They're here!!!

Amy, Ken and Kiran arrived tonight!! Dad and I picked them up and he's so cute and so tiny!!! And he sounds like a velociraptor when he cries! I love him. 

But let me quickly update on today. A friend, who is a nurse, volunteered to help out our caregiver today so Dad and I could go into work. I joke that every time I leave the house, more food arrives and the office was no exception. Cookies and banana bread were waiting for me at my cubicle. I have some pretty great colleagues. But enough about food, more about mom. 

We couldn't get her meds completely down this morning so that's it for that. We've been crushing them and giving them to her in pudding or applesauce. However, she just can't eat or swallow anymore. We have been trying to give her some ice chips and water by spoon. But she's just not able to keep it away from her windpipe and it makes her choke a bit. So that's not great news. 

I mentioned in the blog that even if she can't respond, she can hear us and knows what's going on. This morning I talked to her a long time about the day and the baby coming to visit and different things and she kept reacting with facial expressions that I fully believe I can interpret with 100% accuracy. I was telling this to the Sue and Jenny who cared for her today and as I did so, she smiled and raised her eyebrows at us, and I was like, "Yeah, lady, you know what's going on."  But honestly I had kind of given up on her waking up again with eyes and speaking. But that's just what she did this afternoon as some of the teachers she used to work with were visiting. Her eyes were wide and she tried to talk to us a bit. My brother hasn't been able to be around much the past few days and he just HAPPEN to walk in the room right at that moment. She saw him, smiled huge and said his name. "Jake."

I don't know what I was expecting when Amy came in with the baby. I guess I was hoping for the same thing, but of course that didn't really happen. Her expression didn't really change and she stayed in a deep sleep. But when we turned her to get a new position she opened her eyes. We got her comfortable and called Amy and the baby back in. Ken put Kiran on mom's chest and I placed one of her arms around the baby. She immediately curved her hand and arm to hold him and her fingers patted his little bum. We placed her other arm around him and she did the same thing. She knew he was there. She knew who he was and, speaking with 100% accuracy, I could see that she knew her last big job was accomplished.  

It's rare in life that you get perfect moments. But suddenly I looked and we were all there: My mom and dad, all of my siblings, a few spouses, my aunt and uncle, and a couple more grand children. And my dad, with a very clear voice, prayed out loud, thanking God for this moment. He thanked God for watching over all of us, for bringing Kiran in safely and for the grace and peace we've all been walking in these past few days. He asked that His will be done in all of our lives.  And from here on out that's our prayer. There isn't much left to do.  So we wait for her time to be completed. 

C.S. Lewis is quoted as saying, "You don't have a soul. You ARE a soul. You have a body." I've been so honored to be here to help her soul transition from this body to whatever waits for her on the other side. I know she'll be a lot freer without this body weighing her down. But I am really going to miss that crazy lady making me completely insane all the time. 

We're starting round the clock vigils tonight. I'm supposed to be sleeping because I'm taking the early morning. So I'll say thank you to all who are reading this and praying for us and thinking of us. We've been loved very well this past week. From near and far. So thanks.