Learning to pray...

Has it really been a year? I get tears in my eyes just thinking about it. On this day last year Carter was airlifted to Cincinnati Children's Hospital. I flew with Carter in the small jet supplied by The University of Alabama. Brandon flew commercial and arrived at the hospital just hours after we did. It was a very scary experience. We were leaving the hospital that had been home to us for some time. The hospital where I worked, where everyone knew Carter and the hospital we called home for many months. We were also leaving behind a wonderful Doctor. A Doctor that stuck by our entire family's side through it all. I can honestly say I do not think Carter would be alive today without him. We will never be able to tell him thank you enough.

We were leaving all of these things behind in desperation for our son to survive. We had already travelled to another leading medical facility where we were given little hope. We were desperate! When we arrived in Cincinnati, multiple Doctors from different specialties came to examine Carter. I will never forget one of them. She was a younger lady and she introduced herself as being part of the transplant team. At this point no one had officially said Carter needed an intestinal transplant or that it would really be an option for him. She came in and sat down on the bed beside me and Carter. She told us how glad she was that we arrived safely. She then began to talk about the intestines and the initial steps to working towards an intestinal transplant. I looked at her almost cross eyed and said, "intestinal transplant?" She then realized that this was the first time it had been discussed. She immediately apologized and walked out of the room. So, there I sat with Carter alone in an unfamiliar hospital in a town that I had never been to before. I was completely exhausted from being up day and night for months in the hospital with Carter before being transferred. My husband was on an airplane with no way to contact him. I sat there looking into my sweet little one-year olds eyes. His little body was so pale and so tired. That's when I began praying for God not to keep him here with me, but for God to do what's best for him. For months I had selfishly prayed for God to keep him here on earth with me. I did not want to live without him and would do anything to keep him here. I begged and pleaded with God. It was until that moment, on one of my weakest days I realized what I had been doing. I wasn't praying for God's will. I was praying for my own will. Isn't it amazing how God will come to you in your weakest moments? As soon as I started praying for God's will I began to feel relief. I knew we were in the right place and that God would take care of Carter.

So, here we are a year later. I have a 2 year-old doing flips off of the couch laughing and running everywhere. I am thankful God had other plans for him. To Him Be the Glory!!!

Last years BIG trip!