Flashback Friday 8/07 (almost 4 months old)

Once we were home from the hospital. It was like they missed each other :)

These photos will always be special to me. As I was looking back through my pictures deciding which to choose for my flashback I remembered this day vividly. Eli was still on oxygen (obviously) and the supply company had just come and refilled the great green pickle (aka HUGE oxygen tank in his bedroom). Apparently when he tipped the tank the hoses filled up with water. I did not know this when I put the tube into Eli's nose and taped it up before his nap. This particular day for the first time ever I chose to lay them on my bed for their nap. I went and turned on the tank and left the room. I then, for reasons I still cannot explain other than God led me to, returned to my room where Eli was blue and water was running out of his nose and mouth. Even talking about it now is difficult and I am pretty sure I will never be able to erase that picture from my mind's eye. I realized it was coming from the tubes and ripped them off of his face and began beating on his back. Thankfully he began to choke out the water and I called 911 and told them my infant son had not been breathing. The police were here in minutes and in the mean time I called Jared and began to hyperventilate. My husband is so good at calming me down though. He raced home and I went to the hospital with Eli who suffered NO ill effects from this incident.

Rarely a day goes by that I don't thank God for my children. I am not sure if every parent does this or if it is a gift that was given to us by God. I am so grateful that I have this deep appreciation for my children due to what we have been through. I would never wish it upon anyone else but oh the joy that comes from their every breath, every smile, every word, every cry. Somewhere in the midst of the chaos of those moments I remember thinking "oh no, that is why I took all those pictures on the bed today, they were his last"....but they weren't and I have since taken a million more and someday when he is a teenager he will roll his big beautiful eyes as I continue to make him pose for yet another picture. Thank you, Lord!