Signs of Hope

Every time you feel in God's creatures something pleasing and attractive, do not let your attention be arrested by them alone, but, passing them by, transfer your thought to God and say: "O my God, if Thy creations are so full of beauty, delight and joy, how infinitely more full of beauty, delight and joy art Thou Thyself, Creator of all!"

-Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain

I am amazed by the love that surrounds a tiny two-day-old baby.  Gazing through the glass doors into a NICU room, seeing a father hovering over a tiny bed, looking into his three pound baby's eyes with tears in his own, is a sight that my words cannot express.  My picture only captures a fraction of what I felt.  An overwhelming sense of love is infiltrating Celia's room.  Alex shared that he and Celia had a special moment this morning.  With just the two of them in the room, she was wide awake and looking at him and everything around her.  Her eyes moved him to tears.  She is the kind of baby that can do just that :)  She has already got her daddy wrapped around her teeny, tiny, little finger (and the rest of us too)!

Celia's grandma, Margo, pointed out today that Celia's hands are usually open- a very interesting observation.  Most newborns come into this world with clenched fists.  Not this baby. She comes in with open hands.  Open to the gifts God gives!

Gifts like a pacifier.  One of the few things that is able to give her comfort.

 

Gifts like her mother whose presence brings her comfort.

 Gifts like nourishment and medicine.

Today we are thankful for pink intestines- a sign of blood-flow.  We are thankful for the first night that mom, dad, and baby can be together, as Julya was discharged from the maternity ward today.  We are overwhelmed by the love that is displayed in so many different ways by ALL OF YOU; meals, words, texts, emails, hugs, time, gifts, messages, prayers...the list goes on and on.

God is moving and we are giving Him all of the praise and glory!

Please pray: 

1. for Celia's intestines to become full of life, tubular in shape 

2. that she will gain weight

3. that her platelet count will increase

4. that her liver will remain healthy

5. that she will be free of infection

6. that she will not be in pain

7. Julya's and Alex's health, strength, and rest

8. for Julya's back, as she is experiencing pain

We [actually] saw His glory...For out of His fullness (abundance) we have all received [all had a share and we were all supplied with] one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favor upon favor and gift [heaped] upon gift. John 1:14, 16