Fast Fridays: Overcomers
Have you ever had reality smack you in the face and wake you up to what you’re missing in the details of the moment?
That happened to me on Saturday morning. The boys and I were at the annual St Vincent Women’s NICU Reunion Picnic. It’s always a highlight of the summer seeing faces that we haven’t seen for a while who “get” our start to parenthood, and being reminded of how far our boys have come. In the past it’s been a bit emotional seeing doctors and nurses that God used to save our boys’ lives and getting to thank them again for all of their care.
We shake hands with doctors who’s hands held my babies head while a ventilator was inserted down their tiny mouth. We hug nurses who’s arms held my babies when I couldn’t. We reunite with those who’s lives we’ve crossed because of this road, and we play games and eat with strangers who have also tasted the uncertainties of life.
These boys are overcomers. They are statistical exceptions. They are living proof of God’s power and protection.
The picnic is a an equal celebration of how far they’ve come and a sobering reality check of what could have been, as we are surrounded by families who have lost children prematurely or have life-long challenges to face daily.
This should have been my mindset on Saturday as we enjoyed a sunshiny August day at the park. However, I was caught up in counting tickets for prizes, trying to make everyone happy, passing out snacks, and feeling frustrated over attitudes of ingratitude. Keeping it real, Yo.
It wasn’t until a triplet mom ran into me with a hug and a lit-up smile that snapped me back into the reality of what surrounded me. Her kids are older than mine and she was a great mentor to me in the trenches of both pregnancy and the multiple babies stage. Days that I would have LOVED to hear that my babies were going to be healthy and thriving eight year olds one day. My frustrations melted and I apologized to my boys for my attitudes and ungrateful heart {and later they did too}. The day was redeemed.
Some days you have to overcome lungs that are underdeveloped and other days you have to overcome your own selfishness, but we all can be overcomers.