Preemie Awareness Month

There diapers were the size of an ipod and yet they swam in them. Their binkies covered their entire face and it was a huge success if they even used them. They were at times too delicate to touch and we didn't feel their tiny bodies pressed to ours for days after their birth. They couldn't breathe without assistance. They couldn't eat without tubes. They didn't cry because they were too weak and focussed all of their energy on getting better.

Jared and I feared the loss of two children days before they were even born. We continued to fear this for months after that. I didn't unwrap two of anything from my shower (that I missed) until Jared forced me to. I honestly envisioned returning all of Eli's things. I rarely admit this but it is true. There were weeks where we went in and there wasn't good news about Eli. 2 collapsed lungs, a PDA that wasn't fixed on the first two tries, off the vent, back on the vent, on the CPAP, back to the vent. It was like we weren't getting anywhere. Alex's climb towards health was slow but it kept heading in the right direction.

I in NO WAY want to make it seem like we didn't have hope because PRAISE GOD we did. He was our anchor and gave us encouragement that only a heavenly Father can but there were times that it was bleak. It was hard. It was not something I would wish upon ANYONE.

So since it is preemie awareness month I wanted to point you towards "The March of Dimes" website. You can educate yourself, donate, whatever you are capable of but I'd like to ask you to take time to pray for the babies in our country. Some parent right now is going through what we did. Some child is struggling for air. Some babies aren't even getting the chance to be born in this country. That is what I'd like to remind you of this morning, those who are weak and need someone to fight for them.