.  What a blessing this place is!  They provide dinner and breakfast...along with free laundry and a great place to stay.  And, we don't have to pay anything.  Thanks, Lord.
 

Tonight, we're praying about:

• His right lung. It hasn't shown much improvement yet.  They started him on medicines today to try and break up some of the mucus build up.
• Surgery next week.  They are thinking they will do it on Thursday or Friday.  We have yet to meet with the surgeon, but that is the plan as of now.  Praising God for that!
• His kidneys. They had to stop the treatment they were using to help him get rid of fluids because it was affecting his kidneys.  His creatinine level has been climbing.  Please pray that his kidneys will function as they should and that everything they gave him to help him get rid of his fluids was sufficient to get his system jump started.  
• Hope.  We're grateful for the improvements, and we're praying about the needs.  But, we want our hope to be built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness.  We want our days to be characterized by His faithful love for us and not our circumstances or those of our sweet little baby.  The song below has been playing in our heads since yesterday.  He is our solid Rock and our firm foundation.

 "This Solid Rock"

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

Refrain:
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,

Oh, may I then in Him be found;

Dressed in His righteousness alone,

Faultless to stand before the throne.