We sat in a blanket of sun on a curb in front of the hospital. An edie of milkweed fluff, cigarette butts and a candy wrapper winded around our feet. I followed the path of an urgent sparrow up into an awning then glanced up at that special little window up on the 6th floor, blinds closed.

She was asleep when we left her side moments prior, sedated after the broncoscopy. The procedure was productive with the retrieval of inexorable mucus. Her oxygen saturations, carbon dioxide levels, blood pressure, heart rate, lung pressures and body temperature blipped reassuring rhythms and readings across the assemblage of monitors in the room.

(Thanks Thomas R. for that hilarious visual that I superimposed if you look closely….. 😉)

Earlier in the day there was concern that Nora’s lungs were not operating to capacity. I watched through fragmented moments of lucidity as the numbers dipped and dived, then shot back up again. Nora silently flailed her little wired arms and legs around, dazed and confused, the sound of my voice gave her hiccups. Daddy’s whistling and tender touches, Mommy’s soft caresses, does she understand?

The soft-spoken voice of Nora’s beloved cardiologist reassured us that everything that Nora has been experiencing today is correctable. It’s all within the range of normal to have set backs like this. To step back and look at the whole picture, Nora has made leaps and bounds. She continues to astound despite today’s obstacles.

In desperation to keep my head above the water I grab at all that is good and I give thanks and praise for it. I’m thankful for our friends and family who have fearlessly rallied around us, lifting us up with prayer and encouraging words, heartfelt hugs, cards and sustaining goodies, reminding us of God’s inherent goodness. I awoke from a nap in the plastic pull out chair to the sound of our friend Tommy’s voice inviting the nurses to stay in and pray with us. He boldly spoke God’s word over our wiggling baby girl with such authority. Tears sprang to my eyes like a burst pipe as Tommy quoted John 14:12, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

As the sun gravitates closer to the horizon, I take a deep breath. Tomorrow is another segment of this blur in time. We ask you, Abba Father, please continue to let your glory shine forth from this precious baby girl that you have entrusted us with. Please heal her broken little body and keep her protected from any and all infection. I pray that you comfort Nora and spoil her richly with your peace in the moments she might be scared or confused. Breathe life fully back into her lungs and her stomach and intestines. Protect her heart from any damage during this stressful time. Thank you for the progress that has been made and for all of the BRILLIANT minds who have converged to find answers and solutions for this little girl that we love so much. In your mighty name, I pray.