These are pictures of Noah's first bath at the hospital when he was born. Both my kids could be bawling one minute and then peaceful and sleeping the next. When we took Em in for the heel prick genetic screening at 2 weeks she bawled so hard, she passed out. Noah cried, too, but they actually couldn't get his blood at the lab so we had to go over to the hospital lab where he was born and have someone else draw it who specializes in infants.

Anyway, the reason I mention this is that floods of memories and visions have come in the last two days. Yesterday I went in for my 'annual'. I hadn't been in the building for 8 months now and when I had, Noah was with me. One of the doctors asked if Noah was okay? I said that we were going in that afternoon for an appointment with a neurologist at Children's to have him checked out...that was August 2nd.

I had a good visit with my doc and got a hug from one of the girls on staff there that we love. It wasn't traumatic or difficult to go in there, just surreal, I guess. I always would take Em to my appointments so she could see 'the girls' and get a piece of candy on the way out. It was good to see some familiar faces. (It wasn't good to jump on that dumb scale again...)

Anyway, today, Em and I headed to the blood lab in the same building as my Ob/Gyn's office. I had to take her in for more blood work regarding her allergy panels. Well, as we waited in the lobby for an hour and 20 minutes (!), a brand new baby was bawling for a good 30 minutes while the lab people squeezed the heck out of the poor kid's heels. It took concerted effort on my part to, one, breathe deeply and practice patience, and two, not walk into the lab and suggest they cross the street and go to the experts who draw babies' blood every day! The 'Twilight Zone' part was that the brand new baby was a boy and his big sister was 3, almost 4, sitting patiently with her nana in the lobby, just 10 months later.

After Em got called in, it took them another 30 minutes to draw her blood because both she and Noah were 'blessed' with mom's veins! (I'm sorry!) The guy poked one arm with no success and then called the other tech in to try the other. She was brave, once again, and they got what they needed. Since they had no kid bandages, stickers or treats, I took her to see 'the girls' and get a piece of candy up there. The only catch was that she couldn't eat it today because she's 'fasting' from sugar for a couple days since she woke up with hives from too much Easter candy...which is why we are getting all the testing done in the first place! What is Emily allergic to?! We'll find out soon!

When we went back to my Ob's office, one of the girls told me she had talked to my doc yesterday and he told her that we were going to start traveling and sharing. She asked what about specifically. It was a great question for me as I have thought about it some, but it kind of all came together in my heart and mind at that moment...perspective, perseverance, and hope for the joy set before us. The hope of heaven and life in God's physical presence. In essence, Hebrews 12...every last word of it. I want to share about the hope that we have in Jesus that life is not about here, and no matter how good or bad it is here on earth, if our perspective isn't eternal, we'll always be disappointed...There isn't one thing in Hebrews 12 that does not give me hope and peace, even the discipline part. That part just humbles me to know that He'd love me enough to discipline me.

So, I'm grateful that what should have been a 20 minute lab draw for Emily today turned into a 2 hour teaching moment for mama. If they had had cool kid bandages, stickers or treats, we never would have gone to see 'the girls' for a treat and the question that has been bumbling around in my mind would not have been so eloquently put into words by Shea who helped spur me onto this epiphany moment. Thanks! Good things do come to those who wait...