Good Morning everyone! I know it has been way to long since we have updated our blog. Forgive me! Spring Break is simply one of my favorite times of the year.

A friend of mine asked me a few Sunday's ago, when are you going to update your blog!!

Jay's Birthday is coming up this weekend. He will be eight years old. He is so funny as I am sure all eight year old boys are... but the best thing about Jay is that he is so easy to talk to, I love all of our

conversations.

This picture was taken on our snowday last month. As most of you know the snow was just perfect.

Brandon and the boys made a snow man. Cole loved him. As you can see Baby Zack is growing and loves hair. Look close at Jay's face. Zack has a big clump of hair!

Here is our sweet Zack. Like all babies he loves to be outside!

Cole will be three in 2 weeks! And Zack will be 8 months on the same day! Wow. I love having three little boys. Little Cole is sooo funny, so Sweet and then in a moment he can unleash on Jay!

We have been working on a lot of projects here at the house and staying very busy teaching Chemistry and Botany this semester. 10 more weeks until summer! I am so excited!

Moore Comfort

Hey to Everyone! Can you believe that in a few days it will be a month since Zack was born! Hard to believe. Well he is settling in just fine at the Moore house. If Jay and Cole could describe him...they would say..."he's so sweet..." and they do a lot "Awww...", but they laugh the most at what boys do best...when Zack burps or poops they think that is the funniest thing in the world. They think he's awesome, because he's so little and can make such "large" sounds. That's a boy for you.

As with most families we tend of tease each other about any and everything. The other day I was folding clothes and looked over at the baby who was taking a nap on the settee...That little boy had his leg propped up on the towel I was using as a make shift bumper. Cute?

Well the back story is that BM and I laugh at Jay and Cole "hiking" their legs over the car seat...and BM does it on his recliner...and last week we saw Papa doing the same thing...then this happens. It must be genetic or just comfortable.

Zack is Home!

Sorry I have not posted, but it has been a madhouse. Zack has been eating like a little horse, and is sleeping well with no complications. Since about Friday all the nurses have been making comments like "He is doing so good" and "He will be outta here soon!"

Friday was a big day. Aubie came by for a visit to the NICU. (I'll have to put pics of that up later).





(Pictured is Nurse Debbie, one of the NICU nurses that were so good to us. The very first thing she and Nurse Dana did when we met her was pray for us and out baby. NICU nurses become part of your extended family.)





Sunday, the results from the spinal tap came back Negative for Meningitis. He also took his last dose of antibiotics. Then, out of nowhere we got a shock Sunday when one of his nurses asked if we would like to stay in the NICU overnight in a room with him. They do that whenever you are a day or two away from going home!!! We were expecting him to stay another week, at least!




So we spent the night up there Sunday night, and by Monday Morning the Neonate said he is ready to go home!


Fast forward to Monday......By Monday Lunch we were in the process of going home. After all the paperwork, an infant CPR class, one last consult with the Doctor, and a few sweet goodbyes from the nurses, we loaded up and headed home!!

The doctor said he is a normal healthy baby boy now and should have no recurring problems from the PPHN or the infection.

This has been such an incredible experience in many ways. In a 24 hour period a week ago Thursday, I watched our new son be born, and slowly start to fade away a few hours later. I watched as doctors, nurses, and respiratory therapists kept giving him all that medical science had to offer, and yet nothing was working. I had no idea what was coming next. For the first time in my life I was completely helpless. I couldn't do anything to help him, and the stuff the doctors were doing didn't seem to be working either.

I have prayed many times in life about things, but I don't think I have ever been in a position where I had no other alternative but to believe that God is at work, I just don't see it, and that I had to sit back and do nothing but let God work. And the petitions and prayers offered by all of you have made all the difference.


In Luke 18:1-18, Jesus told the parable about the widow that kept coming time after time after time, and she didn't give up until she was granted justice. Jesus was using that parable to tell us to pray like that. And our friends and family certainly did, and He listened. We are forever in debt to you for the prayers we have received.


There is so much more to share, but that is all for now. We love you all and treasure you more than you know.

bm

Thankfulness

I have thought of all of you this week as I get your posts, but today was really the first day I could respond...
Zack has has another big day, he has been off supplemental air most of the day and his oxygen stats have stayed between 98 and 100, which is wonderful!
He also had lumbar puncture today to rule out meningitis, so please that that culture comes back negative.
Mainly I want all of you to know that all of the notes of encouragement have blessed me and Brandon more than you can imagine. Everytime I leave the hospital and turn my phone on I have 5 or 6 new posts that are words of praise and prayer. Thank you so much. It is very hard to drive away from the hospital, but with these blessings coming on my trusty handheld it really helps me beyond words. God has blessed these doctors and nurses and sweet baby Zack! My love to all of you!
Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel

Movin on Up

I came into the NICU at lunch time yesterday and Shannon was sitting there holding him!!! She was smiling ear to ear. I got to hold him and rock him a little bit too. It was awesome. he yawned and stretched, just looked like he was feeling good. Shannon said that she has a lot of time holding him to make up for the time he is spending in the NICU. Tomorrow is a big day...he gets to see Aubie! I will post pictures as soon as I can. His infection is clearing up, and he has a few more tests to make sure everything is okay in other areas.

We are continuing to be blessed by our friends and family, and all the prayers being offered on our behalf. Keep them coming. Not only for us, but for the 40 other babies in the NICU with Zack. And the 10 or so at Baptist East. For so many, this is just the beginning of the uphill battle they face. Some will go on to surgeries and long hours of therapy. Please remember their families and nurses and doctors as well.

Big Brother Jay comes for a Visit

This picture was taken Monday night when big brother Jay came for a visit. He was so proud of is new little brother. He thought the scrubs were pretty cool. Friday, Aubie is coming by for a visit.

Zack is resting good this morning and is eating like a little pig!

BM

Off the CPAP!

Zack had a great day yesterday. When I visited him at lunch time, the doc decided to take him off the cpap! He is now breathing on a nasal canula, the little tube thing that goes under his nose. He held down some epedialite last night, so this morning they gave him a little breast milk through the tube to his stomach. They are still thinking minimum 10 more days to finish the antibiotic, and then he will have to learn how to take a bottle and nurse without affecting his oxygen levels, which could slow things down a bit. Hopefully we are only looking at a few more weeks.

Its funny how we define success at different stages in life. Now, we measure success by the number of tubes and wires going into Zack's little Giraffe bed. Sunday, Zack had 12 tubes and wires attached to his body (and a few of them branched off into three other tubes!)....Monday he was down to 10, and today he is down to 7! We first were scared by all of them. Now we see them as some of Zack's most precious 'items'.

Shannon is doing great. She is resting well, and is able to go see him as much as she wants. Shannon's Mom's best friend, Shelia is down here spending time with us helping with Jay and Co-Co. Her grandkids call her Nay-Nay, and my kids are so country they call her NEE-Nay. Her and Norman are so special to us.

Thank you all for your continued prayer and support.

BM