My husband had to leave the country for his job for two weeks. For about a month leading up to it I was so nervous. I really didn't want to depend on my friends to help me because they all have their own lives. I thought of all the worst things that could happen, the exhaustion and the constant crying (from the girls and myself). I was going to stay with my parents for two weeks, but I didn't want Sakura to miss 2 sessions of therapy, so I decided to suck it up and make it happen.
I'm so happy I decided to stay.
Never have I seen people pull together to surround me with help and support. I haven't had a day alone since Juan left. It's truly God at work. I don't know what I would've done without the help of friends and family giving up their time to help me, giving up their familiar surroundings and cozy beds to sleep at my house. That's what I call love! Thank you so much, you know who you are. You have been a blessing to me and my family since the beginning and I'm honored to have you in my life. Never did I think I would have such a wonderful, caring and kind person to share life with. You're the best and I pray I can be a blessing in your life as well.
God works in the craziest ways. You never know how He's going to show up: a quiet whisper or roaring as loud as thunder. Praise God!
Showing posts with label God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Friday, October 29, 2010
Reflecting On My Journey
I wrote a post a couple of days ago about Sasa and her journey in the NICU. Since then I can't stop thinking about how far both of my girls have come. I never thought in a million years I'd be pregnant with twins and they would be born three months early while on vacation in NY. What are the chances of that happening?!?! I pray that I never forget my experiences this summer. As terrible and traumatic as they have been, I have been shown God's awesome power and unconditional (agape) love for His creation. Some may say "Look at what God has done to you and your girls. How can He let that happen?" God has made a true believer out of me and I pray that others can find it in their hearts to find answers for themselves. My girls are alive, healthy and growing stronger everyday. I've said it before, nobody can look at my girls and say that there is no God.
In this blog I try to be as real and true as possible. I want my readers to really grasp the emotion and drama of the events that have taken place this summer, but sometimes there aren't words to explain it. When I saw my fragile little girls, the pain and guilt that overcame me was unbearable. I was numb and felt horrible. I was on the verge of tears every single time I saw them. I would often burst into flat out crying sessions before I saw them, after I saw them, at home thinking of them, but never in front of the girls or any nurses. I could cry now just thinking about it. I don't wish these horrors on anyone.
What pulled me though it all was God. I looked to him every time and every time He picked me up. Again and again without fail my Savior stepped in and gave me hope and comforted me. And look now, Mimi is home and thriving and Sasa will be home soon, just waiting on her O2 monitor. You never know what you can handle until you've been brought through it. When you reflect on it you realize you've become a new person, a very different person. I thought I couldn't go through anything worse than losing my mother at age ten and growing up without her. What have I learned while walking through this wilderness? I know that the Lord is on my side and I will trust His path for my life. Thank you Jesus for the health you have restored in myself and my children! Amen!
In this blog I try to be as real and true as possible. I want my readers to really grasp the emotion and drama of the events that have taken place this summer, but sometimes there aren't words to explain it. When I saw my fragile little girls, the pain and guilt that overcame me was unbearable. I was numb and felt horrible. I was on the verge of tears every single time I saw them. I would often burst into flat out crying sessions before I saw them, after I saw them, at home thinking of them, but never in front of the girls or any nurses. I could cry now just thinking about it. I don't wish these horrors on anyone.
What pulled me though it all was God. I looked to him every time and every time He picked me up. Again and again without fail my Savior stepped in and gave me hope and comforted me. And look now, Mimi is home and thriving and Sasa will be home soon, just waiting on her O2 monitor. You never know what you can handle until you've been brought through it. When you reflect on it you realize you've become a new person, a very different person. I thought I couldn't go through anything worse than losing my mother at age ten and growing up without her. What have I learned while walking through this wilderness? I know that the Lord is on my side and I will trust His path for my life. Thank you Jesus for the health you have restored in myself and my children! Amen!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Breastfeeding Is Officially OVER!
I fought tooth and nail against what was going on inside my body so that I can start breastfeeding, well pumping, for the girls. I wrote about that experience in an earlier posting, Who Said a 2lb. Baby Can't Breastfeed?!?! I still believe breast milk is the best nutrition for a baby, but my battle with it is over.
Up until Mimi came home I was the pumping master, every 3 hours like clock work. Drank water like camel and ate all kinds of milk producing foods (oatmeal, broccoli, peanuts, and chocolate). I still didn't make enough milk for both of them, so they were getting half breast milk, half formula. I didn't like the idea, but they had to eat. When Mimi came home I tried to jump to breastfeeding her every feeding. That didn't work. I had to work up to it, so I fed her half and half and continued to pump. Taking care of an infant without help, bottle feeding her, pumping, cooking, and laundry, it was a mess. Mimi was terrible during her feedings! She was gassy, in pain, and textbook GERD. The doctor put her on anti-acid medication for the GERD and I tried 3 different formulas before I tried Similac Alimentum. Mimi was doing ok, but something was still off, she was still having a hard time eating. She wasn't getting enough to eat when I breastfed her for an hour or more. It just wasn't working. I was getting so frustrated, I was scared Mimi wasn't gaining weight or getting the nutrition she needed. I started to bottle feed her more, but pumping was becoming less frequent. One day I didn't have any thawed breast milk and gave her a bottle of full formula. She was a completely different baby!! That's when I started to give her just formula. Her feedings became peaceful, less frustrating, and I could feel that we were bonding instead of fighting.
I wish I could have continued breastfeeding, but there are a lot of things that didn't go my way from pregnancy to delivery to living in NY for 5 months instead of vacationing for 2. I guess that's what you call God's plan. You want and plan one thing, but His plans are so much better than ours. What's comforting is that I know He has my life in His hands and I couldn't trust anyone more than God to lead me and guide me. I know that He will provide for me and my family as He has done these 3 months my husband has been unable to work his normal job. I'm glad I was able to give my girls breast milk for the first 3 months of life. I have to do what I can with what I have. Maybe I'll pick it up again when I finally get back home.
Up until Mimi came home I was the pumping master, every 3 hours like clock work. Drank water like camel and ate all kinds of milk producing foods (oatmeal, broccoli, peanuts, and chocolate). I still didn't make enough milk for both of them, so they were getting half breast milk, half formula. I didn't like the idea, but they had to eat. When Mimi came home I tried to jump to breastfeeding her every feeding. That didn't work. I had to work up to it, so I fed her half and half and continued to pump. Taking care of an infant without help, bottle feeding her, pumping, cooking, and laundry, it was a mess. Mimi was terrible during her feedings! She was gassy, in pain, and textbook GERD. The doctor put her on anti-acid medication for the GERD and I tried 3 different formulas before I tried Similac Alimentum. Mimi was doing ok, but something was still off, she was still having a hard time eating. She wasn't getting enough to eat when I breastfed her for an hour or more. It just wasn't working. I was getting so frustrated, I was scared Mimi wasn't gaining weight or getting the nutrition she needed. I started to bottle feed her more, but pumping was becoming less frequent. One day I didn't have any thawed breast milk and gave her a bottle of full formula. She was a completely different baby!! That's when I started to give her just formula. Her feedings became peaceful, less frustrating, and I could feel that we were bonding instead of fighting.
I wish I could have continued breastfeeding, but there are a lot of things that didn't go my way from pregnancy to delivery to living in NY for 5 months instead of vacationing for 2. I guess that's what you call God's plan. You want and plan one thing, but His plans are so much better than ours. What's comforting is that I know He has my life in His hands and I couldn't trust anyone more than God to lead me and guide me. I know that He will provide for me and my family as He has done these 3 months my husband has been unable to work his normal job. I'm glad I was able to give my girls breast milk for the first 3 months of life. I have to do what I can with what I have. Maybe I'll pick it up again when I finally get back home.
Monday, October 18, 2010
"You're So Strong"... NOT!
I can't count the times I was told how strong I am, how brave I am. I just don't feel that way. Things have calmed down a bit, but 3 months ago I was a wreck. My daughters were born at 28 weeks and fighting for their lives. I was an emotional wreck and felt I failed as a mother, that I put my children in danger. I was not exuding strength and bravery as others thought. I was clinging to whatever sanity I had left.
I know that there are people who thank God for getting them through a rough patch and never look back until the next one comes along. When I say that, if it weren't for the life saving breath of God, I would have gone off the deep end I mean it. There were plenty of times when I was standing at the edge of a cliff ready to jump, but the Spirit given to me by God to guide me held me firm to ground and eventually back to green pastures. The are no words to explain that place I was in. It was a black hole of pain, anxiety and loneliness. It was the lowest I've ever been. Through continuous prayer God showed me that He was in control and He was by my side. No matter how many times I was at the edge He pulled me back every time faithfully. Two Verses I cling to are "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (James 1:2-4) and "God is able to do immeasurably more than all we could ask for or imagine" (Ephesians 3:20). Praise God for all he has done these last three months. I cannot look at my daughters and say that God doesn't perform miracles anymore.
I know that there are people who thank God for getting them through a rough patch and never look back until the next one comes along. When I say that, if it weren't for the life saving breath of God, I would have gone off the deep end I mean it. There were plenty of times when I was standing at the edge of a cliff ready to jump, but the Spirit given to me by God to guide me held me firm to ground and eventually back to green pastures. The are no words to explain that place I was in. It was a black hole of pain, anxiety and loneliness. It was the lowest I've ever been. Through continuous prayer God showed me that He was in control and He was by my side. No matter how many times I was at the edge He pulled me back every time faithfully. Two Verses I cling to are "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (James 1:2-4) and "God is able to do immeasurably more than all we could ask for or imagine" (Ephesians 3:20). Praise God for all he has done these last three months. I cannot look at my daughters and say that God doesn't perform miracles anymore.
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