Transition

Well, we have nearly three and a half weeks under our belt and now it's time for a transition. We have these enough that we know they are difficult and fraught with emotional pain and discomfort. Yet, we also know that transitions are linked pretty tightly with progression. So, it seems we don't get one without the other. Our transition this time is me essentially leaving Nicki to be by herself more often in the hospital while I take on my duties as a father and an employed individual. I start work again next Monday, but this week the kids are back home from Idaho and I've got them here in Holladay. We are going to make some day trips back and forth to Provo for the prenuptial events for Greg and Kassie as they prepare for their big wedding day on Thursday. It's hard to leave Nicki there at the hospital! Today she received a second transfusion--again two units. Her hematocrit had gone down again (she's still bleeding), this time two 22, not the super low 18 we had before. They gave her the option to receive it and she chose to go for it. We felt this was a good choice in case a delivery were to happen soon and she would need a decent blood supply to manage a C-Section.

This first picture is indicative of a nomadic, orphan-like one year old who has resorted to brushing her own hair! These other pics were taken yesterday, the night before we said goodbye to Chris and Dee--who, by the way, have traveled from Driggs to SLC at least three times in the last few weeks! Here we see some of the kids playing with Nicki's wheelchair. This chair has become the novelty for the kids. They all want to take crazy rides in it and they each of course want their own turns to push Nicki in the chair. It is great fun. The fish tank picture sort of captures a memory for us of Ruby's favorite (and pretty much only) vocabulary word. The word is "Ish". Finally, she has found something that when she points at it and says "Ish" it actually makes sense! Although she uses the same word for most things, she does inflect her voice in various ways to descrive the "Ish" she's pointing at.

The baby's doing great. The heartbeat is consistent with other healthy, nearly-27-week-old babies. Nicki has had some pain and discomfort as of late, to accompany the bleeding. This isn't fun at all--especially because it seems to happen in the middle of the night nearly every time. She is an amazing woman and is managing through this so well. It is not easy for any of us though. We continue to cycle through a variety of emotions with this thing! Under all of it we consistently feel the Lord's presence in answer to all of your prayers. Thank you so much!