Dear friends,

We are excited to share that we have now had several chances to hold our sweet son!! A few days ago they started allowing us to take him out of the incubator for short times in order for Jessie to start to try breast feeding him. The first attempts have gone fairly well, he knows what he's supposed to do, he just gets wore out so easily! We're just glad for the excuse to finally get to have him in our arms! They allow Toshe to hold him for short amounts of time as well! I, Jessie, thought I would be really emotional and cry when they first put him in my arms after the long wait...but I was just too excited for that! We've been really enjoying our visits with him. He makes us laugh out loud with the faces he makes. He has the greatest smile reflex...and he shows it to us a lot! His whole face turns upwards in what looks like a giant smile! We love it!

He's now 3.7 lbs. Just a little bit up from his birth weight. After the initial weight he lost after birth, he's been on a steady incline now for several days. Some days he gains 10 ml., some days, 20, some days none, and on a good day as much as 30 ml. We just pray this continues to be the case!

The latest word from the doctor is that they might take him out of the incubator on Thursday - which means on that day Jessie would go back into the hospital in order to be even more regularly working on establishing a good pattern of breast feeding with Bennett. For now we've been mostly just visiting him twice a day.

Once they take him out of the incubator...we're anticipating they'll just have us stay in the hospital another two to three days before sending us all home together! So as early as Saturday we have chances of finally bringing him home!!

We've continued to be blessed with patience in the wait. The Lord is so good to us! We keep finding little projects to do to prepare for bringing him home. There is more we could do for sure, but it's been nice to have a little time to cover the basic preparations. People have been helping us a lot...either with meals...or passing on hand-me-downs...etc!

The Lord has blessed Toshe with a new brother in Christ in the midst of all that has been going on! This afternoon he was over at our house sharing lunch with us, and the two of them got to go through the second follow-up lesson for new believers. His name is Goran. You could pray for his spiritual growth, and for Toshe as he guides him.

We've added some more recent pictures of Bennett, and we'll continue doing so, so check in on the blog off and on to see updates!!

LOVE and blessings to you all!!!!
Toshe and Jessie

Update on Bennett

Did you see the pictures of our tiny little bundle of joy?! Today was a good day, Bennett was able to have his IV removed tonight because he is adjusting well to receiving milk orally. He's up to about 15 meals a day at about 30 ml. He's steadily gaining weight in little amounts....two days ago he gained 30 grams, yesterday 10. Please keep praying that the numbers keep going up...so our sweet son can get out of the incubator....and so that we can hold and cuddle and love him more freely! Today Grandma, Toshe's mom got to go into the nursery to see him and touch him a little through the incubator. We were glad the nurses allowed her in for a short time. Yesterday we were in the hospital three times to visit...today just twice. I'm breast pumping there, and at home...until he's big enough to be removed from the incubator...and the nurses will help us get a good pattern started on our own. I'll return to the hospital for a few days then to stay. Maybe it's a funny prayer request...but we really pray this process goes smoothly so we can make sure this little boy grows well! His jaundice is a little better today...they've had him under a special lamp off and on to help that problem. We of course are anxious to bring him home...though the Lord is giving us patience and peace in the wait. Toshe's mom came to help cook, clean, etc. for a few days as I recover. We have a few things bought for him finally...he came so early we still hadn't been out shopping! Tomorrow all those first things go in the wash! Nade' (Toshe's mom) and I might even plant a few flowers in the meantime while we wait...since Spring has fully arrived! Each time we visit Bennett we sing to him, pray for him, and talk to him. Toshe even quotes him scripture sometimes. He has lots of room-mates right now in the nursery! More and more babies are born every day. I have to say he's one of the more quiet ones so far!

Surely we'll have more details to share down the road! As always...your prayers are coveted...and we're SO grateful for them!

BLESSINGS!!

Bennett's first pictures