Home in every sense of the word

Before my update from my computer instead of my phone, here are some pictures from the hospital.

And one of the kiddos with their Popeye watching a normal occurrence outside Nattie's house.

Words may not be able to describe the level of relief felt around here but since Joy is asleep and the big kids aren't here I have a little time to write.

First, thank you so much for taking time and energy out of what you do to pray for Joy throughout her life. It is overwhelming at times to know that she has been so covered in prayer and she's benefiting from it, (and so are we.) Emotions have been all over the place as you can imagine. Normally I'm an open processor, talking about things as they happen and keeping nothing to myself but God is being near and listening and has given me the clarity that I need. So if you have worried that I'm hanging by a thread and hiding, know that I am doing well. Sean and I both sobbed as we sat with Joy in the "holding" room before she went into surgery. I was doing okay listening to the nurse explain everything until I looked back at Sean, (who was holding Joy,) and tears were just running down his cheeks.

Well, that was it for me.

And it was just fine for that to be it.

By the time the surgeon came over to talk to us I was a blundering idiot asking him if he'd slept well last night, (which I know not to do because I know how stupid that sounds,) but he was so sweet to just say, "Yes I sure did and I will take care of her like she is my own."

Then I really cried.

But again, that was just fine.

Sometimes we work to keep it all together, don't we? For our kids, for our husbands, for our own selves. I found it so refreshing to see how no one really cared--not in a bad way, in a good way--if we needed to cry or ask stupid questions.

It's been almost as year since we found out about Joy's lung and now the chapter is almost closed. (Pending a post-op visit in two weeks and another scan in the future,) her lung is considered totally normal now. No high-risk pregnancy anymore, no high-risk for infection, no high-risk for anything. We asked her surgeon what the chance was for the thing to come back and he said extremely rare in research and in 20 years he has never heard of it coming back. No more high-risk fears. Nothing to fear.

Except the things that we will encounter as part of a fallen world. Things that will no doubt "pull the rug out from under us," as we say. Things that we will question and fight and wrestle with that God will walk through with us just as He has up until now. And He will always prove faithful.

Sometimes being so afraid that you mumble and sob and ask stupid questions is really good for you I guess. Sometimes giving up and resting on your daddy's shoulder, as she did when she was so hungry that morning, is what you need to do. So for the next few hours before the big kids come home, that's what we're doing. Thanking God that Joy is doing really well and her only issue has been resolved. I'll spare you the details but it had to do with the constipating effects of pain meds. I'd like to take this moment to kick a shout out to Jamie for her late-night help with Joy's issue and a huge shout out to Nattie and Popeye, who have been slaving away so that Ty and Charlie have not a care in the world.

In fact, I'm guessing they'll be a little depressed when they have to come home.