First Christmas

Cooper's first Christmas was memorable in so many ways. Having him here made Christmas much more meaningful, and especially after the meningitis incident.

We went to the Christmas eve service at church. It was so good to be there, especially since I hadn't been able to go to church in nearly a month. Then God blessed us with a white Christmas, almost unheard of in Nashville, but the snow only covered the grass and trees; the roads were clear, and we were able to go to my brother's house to celebrate with my family. It was a nice holiday for all of us, I think, and the memories will be happy ones to tell Cooper about when he is older.

Cooper Update

Thanks so much, those of you who have been praying for Cooper. He is doing much better, and we should get to go home late Sunday or early Monday. Meningitis has to be treated with antibiotics intraveneously for 2 weeks, so that's why we have had to stay so long. He's been feeling pretty good since the second or third day we were here.

Don and I are hanging in there too. He had to go back to work this week, so with that, in addition to taking care of the dogs and coming to visit us, he is getting pretty worn out, but today should be his last day of doing all that. I have had friends come to stay with Cooper four days this week so I could get out for a bit and go home and see the dogs. Also, when Cooper is not hooked up to an IV, we're free to take him out of the room, so we have been strolling him around, outside when the weather permits, or inside the hospital, so I haven't gone completely stir-crazy.

Cooper doesn't seem at all bothered by all of this. He's been here nearly 1/4 of his life -- I'm not sure he even remembers home. We're thankful, though, for the medicine to cure this illness that could have been very serious, for medical insurance, for a nice hospital facility with great staff, for all of the friends and family who have prayed for us and supported us in countless ways, and most of all, that our baby's health has been restored.

Pray for Cooper

Cooper is in the hospital and has been diagnosed with bacterial meningitis. This can be very serious, but we caught it early, and his prognosis is good. Still, we need lots of prayer for our little guy. It's so hard to see him going through all this, and we will probably have to be here at least 2 weeks. Don and I need prayer too, for strength to get through this: the emotional aspect of it, the exhaustion, and with at least one of us having to be with Cooper here at all times (I can't leave him for long since I'm nursing him), while dealing with the other necessary things in our lives: work, taking care of the dogs, etc. Thanks so much.