Update on Little Samuel...and new family picture :)

Little Samuel is still in the hospital, but has slowly been improving. Yesterday, Daniel called and said Samuel was being fussy but wasn't hungry and didn't seem to be in pain; it suddenly occurred to Daniel that maybe he was bored (he had felt so sick the past several days that all he wanted to do was lay down and sleep). So Daniel sat him up in his Bumbo seat and he stopped fussing, gave 3 big smiles (awwwww....I'm so sad I missed them :) ), and then sat there and looked around for over an hour. His lungs are sounding better and his appetite is gradually improving as well.
We still don't know when he'll be able to come home, but it just makes us so happy to see him doing better. Thank you so much for praying and for the comments and verses you shared with us. What a blessing you have been to us during this time!

When Samuel went into the hospital for 8 days at the beginning of this month, Daniel and I went back and forth taking turns caring for him. Daniel would stay with him overnight until around lunch time and then I would stay with him from then until late at night when Daniel would come back. I would get home around 10 or 11 pm and then begin on the housework and laundry. In the morning, I'd make breakfast, get the children up and ready, do a little bit of school with them and try to prepare something for lunch and/or supper for the family before I'd head back.

This time, after much thought and prayer, Daniel thought it would be best if he stayed at the hospital with Samuel most of the time and I stayed at home with the rest of the children. At first, I did not like that idea at all, but Daniel often has this annoying habit of being right :), and he asked me to just try it and that of course, I could come into town anytime if I really wanted to.
So that's what we did this week. And while I did miss my baby terribly, the Lord gave us all a good week. Samuel was so sick for most of the week that he just slept. Daniel brought his typewriter, Bible, books and paper and studied and worked on his sermons for this week. I was able to homeschool, care for and play with the other children and take care of the home. Everyone got some much needed rest too.
Wednesday afternoon, I got to stay with Samuel (yea! :) )for several hours while Daniel and the other children prepared for and held Wednesday night service at church. He gave me a big smile, let me feed him, and then slept in my arms until the nurses made me put him back under his oxygen hood. I brought him his favorite stuffed animals, extra blankets, books, toys, and Bible lullaby music. The nurses all said how cute his room looked and how good it was that I was making him feel like he was at home. I told them that I wonder if maybe Samuel thinks the hospital is his home as he's spent the majority of his life there. :)
I'll get to stay with him most of the weekend too. Saturday Daniel has soul-winning, teaches guitar class, has a meeting with the youth, as well as all the preparation for Sunday services; and then on Sunday he'll have services all day.
A pastor once told us that the magnitude of a trial is proportionate to the blessing that is to follow. We are so thankful that the Lord never gives us more than we can bear and is so good to freely give us the grace and strength we need as we go to Him. How we desire Him to be able to use us more fully!
Daniel has his cell phone and calls me throughout the day to give me updates on Samuel or just to chat (how I miss my hubby too! I love it when he calls!). How blessed I have been to hear over and over again the opportunities he has had to share the gospel with the nurses and other patients/their family members there.
Wednesday was my 36th birthday. Daniel said we'd celebrate as soon as Samuel gets to come home, and while I know he and the children want to give me a gift and have a cake, I told him that I just feel so very blessed already and had a truly good day.
Timothy and Benjamin made breakfast, the children were so sweet and gave me little treats from the store and made me many pictures and notes; my morning was filled with laughing and singing with my 11 here at home and then I got to cuddle with Samuel all afternoon. And in the evening, the nurse said she would watch Samuel for a bit so Daniel could take the children and I for supper...a really special treat...Chinese food! :)
Do you like the new family picture and blog header? We had that taken right before we headed back to Mexico. I look at the line up of precious little (and not so little anymore) ones and I either smile or cry...happy tears of course...tears that come from a heart that says "Why me?". Not a "why me" of regret but one of feeling so very undeservedly blessed!
Oh the Lord is so good! How loving, forgiving, and faithful He is! What a wonderful God!