The Length a Quadruplet Brother Goes To Get Some One On One Attention

You might have caught that Isaac spent the wee hours of the morning in the ER with his daddy.  Apparently, he was in desperate need of some one on one time. So much for a plain ole boring fever. 

Shortly after we tucked him into to bed for the night he woke up in a panic, gasping for air.  It was obvious that his airway was constricted, and so we immediately administered a breathing treatment (only the 2nd one he’s ever had one in his life) and he asked to return to bed.  Not an hour passed, before he awoke again, even more upset and having an even more difficult time breathing.  Although he wasn’t coughing much, he had the classic seal bark and his airway sounded textbook strider.  He calmed down with in the steamy bathroom, but we didn’t feel comfortable putting him back to bed. 

Brad took the little dude to the ER while mama stayed back with the other three sickies. Just look at the poor little pitiful dude:

 

They were seen in a flash and had awesome care at Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital.  Can’t say enough about that special facility.  So thankful to have great care so close.

After getting his fever down some and getting a steroid treatment he was feeling more like the little Isaac we all know and love:

Hopefully we’ll ALL be on the mend soon. 

We are soooo grateful for your prayers not only for our little sickies, but for keeping Brad’s family in your thoughts and prayers as well. 

Fever In The Morning. Fever All Through the Night.

*****UPDATE**********

After putting the boys down for the night, Isaac has woke up twice, with a raspy strider and gasping for breath.  (So much for non-scary illnesses.)  It looks like classic croup, but we don’t want to take our chances through the night.  Our on call doctor advised us to get him to the ER, and Brad is on the way with him now, while I stay here with the other 3 sickies.  We would so appreciate your prayers!  Poor Little Dude. I’ll update you soon.

*************************

Yes it’s getting warm outside, but we have four little bodies all toasty on the INSIDE too. 

Summer Fever x4.

Just when we thought we had the bedtime routine heading in the right direction…

However, we are so grateful that despite the fussiness and fever that we no longer have preemies with compromised immune systems.  We no longer have the fears of RSV or worrying if a respiratory illness will lead to hospitalization.

Give it a few days and they’ll most likely bounce back to their normal little spunky three year old selves. 

And the sprinkler will be waiting for them.

*** Also,would you all be keeping Brad’s family in your prayers?  I won’t go into details, but we are awaiting some tests results and your prayers would mean the world.***

 

53 Years – Through It All

UPDATE: My dad had surgery last night to partially remove the kidney stone.  Unfortunately they were unable to blast/remove all of it and he will repeat the procedure next week.  He has been the BEST patient, and his outlook has been remarkable!  They are hopefully releasing him this afternoon. Thank you for your continued prayers and concern.  Your prayers have provided much peace and assurance for our family.  God is faithful!

----------------------------------------

Today my parents are celebrating their 53rd Anniversary in the romantic atmosphere of the hospital.  Nothing like an IV drip of pain meds to help you celebrate the love of your life, right? 

Last night I got a call from my sister. “Jen,…”, she said. Instantly I knew that the words “hospital” and “ambulance” were about to come out of her mouth. My dad was experiencing severe pain and vomiting and they were on their way to the hospital. 

Thank you to all of you who reached out through Twitter, Facebook, and texting last night as I asked for prayers.  I felt surrounded by your genuine concern and comforted by your prayers.

It was a huge relief to find out he is suffering with a kidney stone.  Although he’s in for a few very unpleasant days ahead, we are so incredibly grateful that it is not life-threatening.

My parents have been and continue to be a godly example in my life.  Their marriage and their lives are examples to many.  They demonstrate so many character qualities that I would love to possess more of, they are so supportive of one another and of others, and they are two of the most unselfish individuals you’ll ever meet!  They’ve been “Through It All” and are continuing to depend upon His Word.

“Through it all,
Through it all,
I've learned to trust in Jesus,
I've learned to trust in God.
Through it all,
Through it all,
I've learned to depend upon His Word.” 

Thank you for continuing to pray for his recovery and strength. 

Happy 53rd Anniversary, Mom and Dad! 

NICU Survival Kits: What’s Next? (Update)

Update: Isella went to be with Jesus this afternoon.  Although her 3 days on this earth were short, her impact on this world will be long lasting.  Please keep her parents Myka and Ben in your prayers as they face the difficult days ahead.

My heart is heavy for several babies currently struggling in the NICU.  My friend from high school FCA, Myka, gave birth to a sweet daughter named Isella.  There were complications during delivery and things are very bleak right now.  We are praying for a miracle and trusting God’s sovereignty in her sweet little life! Another family friend’s niece delivered a baby boy named Broyan today at 24 weeks. He’s 1 pound 12 ounces and so far is fighting and stable, but the days and even weeks ahead will be very critical.  Another little guy Noah was born recently, even though his due date wasn’t until December.  Would you join me in praying for these sweet precious gifts from God, Isella, Broyan, and Noah, the medical staff, and their families?

Since our last media post on the NICU Survival Kits, I’ve received several emails of referrals, prayer requests, suggestions, and offers to help make preemie blankets and hats for the kits.  This is super exciting to us, because we really want this project to be a blog community effort.  Many of you are contributing just by visiting our blog, because a portion of the modest revenues we receive from advertising on this blog are used to fund the NICU Kits, which cost about $40 a piece to assemble.  THANK YOU!  We are truly blessed to have you as faithful readers and supporters of our family! 

For those of you who are interested in becoming more involved in this project here are some suggestions for things we need.  We would appreciate your ideas, feedback, and any resource suggestions as we continue with this effort!

~ We are in need of a good container/bag/box to put all the goodies in.  Currently I’ve been dressing up a regular large gift bag, which does the trick, but I have visions of a custom box or reusable bag with a nice label on it.  Ideas?  Suggestions? 

~ We are in need of crotcheters and knitters for preemie blankets.  Think “doll blanket” size.  Most of the blankets that I’ve received have been in the 20x20 range...a little longer is fine.  I have a stock pile of about 20 blankets, but we are assembling quite a few lately and they are going quickly. 

~ We would love to find a discount to buy the book, On the Night You Were Born, (affiliate link), in bulk.  We have checked with the publisher (Feiwel & Friends), but were not able to get a bulk rate.  If we order through Amazon we have to pay shipping per book.

~ Ongoing Items in Need:  Gum, Snacks, Hand Lotion, Journals, Disposable Cameras, Chapstick.  Keep your eyes peeled for discounts and sales and tell us about them!

Again, we are not asking for your $ or even donations, just your dag-gone amazing resourcefulness! 

Feel free to leave me a comment here or we’ve set up an email account specifically for our NICU Survival Kit Project at

Thank you for helping our efforts in a project that is sooooo dear to our hearts!  Thanks again for your prayers for Isella, Broyan, and Noah.

Hunting Season

We continue to be so grateful for your encouragement during this “season” of our lives. Do you realize how much the relationships that we’ve made through this blog are making a significant impact in our lives?  Thank you for taking time out of your busy lives to write us a note of encouragement, share a contact name, offer your prayers, and share your experiences. 

We took a little break over the weekend (which I need to blog about soon), and then went into full hunting mode, working  every waking non-quad intensive hour on following up on leads, sending out resumes, talking to personal contacts…Those of you who have been in our shoes know the routine far too well, I’m sure. 

We truly appreciate your prayers more than anything.  This is new territory for us as a family, and at times I think the uncertainties have been more challenging than either of us anticipated.  I am certain that God will use this in our lives for His purpose!  We have much to learn and soak up from His Word.  Yesterday, as I was reading Chapter 4 in Crazy Love (Are you reading and loving it?), this verse became so fresh and relevant:

I Timothy 6:17-19 (ESV) 

17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

We have been richly provided for in many ways.  Most of us Americans have been blessed beyond measure. Currently we have been blessed with reliable transportation, roofs over our 6 heads, clothing, health insurance that will continue through almost the end of the year, a bank account with a cushion, full bellies, our health, a family who loves us, a supportive church family, faithful blog readers…the list is endless!

Would you join us in praying that our “aim” would be focused on things that matter for eternity, as we face the uncertainties of this present life? 

Thank you for continuing to be a blessing in our lives in and out of season!

I Need a Hero…

Would you look at that contagious smile?  Henry, you are a beam of sunshine! 

Found this costume at a garage sale for a $1 last weekend. Everyone has taken their turn being “Sue-fah-man” this week.  I think my superhero days with 4 boys have only just begun.

And now for some completely unrelated tangents:

• I’ve been blessed by your comments and encouraging words on my “Covenant Relationship” post.   It was so worth putting my heart out there, because in return you have shared your hearts with me. I want to emphasize that my intentions of that post were personal in nature, and not meant to be judgmental. Nor was I claiming that there’s never a legitimate reason for divorce.  I think most of you saw me through on this, but I wanted to clear up any misinterpretations. I’m praying over your comments this afternoon.

• If you follow me on twitter you might have heard that I was nominated for an Indiana blogging award in the Family Blog Category.  I have some stiff competition, and I thought about waving the white flag of surrender before the voting ends, but then I remembered how much you all enjoy voting!  So, if you feel the urge once again, head over to the Blindy Ballot and cast your vote for 4tunate. I will be speaking on a panel during Saturday’s session at the Blog Indiana Conference, so if you are there, please stop and introduce yourself!

• Lastly, My friend Doug was killed this week while cutting down a tree.  He and I were friends since 1st grade and he was my homecoming escort.  Would you please join me in praying for this family?  He leaves behind a wife and 3 small children.  I thought of his wife through the night last night and cannot imagine the shock and grief she must be experiencing. Thank you, faithful friends.

1/118 Chance

I just wanted to remind you folks that you've got just a few more days to enter the Snapfish $50 gift card giveaway over at www.makesquadshappy.blogspot.com! Just leave me a comment over there telling me about your favorite photographed memory of your father.   Right now, you have a 1/118 chance of winning, which is a pretty good shot! 

However, the "odds" are not currently in our favor at the Murray Casa.  2/4 boys are sick with a nasty tummy bug.  I'll spare you the details, but let's just say the Easter buckets are NEVER going to be used for collecting Easter eggs again! Would you join us in praying that this illness would be short and that the other 2 and their parents would be spared from this one?  We have an EXCITING end of the week planned (that I can't wait to share), and we'd LOVE to be healthy enough to take it all in! It sounds like a selfish prayer to pray, but I've been learning a lot about prayer and praying for one another.  I used to feel guilty to ask for prayer for myself, but it is a great way we can love one another.  God longs to communicate with us, and know our hearts desires.  So I'm not going to be ashamed to ask you to pray for us, as you so faithfully have through our journey!

Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Hebrews 4:16 "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

PS I would consider it a privilege to pray for you as well, so leave a comment below if there's a request you would like to share or email me at (quatro_mama at yahoo dot com).

Praying for Stellan Over Breakfast

Are YOU wearing your orange today?  Stellan is in heart surgery right now and we will be wearing our orange all day as a reminder to pray.  Please join us as we pray for the MckFamily and all the medical staff involved today and in the critical days to come.  We consider them our dear blogging buddies!

Oh Pillow, How I Missed You...

...And Of Course My 3 Other Little Men too! 

We are HOME!  Just in time for tomorrow's birthday! Sooooo great to all be under one roof again!!!

We have been so blessed by your faithful prayers. We were able to rest in God's sovereignty and in His faithfulness during these past few scary and uncertain days. (Although we frequently had to remind ourselves to do so.)  It was so reassuring to know that people all over the nation (and some throughout the world) were praying!  Our only request is that you would continue to do so...

Clark was treated for a combination of croup and most likely RSV, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, (aka The Rotten Stinky Virus).  He is being treated with steroid and breathing treatments as a support, but for the most part we have to just watch and wait.  He had another coughing attack last night, but we was able to resolve it in under 10 minutes and a few shorter spells this afternoon/evening.  We would really appreciate your specific prayers that he would not need another ER visit to address his breathing difficulty. As you can see from the pictures taken today before discharge, he has perked up quite a bit! 

Brooks was close to a hospital admission, as well, but seems to slowly be improving.  Isaac and Henry, although they are not themselves, are recovering as well.  We most likely have a house full of RSV that will make it's presence known for quite a few more days (maybe even weeks) to come.  Even Brad and I have been socked with it!   Hopefully by getting more than a couple of hours of sleep, we'll be able to fight this so we can care for these little germo munchkins to our best ability.

Obviously, their 2 year old birthday will be a low key event tomorrow, but we are so thankful for two years of life with four precious little boys.  We are more in love with them today than ever before!

A few more shoutouts (is that even a "cool" term anymore???) to some people who wouldn't want the recognition, but to whom we are SO grateful for:

• Melissa and Kara T. for picking up the other 3 boys at the ER, taking them home, and tucking them in
• For Tami W. for coming to the rescue once again and serving us overnight Friday night
• For Pam D. for praying with me over the phone with me while in the ER after being told that Clark was the sickest patient there, and the possibility of  "intubation" had us freaked out
• For Gramma and Grampa for coming on Saturday and staying overnight so that mama and daddy could be with Clark. 
• For Grandma and Grandpa for coming up today and for my mom staying overnight tonight so that we have extra hands, allowing me to some MUCH needed rest.
• For Dan H. for delivering a air pump at 10 pm last night, so that I could rest on an air mattress last night.
• For Emily U. providing some video distractions for the boys at home.
• For the many churches, including our own, who have been supporting us with their love and prayers.
• For my quad sistas who used their blogs and facebook pages, to update others and who were texting me constantly with messages of love.
• To the Goerlich's for delivering pizza and wings to our house tonight.  All the way from Texas, and it was still warm when it got here!
• To Peyton Manning Children's Hospital at St. Vincent for providing us with incredible care. We were in such great hands!
• To our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for holding little Clark's life (and our other 3) in His hands
• To All of YOU!  We consider you our dear friends - and your support means the world to us!

Update from the Hospital...

Hey, All! I don't have much time to be blogging, but I wanted to update all of you so you can pray specifically and to thank you for the many prayers already prayed on our behalf.

(See Suz's blog for he background of what went on last night...)

We are still in the hospital with little Clark. Watching and waiting. He is MUCH more stable than last night and has not had any extensive attacks since late last night. We were transferred by ambulance last night to St. Vincent's due to Clark's critical condition. The virus is causing his airways to constrict and narrow, which causes him to have prolonged continuous coughing and difficulty breathing.

Thanks to wonderful friends and family watching the other 3 germies, Brad and I are both able to be with him in the unit.

Again, we are thankful for your prayers, calls, emails, comments, and LOVE. We are blessed even in this difficult time.

Trusting in Him,
The Crew

SOS Answered

Because of your faithful prayers, Clark is HOME right now. Praise God! They treated him with a different type of breathing medication than I had administered here at home and a round of steroids. His airways became less constricted and his breathing became easier within minutes of the treatment. His x-ray came back clear. We're so grateful to have him back safe and sound with a bad case of croup!!!!

It's been an overwhelming, draining, scary, emotional, day - but we are full of gratefulness and thanksgiving for Clark's well being. God was and is in complete and absolute control.

We would appreciate your contiuned prayers that Clark wouldn't experience any more attacks and that Brooks, Isaac, and Henry would also be able to shake this quickly. Our hearts are overwhelmed with gratefulness for your prayers and concern.

SOS

Dear friends,

We would covet your prayers this morning as Brad is in route via the fire department to the ER with Clark. The boys have been battling a respiratory illness that has taken a bad turn with Clark in particular this morning. He has been coughing continuously for over an hour and is experiencing what appears to be respiratory distress.

Trusting our Savior,
The Murray Crew

We're All (Infected) Ears!

5/8 quad-ears are "ILL" as the on-call pediatrician described them yesterday.  Henry has a double. We made 2 trips to the immediate care clinic. (Can you believe Brad hauled 3 of them there by HIMSELF? Yep, that's my man! Sorry, Babes, just had to tell on ya! It's quite impressive, after all!) 

Shortly after finding out we were expecting 4 babies, the thought of all of having 4 sick babies at the same time haunted me.  It has proven to be one of the most difficult aspects.

So we're resorting to some jammie time with Baby Einstein - Baby McDonald and Baby Noah to get us through the screams...

(Brooks was embarrassed of his puffy eyes and dark circles, so he asked to wear his shades, as a cover.)

And we have 4 bottles of "Pink Potion" (aka Amoxicillin) to hopefully get us over the high fevers, sore throats, and painful ears.

 

I really can't shouldn't complain.  This is our first official ear infection and with four 22 month olds, that's a pretty good track record.

HOWEVER, because I know that many of you are faithful to pray for our family (to which I am ETERNALLY grateful), I'm asking that you would specifically pray for us to get over this illness.  The last 4+ weeks we've been faced with high fevers, the Big "D", runny noses, wheezing, sore throats, coughing fits, you name it, and we are BUSHED!  I know things could be soooo much worse, we have SO MUCH to be grateful for, and in reality this is just a small little valley, but it has been a difficult trial, nonetheless.  I've been frequently reminded of James 1:2-3.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance."

Would you join us in praying that we would find "pure joy" amidst this minor trial and that we would persevere?  Thank you, friends!

Safe and Sound....

I'm relieved to report that Brooks is tucked in at HOME! We are so grateful to be here safe and sound, after a nightmare night of 2 Emergency Rooms, 1 Urgent Care, and 1 Earthquake! We have been blessed by your prayers and concern and would request that you continue to pray for us during the next few days. Brooks' is still a pretty sick little dude, but his O2 saturation is much improved from last night and overall it looks like he's turning the corner. He is on a "full meal deal" of steroids, breathing treatments, and antibiotics here at Casa de Murray. We have so much to be grateful for tonight!

Here are a few pictures of sweet Brooksy during the last 24 hours +Prayer Requests Following

Finally Getting Some Shut-Eye

Sleeping Through a Breathing Treatment

Caged yet Cuddly

Brooks Unplugged Plugged In and Recharged!

Peace Out Peds Unit, Hello Home!

Here are some specific requests that you could be praying for:
*For Brooks' lungs to open up and to allow air in with ease
*For his side-effects from the meds to be small
*For a GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP for the whole fam. (I'm operating on about 1 1/2 hours of broken sleep; Brad not much more to brag about)
*For Henry, Clark, and Isaac to remain healthy
*For us to glorify God in our circumstances regardless of the challenges we face.
*For Brad and I to continue to have patience with each other

Update On The Brooks

Thank you all for your prayers and comments, we really appreciate it.

Brooks stayed the night in the Ped. unit since he needed some oxygen support. So far, no clear diagnosis, but it is some kind of respiratory illness, and they are treating it as pneumonia.

God has been so good to us in providing the help that we need so that Jen and I can both be here with Brooks. Also, praise God with us that Brooks has been protected from harm and is in great medical care. We are so thankful for the nurses, respiratory therapists, and doctors here.

Please continue to pray for Brooks to get well, and for protection from this illness for Isaac, Henry, and Clark.

Brad

PRAYERS

Brooks has just been admitted to the hospital with respiratory issues. Brad is with him and I'm on the way there now....We'd appreciate your prayers. God is sovereign. I'll update as soon as I can....
Jen

(Update) The Incredible Hulk

Update: We've received word that the shots will be delivered to our door between 4-5pm this afternoon. We aren't holding our breath, but it looks like this might just happen! Brad, you deserve a trip to Hawaii for this one! Wish I could send us! =) He has spent HOURS fighting for these shots - shows how much he loves his boys! Thanks for all your prayers and encouragement - this really is a BIG DEAL! -Jen

Hey blog world, this is Brad.

Jen took this picture of me earlier tonight while I was on the phone with insurance trying to get RSV shots....yes, I was angry!

My company, Woolpert, changed insurance at the turn of the year. This started the whole approval process for Synagis all over again. Praise God, we have secured approval for Synagis shots, but are really having trouble actually getting them here. Synagis for this month alone will cost over $10,000 and comes from a specialty pharmacy which must be mail-ordered.

I will not go into all of the details, but any of you who have dealt with large insurance companies know that it takes an act of God Himself to get things to work out in a timely manner!

Our nurse told us today that they are seeing a lot of RSV cases right now, so this is a very bad time for our boys to be late getting these vital shots. (Click here to learn about RSV)

Seriously, could you stop and pray that we would be able to get these shots tomorrow (Tuesday) so as not to make them any later? The specialty pharmacy my insurance uses happens to be in Indianapolis, so we are pushing for a same-day delivery to our doctor tomorrow.

Please pray!

Brad (aka quatro papa)

A Personalized Message from Peyton Manning: Rub Some Dirt On It....or maybe not

Well, just in case we do come down with the "Rotten Stinky Virus" or any other one for that matter Peyton Manning has given us a personalized message of encouragement. Click on the link to see his pep talk.

Click Here to See Peyton's Message

Perhaps "rubbing dirt on it" has caused The RSV? Interesting concept....Thanks, Peyton.

In all seriousness, I wanted to give an RSV shot update, since so many of you have been praying. Your prayers are so appreciated! It really has been a run for our money - literally. I could go on for pages and pages...but here's the Cliff Notes version:

Brad has spent HOURS (no exaggeration) duking it out with insurance, pharmacies, customer service reps, advocacy groups, etc. I know that he has been able to endure this because of his love for his boys and his desire for them to be protected. Due to his perseverance, our boys should be getting their Synagis shots this evening. (Our nurse, Kim, is coming to our house to give the boys their shots so we don't have have to expose our boys to more germs in the office - Talk about going above and beyond!) That's all pending, of course, upon the shots arriving at our doctor's office. We really are to the point that we'll believe it when we see it. We wouldn't be surprised if FedEx goes on strike and refuses to make deliveries. That's just how crazy the last week has been! Regretfully, this may not be the end of the battle as we learned that Brad's work (that has agreed to approve us) will be completely changing to a new insurance company at the beginning of the year, thus we may have to repeat the entire process. Phewwww...We are ready for a vacation!

However, in the midst all of this ciaos, we have to praise God. None of this has been a surprise to Him! Looking back we see His provision when we thought it was impossible to get approved and yet another lesson in trusting Him. He has heard and answered our prayers!

Here are some verses that have been an encouragement to me this week:

Philippians 4: 4-7 "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Matthew 6:25, 34 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?.... "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

RSV = Rotten Stinky Virus

Well, I've shed some tears today after being DENIED our Synagis shots for RSV. For those of you unfamiliar with RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) let me do my best to explain.....
___________________________________
Update: Great news!! After being denied by our secondary insurance, which we were assured was the best route to take for approval, I was informed this morning that our primary health network does not make the final decision on these matters, and it appears we may get these shots covered afterall!! It will still cost us over $2,000 for the year, but this is much better than $38,000. Please keep praying, we are not declaring victory yet, but it appears we may get these covered. Thank you for praying and for all the helpful suggestions, we love you all!!

___________________________________

Like the flu or common cold, RSV is a seasonal virus. It starts NOW and continues into about April. It's common and easily spread infecting nearly all children by the age of 2.

Most kids (born at full-term) develop moderate - severe cold like symptoms, but due to preemies fragile, less developed lungs and lower immune system they are at increased risk for developing severe RSV infection leading to severe lung infection (ie: pneumonia), life-threatening breathing problems, hospitalization, etc.

Let's take a look at the risk factors.....

• Premature birth (35 wks or less) - CHECK


• Heart disease - NOPE


• Lung Issues - Clark had respiratory distress and Isaac was ventalated as well


• Being Around Other Children - It's nearly impossible to find help without kids, but we are trying


• Family History of Asthma - Don't think so...


• Exposure to tobacco smoke - NOPE


• Low Birth weight (less than 5.5 lbs) - CHECK, CHECK, CHECK, CHECK


• Multiple Births - Ah, YEAH

So obviously we meet plenty of risk factors, yet we are being denied because we don't smoke, don't take our kids to daycare, and our kids are "too healthy". I'm thrilled that they are healthy, but we'd like to think that having the Synagis shot has had something to do with that!

Synagis is the only approved medicine to protect from the severity of RSV, which is the #1 cause of hospitalization in babies under one year. However, if we paid for the shots on our own it would cost us $6400 dollars per month for a grand total of over $38,000. Yes, 38 GRAND! This just isn't possible for our income. We are still working the system to see if we can get approved, but it's not looking too promising at this time. If anyone reading has any advise, or info. we gain from similar experiences or connections, please let us know through a comment or email.

What does this mean for us if we don't get approved? More isolation - which has been a blow today, just to be honest. After months of bedrest, hospitalization, then the NICU, then staying home to protect the little guys, and staying away from church, family gatherings, holidays, etc. it's hard to think about being cooped up for the next 6-7 months. I'm more than ready to have a more "normal" life. However, I know that God is sovereign in ALL things and I can bank on that.

Would you join us in praying for a few things?

1. Ultimately, that we would be approved for the Synagis shots
   
2. For wisdom in deciding how much isolation is sufficient
   
3. Contentment in all circumstances and outcomes
   
4. That God would continue to protect our boys and that we would trust Him over and over again with their lives. They are yours, Lord

Sorry that this was not my typical light-hearted post. Just keepin' it real.....I am overwhelmingly grateful for 4 healthy boys and all that God has provided thus far. Blogging helps remind me of this much is true!

Illustations and data taken from www.synagis.com

These Are the Sweetest Days

These truly are some of the sweetest days. The past few days I've really got to see some great interactions between our boys. These pictures weren't posed, I just happened to get Isaac loving his buddy Henry. Monday night, while we were putting the boys down for the night, we were able to witness Isaac and Henry playing peek-a-boo with each other - no kidding! It went on for several minutes along with squealing, screams of joy, and laughter. They have all been watching each other closely and teaming up to play or check something out together. I keep thinking, "Wow, what an incredible opportunity to see our babies getting to interact and discover things together, thanks to the blessing of quadruplets!"

Also, I wanted to thank each of you for the great birthday wishes. It was an overwhelming response! Please know that any good that you see in me is not a reflection of who I am, but Christ in me. There is a lot of ugliness that I need to desperately work on......I also want to thank Brad for the thousanth time. I could not believe he put that all together and got so many of my medical "family" involved. Yes, Brad really is an incredible husband and dad. He amazes me daily with his patience, determination, compassion, perseverance, and just the down right fun he chooses to have with everything! I am exceedingly grateful for God's provision through my husband. He is more amazing than I've ever observed before...You've got my respect, Mr. Murray!

I've never understood the line from Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, " until this year. My 27th year has absolutely been my most memorable year yet, filled with the absolute highest mountain top joys, and some of the lowest most painful moments. Obviously, this year goes beyond us, as we had to bend our knees in submission to our Maker. I am thankful that God has used the storms to strengthen our faith and teach us how to be more like Christ. Please pray that we would continue to grow!

James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Proverbs 11:2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.