17 weeks later....

Okay, so we are 17 weeks into our Reed journey. It's time for mommy to put on her big girl panties and get back into life. School starts back in just over 3 weeks for me, and it's high time I get things together and get ready for returning to work for the first time since March 12th... These have honestly been the hardest 17 weeks of my life....from fighting for Reed's life to adjusting to life with a preemie. For now, I have given up trying to focus on running and will only focus on getting life together and ready to start a new school year....which will be a new challenge for all 5 of us. :)  God has given us a HUGE challenge to endure, and it didn't end when we brought Reed home. It has been VERY hard being stuck at home all day every day with a precious baby who can't go anywhere....which has been a big adjustment for me - the one who likes to GO GO GO!!! Being stuck at home all summer alone with all three kids has proven to be a huge challenge, but well worth it to have our little fellow home with us. The girls have had to adjust to not being able to go all summer, too. Visits and calls from friends have definitely been what's kept me going on the HARD days.

Reed started taking a bath in his rubber ducky bath tub last week because he finally got too big for the hospital pan we've bathed him in since he came home. :) Thank God for outgrowing hospital pans!!!

Reed will be 17 weeks old in a matter of minutes!!! What a precious addition he has truly been to our family!

Our journey has taught us a lot this far, and we expect to learn many more life lessons as we continue our journey. Prayers are still needed as we continue our journey...even into starting this new school year.

Unofficial weight for this week (Mommy plus Reed - Mommy) is 8 pounds 9.6 ounces. Okay, so YES, I broke the rules. I started feeding Reed one cereal bottle each night last Sunday night. Guess it really is helping him pack on some pounds!!! I can't wait for an OFFICIAL weigh-in this coming Friday when we go for our 4-month check-up!!! Woohoo!!! Reed is up to eating 26 to 30 ounces of formula a day!! He LOVES to eat, which is WONDERFUL!!! He looks so much more like a normal baby now that he is putting on some weight....not quite so fragile. He is actually wearing 0-3 month clothes now!!! Thank you, God, for measurable growth!!!

I'd like to ask all my prayer warrior friends to pray for a friend of mine who has recently experienced a miscarriage. I don't know exactly what she's going through since I've never been in her position. However, I do know how hard it is to be faced with the possibility of losing your child. Please keep my friend in your prayers as she works through this situation.

Today we are definitely thankful for weight gain and growth. But also extremely thankful for those friends who have been with us through this entire journey and continue to be with us. You will never know how much a simple phone call or short visit can mean to someone who is totally house-bound. Be on the lookout for ways you can be that breath of fresh air to someone in need. It may seem like such a small thing to you when you do it, but you will never know how much it means to the person on the receiving end. As our summer comes to a close, enjoy these last few weeks with your kids....making memories that will last forever.

Love to all,