Welcome to our World

(Ashley Hope and mommy)


"How blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways. When you shall eat of the fruit of your hands, you will be happy and it will be well with you. Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine within your house, your children like olive plants around your table. Behold, for thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord. The Lord bless you from Zion, and may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life. Indeed, may you see your children's children. Peace be upon you." Psalm 128

Today was a good day for the Wisen family (Moellers, too!). Today, Dave and I were blessed to be able to see our children's children. That is truly a good day.

Norah Grace (4 lbs 4 oz) and Ashley Hope (4 lbs 11 oz) arrived at 4:54 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. respectively, a few weeks earlier than hoped but a bit larger in size than expected. They are breathing on their own, their oxygen level has been reduced to normal and they pinked up beautifully. Norah has a bit of a temper - she fussed and squirmed when I visited her. She sneezed, blew bubbles and cried a bit, and I think she is not used to having so much space all to herself!

Ashley, on the other hand, was peaceful and sleeping - the past few days wore her out. Both girls have beautiful heads and long fingers, Norah definitely has the Moeller toe (ask Mary about that) and the jury is still out on Ashley because her feet weren't as visible. The girls look a lot alike - I think they look like Calvin when he was a newborn - they have his nose and his mouth, his soft, pink skin. All in all, their numbers are good and strong, they have all their fingers and toes, including fingernails, they are in a great care facility and they have precious parents who have prayed for them and prepared for this day for a long time.


(Norah Grace)

I love this picture because you can see her face so clearly. As of now, there are tubes for oxygen (though no extra oxygen is needed at the moment) and eventually they will both most likely get feeding tubes for a week or so. But this picture shows Norah's precious features - Ashley, though a bit bigger, seems to have a smaller head - but having studied the pictures for a while, I am struggling to tell them apart...uh, oh!


(Norah Grace)

This is how I left both girls tonight. Both had their own nurse and were being watched with the greatest of care. It was still hard to leave. I touched Norah's hand and her little fingers wrapped around mine with great strength - she's a fighter. She'll be fine. Ashley was sleeping so soundly, I didn't want to bother her, so I just stared in awe. Precious gifts. I actually am a bit speechless.

Thank you, Father, for allowing David and I to see our children's children. Please, Father, draw these girls into a relationship with You at a young age - may they walk with You and have no memories of life without You. Bless their parents with wisdom and patience, thank You for extended family who knows You and will love these girls with Your love, and thank You for a church family who loves these girls nearly as much as their family does. Give us grandparents the opportunity to be Your arms and to speak Your words to these precious lambs, keep them safe and may they grow in Your grace until they see You face to face.

Welcome, Norah and Ashley, to our world...