"A house is where you live, but a home is where your heart is"

When Gabe and I found out we were expecting our lil nugget, we decided that living in a 695sf apt was not going to work....so we quickly found the most perfect little subdivision to build a little home.  When we started building, the guy said that the house would be ready in late August - Early September.  I fired back with a little "worried mom" look and said, LOOK... we NEED to be in the house by SEPTEMBER....i am due Sept 16.  He said he would do everything in his power to do what he could.  But just by our luck, it seemed to rain that whole summer and progress just wasnt looking like a Sept due date on the house.  We even had some thieves come and steal all the copper wiring which put building behind about another 3 weeks.  UGGGHHHH seriously??? At this point, I was a worried mess.  By August, I had to accept the fact that we were not going to be in our home and settled by the time the little nugget arrived.  C-Section was scheduled for Sept 9 at 7am.

After my second baby shower in August, I cleared out most of the open area of the 695sq apt and set up shop for baby.  I cleared out the coat closet and put all his clothes and diapers and stuff in there....we were ready... as ready as we could be.  It was the coziest little apt ever, and only one thing person, was missing.

The weekend of our scheduled delivery, our familes all came up for the "last super".  We had a fun filled Sunday of football watching, a nice dinner at Stubbs BBQ, and we even took our parents and the "dad to be" out for some drinks.  It was so fun to prepare to welcome our nuggt home.  A weekend I will never forget.

Monday, Septemeber 9 came and I was up bright and early (430am) getting dressed, doing my hair, and just excited as ever.....we were bringing home baby!!! ........

Fast forward.... you all know the story.... if not you can catch up here:  http://pfightingpfamily.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-end-of-week-but-beginning-of-future.html

We left the hospital on Thursday, after saying good bye to our sweet boy, only to meet him at his temporary home - DELL CHILDRENS HOSPITAL  NICU a couple of hours later.... I couldnt belive it... we came home to our small apartment empty handed. Everything that was soooo meticulously cleaned and prepared sat empty and waiting.... It was the worst day a new mom and dad could have.  We sat and cried and wondered where we went wrong.

2 months and 3 days went by... day in and day out, our new home was the NICU... our heart was there... Every day was a routine.  Wake up, clean up the apt, get dressed and go sit in his room at the NICU.  Some days were better than others.  Surgeries here and there...and oh yea, we were still in the process of building a home.

God knew what he was doing.  He set us up for this.  He was gonna pull us through.

On Nov 4, we got the green light to start preparing for a discharge....everything had to get put in to place before we could leave.  Nursing had to be scheduled for when he came home, medical supplies had to be delived and equipment had to be set up.  It was a race against the clock to get everything in order.

On Friday, November 8, we finally closed on the house and got the keys.  It still wasnt 100% ready, but we needed a house.  Saturday, Sunday and Monday we moved everything in.  Set up, cleaned and unpacked.  We were "ready" .  Things were in place.

On Tuesday, Novemeber 12, 2014 our house was finally made a home.  We got to bring the most precious addition home.  Finally.  We did it.  We were a family. Our house was a home.

Its been 365 days.  52 weeks.  1 whole year of having our sweet boy home with us.  He makes us laugh, makes us cry, makes us thankful for what we have.  His sweet tenacious soul is everything you could ever want.  He is the light that brightens our day. Every morning we walk down the stairs and he is sitting there waiting with his nurse, to shine his smile.  It the best thing to start our day.

It hasnt been the easiest year.  We have had to do things that no parent should have to do.  We both became nurses when we became parents.  Our families had to learn the ins and outs of "trach" care.  But we all came together and have done a great job.

We have a home, not just a house.  Our heart is there.  He made it complete.

http://www.gofundme.com/58c7p4

Its been such a special year.  A year of learning, and loving, and just BEING.... I cant thank you all enough for all the continued love and support. The prayers, and the gifts and just the hand to hold while on this journey.  Thank you all so much.  Cheers to a year and cheers to MANY more.

Sleepin in his cozy little bssinet for the first time...

Meeting his puppy brother for the first time.  (that machine is his feeding machine)

Saying good bye to our WONDERFUL primary nurses ... (they wouldnt let us bring them home with us :( )

All bundled up for the cold night and his first ride home

Trying to get all the supplies organized.