A Time to Remember

Tomorrow is such a big day in the Porter household. Our little miracle is turning THREE!!!! Where have the last three years gone? As I've done each year, I'd like to take tonight to reflect on the events of three years ago. I won't go into all the details, since I did that in a previous post. It was on February 3rd, 2015, when we were blindsided with the news that our baby girl was severely sick. I knew something wasn't right, but never could have imagined what was on the other side of the door we were about to pass through. But God knew. He knew all along the difficulties we would soon face, and He was ready to carry us through them. Every part of our story had passed through His loving hands before it ever crossed our path. I love how Isaiah says it in chapter 43 verses 2-3,

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; 

and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; 

when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned, 

and the flame shall not consume you. 

For I am the Lord your God, 

the Holy One of Israel, your Savior." (ESV)

God was there in the ultrasound room, when the doctor first told us about the hydrops. He was in the ambulance as we were rushed to Vanderbilt. He was in the hospital room as they began prepping us for what may happen during delivery the next morning. He was there when they wheeled me to the operating room where more than 20 medical professionals were preparing for the scary delivery ahead. He was still there while we waited the excruciating 18 minutes the NICU team needed to resuscitate her. He was in the NICU when we saw our unresponsive, swollen baby girl for the very first time. He was there as the hours stretched into days when she had two major setbacks that took her back to the OR for major surgery. He was there when days stretched into weeks as the doctors were baffled by her daily progress and fighting spirit. He was there on her 44th day when we took her home for her brothers to meet her for the first time. He was there when we had to take her back to the hospital, resulting in the second surgery that would finally make her whole again. He was there through all the storm tossed our way, and He's still here today! Praise God!!!

I truly believe we were given a front row seat to watch God preform an actual, real-life miracle. Even her doctors admitted as much. Her case was considered a mystery, one that could not be explained by modern medicine. Here we are today, on the eve of the third
birthday of our beautiful, HEALTHY little girl. Psalm 77:13-14 says it best,

"Your ways, God, are holy. 

What god is as great as our God? 

You are the God who performs miracles; 

you display your power among the peoples." (NIV)

Tonight, I am praising God for blessing our family with this miracle who is so full of life and joy. We could not be more grateful for our little Cora Joy!

February 4, 2015

February 4, 2016

November 2017
(Photo by Theresa NeSmith Photography)