Minutes to Memories

I guess all the money in the world could buy access to the greatest concerts and the greatest sporting events, maybe even access to the stars, too. And I suspect access to lots of money could allow one to travel to the most exotic places and witness firsthand the most breathtaking tourist spots on earth.

But I don’t think wealth grants one access to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at children’s hospitals, and I’m convinced the rare folks that make it behind those closed doors come face to face with the most awe-inspiring sights in the universe.

Today, once again, I consider myself one of the luckiest men on the face of the earth.

Shawn & Danielle named their tiny son, Dawson, and he is unbelievable. I think on his birth day he seemed bigger in person than I expected, but today I caught the full force of how tiny he really is. He was born weighing in at 1 lb, 15 oz, but as is normal for preemies, he has lost some of his liquid weight to allow his little body to start putting on muscle. At today’s weighing, he tipped the scales at 1 lb and 12 oz. The next time you pick up a 28oz bottle of water, consider this miracle.

And miracle is what pediatrician/elder/cousin-of-Dawson-twice removed, Dave, is calling him. The doctors confirmed that Danielle really was at 26 weeks when Dawson was born, and Dave says that how good he is doing defies science. He is what the scientific community uses the fancy word “miracle” to describe.

Today was the first day Danielle was to be going back and forth between the hospital and the Ronald McDonald House alone (since both mom and husband have had to go back to work in between hospital stays), so I was glad I picked today to go and visit. I got a tour of the Ronald McDonald House (an amazing place) as well as take Danielle out to lunch at Ruby Tuesday’s (an amazing salad bar). Sandwiched in-between I came face-to-face once again with a miracle.

The pictures don’t come close to communicating the sight. Nor do words. Some things are just too much for us to describe.

This is mystery. Miracle. God.