Gratitude

When the boys came down to visit Sunday, Spencer raved about the talk on gratitude. He said it was just what he needed to hear that day. It made him realize that in all his prayers recently he had been just asking for things and that he needed to say thank-you more. I'm so glad he told me that, because it made me think about all the things I have to be thankful for too. So here is my gratitude list:

1. I am thankful for Dave, who has spent every possible minute with me and Chloe in the hospital. His work has been super supportive, and he's been able to work half-days.

2. I am thankful for Kristen and Nathan and my parents taking care of my boys. I know that they are in good hands, so I can just focus on taking care of Chloe.

3. I am thankful for the doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists and aids here at Sierra Vista Hospital. Everyone is SO nice to us and super sweet to Chloe. They always tell me how beautiful she is.

4. I am thankful for the hospital food. No, really. I love that I don't have to think about, shop for, prepare or clean up meals. And the girls who come get my food orders are super cute, smiley, and nice. They remind me of my sister MaryRuth. The food itself is actually quite good. I especially like the chocolate cookies.

5. I am thankful for all the prayers and fasting on our behalf. I can really feel it helping, and it strengthens my faith. It also helps me feel closer to people.

6. I am thankful I can still nurse Chloe. Apparently a lot of RSV babies are too weak to nurse, and everyone tells me how great it is that she is able to do it. The baby next to us had to be fed through a tube.

7. I am thankful for the beautiful weather, cute hospital courtyard and fun park nearby. It's nice to have a place to go when I need to get out of the hospital to go for a walk or play with the boys.

8. I am so thankful Chloe is improving! She really turned the corner Sunday and Monday: she requires less oxygen (down to .8 liters), has fewer episodes of respiratory distress, needs her nose/mouth suctioned out less, has lower temps and is more alert. There are times after I nurse her that she just opens her eyes wide and focuses on my face. Often it's in the middle of the night, and I just stare at her big beautiful eyes until she goes back to sleep. The doctor feels she is past the worst of it and will be able to go home in the next few days. We are just waiting for her to go off oxygen, keep up her O2 sats, lower her respiratory rate and reduce her nasal/chest congestion. But I feel more patient and less anxious to get out of here. I just know things are going to be okay.