Day 2: "Hannah Fontana", Episode Dos

Hannah was up several times last night with a fever, bathroom trips, etc. Once Jim came around 9am I slept soundly here in the room until 1pm even though there was lots of activity going on. Hannah had a fever of about 101 all night but this morning her temperature climbed up to 103.9. The nurses gave Hannah Tylenol & put lots of cold towels all over her. That seemed to do the trick & she was back under 101 for the rest of the day. Currently her temp. is just a bit over normal. She is on 3 IV anti-biotics. While I was sleeping the morning away the dr. told Jim today that Hannah will probably be here for 4 -5 weeks?! I need to find out more about that & why the doctor thinks we will be here that long.

Honestly I will do whatever is best for Hannah. If that means we live at the hospital for weeks on end, so be it. She is happy playing with the Wii she got for Christmas, doing crafts (today she decorated magnet crafts) & eating Del Taco bean & cheese burritos. The food in this hospital is so pitiful .. really. I don't complain much but someone needs to have a talk with the hospital about improving the nutrition program. I am here enough I think I'll make a visit to the person running this place. Something needs to change in the food dept ... and fast! I already bought a new shower head for the shower here on the pediatric floor. Us moms & dads of sick kids shouldn't have to stand under a trickle of water while showering at the hospital! :-)

Lily is doing amazing & truly is doing so great with being in a bit of a current "shared custody" situation with Aunt Kim & Uncle Kevin. She is happy to see us & definitely knows who her mommy, sissy & daddy are. I have to thank Kim for reminding her many times a day with pictures of mommy, daddy & Hannah. When we come to get her she doesn't act at all like anything is wrong. I have to say that without a doubt God blessed us with EXACTLY the perfect daughter for our family. He knew we'd be going through this & that Lily would need to be a happy, joyful & very flexible baby.

Over the past month I have had a lot of reflections on my 7+ years of motherhood. Of course there are things I would change and regrets but overall I am so satisfied with what kind of a mom I have been to Hannah. I am so thankful to the Lord for the wonderful example of my mom & that I can carry the legacy of being a wholesome, fun, loving, kind, caring mom. Hannah has been a constant joy (well, maybe not "constant" ... it wasn't joyous the day she had a full on meltdown in the Miami airport & went potty on my lap .. literally!!!). I have told her daily how special she is, how beautiful she is & how I love her to the moon-around-the sun-back-to-the-moon-and-around-again. I am so thankful for the fact that when she was born my priorities totally shifted and I could volunteer at her school, have play dates with her friends, make tea parties with her, go on a lot of vacations together, have movie nights together, go to Chuck E Cheese so many times we know the workers & even take her with me to meetings at church when they ended past her bedtime. I don't regret all the times I didn't take her to pre-school because we had "mother / daughter days" or the times we just slept late because in my opinion pre-school wasn't something to kill myself over -- meaning set my alarm clock!! I don't regret that she slept on our floor last year for about six months. Kim said it was just a stage & she was right -- it was just a stage & now, I am so thankful I never tried to beat stages out of Hannah's life.

We had a visit today from Pastor Glenn Gunderson & his wife, Kimberly. It was so great to see them & have Glenn pray over sweet Hannah. We are so blessed by our church community, Pomona First Baptist!!! It is a "community" even though it is a big church, it still has a small feel. They have been an amazing encouragement to us during this time and during our difficult & long wait for Lily!

Hannah also had a visit tonight from Lily & cousin, Katie. I was able to bring them both to the hospital with me & then Jim took them back.

We are getting settled in to our new room. Most of the pictures are hung on the walls. "Camp Hannah" banner is back up on the wall. Hannah's doctor is completely wonderful & sooo incredibly caring. She just dotes over Hannah - even called Hannah on Christmas day!!?!

In the midst of this difficult trial, I am being totally sustained by God's AMAZING grace and His Mercy which is new EVERY morning. I can't imagine going through this without knowing the overwhelming love of our Heavenly Father. He is definitely my EVER PRESENT HELP IN TIMES OF TROUBLE!!!! Thank you, Lord!!!!