Life in a Snowglobe
Last week I posted about the birth of our oldest daughter's firstborn, our second grandson. We ended up in the NICU, where he has been for the last two weeks, with a complicated diagnosis and a hard road ahead of him and his parents. Still, we all hope and pray it is a long road. Several of you suggested we look into the Ronald McDonald house, and I explained that we were blessed to have our grandson and his parents in a private NICU, with a bed and a recliner in the room right next to him so they could sleep in the room with him.
It looks like we are going to be able to take up the advice of a number of readers here after all, because early next week my grandson will be transferred to a different NICU at a children's hospital for more specialized treatment and further testing. It is not a private NICU - it is the more common sort, with babies around the room in a circle and no place for parents to sleep or stay. There is a Ronald McDonald House there, and if they don't have room for us, we have already had offers from at least half a dozen friends who live from 12 minutes to 30 minutes away (my daughter's house is about an hour away, and ours is about two hours). Unfortunately, her husband cannot get the time off work, but my husband and I agreed that I will go down with her until his Christmas break begins.
Some things that make this difficult situation slightly less stressful:
Wonderful friends and church family who have been very supportive, and a network of them around the country. We know our family is being lifted up in prayer on a regular basis. People we have never met have sent packages including handmade baby blankets, lotions, chapstick, gas cards, Walmart gift cards, snack items, and more. People have offered to put us up, and to put up my children in the town where the hospital is so they can be closer. Local friends have give transportation here when I had our van down there.
Planning ahead- our freezer and cupboards are well stocked. Our daughter has two weeks worth of meals in her freezer, if she can ever get home to eat any of it.=(
Training- Our daughters at home are old enough to know how to cook, clean, and run a household, and they have really pitched in and take care of things in my frequent absence.
Most of all, prayer, and knowing that God is God.
Look around. Who can you befriend, lift up, encourage, this week? Send a card, an encouraging note via email, drop off a plate of cookies or a loaf of home-made bread, or a basket of fruit and nuts, shovel a sidewalk, or just take longer than usual to sit and visit, even if you have to listen to the same old story for the hundredth time.
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5 Responses to “Life in a Snowglobe”
December 10th, 2010 at 7:57 am
You are living in the Spirit—love you sister in Christ!! Know that I am praying for your daughter’s difficult time.
December 10th, 2010 at 9:18 am
God bless you and may you and your family find strength and hope ’til all is well. Thanks for sharing with your readers at such a tough time. Hang in there, my friend!
December 10th, 2010 at 11:50 am
What a blessing to know that your family is being ministered to wonderfully at this time.
December 10th, 2010 at 1:44 pm
The Lord surely has blessed you with such a great network of friends, family, acquaintances, etc. I think it is awesome. Hang in there! This weekend I think I will be inviting some lonely Sisters from church to dinner. They are all alone and have no one around. My children will love having guests.
December 12th, 2010 at 5:13 pm
inspiring words…you realize how greatly blessed you are in the midst of serious trials. Thank you for the timely and gentle reminder of our call to humanity, to care for our fellow beings.
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