We loaded up my mom car and brought the cutest little Sparks
back home. Now, with a very packed car, he probably felt like just another
piece of the clutter that we had shoved into our car as we made the trek back
home. As we left Houston, I cried, but it wasn’t the cry I had expected to
make. Of course, there were happy tears involved, but I wasn’t expecting to
have the reaction I did as we drove out of the city that destroyed a strut on
my car and had the most horrific traffic ever. When we went to Houston, I was SEVERELY
pregnant (and huge), and we had no idea what would even become of our stay there.
We had no idea the attachment we would have for the city of
Houston—particularly the hospital with the doctors and nurses who worked
tirelessly around the clock to provide stellar care for our son, but just as
important, the community that God so graciously provided us during our time
there.
On our way home yesterday, Stephen asked me what I found
most surprising about Houston, and my answer was community. Community was what
I was anxious and what I had dreaded, simply because I was fearful of how or
what our lives and needs would look like after Easton’s birth. God provided for
us in such a big way. He used friends—new and old—to provide us with housing,
meals, and just genuine care for our hearts. Houston will forever hold a
special place in my heart for not only the community of those who loved us so
well, but for being where Easton was born and will continue to go to receive the
care that he will need to live a long life (that’s certainly our prayer). There
aren’t enough words of gratitude for all of you, no matter where you are,
that have ministered, supported, and encouraged us as we’ve only begun our
journey.
We are incredibly happy to be home and more importantly to
have brought our son home with us! Easton’s heart journey has only just begun;
while he is doing well (and we want to celebrate that), we also know that the
doctors are about 90% certain that he will require open-heart surgery to make
the necessary repairs to his heart. We don’t have a time line for that because
Easton’s heart is so unique that there just isn’t a “typical road map” for
future surgeries. Easton will probably have his next procedure done in about
3-6 months and they will do a series subsequent CATH procedures to get his
heart ready for his major repair surgery. As of now, we will go back to Houston
once a month for an ECHO and appointment with his cardiologist, but in the mean
time, we celebrate our biggest little miracle and the fact that we get to live
as family, in our home.
To all of our local friends and family:
Stephen and I want to thank you for being apart of our journey and our lives. We realize that Easton is here as a result of God's faithfulness and the prayers of so so so many people. Now, comes the hard part in all of this--because you all have invested so much of your time reading my lengthy blogs:) and committed to praying for our sweet family, you feel a special attachment to our sweet man--as you should! However, seeing how he is in good health, we would like for it to stay that way as long as possible. Him being in good health, gives his body and heart the ability to grow stronger every day.
Due to the fact that Easton's has pulmonary atresia and his little pulmonary artery is growing (we just got that news Monday--yay!), his lungs are already over circulated, meaning that his body and heart have to work harder than yours or mine when we get sick. We certainly do not want to turn anybody away from seeing Easton but we ask that you carefully think if you have been recently exposed to any sickness--whether it be you or around someone else that has been sick/on the mend. Things like a runny nose, a tickle in the throat, or a simple cough, to Easton can mean a trip back to the hospital if he were to come down with an infection. We are so excited to share Easton with all of you and appreciate your desire to continue to love and serve us in this new transition back into our home routine.
