Preemies to Kings
Our tiny miracles turn FIVE today. It’s absolutely astonishing.
What a road we’ve journeyed together, Sweet Miracle Boys!
I never thought I’d give birth to a baby that would be dependent on ventilators, tubes, wires, and monitors to survive. I never could have fathomed the helplessness I would feel to watch one of my babies struggle to breath so much that he would have to be paralyzed, that a swarm of medical staff would gather around his bedside for hours monitoring him, turning up settings, and maxing out on meds to save his life. To be so afraid that his life was about to end that I couldn’t even bare to take his picture for his first few days of life.
I never imagined not being able to hold or even touch my baby after my delivery.
I couldn’t have pictured a baby so tiny that they would swim in preemie clothes and blankets. A diaper that fit in my hand, a bottle that looked like it was made for a doll baby, a blood pressure cuff that could wrap around my index finger…
I didn’t anticipate the way it would feel watching skilled nurses caring for you, feeding for you, providing for you, when all I could do was sit and watch. Giving my milk was the only thing that felt like being a mother, but even then it came through a tube instead of nursing in my arms.
I never imagined the overwhelming sense of gratitude I would feel not just on the day of your birth, but daily. A thankfulness to our great God for giving us not just one life but four. A joy for the ability to watch you grow, learn, and thrive. An absolute awe in how the Lord has provided…
Four heartbeats who weren’t given the most promising shot at life, are healthy and happy – living like kings.
NICU photos taken at St.Vincent Women’s by IndyStar
Happy Birthday to your miracles!
(a grandmother of a singleton 24 weeker who is now 5 1/2).
GOD IS SO GREAT! As well as St. Vincent Woman’s NICU is incredible. Love following the story of your little kings. Happy Birthday Boys! Congrats Mommy & Daddy for survivng five years!
yay, for St. V’s NICU! so thankful!
Happy Birthday to four adorable boys
Blessed x4! What an amazing journey and what a special day. Celebrate to the fullest, so much to be grateful for! Happy happy Birthday Clark, Brooks, Henry, and Isaac!!
Happy Birthday Clark
Happy Birthday Brooks
Happy Birthday Henry
Happy Birthday Isaac
I hope you have a great fun filled day. I have so much enjoyed following your journey as you grow into such fine young boys.
Sherri
Happy Birthday to your handsome little guys! My daughter T-girl was born 8 weeks early, weighed just over 3 lbs at birth and turns 9 years old today! :O) Good things come in small packages!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GUYS! Five is a really big deal, this year is going to be great!
That is so amazing! Happy Birthday to them. 🙂
Happy Happy Happy Happy Birthday Murray Quads!!!
Happy birthday to Brooks, Isaac, Clark & Henry! Welcome to the fantastic fives!
Happy five, boys! Five feels so… milestoney. So sniffly and sweet. Happy day.
GOD IS SO AWESOME! Happiest birthday to your sweet boys!!!
a
HAPPY HAPPY Birthday to my favorite quads in the world! Henry, Isaac, Brooks and Clark, I hope you have a wonderful day! 🙂 We love you!
Happy Birthday to 4 very handsome miracles. May God continue to bless all of you.
Beautifully said…goosebumps! Happy, happy to your sweet, sweet boys! Can’t believe they are 5!! (5 is my favorite year so far btw…hope it is 4x as magical). Looking forward to the amazing work God is going to do in these 4 kings’ lives!! God Bless!
Happy birthday, sweet boys!!!!
Happy birthday to your quartet of little miracles! 🙂
Looks like we’re from the same city! Nice to “meet” you!
Happy Birthday Brooks, Clark, Henry and Isaac! Wow you’ll are handsome young men an blessed with wonderful parents! I hope your day is fantastic.
By the way, my grand daughter missed you birthday by one day, she was born yesterday, February 1! So exciting!
Congratulations on the survival story of your boys!!! A friend shared your link on Facebook and I couldn’t help but rejoice with you and your family. Both my boys were preemies (our 27 weeker had a 6 month NICU stay) and I have been right where you were…thinking and hurting the same way you described. Thank you so much for sharing your story! May God continue to bless your charming little men!
*sniffle* *sob* *choke* And, over it all… AMEN and HALLELUJAH!!
Happy Birthday to your precious miracles. I was transported in time as I read your words… the tubes… the vent… the meds… the watching levels… the waiting to hold… the milk through a tiny OG or NG tube… all of it. I only endured it x1, but it rocked my whole world and I’ll never be the same for it. How incredibly blessed we are and how TREMENDOUS our God is.
Ed and I will never stop praising the Lord for allowing Isaac, Henry, Brooks, and Clark survive a risky pregnancy and delivery and then survival in the NICU unit at St.Vincent Hospital. These 5 years have been a blessing to us as we have watched them develop, grow, and learn. Each year of their lives has been enjoyable and love continues to grow. We are also thankful for the wonderful parents that the boys have.
Happy Birthday to your sweet boys!
I love them and you so so so so much.
So much.
My life has been blessed knowing you.
Happy Birthday boys!! I’ve thought of them all day today (little groundhogs:). Thank you for sharing them with us!
Happy Birthday to your amazing miracles! they are such great promise! My college roomie just gave birth to her son 3 months early. 1 lb 12 oz. Hoping and praying she can share the same story 5 years from now!
Happy Birthday to Henry, Brooks, Clark, and Isaac. Hope they had a super fun day!!
Can’t wait to see you in a few weeks!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Henry, Isaac, Brooks, and Clark!!!!! I can’t believe you guys are 5!!!! I love and miss you guys! I hope to see you soon!! 🙂
Happy 5th birthday to your amazing blessings!
Happy birthday to your wonderful 4 miracles……God is good!!
Amazing story! God has definitely abundantly blessed you. Your boys are perfect and miracles!
I want you to know that I will never forget this delivery. It was such a blessing to be allowed to care for you and Brad during your pregnacy, but one of my most memoriable moments in nursing was being allowed to be part of your delivery. I’ll never forget it or the night that I spent with you and Brad in the NICU while the babies were fighting for their lives. Your amazing faith and strength inspired me! I continue to pray for you and your “miracle” babies today. I can not tell you the joy I get everytime I see your blog and know that everyone is doing so well. God has a wonderful way of letting us know we are were we need to be in life and I am so thankful for your reminder of faith and love for one another! Thank you both for reminding me that He is always with us, even in our daily work!
Melissa RN
Happy 5th Birthday Henry, Brooks, Clark, and Isaac! You are becoming young men right before my eyes…God is SO good! I can’t wait to “hear” all about your big day!
Gail
Annapolis, MD
Happy 5th Birthday Clark, Brooks, Henry & Isaac!!!!! I love reading your parents’ blog. You’ve been blessed with wonderful parents that love Jesus. Have an amazing year birthday boys!!!!
Happy Birthday Boys!! Yay for 5 yr olds! My twins just turned 6 and I am dying to know what your plans for kindergarten are? I had no problem separating my twins–one in each class. What are you going to do with 4?
Aw, you made me cry. I hope your kings had a royally good time on their birthday!
Oh my gracious. They are so incredibly tiny in the hospital photos. What a wonder they are. Happy, happy birthday boys!
sweet, sweet boys. oh, girl…having 1 there seemed like so.much.heartache…so.much.joy. i don’t know how you did it with 4. i just look at their sweet little faces and see joy and grace…and rowdy. because all boys is all rowdy, all the time. 🙂 xo, friend.