Home Away From Home

Just wanted to give everyone a quick update! Things have been kind of busy lately, with Eric going back to work and us trying to work out a schedule so that we can spend the most amount of time with Marlee. Living out of a hotel room and in a hospital is not an easy task. However, we have been so incredibly blessed by The RMH and all the staff there and the hospital staff. Yesterday afternoon the Doctor came by to see Marlee and said that she was doing so well, that she was ready to be moved TODAY! I was in a bit of shock, and obviously not in my right mind, because I told him that we may need to wait to move her until the hurricane is over (next week). Anyway, I am now eating those words and that's why I am up at 7:30am trying to chase down the doctor to tell him that I was not thinking correctly and we want to move NOW! . :)

Updates on Marlee: She got her oxygen out on Wednesday. She is now breathing completely on her own! Praise God! She is starting to suck on a pacifier, really loudly! The nurses can hear her down the hall. She is loving the time Eric and I spend with her everyday (Her vitals continue to improve the more we hold her).

Well, this morning was one of those days where I am just feeling so overwhelmingly blessed! Thinking, how much God must love me to have matched me with this sweet baby girl that I get to call my daughter! Takes my breath away! I'm such in awe of Him, my creator!

8/20/11

Marlee Joy is still doing great! Grammy is here this weekend visiting and Marlee loves it!! She smiled several times yesterday when we or the nurses would talk to her. She is just such a miracle! Grammy and I stayed up late last night making her headbands! Hopefully they will fit her sweet head! :)

Two huge blessing came through yesterday! First, we moved out of the hotel we were in and got accepted into the RMH early!! What a blessing! This place is AMAZING! Never again will I pass by those little containers at the cash registers in McDonalds and not drop money in them! They have such an awesome ministry!The second blessing, we got news from the Social Worker that the insurance approved Marlee to be transferred closer to home! This is huge!! That means we can sleep in our own beds and get Marlee's room ready while we're waiting for her to grow! :) Most of the nurses seemed to think this transfer won't happen for another couple of weeks. Marlee is doing great but she is only 28 weeks old now, and still so tiny.

Grammy is heading back today and taking Milo (our puppy) with her. Since the RMH doesn't accept pets, we couldn't keep her with us. Grammy is such a blessing to all of us..even little Milo!

Marlee had a good day yesterday. She had a few desatts but overall she was good. We got to do official kangaroo care and it was awesome! :) She is so sweet when she's all snuggled in on you! She looks like a little frog! :)

Some things I've noticed Marlee likes: having her hands and fingers by her face (she's trying to suck her thumb), stretching out (but sometimes being tucked in like a frog), and being held (she cries at times when we put her back).

8/18/11

Hey everyone!! I finally have a chance to sit and type more then 2 sentences. :) So Marlee is doing great! They are considering her a "grower and feeder", basically meaning that that she doesn't have any health concerns but she is literally just still feeding and growing :) Right now she is on a little oxygen just to remind her to breath(sometimes she forgets when shes sucking on her pacifier). She also has a feeding tube because she's not learned yet how to suck on a bottle. She is just so sweet!! The doctors keep telling us that all of her vitals have improved since Eric and I have been holding her!! She loves sucking on her fingers!!

Right now we have temporarily moved near the hospital. We are on a waiting list for the Ronald McDonald house and will get to stay there once they have a spot for us. The way their program works is, you get to stay there for 30 days at a time and then you have to take 3 days off and reapply. We asked the social worker yesterday if they could transfer her closer and they just told us today that it's a real possibility. She won't be able to do that though for at least a few more weeks because she needs to gain a little more weight. They actually told us that they have never seen a Medicaid transfer go through before... so this is a miracle!!! Please pray that we get to do this and soon!!

Marlees birth parents are comely out of the picture. They sounded like wonderful people that just couldn't afford to take care of a baby. We are so thankful that they choice to give their daughter life!! :)

We are doing really well and just feel so overjoyed!! I can't actually think about it to much because I'll start crying again!! Thank you to everyone who has prayed, cried, and walked through this journey with us!! Your prayers have been answered!!

Love you all,
E,S,&M

My hearts desire

As I sit and write this tears are streaming down my face! I am just so overjoyed and blessed! These past few weeks have been the hardest part of our adoption journey. The waiting was difficult! The unknown was worse. But God knew my hearts desire, and chose to bless us at our weakest point. He really is so faithful, merciful, powerful and loving toward his children.

It's also funny because my sister last week told me that I needed to let go of our adoption because I was holding on too tightly! I was trying to control everything and totally messing up God's plan. I find this ironic because it's completely opposite of my blog title (Learning to be Content). I realized that my faith and trust were lacking big time!

Well, as most of you know, Marlee Joy Slonecker was born August 4th at 12:56am weighing in at a whopping 2lbs1oz 14 inches. Seeing this little girl just gives me chills. One because it's so COLD in the hospital, but two because God created her so perfectly! She is PERFECT! Her tiny tiny body, toes, hair, smile, even her cry! She's a miracle!

I am going to try to keep this blog up and running, but I can't guarantee that I will be able to everyday. I want to say thanks to everyone who has prayer for us, over us and with us. God answered your prayers too!! I love you all, and I am TOTALLY blessed by your support!

Love,
Shelly

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