Wink from Heaven: HOME!

Thursday, June 2, 2011

HOME!

We were able to come HOME yesterday evening! HOORAY!

I didn't tell the boys, so you can imagine their surprise when they came home and found Caleb here!

Caleb still needs three times as much oxygen and extra time on the ventilator, but we feel confident we can keep him stable at home while he recovers!
Our hearts are full and we feel so blessed! We are thankful for every single prayer.

Thank you.

Caleb hooked up to the EEG

He had wonderful nurses who fell in love with him.

I loved finally being able to crawl into bed with him.

Hooray for HOME!

22 comments:

Jenn said...: Oh, so happy for you guys! It must be awesome to be home all together again.; June 2, 2011 at 2:29 PM
The Kings said...: That is THE best news ever!!!! I hope he continues to improve quickly now you are home. I know how hard it is when Noah is in hospital and how happy everyone is when we are all home together. Enjoy :); June 2, 2011 at 2:55 PM
Junior said...: yeah, sooooo happy to hear that you are home. Love you.; June 2, 2011 at 3:39 PM
Jenny said...: Yea!!! I'm so so happy! You've all been in my thoughts and prayers. I kept trying to comment, and blogger never let me...so hopefully this time it goes though:) Anyway, I'm so thrilled that little Caleb is home.; June 2, 2011 at 3:51 PM
the woodwards said...: LOVE IT!!!
GREAT NEWS!!; June 2, 2011 at 4:51 PM
kelly said...: praise the Lord!; June 2, 2011 at 5:17 PM
Bronx Cataldo's said...: Welcome home Caleb; June 2, 2011 at 5:18 PM
Anonymous said...: So pleased to hear you are home with Caleb x; June 2, 2011 at 5:45 PM
Janene Baadsgaard said...: Welcome home dear Caleb.; June 2, 2011 at 6:15 PM
Unknown said...: HOORAY is right!
You guys exude love.
xo; June 2, 2011 at 7:16 PM
The Scott and Camille Neilson Family said...: That's great! I'm so happy he's feeling better; June 2, 2011 at 7:49 PM
Brad and Hailey said...: Yay he's home! We will continue to keep him in our prayers!; June 2, 2011 at 8:15 PM
Ali the B. said...: Giddy with excitement!! Welcome home Caleb!!; June 2, 2011 at 8:56 PM
Rebecca Jackson said...: Hooray for Home!!! Welcome home Caleb. So thankful you're on the road to recovery!; June 2, 2011 at 9:37 PM
Lisa Christine said...: This post just made my day!; June 2, 2011 at 10:06 PM
Tara Bennett said...: Hooray! I pray he continues to improve and send lots of love!!!; June 2, 2011 at 10:46 PM
Becky said...: Dorothy nailed on the head when she said, "There's no place like home." I'm SO happy for your whole family!!! I hope your weekend is fun together! Prayers are still coming. xo; June 3, 2011 at 1:51 PM
shirlgirl said...: Welcome home, Caleb! So glad that everyone is together again. The pictures of you holding him in the bed reminds me of the many times that Becky crawled in with Ben in the hospital--the "feels good to be close to my son" syndrome. Love it that you are all together and that Caleb was well enough to come home to his own bed. Please give him hugs and kisses for me.; June 3, 2011 at 5:43 PM
Colleen said...: YAY!! I'm so happy he's home and I'm sure he is too. I hope he will be back to baseline with the 02 real soon!; June 4, 2011 at 8:48 AM
Bugg's mama said...: Oh, my goodness, oh, my WORD! You have been on a crazy roller coaster! I'm so sorry that Caleb was so sick!!!!! He is such a sweet & courageous lil' trooper. And so are you!

I'm so glad that he is home safe & sound!

Lots of love! ~Bree; June 12, 2011 at 9:49 PM
Jen said...: What sweet pics of you and Caleb. :); July 29, 2011 at 10:21 AM
Alanna said...: April, I'm SO sorry I'm so behind the times with Caleb! There's been so much going on. I'm glad he got home safe and sound. Give him a hug for me!; August 5, 2011 at 6:33 AM

Prayer for Caleb

(written by Caleb's Grandma in her weekly column -2008-)

In my family we have a secret code to communicate our love for each other when we are out in public. We wink. When one of us is about to perform or speak, we look for a family member’s face in the crowd. Then we wink at each other. Closing one eye and winking is our secret code for saying, “I love you. You can do it. You’re wonderful.”

About three years ago, my grandson Caleb was born into our family. He must have known before birth that he would never be able to speak to us because he was born with one eyelid permanently closed. So, he is always “winking” at us, always communicating, “I love you. You can do it. You’re wonderful.”

Caleb has one eye lid permanently closed because he is missing one of his eyes . . . and he is also missing his brain. All the doctors said he would die soon after birth. They were wrong. Caleb is three years old. He is a medical miracle. The doctors say he can’t see, hear, speak, think or move. Those who know and love Caleb understand he has his own unique way of experiencing the world and communicating his love to those around him.

After Caleb was born the hospice people told us to buy a burial plot and continually warned us of his imminent death. We soon learned you can not live well in a state of fear and sadness. We decided we could spend Caleb’s entire life anxious and scared he might die at any moment, or we could celebrate each day we were blessed to have him with us. In the beginning, my daughter April celebrated Caleb’s birthday every week instead of every year with balloons and cupcakes because we simply did not know how long we would have him with us. We stopped the cupcakes after we gained ten pounds, but the celebrating goes on.

We all prayed for a miracle when we first learned about Caleb’s condition. We got one. Caleb’s birth, life and mission have had a deep and lasting impact on our lives. His spirit, eternal identity and most of all the loving, individual relationship he has with each of us is truly a miracle. Because of Caleb we know that each of us has a divine purpose and that the physical body is a sacred gift we should never take for granted. We better understand the worth of a soul and the resiliency of the human spirit.

Caleb’s five year old brother Matthew said, “Grandma. The doctors said Caleb was going to die, but he didn’t. That’s the first miracle I ever saw!”

Sometimes Caleb’s baby brother Mitchell pulls out his feeding tube while they hold hands riding together in their double stroller. Sometimes the only intervention that can get Caleb’s heart rate up is when his older brothers Josh and Matty crawl in his crib, hug him and sing, “I am a Child of God.” ...If you have a moment please offer a prayer for the little boy who has never been able to utter a single word and yet has taught everyone who knows and loves him – all the secrets of a rich and meaningful life.