Growth

Jayden continues to grow. We took a picture of him shortly after he was born with this same soccer ball. His head was barely bigger than the ball! Now the ball looks small next to his head. That shows growth, for which we are very thankful!

However, he still has some hurdles to overcome. Yesterday the doctors changed the type of formula he is receiving through a tube into his intestine. The current thought is that perhaps he is allergic to milk. This formula is for babies with allergies. Pray that he responds well to this new formula and is able to tolerate it. 

Also, he was taken off the vent on Monday. He was doing well until yesterday. Before we arrived to visit him, he had another breathing episode, similar to what he was having before going onto the vent. Today before Joy went home, she called me to tell me he had had another episode and they were putting him back on the C-Pac (I think that's what it's called -- it's a step above the cannula and a step below the vent).  When I talked to the night nurse, she assured me he was resting easily and doing fine.

To be honest, I'm really sad right now and have shed my share of tears once again. Every time we seem to have progress, something happens and we're back to square one. It's so emotionally draining! 

Through all of this, Gerson and I are also undergoing growth. We are being challenged spiritually as we have never been before. When we found out I was pregnant, Gerson and I began to pray that God would use our baby to bring glory to HIM. When we prayed that, we had something else in mind than what we all are going through. 

However, God has brought to my mind Isaiah 55:8-11 -- "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord.  As the heaves are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish the purpose for which I sent it."

God is answering our prayer. Our son continues to bring glory to God as we see answered prayer. God continues to give us opportunities to testify to his faithfulness and goodness. He continues to hold us when we have no strength and we are able to tell others the strength they see in us is not our own, but rather that of our Heavenly Father. Because of this road we are traveling, we are beginning to understand God's amazing grace in a brand new way. 

Growth. It hurts. But it's good. May we continue to let our Lord grow us and we daily surrender out son's growth to Him.