Wednesday morning at the hospital was a blur.  So many doctors in and out of our room.  I can't even remember which group each doctor was from.  OB, NICU, Family Health, Pediatrics, some other ones?  Abby had a kidney ultrasound and an EKG to check that everything was strong enough to go home.  Another miracle!  Her kidneys were functioning and her heart was strong.  She wouldn't need to stay.

When the doctors all conferred and finally let us know how her heart was doing, we got another shock.  Her EKG revealed a new twist.  Her heart was doing well but of course the defect would still be trouble.  There was one thing they couldn't see in the test so they told us that there was still a chance that she would only make it a couple of days longer.  The next 24 hours would either be her last (but they thought this was less likely) or her heart would actually over work her lungs.  The heart would no longer be her limiting factor.  Her lung function would be.  The big shock: She could have another week or maybe as much as a couple of months!  Weeks or Months? !  Just 48 hours ago we didn't know if she was going to even make it a couple of hours!  We were likely going to have some time with our Sweet Abby!

A couple of hours later, and we were walking out of the hospital!  Laugh? Cry?  Both? yes.  I just couldn't believe it.  We got to take her home!  She got to come home!  Walking through the labor and delivery ward carrying the carseat with Abby inside felt like a dream.  It was so surreal to be leaving with our baby.  Laughing with tears

Before Abby was born we were worried about how much school the kids might miss.  Birth, hospital, death, funeral, it's a lot of time and I didn't want to push them to be back in their routine right away if they weren't ready.  Once again, God provided.  We got home Wednesday afternoon only about an hour after the kids got out of school.  They had the next two days off school for teacher conferences.  They got to be home with our whole family while Abby was home.  

Thursday morning: Here is a new gift!  Your baby is still here with you!  Friday morning:  Here is a new gift!  Your baby is still here with you!  Saturday morning:  Here is a new gift!  Your baby is still here with you!  Sunday morning:  Here is a new gift!  Your baby is still here with you!  Every morning was a new miracle that we still had Abby.

Monday morning did not feel like another miracle or gift.  But we still had amazing friends and family lifting us up through the worst of it.

That week our family and friends helped with so much.  Helping make things for the funeral.  Helping clean house for guests.  Bringing meals.  Giving us food to have ready for guests.  Gods hands on earth were busy and Thank you Thank you!  I cannot thank you all enough. 

The funeral would be in a week.  Zoey was worried if her friends could come to the funeral.  God provided for us and our kids again. The next Monday was President's day so the kids were off school again.  Many of the kids' friends from school, scouts, mom's day out, all came to the funeral to be with us and no one had to worry about make up homework.

We were absolutely blown away by all the people that came.  Again God's love in God's people showed.  We were completely surrounded by love from Wichita, and by love from out of state.  Friends and family from all over came in to visit.  Fr Isaac even drove all night (possibly over the speed limit) to get back just in time for the funeral.  He was not supposed to be back from Arizona until the next day.

The Rosary and Mass were absolutely beautiful.  Thank you Fr Jim.  At the burial it was very chilly and windy as we started.  Just as Fr was reading the prayers, the sun came out and it warmed up.  One last little tiny miracle for Abby before she was buried.

Thank you all for all the ways you have blessed us and acted as God's hands.  We have seen miracles again and again.