Passing Ships

January waits for no woman! Time is flying, days are busy, I’m trying to keep up. Holidays are over - the boys have cricket trials... do they have uniforms? Probably too small. I cut their nails in the hospital bathroom when they visit - 120 nails every few days can fall off the end of the list-of-things-to-do.

We slept last night, Kiara and I, after we prayed for the People Of The World. We prayed that you would be blessed, that you would be healed, that you would know God. We prayed that the prayers you’ve prayed for us that have changed our lives for ever would be multiplied back to you.

It was bliss to turn off the lights when we wanted to, now that we have our own room. I gave Kiara her nightly massage, praying over her legs and feet. She listened to classical music, as she loves to do, and I prayed for little neurons to find their way back to each other.

I thought of my children at home, their smiles less easy as the days without mommy add up. My littlest, Tyden, said to me today, “It’s funny how much boys need their moms. Babies need their dads, but boys need their moms.” I squeezed him tightly and reminded him of his many superpowers. He has them all, which is helpful now. The latest is the power to be brave, and to be obedient to whoever’s in charge each day.

My husband and I are passing ships, promising with a squeeze of the hand that we’ll find each other again soon.

At the hospital, it’s work, work, work, and everyone is delighted with the improvement over the weekend. She finishes the Rubik’s cube, and we make some progress on a Sudoku. She reads aloud to me, so I know she can, but sometimes replaces the printed word with one that is related. She reads, “Hello,” and says aloud, “Goodbye.” She mostly knows when it’s a mistake. Jigsaw puzzles are getting easier, and she does a bit of writing today, too.

She jumps up and down to go to the bathroom and I have to be on the ball to keep up. She’s not allowed to move without supervision to make sure she doesn’t fall and bump her head.

Things are looking really good, and I relax in my armchair-bed for a moment - time to update the People Of The World. But when I look up, she’s looking irritated and she’s pulled her bandage nearly off! I jump up and run to stop her - she sees panic on my face for the first time. I smile uneasy and press the buzzer, and a nurse comes but now I’ve seen it. My beautiful girl without her bandage and her head is deformed without half a skull. This is real and it’s dangerous and can I wrap her in cottonwool for the next few weeks or months, or maybe forever?

January is demanding our attention, and we’re ready, but we need to stay focused, too. We’re passing ships, but we’re battleships, and this is a war we’re not prepared to lose. We have to win, we can’t get lazy, we can’t harbour until we’re home. But we’ve got this. We have what it takes. God has prepared us well for such a time as this.

We ask that the soldiers with the energy would pray with us today:

That God would continue to use this miracle to accomplish all he has intended.

That Kiara would continue to grow less confused, and more capable and strong.

For protection from infection and injury.

For the family bonds to withstand the strain.

For strength for Rich and I as the momentum picks up.