At Laaaast!

In God's perfect timing, through the prayers of His saints & the loving hands at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital,  the 3 Nash-Whitacre women were finally reunited - at HOME! Ava Gray joined us here on Tuesday, July 12th 2011, after a very sweet send-off from her nurses and medical staff (who have become like a second family to her & Havyn & I over these past 4 months).

Meet a few of our favorite Vandy folk:

Erin: Practically a baby-whisperer. It's not her fault Havyn is melting down here (we think she's teething!) Erin rocks.

Lee: A super-sharp, loving & hilarious nurse who was Ava Gray's first primary, and a blessing to Mama Jules! I could go on, but I would get to rambling. Cuz I love this woman. As you can see in the pic, Havyn thinks she's pretty cool too. : ) 

Amy: A kind woman with a gentle touch: teaching Mama Jules one last time how to work with Ava Gray to help her develop her "skills"

Bonnie: Another primary & a total jewel. Seriously. We were so glad to have Bonnie on Ava Gray's team. (I felt bad that she always seemed to get Ava Gray on the "bad days": surgeries, vaccines, uncomfortable tests... she hated having to do the painful stuff but did it with such grace & gentleness.) ♥

Vicky: I was forever mixing up OT and PT (sorry Vicky, Amy & Laurie!), but I am super grateful for the women in both. They are so skilled at what they do and were so gentle with Ava Gray. I learned a lot from these gals.

Jeff: like so many of her nurses,  even when he wasn't working with Ava Gray, he'd stop by from time to time just to check in and say hello.

Annie: There really are no words to describe her adequately. The best I can come up with is Anne of Green Gables "all growed up." She loves people well, and always has a hilarious story about funny things that just happen to her.  P.S. She also has a heart of gold and has been an amazing, amazing nurse to Ava Gray. (And to me)

Bonnie again. Did I mention that we ♥ Bonnie?

Jan: Loves dogs & little babies. Always comes by to rib the girls and keep them in line. Well....she tries to at least. Jan makes us laugh. : ) 

Lori & Sarah: Wonderful, wonderful women! (also primary nurses for Ava Gray) I wish I had a picture of our other Sarah (H.) too. She and Lori worked nights and when they were on I was able to leave the hospital with the knowledge that Ava Gray was being cared for by people who knew & loved her almost as much as I did.  Laughed, cried & prayed with me many a time.  I am forever grateful for these precious ladies!

Annie sending us off. The girls love their Annie, and the feeling is mutual!

*NOT pictured: 

• Debbie: Our other primary nurse with awesome spunk (& an awesome accent).
• Carol: The lactation consultant at Vanderbilt that, I'm not kidding, may actually be an angel. She has been the 'aroma of Christ' to me at so many hard points in our stay there, and shows such love & compassion to the NICU moms....Grateful doesn't begin to cover it. 
• Lauren, Tiff & Morgan: Havyn's care partners from back when she was Inpatient. They followed her over to meet her sister, fell in love with both, and have been visiting us almost daily this whole time. Always bringing hugs, laughter & smiles. Such a treat for us!
• The team at Vandy Valet (esp. Mesfin & Michael & Frances & Sue) - always taking care of us and keeping things lighthearted... They've been truly kind & have faithfully prayed for the girls. We are thankful for them!
• Mary Emily (Ava Gray's friend: double-name girls stickin together!). A smart, sassy & funny nurse who we just think is awesome. 
• Joy & Keri. Two nurses who encouraged with their faith (apparent in both word & deed), during some really hard times. Realistic & hopeful. That's what the gospel allows us to be, right? Well it was lived out in front of me by these two.
• All the sweet women who checked us in & out of the NICU each day; Sandra, Kimberly & co!
• And of course the doctors & physicians who have been through this whole wild ride with us. They gave us such excellent care! Dr. Bennett, Dr. Carroll (& Nancy & Patti♥), Dr. Walsh, Butler, MaryBeth, Rojas, Beth...and the list goes on. These guys know their stuff, and care for their patients (& patients parents) with such compassion. I cannot imagine a better place to receive medical care. God used them to save my daughters life. How do you even begin to thank someone for that? 

All the same....If any of you are reading this, thank you.

***

So as I'm writing this, we three girls are happily living in our pajama's for a change. So nice not to have to get gussied up every day! (Although I admit, it is really fun to dress up girls - so many fun clothes!) Speaking of, the last day at the hospital was a long one (we didn't leave until around 7pm), and, being babies, the girls went through a couple outfits......

Pink.

Tropical.

"Tropical Steel"

And though they didn't get to wear them that day: "Bows" (the outfits a "little elf" dropped off for the girls. sweet. little. elf.)

***

Lastly, just wanted to share a sweet story from the night before Ava Gray came home. A friend was watching Havyn so I could run and pick up groceries (knowing it would be a while before we'd be up for going out and foraging for food). I was checking out at Trader Joe's and was talking to the man ringing up my groceries, when he stopped and asked someone come over to finish up for him. I didn't think much of it. Right before I walked out, though, he came running up and handed me these, saying; "these are for your girls."

 

Now wasn't that kind?

Signing off for now. Want to say this before I go: our Heavenly Father is such a wonderful provider & protector. He's the one who really brought Ava Gray home. Thanking Him tonight for such a huge miracle, and for the many small & everyday reminders he thinks up to remind us that he loves us girls. (like flowers from a guy at Trader Joe's). 

Thank you Father.