Coming Home

JOY MICHELLE is coming home!!!!! The hospital called this morning and she has been discharged. :)

PRAISE THE LORD!!!!

Joy and Janie

Joy Update: She nursed like a champ today! She has been great throughout the day and if she does well through the night, then she has a very good chance of coming home tomorrow! YAY!

Joy Michelle is 3 days old today, and Janie Beth would have been 10 months old. They were both born on a Tuesday, in the NICU Tues. night and Wed, and I went home on a Thursday after delivering each of them. Obviously, Joy Michelle is still in the NICU. She will hopefully be coming home 10 months to the day after Janie Beth went home to be with Jesus. Amazing Grace! 

My arms have not hurt like they did yesterday when I left the hospital since the days and nights after coming home from the hospital after Janie Beth. October 28, 2010 was the first time I have ever walked out of the hospital after having a baby without carrying one in my arms or lap. (I carried Janie Beth out because we brought her to the funeral home.) We went to the cemetary on the way home to see Janie Beth. I miss her so much. There are things that I didn't experience with her that I hadn't even thought about.

I am so thankful to get to smell Joy Michelle and feel her precious skin by my face all nice and warm. To hear her cry and little noises that she constantly makes. To hold her warm body close to mine as I nurse her. I am blessed! I have peace. Many things are bittersweet, but the sweet outweighs the bitter because I know Janie Beth is smiling down on us. She is thankful that Joy Michelle is here, and she is beyond thankful that she is in Heaven.

I am amazed that I sit here 10 months later. I look back at December 29, 2009, and I do not recognize that person anymore. God has done wonders in my life. Joy Michelle is a huge ray of sun in the storm that we have been walking in!

I am off to bed! I hope to type Joy Michelle's birth story soon, as well as share some more pics.

Joy Gets Fed By Mom

Well, we had our first meal with mom feeding Joy Michelle.


She is getting better and better.

The Karr 5

Here they all are....

Joy Update

Joy Michelle is doing very well! She is moving into the Progressive Nursery at the shift change this evening. She had her first bottle at 4:15, and she sucked it down. Hopefully, I will get to breastfeed her on Friday (I think I will pray for late tomorrow :) ). They think that she may have just had trouble adjusting to being on the outside. She will not see an ENT unless she starts showing signs of struggling while eating. Her doctor right now said she looks great! :) He said she would probably not get to come home until Monday because of the weekend, but we are going to pray for earlier. We serve a Great and Big God!!!!!

The kids saw her and are so excited. They kissed all over her face and kept feeling her cheeks. Katie Jo told her that she is going to help take care of her when she comes home. KJ has been quite worried that Joy Michelle wouldn't live since she had to go to the NICU, but I believe she is doing much better after seeing her.

I must Praise the Lord that I have gotten to hold Joy Michelle and change a couple diapers and I will get to feed her next time. I am so thankful for all of your prayers!!! I believe that they have everything to do with how quickly she is doing so well! What a Mighty God we serve!!!!!

I ask that you please pray that she will latch on well when we can start breastfeeding and that it will all go smoothly transitioning.

Abba, thank You for Your strength and grace!!!

Just A Peek At Joy

Here are some quick pics of Joy Michelle I tooklast night in the NICU.  She is beautiful, although her siblings think she looks like a boy.

Its A Girl

Joy Michelle Karr was born at 5:35 PM (a whole two hours of labor, post water breaking).  She is 6 lbs, 3.8 ozs and 18 1/2 inches long.

Joy is having a bit of a struggle breatrhing so they have her in NICU for a transition evaluation.  Mom is doing wonderfully.