I am feeling thankful...

Last week we celebrated Hattie's 9th birthday.  That evening I read a few entries to her from the journal I kept while she was in the NICU.  It had been a while since I had read them and the first time I had shared them with her.  Of course, it was difficult to read them without getting emotional.  I will try to write a few posts about our experience in the near future, but I want to dedicate this one to the many, many people who loved us and supported us through the whole experience.   

Mark and Tori Perry are the parents of sweet baby G.  They were in our stake and baby G was born a month before Hattie.  What amazed me about them is that even in the midst of their own crisis/trial, they were nothing but a strength to us.  I want to be just like Tori when I grow up.  She is so calm and dedicated.  She is so smart and good.  They helped to lead us through the whole experience and lift up our hearts and sprits so many times.  

Debbie Bingham was a literal lifesaver.  She is a church member that worked in the Fetal Evaluation Unit at the hospital and dedicated a lot of her own time to helping us understand what to expect and how to keep going.  She was so honest with us and the most amazing advocate in a very difficult situation.  Debbie is also the person that connected me with Mimi and Christian while Mimi was in the hospital on bed rest before Madeline (Hattie's best friend) was born.  I feel our friendship was absolutely meant to be and am so thankful for them in our lives.  

Angela Glenn is dear friend of mine from church who called and visited me regularly.  I will never forget how much it meant to me when she took me shopping for the first time post-delivery when I realized that I couldn't fit into my size 2 pants any more.  She also helped me put together a Christmas letter to send to all of our friends and family that year.  

Ann Ellsworth and her brother John serenaded me in the hospital (guitar and all) one evening to lift my spirits.  Since Hattie was born just a few days before Thanksgiving, Ann also brought me Thanksgiving dinner in the hospital.  Ann was very sensitive to my little needs.  Since I was on complete bed rest (and I mean NEVER allowed to get up), the nurses gave me daily sponge baths, but never seemed to have the time to help me wash my hair.  I was going on day 4 and feeling pretty shiny.  Ann brought a pan and some sweet-scented shampoo and washed my hair for me.  It was a simple act of service that I could not do for myself at the time and meant the world to me. 

 

My visiting visiting teacher, Reiko Takashi and her sweet husband  brought meals to our apartment for eight weeks.  I am not kidding.  She would make several meals and he would walk to our apartment and drop them off before he went to work.  They were absolute saints.  I recently learned that Reiko passed away.  I know she is in a good place.  

Marie Ruiz is another dear friend who visited me and loved us throughout the whole experience.

Glen Nelson and Kent Christensen came and gave Hattie and me Priesthood blessings.  We witnessed miracles because of those blessings, I have no doubt.  

There were many others who visited us, cleaned our apartment, sent gifts and meals and gave us the time and space to do what we needed to do.  Brad was serving as a counselor to Bishop Johnson in the single's ward and he was so kind and patient with us.  

 

I am thankful for all of the friends and family members who prayed for us from far away.  I am thankful for my mom and Brad's dad who came shortly after Hattie's birth to support us and take care of us.  

 

Most importantly, I am thankful to our Heavenly Father for sending all of these wonderful people into our lives to help carry us through this experience and for allowing us to be Hattie's parents and giving us the opportunity to raise her.  She is such a special girl.  She is so curious and funny and sensitive.  She tries so hard to be a good girl.  I love her so much and am thankful for her.