Update & Playlist

Hailey continues to do well. We spent the day with her yesterday. She was hooked up to the event recording monitor early yesterday morning & didn't have any episodes or events all day. She is eating & sleeping well. Her worst issue right now is a bad diaper rash, in some ways we're happy about that - it's a normal baby problem, not a NICU baby problem. Plus we get "free" (free to us at this point, paid for by insurance) Triple Paste, Desitin, etc to use there & bring home. It's the little things. 

She got moved to a different pod (room with about 10 beds in it) that is much quieter. Nights are still hard. Hoping we only have 2 more of them!

Emma came with again yesterday morning. She got to play in this pretend area they have for siblings. It's like something that would be in Kohl Children's Museum (for our local friends). They have pretend medical equipment, NICU beds, monitors, dolls, and a huge doctor kit. She loved playing! They encourage a visit to the room to help the kids process through play (the counselor in me loves this as much as the parent in me!) They have her a book about the new  baby being in the hospital & "getting stronger", some stickers, new supplies for her doctor kit at home, and some other goodies. It was so great! Emma had fun playing & it was good to think of her having positive memories in the midst of all of this. 

One of the ways I cope, remind myself of truth, & lean into God is by listening to music. I feel like many times songs say things in a way I could not come up with on my own. These are some of the songs/lyrics that have helped remind me of what is true throughout this process. 

1. "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)", Hillsing United

"Your grace abounds in deepest waters

Your sovereign hand

Will be my guide

Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me

You've never failed and You won't start now"

2. "I Will Follow", Vertical Church Band

"When the boat is tossed upon the waves

When I wonder if You'll keep me safe
Even in the storms, I'll follow You
Even in the storms, I'll follow You

I believe everything that You say You are
I believe that I have seen Your unchanging heart
In the good things and in the hardest part
I believe and I will follow You
I believe and I will follow You"

3. "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing", Robert Robinson

"Come Thou Fount of every blessing
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it,
Mount of God's unchanging love.

Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Hither by Thy help I'm come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be!
Let that grace now like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above."

4. "Never Once", Matt Redman

"Scars and struggles on the way

But with joy our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone

Carried by Your constant grace

Held within Your perfect peace

Never once, no, we never walk alone

Never once did we ever walk alone

Never once did You leave us on our own

You are faithful, God, You are faithful"

5. "Your Grace Finds Me", Matt Redman

"It’s there in the newborn cry

There in the light of every sunrise

There in the shadows of this life

Your great grace"

"There in the darkest night of the soul

There in the sweetest songs of victory

Your grace finds me

Yes your grace finds me"