Small miracles

It started with us up at 5am, was quickly met with a text from a good friend saying she was up too and praying for us (as so many did throughout the day) and the day "ends" sitting in a cardiac ICU room at Children's Medical Center of Dallas with a newborn baby hooked up to lots of machines, our almost 2 year old at home with grandparents, and my incredible wife and mother of this gift across town in a separate hospital with one of her sisters.  Needless to say it has been a long day.  But what needs to be said more often and much louder is that it has been a good day.  A great day! 

Adeline came into this world fast just like how the whole day seemed to go after she got here.  Thankfully the delivery went well and Camille is recovering quickly.  Obviously, she is anxious to get here to be next to Adeline. 

Below is a list of things that went well during this first day. 

1. A fast, uncomplicated delivery;
2. Adeline being stable enough after birth so that Camille and I got to hold her for a few minutes before she went to the NICU;
3. That Adeline hasn't shown any other health issues other than her heart defect we already knew about;
4. The fact that Adeline did not need to be put on a respirator (a common side effect of the PGE);
5. That Camille's body is recovering quickly and she may be here at Children's later this morning;
6. A smooth transition from Presby Dallas to Children's by the Children's transport team (caught rush hour traffic in Dallas-never fun, but "Big Mike" handled the drive well);
7. The familiar face of an attending we know working in the  cardiac ICU when I arrived with Addie; 
8. Tremendous support at Children's on the first day/night from friends and family;
9. An incredible amount of texts/emails/FB posts & messages throughout the day from people praying and encouraging us and Addie;
10. Getting to hold Addie on the first night;
11. That Camille and I got some sleep; and
12. And that the stress for the whole day was actually less than I had feared.

These 12 things may look trivial or simply coincidence, but I will debate any theologian on the fact that they were, in fact, miracles.  Small, maybe, but miracles all the same.  And I am convinced they were all the direct result of so many prayers by so many. 

Is it just the first day of a long journey? Yes.  Will there be bad days?  Yes.  But these miracles got this journey started in the right direction.

A heartfelt thanks to all those doctors, nurses, and EMT's at both Presby and Childrens' for doing a great job!

I am for ever a proud husband of a courageous, loving wife and now a father of two sweet little girls.