Time for a Happy Birthday

Dear Zach:

I feel that just a couple of days ago, I was getting my bag ready and heading to the hospital to get induced... and here we are hitting this milestone...ONE YEAR. Ready or not, here it comes. Were we ready to meet you a year ago? Not at all. But it all came, and we learned to eat elephants one bite at a time.

I took a week off from work just to have time to celebrate you; believe or not, being the mom of an angel is hard work. There is no "manual" or tradition for this kind of milestone, so as usual we are starting from scratch. I browsed online for ideas from mommies like me. The best advise? Whatever you decide, don't "Do Nothing" at all, that's the hardest thing to do.

We took that advice and got busy: Went to visit you, changed your flowers, and our two favorites: We brought cupcakes for the NICU staff  that took care of you; and we also decided to put together a "Care Package" for a family walking a similar road. It was nice to stay busy preparing it all, brainstorming, making lists and doing all the shopping. It also brought some bizarre conversations, that now I just laugh them off:

Me at a posh cupcake place: Hi, I wanted to order some cupcakes. It's for my boy's birthday.

Cupcake lady: How neat. Do you have a theme?

Me: (Wondering if I should tell the whole spill or not) Oh...oh... mm... angels?

Oh well, after choosing a star topper for all your cupcakes, we put the care package together. I will include the list on another post just in case that anyone out there wants to do the same. It was surreal to say the least to be back in the NICU, to hear the all too familiar monitors, to know that at some point you were there, just a few steps away from us. It was wonderful to see some of the nurses that took care of you again, and to know that they still remember you. Today we were covered in prayer, flowers, cake and balloons at our doorstep from dear friends, early in the morning. You brought really great people to our lives. For that we are extremely grateful.

I am going to bed with a smile, knowing that you are not forgotten, but most of all, knowing that our care package went to the right family who just had their boy two days ago and who lives far away from the hospital. They are still trying to figure out all the logistics, probably with all the emotions still raw. I know that our package will in some way bring them comfort, and we have the certainty in our hearts that it couldn't have gone to better hands. That was an answered prayer, we do serve one amazing God!

Thanks to you boy, we are aware of this type of needs and your short life keeps reaching others. Even though we miss you dearly, it was after all, a Happy Birthday.

Happy Birthday Sweet Zachary Owen.
"Mi pulga, Mi pumpkincito"

NICU Package completed, praying for more to come!

We received flowers, muffins and a balloon
at our doorstep from very sweet friends of ours.