The past few weeks have been building up to Sunday! Lucas' First Birthday Party! And who would have guessed that the tot would get sick. It started earlier this week and has slowly worked its way through Jonathin and I and has stayed with Luke. However, we were still able to celebrate.
Our weekend started on Friday night when Luke's Great Uncle Mikey came in from Virginia. This is the first time Mike had seen Luke, like a lot of others this weekend. We had pizza and hung out at our house for the evening. Then Saturday afternoon Luke's NICU girlfriend arrived. Lily and her family had made the long drive up from Terra Haute to celebrate with Luke. I'm pretty sure I was more excited for this visit. Lily's mom Heather and I have became really close friends since we met in module 1 of the Riley NICU. We usually text one another almost every day. I know many people have made this journey with us, but Heather and I completely understand each other. It's a preemie mom thing. We sat but the bedside daily and endure all the doctor appointments and the news along with being a preemie. We understand each other. Also we can bounce information off of one another from doctors and therapists.
Also on Saturday Danielle and Cassie made the drive up from Indianapolis to stay the night and hang out with Luke. It has been over a month since we saw them. It's great to socialize with people. I know Luke would have enjoyed it more if he wasn't under the weather. We had a nice Saturday at my parent's house where the kids got to swim, Lily's big sister Madison's favorite. We also had a good cookout thanks to my Mom and Dad.
Then Sunday was a long and big day. It started with us going to church. After a year in waiting, Luke was finally dedicated in our church. It was something that I had wanted since he was born. This congregation has been there since the morning Luke was born throughout this entire journey. There were weekly updates and prayers. They would ask my parents every Sunday how things were going. It's special to us. Also, on a sad note, it was the last Sunday for our pastor of 19 years. He has been my pastor since we started attending Faith 17 years ago. He also married Jonathin and I 3 years ago. He was at the hospital the night before Luke's birth and throughout the first week while we were still at Memorial. He even made the trip to see us in Indianapolis. He would call my Dad often for updates to then pass along to the congregation. It was a very joyous and sad day at the same time.
After church we had to set up Luke's party. It was no small feat. Let's just say, my Mom is a party planner. No stone is unturned. We had balloons, a pinata, kid goodie bags, movies from the NICU courtesy of Luke's Gampy, even a keg of root beer. Luke had a great turn out, over 100 people. There were so many people Jonathin and I felt bad that we couldn't talk to everyone. I can say that the celebration of the past year might not have rated on Luke's scale of fun yesterday, but it was great for Jonathin and I. In a way it was a little thank you from us for all the help and support our family has received over the past year. Jonathin made a little speech to thank everyone and afterwards we were talking that there is so much more we could say to all of you. Not one little thing over the past year has been forgotten. You all took care of us while we took care of Luke. Now I sit here and listen to him growl and scream at some of his new toys and our dogs I am humbled. I have tried to keep my emotions at bay this week and I know tomorrow will be the hardest of those days.
I can be upset at the slow progress that he is showing, but it is progress. A year ago right now he was still in my belly and we were laying in a hospital bed dreading what June 12, 2011 would bring. The list of complications hanging over our head and what all the little miracle would have to overcome. I can say now he is a FIGHTER. Even when unforeseen circumstances rose, he would get through it. He might be small, but he is mighty. I am a PROUD momma of a micro preemie and my own special Superman. Everyday he amazes me, just by being here.
p.s. - Here is a little story for you. On Father's Day last year I gave Jonathin a picture frame with a picture of him holding Luke. That same day things were crazy and Luke was flown by helicopter to Riley and we raced around gathering everything. For the past year we have looked for this picture frame. We thought we might have left it at Riley or that Jonathin took it to work. On Sunday morning at church Luke's Great Aunt said she had something for us. Apparently for the past year this picture has been circulating at Memorial where the nurses asked if they knew who it was in the picture. Our one nurse that we became close too while there had been on maternity leave and finally solved the puzzle. My aunt just so happened to run into her at Meijer the other day and she had the picture with her to get to us. How great is that? Finally that frame is where it is supposed to be on Jonathin's night stand. Just thought that was a great story to end with.
A Huge thank you to everyone that endured the heat yesterday to make Luke's 1st Birthday a success!
