"There's a storm on the horizon, oh, let the wind blow. There is thunder all around me, oh, let the wind blow." These words take me back to a place that reminds me of the deep love I have for my husband. When I let myself go back to this place, I realize there in that moment, was a type of foreshadowing that would tell of obstacles our marriage, and our lives would overcome. Randy was standing in the center of the youth room at Centercrest. He had been working on worship music for one of the services, and the Spirit of the Lord was just radiating light around him. He had the lights turned down, and he walked to the center of the room, not even knowing I was watching. The music started playing from his keyboard, and it sounded so much like a storm. Then he began singing those opening words. I watched as this man I love worshiped his Lord, vowing that no matter what storm in life came, he would be trusting in the Prince of Peace, so the wind could blow all around him- as hard as it could because on the solid Rock of Christ, my husband, stood.
In the meantime I had been reading about eagles and storms. Eagles have two threatening enemies - serpents and storms. Serpents are a direct threat to the eaglettes, so the eagle will not hesitate in killing the serpent immediately. The eagle will use a storm to soar to a higher ground. Even though the storm is dangerous, the eagle uses it to his advantage. He flies into it and he simply glides on the winds, not fighting it, but using it to take him to a place he's never been before.
Randy and I had a date over the Christmas break, and I shared this information with him. The other part of the eagle story that I loved is that eagles choose mates for life. They take the "till death do us part" seriously, and early on in their relationship. As they court each other, the female decides when she has found the one. She flies around the male, seeking his interest. Then she turns herself upside down and does a free fall. If the male wants this girl for life, he swoops down to rescue her, grabs onto her talons with his, and they have their wedding ceremony. From that moment on the rest of their lives will be shared in togetherness, good or bad, and through all the storms life will bring their way.
On December 30th, we were hit with a storm called preeclampsia. This disease happens in pregnant women and is cured only by delivery of the baby. Aaron was due March 4th, and now my doctors were telling me at any time I could be put into the hospital, and Aaron could be delivered any day. The dangers at this point were only to me, and the doctors hoped they could control this condition in me for as long as possible. My blood pressure was very high, and the danger of this is seizures or stroke. So, I began going to the doctor every week to be monitored. I made it about 2 more weeks before the doctor said that dreaded word... bedrest.
All of the plans I had for my job, were shot. I spent the 2 weeks trying to plan for a substitute in January instead of March now. Everyone was great and so very helpful - I work with the best friends a girl could have. I had a day with my students to explain the situation, and then it was home to rest for me.
One of the next days after Randy and I had prayed and talked about the adjustments to our plans, I just started thinking about the eagle again. I felt the Lord telling me that He would take us higher through this storm, and that all we really had to do, my sole responsibility was to simply trust Him. I texted Randy and just said, "Ready to ride the winds of this storm." His reply was simple, but still makes me emotional because of all the power it possesses. "Let the wind blow..."
Sunday night, January 9th, that wind started blowing and bringing ice and snow with it. My blood pressure shot up to the 180s/ 147. (Normal is 120/80, strokes can happen around 200 on top) Randy took me to the firestation and the number was even higher there. The fireman asked me if we wanted an ambulance to take me to the hospital because of the ice that was now falling. Randy drove me instead. We only slid once on the way, and we made it to Brookwood before the snow hit. We watched the news and saw a winter-wonderland unfolding. Randy's parents happened to be at our house to help with our building project. Little did they know they would be spending the whole week at our house taking care of our children. :) We are so thankful for this!
January 10, 2011...our 13th wedding anniversary. We spent our anniversary in a labor and delivery room watching Auburn win the National Championship on a fuzzy little tv. We could barely see where the football was amongst the fuzz - this was definitely NOT HD. Our treat for the night was ...popsicles! What a way to celebrate, but we laughed hard and made the best of it. It was on this night that I was told I could possibly spend 4 more weeks in the hospital, and we probably wouldn't make it that long - which meant a very early delivery for Aaron.
Tuesday passed slowly, and Wednesday brought even worse news. My bp was not coming down, my protein count was over 6000 (I was put in the hospital for it being over 1000). Then, as I would have a contraction, Aarons heartrate would drop. I was hooked up to monitors that watched his every move. One of my doctors came by Wednesday night and told me this was just how it was going to be. I would pretty much be miserable until the baby was born, and we would just keep watching him, and let him stay inside as long as we could.
"Though the sorrow may last for the night, His joy comes in the morning." So, Thursday morning, Dr. Adcock came in looked at me, and said, "You are just too sick. I am not comfortable with what's going on with baby, and you're going to have him today." Wow! So, the plan was to try to get labor going, and have little Aaron around 9:00 in the evening. As I was back in L and D trying to labor the day away, my bp spiked again, and Aaron was dipping more than before. Dr. Adcock gave the word. We were going to have a baby sooner than later, and it would be by c-section as soon as they could get it set.
None of my other childrens' births were c-sections. I have never had surgery. The anesthesiologist came in to talk to me, and said he would give me a spinal block, which would numb my body from my feet, to my chest. Then he told me that some people feel anxious because they think they can't breathe, but not to worry, because I would be breathing. Guess what I spent thinking about for the next 30 minutes. "How does that feel - to think you can't breathe, but knowing that you can?" So, we finally made it into the O.R. I shook convulsively throughout the whole process - but only from my chest up. I was scared! Then I heard that the cord was wrapped around his neck. Randy assured me he was okay, then I heard it...my baby boy let out his first cry!
Aaron Grady Morrison came into this world at 4:01 P.M. on January 13, 2011, weighing 4 pounds, 13 ounces and measuring 17 1/2 inches long. I was amazed that he didn't look tiny. Yes, he was little compared to my 9 pounders, but he was still somehow...big. He is a big eaglette. He doesn't know he's little, and he just does what he's supposed to. He is currently in the NICU, but everyday he has met a goal or expectation. He's eating like a champ, never had to be on oxygen, and took his own feeding tube out. Today, I sat holding him and looking into his precious little eyes. There in my arms was my baby eaglette. Because of the decision his mommy and daddy eagle made 13 years ago, they flew through the storm together, and something was renewed. They found themselves on higher ground, closer to their Savior. My sweet little eaglette looked back up at me with his precious little eyes, and his fuzzy little head and he just grinned.
What joy he has brought to us over these last few days. We know we have a long road still, but Aaron makes it seem effortless. The doctors say he needs to eat a little bit more, and he does it. They have taken out his I.V. and said he needs to keep his glucose levels up - no problem. Right now he is on a billi-bed to cure a little jaundice. He also has to be able to keep his own body temperature up, and he needs some meet on his skinny little self. :) We covet your prayers for our sweet boy, and we thank all of you who have lifted us up over the months of this pregnancy. I had no idea. God did, and I am humbled at the love He has for me. He knew what this baby would mean to me, even when I couldn't see. His plan is ALWAYS better than ours, and I am so excited to trust Him with so much more!
