Next Best Thing to Home

We arrived at the hospital this morning, unsure whether the boys would come home today or tomorrow. The doctor had discussed the situation with us Friday, especially with regard to Jeff and his mother's comfort level with working with Christopher, Nathan, and Daniel. I learned quickly Friday how much I have learned over the past several weeks, as Jeff and his Mom struggled somewhat with preemie care issues. We brought up the subject with the nurse practitioner, and the decision was made for us. She said the boys are in great shape, and Rebecca can help show Jeff and Grandma everything she knows. (By the end of the day, both Jeff and Grandma Bate were feeling more confident handling the boys.)

So, after two more opportunities to feed the boys at noon and 4, we started getting ready to go. We dressed the boys, detached the hospital monitors, set up the take home apnea monitors, and got them into their car seats. That whole process (and indeed, it WAS a process!) took about an hour and a half, including the 4 o'clock feeding time. We finally pulled out of the hospital and headed for Pattens' house at about 5:30.

I think it kind of hit me in a new way that this was real, and that they are ours about the time we started down the hall out of the NICU toward the elevators. Wow! What an incredible blessing from God.