Home, safe and sound

We finally made it home at 9:00 pm tonight. I cannot even go into the hassles and struggles that we had to go through to finally leave that hospital. It all had to do with BCBS and one of the medicines that had been prescribed for YouYou...we could not leave without it and the insurance company was not being at all helpful. There were tears from me and even tears from Emily (who doesn't shed a tear very often), and then finally a very kind person at the UAB pharmacy worked out a temporary solution for us. Thank you God for being there with me even through the tough part of the day. I'll have to have Emily give you a play by play in a way that only Em could. And Em, I don't know how to thank you enough for sticking with me today. You stayed strong for me!

Oh the joy on my little boys faces when we walked in their room tonight! They were pretending to be asleep to surprise me and YouYou. They were so sweet and gentle with her...again, the tears came to my eyes (I think I'm just a big o'le crybaby now). YouYou was just as happy to see them. She has been walking ALL over the house (and I could hardly put her down today while were at the hospital - she was refusing to walk). She has eaten an entire waffle and part of a boiled egg. She has also been drinking. I am so thankful for the healing that is occuring in her body. Only God could do this.

We have to visit our local pediatrician on Friday and then we have 2 follow up appointments with heart doctors next week and then the following Monday. I promise to keep you all posted on her progress. We are praying that despite the remaining problems with her heart that we will not have to endure another surgery for many many years. My God is big, and I know He can do this if it is in His plan. Right now, I just want to love on my little girl. People keep saying YouYou is so lucky. And I know this will sound cliche but it is so true so I just have to say it...WE ARE THE LUCKY ONES. This whole adoption has been one miracle after another. We couldn't love her more! Only God could knit together this kind of love in my heart. We are so honored that we were chosen to be her parent's. If any of you reading this have ever considered adoption as a way to add to your family, let me just urge you to pursue it! There are so many children that just need a mommy and a daddy.

We have a private family blog if any of you are interested in reading more about our whole family, the adoption, etc. Just email me at ericaterryhammond@hotmail.com and I'll send you a login. I can't promise to be funny or wise...but I can promise some pretty darn cute pictures of my YouYou and her brothers!

Prayer Requests and Praises:

- I have come down with something again and am running a fever. Please pray for healing for me and that no one else in our family would be infected. It's especially important for YouYou to stay healthy.

- Continued healing for YouYou. We do have some medicine for her mouth today (thank you Lord) , along with several other medications (some which she will only have for a few weeks). Prayers are needed for healing of her scar, healing in her lungs, and healing in her valves. Please also pray that the medicine she is taking will begin to help decrease the pressure in her valves.

- I give Praise to the Lord for putting the right person in front of me at the UAB pharmacy today so that we could finally go home.

- Praises to the King for blessing me with a wonderful extended family and friends. Thank God for the food in my refrigerator tonight. I thank Him for the comments I have received from you, I read every single one and they were a great encouragement to me.

- I Praise Him for sending us great nurses and doctors who helped us during our stay.

- And most of all, tonight, I Praise Him that I can hold YouYou without tubes and wires attached and that even though her heart is not in perfect text book condition...it is in better shape than it has ever been.

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