Today is the 1st ever World Prematurity Day! So today I am thankful for our very own little preemie because without her we wouldn't have a reason to celebrate this day! Purple is the color for World Preemie day so we all wore purple! Sadie called it "Emry's Day.." So sweet!
I remember my sister coming over after her routine ultrasound and showing me how the baby's growth was "off" just a little but the Doctor felt like it was normal and she would just be a small baby like her big sister, Alli.
Of course, in my mind that twinge of fear entered. As a big sister, you always feel the need to protect your younger brother and sister and when things are out of your hands, it makes you feel helpless! When my sister lost her first baby back in 2007, it was the absolute hardest thing I had ever went through. I couldn't protect her, take it away, or make it better. I felt once again hopeless when I heard that this baby may be small.
This is the moment I became a big sister and gained the role as protector and best friend :)
Fast forward to March...Holly felt like something was wrong and they ended up monitoring her a while at Willow Creek. The only thing I can remember (and I'm already bawling..so much for not crying) is hearing the Doctor say "IF she survives, she will have no quality of life. At all." It felt like someone had punched me in the gut. I stood there watching my sister. So much hurt in her face but she was so strong. I had to leave the room and cry. It was horrible. How would we tell the kids? How could we go through this again? And what could I do to shield my sister from heartache again?
They went home that night to pack because they were being sent to UAMS in Little Rock to be monitored and discuss options. No hope. No maybe things will be ok. Nothing.
We had been planning a trip to Disney and South Carolina for 4 or 5 months so we were debating on whether to go on with our trip or not. The kids were SO disappointed at the possibility of not going and we were going to lose some money from our deposits on hotels plus the doctors were telling us that they were going to do EVERYTHING they could to keep Emry in her Momma's belly as long as they could and they didn't expect to have to take her for at least another week. So we decided to go on with our vacation.
Tuesday, March 21st, we were at Disney World's Magic Kingdom for the first time ever, having the time of our life! That place is seriously magical! Somewhere between riding the race cars at Tommorowland Speedway,
getting a popsicle
I get a phone call from my Dad. I missed the call. He left a message that I still have saved on my phone. He said "Jamie, call me back ok?" and he sounded so sad. I'm crying again...I called him back and he said that they were taking Holly back, Emry's cord was backflowing and that they were taking her NOW! Talk about feeling like a bad sister. Here I was miles and miles and MILES away from my family and my sister was facing the scariest day of her life and I am not there. Brandon and the kids and I stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, hundreds of people pushing past us, and held each others hands and cried and prayed harder than we had ever prayed before. I told Holly the other day that if there was a movie about Emry and it showed that part, that it would be us standing there and people just flying by in a crazy blur. It was seriously crazy! From that moment on, I couldn't concentrate. I sat down on a bench while Brandon and the girls rode Dumbo. I cried, I prayed, and I hoped everything would be ok.
Just as we were fixing to get on another ride, the Haunted Mansion of all places,
That night as we were watching fireworks over Cinderella's castle, I just stood in awe. Thinking about Emry, how big God is and how grateful I was that she was born alive and breathing on her own. So many tears ran down my face as I was taping this video! HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMRY!!
On the way home from vacation we stopped by Little Rock to meet our newest niece. I was not prepared for how tiny she would be!!! I had seen pictures of her, yes, but it in NO way depicted just how tiny she really was! She looked a lot bigger on my phone! I just stood there for a few minutes, with tears in my eyes, and I had this lump in my throat and seriously could not find the words to talk. It was AMAZING to be staring at a real, live, miracle! Of course, we had to bring her a Minnie doll and hat that Uncle B had embroidered her name for her. They even added her birth date since she had been born the day we were there. Such a special time!
The day she came home was one of the greatest days of my life! We were all so excited! We made her signs and celebrated. My kids had never gotten to meet her because they weren't allowed in her room in the NICU. So needless to say, they were stoked that day as well! They LOOOOVE their Memmy!
Today, Miss Emry is still doing great. She is such a sweetie! Last week, I even got to rock her and put her to sleep without hearing her cry! :) The girl used to love having her booty patted and I would have to stand with her but she just cozied up in my arms last week and let me put her to sleep. Sweetness! I love to talk to her. Her blue eyes light up and sparkle so pretty! She has started laughing and Laney and Sadie love to make her giggle! Aunt Mamie (me) calls her chunky cheeks even though she is not at all big but I love to call her that because she is so much bigger than she was and she laughs when I call her that. I just love that girl!
So today, I am thankful that Emry is here, alive, breathing, thriving and showing the World that miracles do in fact happen!! I love you "Memmy" and I am so grateful for you!!
**I blogged for my sister on her blog for a long time if any of you ever want to read Emry's amazing story....if you haven't already read it!
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