Benjamin, Mason, and me!

 

Dear Readers,
 
   I love celebrating birthdays! Our birthday is next Wednesday. However,   I just got the sweetest birthday present and wanted to blog about it! :)
  My sweet NICU nurse and her family came to visit these past two days! It was such a gift.

  Just to backtrack, Benjamin, Mason, and I were born at 28 4/7 weeks...Benjamin weighed 2 lbs 15 oz, Mason weighed 2 lbs 5 oz, and I weighed 2 lbs 11 oz.  Hearing about my mom's pregnancy makes me feel so guilty--she did so much for us! Her story is amazing..hop on over to theblessingcounter.blogspot.com to hear it. : )  We appeared on the scene  April 18th, 1997.

  My mom, however, didn't get to see us right away. We were whisked away to the NICU, to doctors, medicine, and...sweet nurses! Laura Curatolo was my primary nurse. I don't remember my days in the NICU, but I have seen so many pictures...

From my mom's scrapbook :)

Nurse Laura put oxygen in my water so Mom could give me a bubble bath!



  Our family has remained in contact with Nurse Laura since our NICU stay (which means our birth!! So very cool.) , and it has truly beeen a gift. Nurse Laura and her husband, Mr.Jay, encourage me so much...they are such blessings! I can't even tell you how much I appreciate having a relationship with them through all these years..because I find it amazing and so special.  I loved getting to see them and meeting their dear children.

And today!

Before my baby dedication...

  We're now almost 15 years old... There are babies, I know, who were in the NICU just like we were  who didn't ever get to reach 15 years. So I have decided that I will never, ever get to a point where I will talk about my birthday as "I wish I wasn't another year older" or (as an adult) tell kids I won't tell them my age because it's rude.  I want to always be able to say "Wow, God, I can't believe You gave me the gift of LIFE. Thank you for letting me live to be ___ years old!" And I will always thank Him for the people who helped me get here.

  Your Blogger,
 Claire