“Heaven lies about us in our Infancy…”

Tonight, at around 10:35, my niece who was born at 23 weeks last week will be 5 days old.  Her life is a miracle.  She is so beautiful with the tiniest yet most perfect fingers and toes.  She has blond little eyelashes and eyebrows and dark hair on her head.  The other night, when they let me touch her, I put two fingers very gently on her knee at which time she decided to “knee” those two fingers.  She wiggles often in her warm little temporary home and charms to tears all who see her.  Because of her fragile situation not many can see her, 4 in fact, besides her mom and dad.  Luckily I am one of those and will post pictures and my experiences when I can.  Erin and Bill will be posting updates, pictures, etc. on their blog very soon.  That will be a good place for people to track little Julia’s progress:  http://erindhansen.blogspot.com/.

You never know which path life will take you on (or drop you on), so I guess we’d all better become a bit more malleable and ready for adventure.  I know that it’s easy to get stuck and crack under the disrupting tendencies of change. But I think we miss so much and so many opportunities for growth and joy if we won’t flex a bit and give into the more beautiful form life is trying to take on. No matter how much time we have with Julia, which I believe will be a long time, I know that each day is a privilege and a treasure for all of us.  Julia will be Erin and Bill’s little girl for all eternity no matter what, I know this.  She has already captured, and will always have, our love.

She is doing quite well and much better than expected.  At birth she weighed 1 lb. 4 oz. and was 11.5 “ long.  The nurses and doctors in the NICU are wonderful and a great help to the parents who are daily in there bonding with their new babies.  Please keep her and her parents and family in your prayers.  I know it will make a difference.