We were in the Houston one day this Spring for what should have been our four-year-old’s annual neurosurgery checkup. On the way there we received notice that our amazing doc was called into emergency surgery and that we couldn’t be seen. This news was incredibly frustrating but totally understandable since we trust that Dr W would make Hudson the priority should he ever need surgery. I immediately began to pray for the family whose precious child was undergoing a procedure. Since our hotel was right across the street, we decided to take a nostalgic stroll through Texas Children’s Hospital. I don’t know what it is exactly – maybe the smell, sounds or visual reminders, but it always takes me right back to my little guy’s two week NICU stay in 2015.
We always make a point to pass by the level IV NICU area, which is where we watched our itty bitty 5 pound boy heal. As we passed the entrance the double doors stood wide open as they wheeled a newborn incubator in. I peeked inside and SO many raw emotions rushed over me at once. As we rounded the corner to pass by the on site Ronald McDonald House a couple caught our eye. They were perched on a couch and they were wearing the familiar NICU identification stickers. The man was super impressed at Hudson’s wheelchair propelling skills and asked how old he was. Hudson then made a bee line for the man, saw his cell phone and requested to watch his favorite show. This sparked a conversation and one topic led to another. We told them Hudson’s story and discovered that their six week old, baby Cane, had just gotten out of surgery with OUR DOCTOR!!
His wife had to take a phone call and the man visited with us a bit longer. He was understandably very stressed and emotional. My husband offered to pray over him and we all departed with tears in our eyes. We were thankful for this sweet opportunity to reach out and offer encouragement and understanding to strangers. A mom and a dad who sit where we once sat waiting for their precious boy to heal. We reassured his daddy that he is in the best hands and that Dr W will figure it out. We are ALL thankful for him. God orchestrated every bit of our encounter. It was the first time my husband and I found ourselves in the opportunity to be there for another family in such a time of helplessness and uncertainty. We were able to be the whisper of Jesus in that moment and reassure them.
As we crossed the sky bridge on our way out I was reminded of how many times we had gone back and forth on it during our stay in 2015. It made me smile to watch Hudson roll over it on his own and offer a cheerful “hiiiii!” to so many people that day. God is in control. He always has been and always will be. Even when we don’t understand.
October is Spina Bifida Awareness Month and I am reflecting on the whirlwind that has been the last four and a half years. We have grown a lot as parents, and Hudson continues to teach us new things. He continues to open doors for conversations and questions. Our prayer is that God continues to mold us into the family He desires us to be and that we have many more opportunities to share His love.
