This blog post is part of a series that I began for telling our story. You can read the first post here.

From this point forward, I’m going to be sharing the text of posts as they were written at the time. Some will come from this blog; others, from our CaringBridge site. I may from time to time write my own reflections after re-reading, but mostly I will just be sharing words as they were written. So much of this journey for me is revisiting what happened, and realizing just how difficult the journey was for us. And now, seeing how far we’ve come since that time.

I really want to catch up with the dates on the calendar, but to do that means I need to double-up my posts even more than I already have. So bear with me as I will post twice a day for a while, in an attempt to get better caught-up. Thanks for your patience. 

CaringBridge entries from May 27 (there are several). I did not write a blog post that day. First, from my sister:

Hello friends and family,

I am doing a brief update this morning on the needs/wants of the family at this time.  Thank you so much for your flexibility and understanding in how quickly these things can change and need adjusting.  We appreciate your patience, love and understanding.

* If you have or want to send things to the address previously listed that is fine.  We live right by Stephanie and Travis and will get them everything you send.  However, if you would like to send something to their address it is:

Travis, Stephanie and Samantha Pittock

Address removed since no longer applies

** I believe meals for the immediate future have been taken care of.  If this continues to be a need we will update specific dates on here as needed.

*** Stephanie and Travis are very open to visitors, however they would just ask that you call ahead to make sure that it would be a good time.  Phone numbers removed

**** At this time they are planning on coming to church as a family on Sunday.  They are so excited to bring their little girl to the Lord’s house and to see their church family.  We would ask that since her immune system is still very weak and she is still considered a newborn that everyone please respect this when coming in immediate contact with her.  Thank you so much for your understanding with this, we want you to know that the family wants Samantha to have a chance to meet and get to know her church family here.

Thank you so much for all your love, care and concern.  We appreciate that so many people have stepped forward with the desire to help in any way.  God’s blessing to you all!

Two more one-sentence updates from my sister:

Samantha is on her way home via ambulance, thank you for your prayers for safe travel!

Samantha is home. Thank you for all who helped with her warm welcome. It is such a joy to have her home with her family.

Final CaringBridge entry from my sister on the same day:

It has been a busy day for little Sammy!  First, leaving the hospital she was sent out with gifts, prayers and hugs from the medical staff.  She arrived home somewhere around 2 this afternoon by the ambulance.  She was greeted with a warm welcome – thanks for the balloons and welcome home sign!

The home hospice nurses were there to go over all the information and where/how things will go from here.  There is a lot of information and paperwork, but Stephanie and Travis have found that they are very blessed through their insurance to have both hospice and home health nurses covered to help them out during this time.

Samantha isn’t eating very well and doesn’t do very well taking her meds so she has the ng tube to help with these things, even though she is still getting a bottle as well.  She has moments where she is awake and alert, but is quite often very sleepy.

She was able to have some visitors today which was some nice snuggle time.  And speaking of visitors, Travis’s dad is here now,and the rest of his family will be coming tomorrow.  This was a very last minute decision as they very much wanted to meet their granddaughter/niece/cousin.  Although this wasn’t easy to do last minute, we are so appreciative of the many people that have been and continue to contribute financially to help the family out in this way.  It is such a precious time for the family to be together and we are so very grateful to everyone who is helping to make this happen for the family.

Tomorrow a photographer from NILMDTS will be coming to do some special pictures of Samantha and the family.  It is a blessing to have someone that is willing to come and do this special gift.  Thank you to all those that suggested this to us. (if you are not sure what this is, just google the letters and you will find their web-site with some information).

Finally, on Sunday Samantha will be dedicated at Faith Lutheran Church, as a remembrance and celebration of her baptism that took place at the hospital.  We are all very much looking forward to her seeing her family at Faith.

God’s blessing to you all, and thank you for your help and support for the family through your prayers, financial assistance, cards, visits and love.  God is good all the time, all the time God is good.

Next post coming this afternoon.