Thankful

​I was searching through our family pics and came across this one, which I love! Noah has always been such a fun and happy kid. He was 9 months old here; we were getting ready to decorate our tree after Thanksgiving '08. I call this his "super-baby" picture. :)
Today has been a good day. Noah's nurse asked the docs if we could take him off the fluids since he was drinking so well. They consented, so he is (almost) a free man! He has been freely running and jumping around the hospital room, and we took a walk down to 3rd floor where the Lily Pad is located (a play room for Noah's age group). He had a great time down there. Just before we left, we heard a med-flight helicopter approaching, and he was able to watch it land on the roof across from the playroom. So he is one happy boy today!
Last night nurse Jennifer came in to check on him, and he "wooed" her into staying a little longer and playing and dancing with him. He is such a flirt. (For those of you that don't really know us, he gets that from Daddy!) He loved on her, sat on her lap and looked at a book, played with her flashlight...it was really sweet that she spent so much time with him. All of our day/evening shift nurses have been so great with him, and I appreciate their compassion and love for him. I never get to really meet the night shift, because I'm trying to get as much sleep as possible, but I'm thankful for them also. I know their job comes with rewards as well as heartache, and I'm so glad they've sacrificed to be in their position.
As I'm writing Noah is sleeping while receiving some platelets. His blood levels were still about the same as yesterday, so we will be here for a few to several more days, depending on how quickly they rise. Best case scenario, we could be leaving on Wednesday. Whatever day we leave, Noah will get some blood and possibly another platelet infusion. John has to work today and tomorrow, then he may come back down on Tuesday afternoon and stay until we know if we're leaving on Wednesday. Wow, the flexibility one must develop in a situation like this. I've always considered myself a somewhat flexible person, but this is pushing the envelope...well, my envelope anyway. I know other people are capable of so much more - but I'm a "planner."  I want to know what is going to happen and when. I don't like surprise birthday parties. I usually guess what Christmas and birthday gifts are before I open them. I make lists, and I check off each item as I finish it. In my world, organization = peace (but my home and my life don't reflect much of that right now). The past few months have been just the opposite of what I can handle, and my stress/anxiety levels, as well as my blood pressure, are proof that I'm not as flexible as I thought! But I'm growing towards flexibility with every chemo treatment and every fever that warrants a hospital stay. Hopefully when all this is over I will more skilled at handling the surprises life throws at us.
The pancake breakfast and the blood drive were both a huge success...thank you! (I posted a thank you blog below; I just can't say it enough!) John is already planning another blood drive in Noah's honor in is hometown of Florence. I'm really excited to see the outcome of it.
 When John arrived Saturday he came bearing gifts - cards, baked goods, etc - and the best one was a book called "Curious George Makes Pancakes." The book begins with George waking up excited about a Pancake Breakfast he is going to attend with the man with the yellow hat. (I really wish the author would have given the man with the yellow hat a much shorter name, like Bill or Bob.) Anyway, the breakfast is a fundraiser for the local Children's Hospital. As usual, George goes to the event, does his monkey business, gets dirty, makes a mess, but ends up saving the day. The book was given to Noah by the son of family friends. Brennan's mom told me it was his favorite book, and on several occasions he let her know that he wanted Baby Noah to have it...he made the connection about the fundraiser and he wanted Noah to share the joy he got from reading this story. This little book about pancakes has blessed my heart and I know one day when Noah is old enough to understand, it will bring him joy to know his peers were praying for him and loving on him from a distance. My mother relayed a story about a little girl named Hannah (daughter of a church friend) who took her bald-headed baby doll and drew a purple line down it's head "so it would have a scar like Baby Noah." These stories are so sweet, and I love to hear and document them...so please let me know if you have any more. :) We can learn so much from the compassion and love of a child.
Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:2-4).

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