What a difference a year makes! One year ago tonight, we were taking Asher by ambulance to the hospital scared out of our minds and not knowing what was happening. Now, he’s a healthy, happy baby boy who charms everyone he encounters with his killer smile! He is off all of his medications. The last MRI showed that the blood clot has resolved, and the ventricles are stable. He still sees a physical therapist once a week. She keeps an eye out for any possible cerebral palsy signs but she is pleased with his development thus far. He is sitting, standing and cruising around the coffee table. He’s got an aggressive army crawl and loves to eat! We get immense joy out of every little thing he does and are so grateful for his life.
It has been an interesting lead up to this anniversary for me. I’ve felt the weight of it almost constantly. It’s not necessarily doom or a sad feeling, but just heavy. However, it also came with a giddy anticipation of the Christmas season. This is truly Asher’s first Christmas! I want to celebrate with him. I want twinkling lights, Christmas music, Christmas baking, hot cocoa, cozy socks, Christmas movies and LOTS of cuddles. I spent some time looking through pictures of Asher during his hospital stay and reading through the journal entries. Seeing Asher in that condition made my heart hurt, but reading through the journal made me so incredibly awestruck all over again at how God sustained us during that time. He used all of you to show us immeasurable love and kindness. How incredible it was to experience that kind of care. I’m choosing not to dwell on the sadness that accompanies the images of Asher in the hospital, but instead, take this time to steep myself in gratitude. I want it to permeate every fiber of my being. We are thankful for all of you. We are thankful for everyone at the Penn State Children’s hospital. We are thankful for our family. We are thankful for our church family. We are thankful for Mia who is the best big sister ever! And, we are thankful for Asher. Praise God for his life!!