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Another routine day for the Evans Family. Well, routine as in living in the Ronald McDonald House with a baby in the hospital. It's strange how life changes, isn't it?! This is our new normal. We really do have a lot of laughs about all of this. I think I'd go crazy if we didn't.

Someone provided a great buffet for dinner tonight: goulash (which I did not eat), sauerkraut and sausage, cheesy potatoes, chicken strips, green bean casserole, salad and tons of desserts. Of course, Hannah wanted the cupcakes, but I managed to get her to eat some dinner, first.

Bath time tonight. Isn't she the sweetest thing you've ever seen?! She lights up my life, for sure.

We had to get a few things for Isaac today. Once he's finished with this NEC infection, he'll be ready for some clothes so I got him some tshirts and socks. I haven't bought him anything but an MSU outfit for basketball season so it was fun for me to buy my little boy some clothes. We also got a few groceries for the week: yogurt, apples, creamer for my coffee, ice cream sandwiches...you know, the staples!

Isaac had a good day. He's still on his cannula for breathing, but it's slowly being turned down--that's the easiest way to explain it. I held him this morning and was going to go back tonight but bath time was running late and I wanted to stay with Jason and spend some time with him. We'll be back in the morning to visit with Isaac before Jason heads back to MI.

Hannah is singing in her pack and play and Jason and I are sitting here in the dark waiting for her to fall asleep so we can turn the lights on. It's all very silly, but whatever works, right?

I'll get some more pics of Isaac tomorrow. Much love!

Saturday's Activities

Well, our day was pretty routine. Hannah did sleep in until almost 7 so that was nice. Jason took her down to breakfast while I stayed in bed for a few extra minutes. I do appreciate the little things!

We visited Isaac this morning and then I went again myself this evening. Jason held him this morning and I got to hold him tonight, too. One of the nurses said she held him today, too. He's had a lot of lovin' today! He's doing about the same and smiling more and more.

Jason watched MSU vs. WI today and sadly, we lost.

We just ordered Chinese takeout and will start a movie in the next few minutes.

Love to all!

Thank Goodness it's Friday!

Hannah had another early morning--6:30. sleep has been a constant struggle for her yet she still manages to have pretty good days. I think when this is all over, she's going to sleep for like 2 weeks straight.

We visited Isaac this morning. Since the activity room doesn't open until 10am, I stayed with Hannah while Jason got to sit in on rounds with Isaac's care team. It's interesting to hear them strategizing about his care. Once I dropped Hannah off, I joined Jason in time for our supervision meeting with our Ohio adoption agency social worker. When adopting, every family must be supervised for a set period of time. In our case, 6 months, and it started on August 31st(our date of temporary placement). Isaac's adoption will be finalized after this supervision period. Therefore, his finalization hearing should happen sometime in March.

Isaac is about the same. He'll be on his antibiotics for his NEC for about 14 days and then the'll do a work-up on him to ensure the NEC is gone and try to slowly begin feeding him again. So, it's a waiting game for the next 2 weeks. Everyday we get to see him and hold him and kiss him is a blessing. I just adore seeing him smile. I can't get enough! I told the nurse yesterday I just with I could lay on a bed with him and hold him close and kiss his little face.

Jason is officially laid off on Monday due to Michigan's budget crisis. He'll likely return to work Tuesday. This is sooo ridiculous. We'll take the family time, though!

Love to all and to all a good night!

Thursday's News

The RMDH received free tickets to the Cleveland Zoo so Jason, Hannah and I headed out for a fun, family day. Jason and I agree that the Cleveland Zoo is the best zoo we've been to. They had a lot of great animals, nice surroundings a train ride. Hannah had a great time. We even had meal tickets for a free McDonald's lunch. Can you say nuggets and fries?! Hannah was in heaven.

Isaac was extubated and put back on his cannula. That's good news. Jason held him for just a little bit. The activity room was not open very long this afternoon so we couldn't stay long. According to his nurse, Isaac slept most of the day. This could be a good thing or a bad thing, I'm hoping he's just sleeping off his illness.

Jason brought down the monitor so we're downstairs in the sun room watching Survivor and then Grey's Anatomy or CSI...we haven't agreed, yet.

We had Spaghetti for dinner last night and tonight at the RMDH and Lasagna is scheduled for tomorrow so I think Jason is taking us out for Friday night dinner. I'm excited!

Thank goodness it's almost Friday!

Waiting it Out

Jason arrived around 11pm on Tuesday night. One of the other NICU moms who is staying at the RMDH stayed with Hannah while Jason and I ran up to see him for an hour. Jason hadn't seen Isaac in almost a month and I think it was good and difficult for him at the same time.

Yesterday we did our normal routine except Jason was with us and that was really nice. There were a few times Jason was playing with Hannah or changing her diaper that I realized how relieved I was that he was here with us. And not just to do things, but to just be a family, together.

Last night, Jason put Hannah to bed and did some work while I went up to the hospital. It was nice to go alone and it was nice to sit and hold Isaac and chat with the nurses. I felt like I didn't have any responsibilities and that was heavenly.

Isaac is about the same. Really, no changes. He has had a surgery consult everyday and so far, no surgery is necessary. We're waiting for this morning's x-rays to come back. BTW, the x-rays are of his gut--they're looking to see if there is air in between his intestines and to see if there are any perforations in his intestines. These are signs of surgery. He had a bit of a breathing episode last night but the nurse said it was probably a result of some other things going on, not because he was just having breathing problems. Every day is critical. I am thankful for every day we have Isaac. Many, many parents in our situation do not have this long.

Done with breakfast, off to get dressed!

Every Mountain Top has its Valley

This morning, when Jason and I called in to check on Isaac before 7am, he was doing great. By 12:30 this afternoon he was diagnosed with NEC again, is off all feedings, has been re-intubated (is back on the ventilator) and is back in a bed with a warmer (no more big boy crib). We are waiting for his next x-ray and a surgery consult to see what' next. This illess is SERIOUS BUSINESS. There is very little known about it. Isaac is actually part of a study to learn more about the illness.

He had reached full feeds last night for the first time, ever (deep sigh).

Please pray for complete healing and that no surgery would be necessary.

Jason is trying to get his work cleared up so he can come down here ASAP.

Please keep praying for us. Please. Thank you for the comment about remembering the light during the darkness. I needed that.

I'll keep you posted.

34 Weeks and 1 Day

We never thought Isaac would actually begin bottle feeding "on time"--34 weeks--but he did! He was one day late but that doesn't count in Mommy's mind! When I arrived this morning, his nurse told me the occupational therapist had been in and fed him 3ml of formula by bottle. I was soooo excited. Keep in mind this is less than one teaspoon, but, it is something, folks! And then, tonight when I went in to see him for just an hour, he got a big boy bed (a crib). We're hoping he can continue to hold his own temperature so he can stay in it. These are two HUGE advances that bring him closer to coming home. I am so proud of my little buddy. It is difficult to be too hopeful as many things can still happen, but tonight I am pleased with his progress.

Hannah and some of the other kids at the RMDH were photographed today for marketing purposes. The guy told us he would give each of us a CD of the photos. I think there will be some pretty good pics--I'll share some when I get them.

Jason is supposed to come this weekend and I am SOOOO excited. He hasn't been to the RMDH, yet, and won't have seen Isaac in almost a month. I can't wait for him to see his bigger little boy. Michigan's economy is in the toilet and the government can't seem to balance the budget--stupid politics. Jason is in the direct line of fire and may face a job loss. This has been in the making for quite some time and we don't have an answer yet, but, that's fine. I know God is in control and I think it would be a great opportunity for Jason to have some new choices. We'll see. At the very least, he has some unpaid time off coming due to budget problems. Let's see, baby in the NICU that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars, job on the line, bills to pay...let go and let God....isn't that what I've been saying to myself all along?! I'm excited to see what God has up His sleeve.

On a very sad note, one of the little boys (I think he was 4) who was was staying here passed away on Sunday. It is a reality to check to me that not all of our kids survive. Just last week Hannah was playing with him. My heart and prayers go out to his mom and family. Please petition God on his moms behalf that He would cover her with peace in this time of mourning.

Hug and kiss your family tonight and tell them you love them.

Leaving home...

...is never easy. I think it gets more and more difficult. Hannah and I left for Cleveland today around 11am. It takes about 4 1/2 hours to get to the Ronald McDonald House. No dinner tonight so Hannah and I had some cereal. We went to the hospital but the volunteers did not show up so I couldn't leave her at the activity room. I was able to leave her with the NICU receptionist for about 2 minutes so I could see Isaac's sweet little face. I wanted to cry. It's so hard to leave him there. It's so hard to choose which child I'm going to leave behind for the other. All of this causes me a lot of stress.

She fell asleep almost immediately tonight. This is the first time since we've started staying here that she's gone to bed so quickly.

Jason is planning on coming Thursday night and leaving Sunday. Can Oprah just pay our bills at home for a few months so Jason can be here?! Just a thought.

I'm going to read. Relax a bit. Love to all. Thank you for your prayers and support. We appreciate each and every one of you.

Dinner for 50 and more...

We got a call today from the adoption agency in Ohio that Isaac will be losing his Medicaid in about a week. This is very bad. We are in the process of adding him to our insurance but he will be out of network in Ohio. There is a huge possibility we are going to start to incur medical expenses we thought would be covered by Medicaid. We're going to start the process of applying for Medicaid in Ohio and also in Michigan (so he has it here when he comes home). There are a lot of kinks to work out and a ton of red tape that I really don't have the time or energy for while caring for two children. Not to mention the fact that our cell phone bills have been outrageous since this all began and this new problem will only add to that cost. Please pray that this insurance problem will work out and that we will not incur his medical expenses. We've been told that a micro-preemie will incur their lifetime limit in medical expenses in about 3 months. Then what? I have no idea. There is another family at the Ronald McDonald House dealing with the same problem.

Yes! Our dinner on Wednesday night. I completely forgot. Thank you for reminding me. It was wonderful. I think people liked it because it was different. No pasta, no chicken. I made a Sausage Gumbo with rice and a Michigan Cherry Salad. It was a challenge to prepare for so many people...some of the other ladies of the house helped out...it was a fun time. Several families are from Central and South America and have been here for months and no one has ever made rice. They were pleased to have a staple from their diet presented that evening. I think it's interesting how we (myself included) offer to make someone a meal and we oftentimes make the easiest, cheapest recipe we can find. Don't get me wrong, anytime we help someone in need it's a good thing. But I know I sometimes choose the easiest route. Wouldn't it be great if we volunteered to make someone a meal and we brought them over a nice steak and some homemade mashed potatoes with fresh green beans? Something that we had to make an extra trip to the grocery store for. Another hit were the Oreos, Chips Ahoy and Pecan Sandies. I usually buy the cheap brands but decided to buy the "real thing." The Oreos were gone before anything else. It felt good to make others happy. It was a lot of work but sooo worth it. We've all become a kind of family away from family. Sharing our stories and prayer requests. One little boy has been seen by top-notch doctors in three other countries and is here for one last hope at surgery. If he cannot be treated, he will die in the next 1-2 years. He's 3 years old and he has a little brother who is 1 who is still in Ecuador and has not seen his mom in 4 months. She is not allowed to bring her 1 year old to America because the government fears she is just trying to move her family here. Most people have very sad stories. It was an honor to serve them dinner. Truly.

We're in Mackinaw City and waiting in our room for Hannah to fall asleep. I think we're going to go play cards with the fam in a little while. We had a nice dinner together but it was noticeable that Nancy was not there. It's very strange that one minute a person is here and one minute they're gone. There really are no second chances. I miss talking to Nancy about baking questions and gardening. I miss calling and telling her Hannah's latest news. If she were alive, I know she would be playing in integral role in helping us with our current situation. She always put us, first. She was very proud of all of us and what we'd accomplished. There is a whole in all of our hearts because Nancy is gone.

Isaac is doing well and is advancing on his feedings--he's up to 21ml. Keep praying because God is answering!

Enjoy your Saturday evening.

Packing Up

Jason is working a 1/2 day while Hannah and I pack our things/do laundry to prepare for our trip North. In a little while, we're going to run to Target for diaps and snacks. A good friend and I went out to dinner last night while Daddy and Hannah had their first Daddy/Daughter Date. All had a great time.

I talked with Isaac's nurse this morning. He is tolerating his feedings again (AMEN!) and is also advancing--he's at 19ml. He's still having some water retention issues that I asked they talk with the doctor about today. He had another blood transfusion yesterday. It went well. I guess he likes to lay on his tummy and bury his face in his blankets. Little buddy. They don't want him to get too used to this as he obviously cannot sleep like this at home.

We're having some temper tantrums right now so I gotta go.

Quick Weekend

Hannah and I drove home to Grand Rapids last night and arrived around midnight. This morning, we went to Meijer Gardens with a couple friends and that was fun for both of us. Hannah is taking a nap and I'm trying not to feel overwhelmed with life. I just want to call the hospital and here them say, "He's perfectly healthy and ready to come home." I keep joking I'm going to take him out for a stroller ride. I'm grateful for trials and times of learning and growing, but sometimes I wish I could decide when I'm ready for it, ya know? Or, if there was a pause button on life and I could take a few days off. I know everyone feels that way, not just me.

Isaac is having another blood transfusion today. Argh. He's still at 15ml of formula via a feeding tube. He'll be 34 weeks on Sunday. I keep telling him he has to eat all his food so he can get bigger and come home. He had his third eye exam yesterday and it sounds as if some problems are now starting to show up. He will likely be a candidate for eye surgery at a later point.

We're headed to Mackinaw City tomorrow.

Love to all.

Stuck

Isaac seems to be stuck at 15ml. When it's feeding time, they have to check and see how much is left in his stomach. There's not supposed to be anything left and he's got up to half still sitting in there. This is the biggest thing holding him back right now. There are other imbalances, issues, etc. but most will be cleared up (or should be) when his body is tolerating the amount of food he should be getting. Full feedings for him are around 34ml. Please pray that his body would tolerate full feedings without further complications.

Hannah and I had an all right day. Some are more difficult than others and today was kind of junky. She really misses her daddy. She's even started telling me she misses him. And, I think we get tired of each other. In the evenings, she's been playing with some little boys who are staying here--that's helping a bit. 2 boys are from Ecuador and 1 is from Peru. I've had the opportunity to brush up on my Spanish (2 years in high school--a long time ago). Their moms are a lot of fun and we do our best to understand one another. One boys name is Cateo (Carlos Mateo) and Hannah calls him Catato (I think she thinks it's potato) it's really cute.

Gram, you were right in your comment about yesterday's pic about Isaac's smile. He's smiling quite a bit and I've been trying to get pics. I succeeded today! I know it's not intentional, but cute nonetheless. I think he has 2 dimples, too...just like his big sister and Mommy.

I'm making dinner for the house tomorrow (50 people). I have a recipe for Sausage Gumbo that I love--I hope it goes over well. I'm also making a Michigan Cherry Salad--I thought I'd prepare a taste of home to share with everyone. It all turned out to be much more expensive than I thought it would be, but I'm looking forward to chopping some serious vegis and preparing the meal. I actually miss some of my household chores. Please, remind me I said that about 2 weeks after Isaac comes home.

Hannah is lying in her pack and play singing Happy Birthday to her dollies and bears. Sometimes it's sooo cute and sometimes I just want her to go to sleep. She's a little sweety. I love my kids a whole lot. Oh, I almost forgot. I rocked Isaac for the first time today (just because the other hospital didn't have rockers and one was available today) and he loved it. He slept so well while I held him. It was nice.

See you later!

Day 57

57 days ago, we learned God had chosen us to be Isaac's family, and he, ours. It feels like yesterday and it feels like forever ago. When it's just Hannah and I, I sometimes forget about what's really going on--why we're really here. I don't know if that's a kind of survival mechanism or just me being a little wacko, but I forget or don't think about it and then it hits me--we have a baby! A son! And then I see him, and touch him and my world stops. All I see and know is this little boy. I want to hold him and cuddle him and snuggle him and look into his eyes and tell him that I love him--no matter what. No matter what. In those quiet moments I sometimes want to cry. I want to be sad at all the things I've missed and will miss the first months of his life. I want to be sad at all he's had to go through. I've never had more than a sliver. Never a broken bone or serious illness. And this little child, that's mine, had been fighting for his life since his first breath.

I believe God wants to use every situation I encounter to mold me, to change me...to make me more like Him. I think I screw that up sometimes. I have an agenda that I'm going to push through and that's that. So maybe next time, God uses a situation a little bigger, a little harder, to open my eyes. And maybe I see His ways, and maybe I don't. And I think it keeps going. I don't think God ever gives up. Not ever. He keeps presenting situations until I stop pushing my agenda. And I realize His. I think this is an ongoing process until I die. I will never be perfect but I should always be striving to look more like Christ. And act more like Christ and be more like Christ. And so I say, Heavenly Father, I give up. I'm giving up. I want to stop pushing my agenda, whatever that is because I don't even know what it is, and I just want to be where you want me to be. Doing what you want me to do. I really am tired. Tired of being angry. Tired of being mean. Tired of fighting. I want to be who you created me to be. I want to be happy. Not all the time, but most of the time. Whatever you need to do to make me who you created me to be, I want you to do it. I don't care how hard it is I don't care that it's going to hurt I don't care that it's humbling--just do it. I don't want regrets. I want to live the life you intended for me and my attitude is not right to be working for you. I want clarity--your clarity and I'm declaring it right now. I deserve the life you created for me and I'm not settling for anything less. So, bring it on. Let's get through this. I mean it this time.

Housekeeping and a Little Settling In (again)

I love Vanilla Coke and since I can't seem to find it in GR but saw it at the local grocery store, I treated myself and bought some. So, I am sitting on my bed, in the dark, watching Notting Hill (they have movies we can borrow, here), having just finished some Clam Chowder. Now that you know exactly what I'm doing, we can move on!

Tonight's Housekeeping Items:

--Jason said to re-post this because he didn't catch it--I registered at Target. We're under "Tiffany Evans" in the state of "Michigan" with a due date of "November 4". You can see our registry online or at a store kiosk.

--Isaac is currently in a room with 2 other babies--that's why Hannah is not allowed in with me. There are only a handful of NICU's across the country (from my understanding) that have single bed rooms. Aultman's NICU was remodeled only a year ago--that's why their facilities are top notch. Most NICU's have several (3-10 or so) babies in each room. Rainbow (where he is, now) has a couple single bed rooms for isolation purposes and had put Isaac in there the first few days he was here for our convenience because of Hannah. I assume they must have needed the single room and that's why he was moved. Rainbow is actually under a remodel right now and is supposed to open their single bed NICU sometime next year.

--Isaac is still recovering from the NEC (intestinal infection) but is doing well. His platelets continue to be in a lower range but it could be from the UTI he tested positive for today. He started on some antibiotics and hopefully it will clear up in the next week or so. He's up to 15ml of formula--back to where he was at when the NEC began. You can see in the pics he's still pretty swollen--he continues to receive diuretics for this.

--As far as childcare for Hannah goes, when the Activity Room (place for kid patients they're allowing Hannah to utilize) is open and staffed, I think that will work as long as the volunteers remember she's only 2 and needs someone to keep her active. She went yesterday and it worked great. It was only for an hour or so so we'll see how it goes. This avenue will likely only work short term until something more permanent comes into play. As Isaac gets older, we will play a larger role in caring for him, meaning, we'll have to be more available. At this point, with nothing else panning out, we're planning on enrolling her in KinderCare next week.

--Our address here:
Ronald McDonald House
ATTN: Tiffany Evans--Room 209
10415 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44106

--Speaking of addresses...in most cases, if a patient is transferred for specialized care, they are usually transferred back to their original hospital once they have recovered and are stable. In fact, we thought we would be returning to Canton and Aultman. However, when we spoke with Isaac's doctor, here, he said he saw no reason to transfer him back. So, Cleveland, we're here to stay! It is now that I say thank you to everyone in Canton for your love and support for Isaac and our family. I honestly was sad to learn we wouldn't be back. I was planning on leaving the hospital for the first time with Isaac from our Aultman NICU. I returned to Canton a few days ago to pick up all our things we had left at our home away from home. We will be back in Canton in March, for Isaac's finalization hearing and plan to stay at the McKinley Grand and stop in for a visit with the family we've been staying with and maybe a visit to the NICU. Thank you very much C&S T (we love you forever!), Aultman Hospital and the staff in the NICU (thank you for taking such great care of our Isaac), The McKinley Grand and staff (can't wait to see you again), The Repository, RiverTree Christian Church (for your hospitality and for raising money for us) and to every single person who has been following our story and praying for us. We appreciate you all. Canton will always hold a very special place in our hearts.

Wow! That was a lot!

So, we're settling in again. I finally unpacked our suitcases and put our pictures on the dresser. It's beginning to feel like home. We're beginning to develop a bit of a routine. Every time we move somewhere else, we have to tweak our schedule. Hannah is a trooper and a true joy. Sometimes I get tired of being with her and only her with really no other conversations. But she really is a joy. She makes me laugh and do silly things. She keeps me busy and on my toes. I love her laugh and her smile. After I'm away from her for only an hour, I can't wait to see her again. She's having some sleeping problems and that's difficult, but I figure her stress is going to show up somewhere.

Jason is in the Upper Peninsula tonight for work. He'll return home tomorrow. Hannah and I will head for home on Thursday and then the three of us will head to Mackinaw City on Friday to spend the weekend with Jason's family as we remember his mom (in case you didn't catch it in an earlier post, Jason's mom passed away very suddenly in June). It will be a sad time, but spending time together as a family is what Nancy would've loved and I know we're all looking forward to spending time with each other. I know Hannah and I are looking forward to seeing everyone. Hannah can't wait to see her Papa!

You must be tired of reading by now. I've missed most of the movie, although I vaguely remember some scenes, now, so I guess I've seen it before.

I hope you enjoy our pics.

Love to all!

Yikes!

As of last night, Isaac has been moved to a room with other babies so Hannah can no longer come up to see him. This means, I cannot go, either. Someone sent me the contact information for Young Life in Cleveland (great idea!) and I called and left a message. If you have any ideas, please let me know. I do not want to put Hannah in danger by allowing just anyone to take care of her, however, I cannot see Isaac if I have no one to help take care of her. The hospital has an activity room for patients to play in and I took her there earlier this week, but the volunteer brought her to me after only 15 minutes or so saying she was asking for me....I'm going to keep trying this avenue, but I'm not sure the volunteers are prepared to handle an active 2 year old...

For some reason...

...everyone seems to think our little girl is a little boy! Listen, folks, I got tired of pink! Hannah still has some pink and purple, but I enjoy dressing her in all kinds of colors. Today she has on a light green shirt,jeans and pink and green shoes and someone thought she was a boy. Argh!

We are desperate for child care for Hannah. I took her up to the hospital today and she lasted about 15 minutes. She's just too young and full of energy to be there--I totally understand that! Unfortunately, the only for sure thing I can find is KinderCare, which is great, but for 4 mornings a week it's $160. Ouch. I've tried every avenue I can find (not much). If something doesn't pan out by Monday, we're going with KinderCare.

Isaac is stable. His biggest problem is his low platelet count. There is still a chance he has a bit of infection, which would explain the problem. If not, it's most likely something much more complicated and will take quite a while to diagnose. He seems to be taking his feedings well--about a teaspoon every 3 hours. I held him for a short time today and he was fussy! Hannah kept saying, "It's ok, Isaac, it's ok." What a little sweetie.

It's Friday, and we're usually looking forward to Jason arriving. Hannah and I will probably do laundry later today and play outside. She's napping, now, so I better get some more things done!

Later!

Rainbow Babies

Isaac's new home is in Cleveland, OH at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital. It's the top ranked hospital in the Midwest. And I thought UofM was #1...not really in anything, anymore, huh?! Hee hee hee.

I met his new doctor this morning. They agreed with all of Aultman's findings and after a surgical consult this morning, they decided he did not need surgery. They began feedings again today and so far, so good. The doctor said he is stable. So, it's just waiting to see how he progresses with his feedings. He's at 21% oxygen and they're hoping to move him down to the cannula next week (the next device down from the c-pap). I got to hold him today for about a 1/2 hour. He looks like he's going to explode he's been retaining so much water. They've got him on a diuretic to bring him back down--he's about 4 pounds, 4 ounces--that'll go down as the diuretic does its job.

Looking for help, again! I'm always asking for something, aren't I?! If anyone has any contacts in Cleveland, please let me know. I need a sitter for Hannah. The person would have to come to the Ronald McDonald House in Cleveland (where we're staying). Any help would be greatly appreciated! I'm also going to post on Craigslist and at Case Western's message board, if I can.

Jason was planning on coming down this weekend, but due to a work conflict that he cannot get out of, he won't be joining us. Hannah keeps asking for him and I miss him terribly. I know it's so hard for him to be away. I know he wants to be here. I'd love for him to see our new digs. I'll take some pics for all to see, soon. For now, the pics I posted are from this morning. The pic of Hannah is on the shuttle bus from Ronald McDonald House (RMDH) to the hospital. Parking is sooo expensive and the shuttle is free. Can't beat that! We just have to call ahead and we're all set!

Isaac is set, we're set, and Jason's home this weekend with a visit from his dad. Hopefully, Isaac will continue to feed well, kick the rest of this NEC problem and be on his way to healthy and growing for awhile.

I'll keep you posted! Still loving the comments!

Night night. Love you, honey. Miss you.

Isaac's Headed to Cleveland

Isaac is on his way to Cleveland. We are trying to decide what our next steps are. Please pray for a safe transport and God's hand in all that happens with Isaac.

Fall has arrived

It was a cool, windy day. I loved it! I wore jeans and a sweatshirt and it was like heaven. Hannah and I ran some errands today and then had a tea party and played with her dollhouse and played bowling. It was fun. After dinner, we all went for a walk to a local, family-owned market, Kingma's, a few blocks away. Hannah got a cookie, Jason got some lemon drops and I got some coffee. Cali (our dog) just enjoyed the walk. It was fun to do something we would normally do together and get some fresh air.

Since I keep forgetting, I'm going to mention that I registered at Target. (Please know I am not assuming you're all going to run out and buy us things! Some family members have been asking and this is how I'm communicating to everyone.) You can find our registry online at www.target.com or at a kiosk in the store. We are registered under "Tiffany Evans" in the state of "Michigan." And, just in case a couple things don't make sense, I did pick a couple things for Hannah--some slippers and I can't remember the other thing. That's that!

Isaac underwent some tests today that we should have results from tomorrow. His doctor called today and said he would probably be making a determination tomorrow whether or not Isaac would be transferred to Cleveland for further evaluation or surgery. This is absolutely FRUSTRATING to wait for answers. And, I worked on Medicaid stuff today and it's all a big, fat mess. Think of 30 balls of yarn, all the same color, in a tangled mess and it's your job to untangle the massive mess. This is Medicaid and SSI and adoption. I want to punch someone in the face. Thankfully, we have a few people working on getting us connected to some individuals who can give us answers.

On another note, for those of you who lost loved ones on September 11th, my prayers were with you today.

That's it. More tomorrow. I'll let you know what I know when I know it!

Waiting

And I thought all the waiting was over when we found out we were going to be parents again.

I talked with one of the nurse practitioners today about Isaac's current condition. They are unsure what is going on with him. There are things his body should be doing but is not. He has symptoms but there are no difinitive answers. He is not as far along as he should be. They are starting to talk about transferring him to another hospital. It sounds as if he may not be discharged for quite awhile--even longer than I have been anticipating--later than November. We have decided that I will not return to OH until we have a better idea what is going on. We love Isaac very much. We want to be with him. However, we have to take this day by day and as for the next few days, we're staying here. Jason suggested that if they do need to transfer him, that maybe they could tranfer him to UofM. So, we'll see what the next few days brings.

Hannah and I ran some errands today and hung out at home this afternoon. Jason and I are hanging out.

Here are the pics of the rooms we've been working on and cute little Hannah.

We'll keep you posted.

Busy Weekend

Well, we accomplished everything we set out to do. I will (hopefully) take some pics tomorrow and post them. We've been very busy little beavers, here, with little time for breathing. I was planning on going back to OH today or tomorrow but now it's looking like Tuesday or Wednesday. Since I will only be back 1 day in a couple weeks and November is a long time away, I want to make sure we're not rushing out of here. And, frankly, I don't want to go back. I mean, I want to see Isaac, but leaving home for another 6-8 weeks with no return trip is hanging heavily on my heart. I know God will keep us strong, but it's still not easy.

We're sleeping in our bed for the first time since we started our home improvement projects! I love it! Jason still has a few projects to finish, but not much.

Church tonight was great, as usual. Hannah loves seeing our friends and her friends. That makes me feel good.

It sounds like Isaac is having some complications but it's still not clear what the heck is going on. It's difficult to get information about your kid over the phone everyday. Some nurses give more info than others; it's difficult to know what questions to ask to get the info we need. It can be frustrating.

Overall, we're loving being home, together, but still trying to gear up for the coming months.

We did have a great football weekend, unlike any of you UofM fans, ouch.

All right, time to snuggle in for the night. One more phone call to the hospital and then time for bed! Nighty night!

Oops, Missed a Day!

Well I finally did it-I missed a day. I started to blog during the day but decided to make "better" use of Hannah's naptime. And last night, I just fell asleep! Jason was working on a brief and I just couldn't stay awake.

Today is the guys work day. Jason has already starting cutting in around the trim in the dining room. Everyone should be over around 10ish.

I called about Isaac this morning and he's doing about the same. He's up to 27% oxygen which isn't bad, I just like to hear them say he's at room air. He had some meds yesterday that drained off some of his water weight. The nurse said he's looking better. Still waiting for test results to come back on the platelet issue.

I need to get a cup of coffee! I will blog tonight with some pics from the guys working today.

Have a great day!

Home is where the chores are, too

I did manage to go through Hannah's toys today. Not too much to get rid of but it was good to re-organize and sort some things out for Isaac.

We visited with some good friends today. It was nice to have a normal play date. The girls laughed and chased each other. It was nice to sit in their living room, on the floor, and just catch up.

Jason is doing some floor work upstairs and I don't know what my next project is going to be. Hannah fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow. Little sweety.

Isaac is doing well except for his mysterious symptoms. They're still working on a diagnosis. His breathing is good, his oxygen levels are good. Just waiting to find out what's going on with the rest of him.

I found an adorable MSU outfit at Target today for Isaac and an MSU sweatshirt for Hannah. I couldn't resist--it was the first thing we've bought for our little boy--and how fitting that it's MSU gear. Of course, Daddy loved it, too! Nothing better than shopping and actually getting approval!! It should start to fit him for basketball season.

I better get to work. Jason is sanding away and I'm feeling a bit guilty sitting here.

Love to all and to all a good night!

Home Is Where the Heart Is

Whoever coined that phrase is a genius. Hannah goes nuts every time we come home. She runs barefoot around the yard throwing a ball for Cali. We are both so exhilarated to be here!

The floor looks amazing. As soon as it's clean and everything is put back I'll post a pic.

We went to Beaner's tonight. Are you surprised? I had my Iced Carmel Marvel, Jason had hot apple cider and Hannah had whipped cream. We stopped at Meijer and got some essentials (Hannah had to ride the horsey) and then we came home. It was glorious. I can't wait to have Isaac HERE.

Isaac's platelet count is down and he's bloated. They're not worried, yet, but not sure what's going on. He's at room air (21% oxygen) so that's good. It's always a little nerve wracking when things aren't "normal" but they can't tell what's going on, yet. Hopefully more answers tomorrow.

Not sure what Hannah and I are doing tomorrow. It feels like there's so much I want to do, I don't know where to start. At the same time, I feel like none of it really matters. I really want to replace the liner inside the kitchen cabinets. They're dirty (and they've already been wiped down a hundred times). But should I worry about that right now?!

All right, I'm off. Spend some time with my DH.

Nighty night!

Untitled

A pretty uneventful day. That's kind of nice. I went up to hold Isaac this morning but they thought he was having lung problems so it was a no go. Turns out the x-ray was messed up because of his vent tube or something?! I didn't quite understand. Anyway, he came off the vent today and went back to c-pap. This is positive! Earlier this evening his nurse said she had to turn his oxygen up just a bit because he was sucking on his pacifier and not getting enough oxygen--silly boy! I'm hoping to hold him tomorrow morning...

Hannah and I will leave for MI around 2ish. We have a couple stops to make so we're hoping to be home by 8 or 9pm.

Jason got home to find that our friends from church finished laying the floor upstairs! It's all done! Thank you guys!!! What an awesome blessing! We're still having our work days this Saturday and Sunday because there are still many other things to do. However, this was the biggest project--so awesome.

Pics of Isaac are from this morning and the pic of Hannah is with her special toothbrush. They are special brushes the nurses use to clean out Isaac's mouth. There is a mint taste to it so Hannah loves them. Thanks, Medicaid.

I couldn't sleep last night (this rarely happens) so I'm gonna go to bed soon. If anyone wants to stop over this weekend, feel free! We'll be in and out and working around the house. This is our last big trip home until Isaac is with us. Yikes!

Love to all.

Galatians 5:22-23

Ok, well, I said I read in Galatians that God flies an MSU flag. It must have been another book because what caught my eye today was about the fruits of the spirit.

I think God really puts on the pressure sometimes. I mean, you're already under pressure and then "BAM!" it's like, even worse. You thought it was tough before, and now you feel like you're drowning in pressure. I am reminded though, while in the double boiler pressure cooker (I'm sure that's not culinarily correct, but it sounds scary, right?), that God is right there with me, leading me out. Like the footprints in the sand.

So, I have some interpersonal issues. I mean, not some, quite a bit. I'm the first person to admit that. I'm often a tough person to get along with. I always have been. Call it personality, call it life experience, whatever. I am who I am. I do think, though, that God continually wants to make me more like him. I will always be strong-willed. I believe God created me with this quality for a reason. But, I also think I can try some other "tactics," first, and if those don't work, maybe then it's time to stand strong. Galatians 5:2-23 is where I'm going to start. The good ol' fruits of the spirit--the oranges and bananas of God. Tee hee hee.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

I am going to memorize this verse and meditate on it when I get in a huff and just see where it gets me (at least I'm going to try...this is not going to be easy). I'm pretty sure it will yield some tasty apples. Enough about my problems, huh?!

Isaac continues to get better. Jason held him this afternoon for two hours. Jason, Hannah and I spent quality time together today and it felt good. Jason leaves early in the morning and I think Hannah and I will head for home on Wednesday. A day earlier than we planned, but the thought of being here 6-8 weeks straight is starting to overwhelm me. I desperately want to be home. For good.

"See" you tomorrow!

09.02.07: Isaac is 7 weeks old

Isaac is 31 weeks (gestational) and 7 weeks old at the same time. Kind of crazy, huh? I thought I would celebrate his 7 week birthday by posting a pic from the first day I met him and from tonight--including one with his eyes open. I held him tonight for 2.5 hours. My little buddy, buddy. I kissed his little head about 100 times. Between the two of us, we also managed to pull out another tube. This time it was a suctioning tube. At least it wasn't his vent. Hopefully, that won't be next time. Geesh. BTW, see the bald spots on the side of his head? That's from where they had to shave it to put in an IV. Yeah, in his head. Weird. Kind of freaky. I asked the nurse if they would shave the other side, too, so he didn't look so funny...she said lots of parents ask for that. At least he's not the only baby with half a shaved head! Also, he weighs about 3 pounds 5 ounces.

Jason, Hannah and I went to church this morning, IHOP for breakfast and the park for some playtime. We did some laundry and got some chores taken care of.

It's after 11 so I'm gonna chill for awhile and then hit the hay.

Adios!

I was wrong

I changed the name of our blog. Many of you wrote and I stand corrected. Jason was right and I was wrong.

Next item of business.

MSU won, UofM lost. It was a great day! Now, Jason said not to be too harsh, here, as some of you may be Michigan fans. Well, we do appreciate your prayers and support, but we also love to see Michigan lose. I hope we can all still be friends?! As you know, I serve Jesus Christ. And outside of his heavenly palace flies an MSU flag (I think I read that in Galatians or something). Since college football has played such a huge roll in the happiness of our day, I had to cover it.

Isaac's infection is slowly going away and hour by hour he seeems to be getting a bit better. The illnesses come on quickly, but usually take a couple weeks to completely go away. We visited with him for a short time today. Jason changed Isaac's diaper today and he peed in his little bed. It was really cute. Right now, the nurse cleans it up. Soon, we won't be so lucky!

Hannah threw a couple of major temper tantrums today. Jason still isn't used to being completely embarassed in public by a toddler. He's quickly learning. Other than that, it was a nice relaxing day with lots of laughs and smiles. We took the dog for a walk (the people we're staying with have a dog) and we found a robin dying in the road. I was able to pick it up and move it to the grass. I think it had a broken wing. When we walked back by, it had stopped moving. Hannah asked about the bird and I said it died. It's sad to me to talk to my little girl about dying. They're so innocent, you know? I just want to protect her from the pain of our world.

We're watching one of those house flipping shows and about to eat Taco Bell. Life is good.

I better go! Love to all and to all a good night!