More PIctures!

This little guy is so loved by so many!  Thank you for your prayers and sweet messages.  We love telling all of the staff about how many people have been praying for this little guy...he sure is a miracle baby!!!  Here are some fun pictures from today =0)

All of Me

Matt Hammitt, the lead singer of the Christian group Sanctus Real, had a son born with a very similar heart defect as Stephen’s.  This video (see link below) is the introduction of his song “All of Me”.  The words bring me to tears every time.  These words describe how we feel so beautifully.  I don’t only cry watching this video, I weep.   Joe and I have chosen to love Stephen recklessly with our whole hearts.  The words "I'm so close to what I can't control" bring me right back to the moment I watched him be wheeled away to the OR.  I love this child so much, more than words can describe, and yet his life is not in my hands...none of ours are.  I am so grateful for the surgeons, doctors and nurses who have cared for Stephen, but I find my peace in knowing that his care does not stop in mans hands alone.  God is the ultimate healer and he has held Stephen in his hands, even before he was born.   God has given us this precious little life to care for and Stephen will know our love, all of it.    

"I won't let sadness steal you from my arms.  I won't let pain keep you from my heart.  

Trade the fear of all that I could lose, for every moment I share with you"     

http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=FFF1FJNU

All of Me

Afraid to love, something that could break,
Could I move on, if you were torn away?
I'm so close to what I can't control
I can't give you half my heart, and pray it makes you whole

You're gunna have all of me, you're gunna have all of me,
Cuz you're worth every fallen tear, you're worth facing every fear
You're gunna know all my love, even if it's not enough
Enough to mend our broken hearts, giving you all of me is where I'll start.

I won't let sadness steal you from my arms
I won't let pain keep you from my heart
Trade the fear of all that I could lose, for every moment I share with you
[ Lyrics from: _of_me.html ]
You're gunna have all of me, you're gunna have all of me,
Cuz you're worth every fallen tear, you're worth facing any fear
You're gunna know all my love, even if it's not enough
Enough to mend our broken hearts, giving you all of me is where I'll start.

Heaven broke into this moment, it's too wonderful to speak
You're worth all of me, you're worth all of me
So let me recklessly love you, even if I bleed
You're worth all of me, you're worth all of me

You're gunna have all of me, you're gunna have all of me,
Cuz you're worth every fallen tear, you're worth facing any fear
You're gunna know all my love, even if it's not enough
Enough to mend our broken hearts, giving you all of me is where I'll start

Here are a few photos from today =0)

"Praise the Lord, my soul; 

    all my inmost being, praise his holy name. 

² 

Praise the Lord, my soul,

    and forget not all his benefits—

³ 

who forgives all your sins 

    and heals all your diseases,

⁴ 

who redeems your life from the pit

    and crowns you with love and compassion, 

⁵ 

who satisfies your desires with good things

    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s"

Psalm 103:1-5

AMEN!!!

You know how you always tend to run into people you haven't seen in forever when look your worst?  Today felt like one of those days.  I didn't sleep too well last night so I slept in a bit while Joe took the 3 kids on a walk.  I woke up at 8, rolled out of bed, put some clothes on and decided to bypass a shower and makeup so I could meet up with Joe and take the kids to see Stephen.  Well instead of running into an old friend we had FOX News show up in our hospital room =0)  It was pretty neat.  They will be doing a short segment on Miracle babies and the nurses thought our family would be perfect.  The aren't sharing our story or anything, they just took video of our family with Stephen.  Michael was really into it.  He was feeding Stephen and looking into the camera.  The girls didn't have a clue what was going on...and of course I looked awesome =0)
Stephen is still doing great and we are eager to get home.  I keep asking when that will be and they keep not giving me an answer.  Going home is going to be strange.  Taking Stephen home is not going to be the same as taking Michael, Lizzie or Audrey home.  We are going to have to get used to a new normal.  To some extent we have to keep him in a "bubble".  Most people love babies.  They love holding them and kissing them, etc.  And while Stephen is a cuddle bear and loves kisses, people showering him with that kind of love will not be good for him.  He isn't a "normal" baby right now and the doctors have already warned us that him getting a cold means most likely being admitted into the hospital.  They know we can't shelter him completely but they have suggested no large crowds, no visitors who are sick or have been around someone who is sick in the past week, and a look not touch policy.   The 80% survival rate we mentioned before lasts until his second surgery.  80% of kids make it to the next stage.  He will be sent home on monitors and have regular appointments to make sure he doesn't outgrow his shunt and develop any clots or other complications.  Remember he has only completed stage 1 of a 3 stage process to get his heart working more like normal heart.  Whereas our oxygen saturations are 100% Stephen's are only about 75-85% after the first surgery, 85-90% after the second and finally 95-100% after the third.  He truly does have a long road ahead of him but we are so very grateful for how far he has come already.  Each day with him truly is a gift.  He is a miracle baby and we are so thankful for what God has given us.
Needless to say we have entered a new normal and will continue to learn what our life will be like.
Thank you for your prayers and love.
Hopefully I will get a chance to post some more pictures tonight =0)
Much Love
The Russells

Today we made some progress.  This morning his oxygen was down to room air and the doctor decided to just take him off of it to see how he would tolerate it.  Even if he started to slightly dip she wanted to see if he would be able to bring himself back up.  He has now been off oxygen since 9:30am!!!  I know at any point that can change...but it feels so good knowing that he can do it.  

This is the first time we have seen his face with nothing else on it!!!
Such a little blessing =0)

We still have to finish up the antibiotics...not sure exactly how many more days he is on them.  Things change constantly here =0)  We also have to undergo some homecare teaching eventually.  He will be going home on medications and monitors so they will prep us on how to handle it all.  It just feels so good to know we are heading in the right direction.
We also have our other kiddos here with us again.  It is so great to get some more time with them.  We made sure they didn't get naps today so bedtime would be easier...it was a total success!  Now if we are smart we will go to bed too so we won't be exhausted when they wake us up early =0)
Please continue to pray that Stephen will do well off of the oxygen.  We want to take this little cutie home soon!

Nothing new in the medical department today so I thought we would share some cute pictures.

Still trying to wean him off of oxygen, but he is a happy boy!

Stephen is trying to pull off his cannula...he loves to keep the nurses on their toes!

Just wanted to share a little picture from today.  He is a good sleeper =0)