It was June 1st, 2007. First Friday, downtown Manteo in full swing. Steve and I ate dinner at Magnolia Grill. We were waiting for the call knowing that Gwenn was in labor with her baby Josiah. He was very late and we knew he would be big. His coming late seemed so hard for many reasons. First poor Gwenn was so uncomfortable. AND Nick and I were planning to go to Haiti to finally pick up Nico. So the call finally came that a nine + lb boy had arrived. We had not planned to go to Raleigh until the weekend because I would already be missing work for the Haiti trip. It was the first grandchild to be born when I wasn't at the hospital. We walked on the docks after dinner running into friends and shared our happy news with them. A short time later the second call came "Mommy, there is something very wrong with the baby. It might be his heart." My own heart wanted to burst. I should have been there. I hastily drove home packed a bag and headed out. I was able to glimpse only for a moment this beautiful baby as he was wheeled out to the waiting ambulance for him to be transferred to Duke. I spent the night in the Raleigh hospital with Gwenn while Nick went on to Duke.
We took turns staying with Josiah around the clock. He would have to have open heart surgery. On one overnight shift with him his stopped breathing. I was so helpless as the doctors and nurses rushed in and worked on him. I got to hold him while he slept with wires and tubes and bells and whistles. It was during this time that Gwenn started to blog about Josiah. I believe it was a reader who asked her if she knew what Josiah means. She did not.It means God heals. I cried out to God like never before. He heard my cry. He heard our cry. Our family, our churches and the many many people who were following his story on Gwenn's blog.
When I looked at Josiah with all his wires and tubes and his chest surgery I did not see how horrid that picture was. Now when I see those pictures it about takes my breath away. God put us in His cocoon of grace during those first days. We see His hand of provision in many ways including the extra weeks of Gwenn's pregnancy which allowed Josiah to grow heavier and stronger.
During that time I was very mindful that not all babies are healed. Now when I hear of a baby in trouble I am instantly back in that place. I am able to pray for those families and those babies because I know as least in part how those families are feeling.
"Abba, I thank you for your loving kindness that you have shown to us in sparing Josiah's life. I thank you for the doctor's and nurse's who cared for him and the fact that he was able to be treated in one of the best hospitals in the world.Even now I ask your blessing on his medical staff from duke. I lift up to you every baby in the PICU unit tonight and every family member who waiting in that terribly uncomfortable waitin room.Grow Josiah up to be a God lover and give him the desire and the ability to follow you.Protect him from evil and help Him to be caught early when he does wrong and protect him from the evil one."
This is a repost of a blog i wrote last year. Today Josiah is 3 yrs old. He has seen more in hie 3 years than many will see in a lifetime. He is beautiful, smart, healthy and to coin a NC phrase "He's a mess!"
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