"Jesus said, 'Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.'" Mark 5:19 NKJV
I had to trust God because I had nothing left.
We left the hospital and traveled to Franklin, Tennessee to meet our wonderful host family. Gail had prepared a delicious dinner and our room was ready for us. Gail and Ben are a strong Christian couple and prayed over us before dinner. Their open arms and support were a wonderful comfort during this difficult time. I told Bob that I needed to go to church with them in the morning. (Sunday, July 20th)
The morning's message at Harpeth Hills Church of Christ was about basking in the joyousness of the Psalms. Finding joy. This message, along with the amazing a cappella four-part harmony that the entire church was singing, was just what Bob and I needed during this time.
We went home for lunch in our apartment and then headed out to explore Franklin and try to get our minds off of the waiting. We wandered around downtown and then decided to do a tour of the Lotz House. I mean, we are in a totally different state, we love history and since we have had children, museums aren't always that most popular spot to visit. But about half way through the tour I started having severe anxiety. What was I doing on a Civil War history tour?! My son was in the hospital, alone, I had no real idea what was going on or what would happen, my other three children were across the country .... But that was just it. There was nothing I could do. We wrapped up our walk and headed back for a nice Southern Sunday evening family dinner.
One major miracle that I have not yet addressed is our legal situation. Due to the agency contract and the fact that we were matched within 45 days of the estimated due date, we had to use the agency's full legal. This was one of the hardest parts for Bob and I. We had bonded with Amanda and strongly felt like we were supposed to be using she and Tracey for our legal work. But it was not to be. (And really, with the week that Amanda has had while we are in Tennessee, God knows what He is doing!)
The agency had a lawyer lined up and ready to go here in Tennessee. But with the early arrival of the little man it was found out that this lawyer was going on vacation and therefore could not take our case. Our agency worker contacted NINE lawyers Saturday morning (the 19th) before finding one that was willing to work with us on such short notice. But by Saturday night she was out too. This finally brought us to the TWELFTH attorney in the situation. But God knew what He was doing there too. She provided so much support for N. Much more than the agency was able to supply. She met with N, took her shopping to help her outfit her new little apartment, went to the apartment with her, drove her to the hospital to sign papers and sat with her for 4+ hours at the court house on surrender day. God knew what N needed and Julia was it.
Sunday night we got a good, long night of sleep. We woke up much later than normal and were in no real hurry to head out. The plan was to go to downtown Nashville, do more sight seeing and wait for the call from the lawyer about going to the hospital. They were not sure if he was going to be discharged on Monday or not. The main "problem" that he had been having was self-regulating body temperature and had been spending the majority of his time in the Isolette. The one thing that we did know was that N would be there to sign the papers and we would have at least power of attorney and little man would be ours, either in the hospital or discharged.
[From Saturday evening to Monday the hospital made it very clear that if something happened to the baby, medically speaking, and they tried contacting N and she did not respond immediately then they would be "forced" to call in CPS due to abandonment. Thankfully God was with him and this scenario did not play out. But it was an added stressor for us.]
While we were puttering around at the apartment I got a call from the attorney that he would be discharged! Into our care!! N would have to be there for the discharge as she was technically still his legal guardian, but we would get him immediately.
This was not going to be happening for a few hours so we loaded up and did head downtown so we would be that much closer to the hospital when the official call came. We felt that having some experience in the town where our son was born would be good and we wanted to scope out some things to do for the next time we visit when the kids are a bit older.
We wandered around the beautiful Nashville Public Library, had a sack lunch in the courtyard of the Nashville War Memorial Auditorium, and popped into the Tennessee State Capital Building. I had a feeling that we should forego the guided tour and head back to the car to get closer to the hospital. As soon as we turned to head back, the lawyer called. "It's time. You can come to the hospital now!"
Needless to say we wasted no time in retrieving our car and driving to St. Thomas Midtown.
We headed into the maternity floor and stationed ourselves at the doors of the waiting room. After what seemed to be an eternity a woman entered and asked, "Are you Bob and Emily? Come and get your son."
We tentatively walked down the hall. I was suddenly shy and felt like I was intruding on someone else's private joyous moment.
But N was upbeat, seemed happy to see us and was still very secure in her decision to place him with us. She still had her hospital bracelet on. From the week before. When it became time to go she asked Bob to cut it off as he had not been able to be present to cut the baby's umbilical cord. It was a touching gesture and moment. She was then offering veteran mom advice to me and also some tips about how to care for African American hair and skin.
Then, in a whirl, he was ours.
Ethan Von Wicks
7/17/14
4 lbs. 11 oz.
(birth weight and discharge weight)
17.5 inches long
We loaded him into a borrowed infant car seat, in a steal-of-a-deal rented car and drove back to our miracle accommodations with the 6th Wicks.
As we left the parking garage we drove under a huge depiction of the St. Thomas Midtown slogan:
"For nothing will be impossible with God." Luke 1:37
This wraps up the story quite neatly and happily.
But.
Now we were on to the next steps in the process.
Clearance for ICPC to go home to Idaho. And for N's revocation period to expire.
Time to wait.
We left the hospital and traveled to Franklin, Tennessee to meet our wonderful host family. Gail had prepared a delicious dinner and our room was ready for us. Gail and Ben are a strong Christian couple and prayed over us before dinner. Their open arms and support were a wonderful comfort during this difficult time. I told Bob that I needed to go to church with them in the morning. (Sunday, July 20th)
The morning's message at Harpeth Hills Church of Christ was about basking in the joyousness of the Psalms. Finding joy. This message, along with the amazing a cappella four-part harmony that the entire church was singing, was just what Bob and I needed during this time.
We went home for lunch in our apartment and then headed out to explore Franklin and try to get our minds off of the waiting. We wandered around downtown and then decided to do a tour of the Lotz House. I mean, we are in a totally different state, we love history and since we have had children, museums aren't always that most popular spot to visit. But about half way through the tour I started having severe anxiety. What was I doing on a Civil War history tour?! My son was in the hospital, alone, I had no real idea what was going on or what would happen, my other three children were across the country .... But that was just it. There was nothing I could do. We wrapped up our walk and headed back for a nice Southern Sunday evening family dinner.
One major miracle that I have not yet addressed is our legal situation. Due to the agency contract and the fact that we were matched within 45 days of the estimated due date, we had to use the agency's full legal. This was one of the hardest parts for Bob and I. We had bonded with Amanda and strongly felt like we were supposed to be using she and Tracey for our legal work. But it was not to be. (And really, with the week that Amanda has had while we are in Tennessee, God knows what He is doing!)
The agency had a lawyer lined up and ready to go here in Tennessee. But with the early arrival of the little man it was found out that this lawyer was going on vacation and therefore could not take our case. Our agency worker contacted NINE lawyers Saturday morning (the 19th) before finding one that was willing to work with us on such short notice. But by Saturday night she was out too. This finally brought us to the TWELFTH attorney in the situation. But God knew what He was doing there too. She provided so much support for N. Much more than the agency was able to supply. She met with N, took her shopping to help her outfit her new little apartment, went to the apartment with her, drove her to the hospital to sign papers and sat with her for 4+ hours at the court house on surrender day. God knew what N needed and Julia was it.
Sunday night we got a good, long night of sleep. We woke up much later than normal and were in no real hurry to head out. The plan was to go to downtown Nashville, do more sight seeing and wait for the call from the lawyer about going to the hospital. They were not sure if he was going to be discharged on Monday or not. The main "problem" that he had been having was self-regulating body temperature and had been spending the majority of his time in the Isolette. The one thing that we did know was that N would be there to sign the papers and we would have at least power of attorney and little man would be ours, either in the hospital or discharged.
[From Saturday evening to Monday the hospital made it very clear that if something happened to the baby, medically speaking, and they tried contacting N and she did not respond immediately then they would be "forced" to call in CPS due to abandonment. Thankfully God was with him and this scenario did not play out. But it was an added stressor for us.]
While we were puttering around at the apartment I got a call from the attorney that he would be discharged! Into our care!! N would have to be there for the discharge as she was technically still his legal guardian, but we would get him immediately.
This was not going to be happening for a few hours so we loaded up and did head downtown so we would be that much closer to the hospital when the official call came. We felt that having some experience in the town where our son was born would be good and we wanted to scope out some things to do for the next time we visit when the kids are a bit older.
We wandered around the beautiful Nashville Public Library, had a sack lunch in the courtyard of the Nashville War Memorial Auditorium, and popped into the Tennessee State Capital Building. I had a feeling that we should forego the guided tour and head back to the car to get closer to the hospital. As soon as we turned to head back, the lawyer called. "It's time. You can come to the hospital now!"
Needless to say we wasted no time in retrieving our car and driving to St. Thomas Midtown.
We headed into the maternity floor and stationed ourselves at the doors of the waiting room. After what seemed to be an eternity a woman entered and asked, "Are you Bob and Emily? Come and get your son."
We tentatively walked down the hall. I was suddenly shy and felt like I was intruding on someone else's private joyous moment.
But N was upbeat, seemed happy to see us and was still very secure in her decision to place him with us. She still had her hospital bracelet on. From the week before. When it became time to go she asked Bob to cut it off as he had not been able to be present to cut the baby's umbilical cord. It was a touching gesture and moment. She was then offering veteran mom advice to me and also some tips about how to care for African American hair and skin.
Then, in a whirl, he was ours.
Ethan Von Wicks
7/17/14
4 lbs. 11 oz.
(birth weight and discharge weight)
17.5 inches long
We loaded him into a borrowed infant car seat, in a steal-of-a-deal rented car and drove back to our miracle accommodations with the 6th Wicks.
As we left the parking garage we drove under a huge depiction of the St. Thomas Midtown slogan:
"For nothing will be impossible with God." Luke 1:37
This wraps up the story quite neatly and happily.
But.
Now we were on to the next steps in the process.
Clearance for ICPC to go home to Idaho. And for N's revocation period to expire.
Time to wait.
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