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Thursday, May 7, 2009

Our favorite four letter word...HOME

There are many four letter words in our language that have deep meaning; love, hope, or life come to mind quickly. But for us, HOME has become our favorite four letter word. Today, we were able to bring our son Jacob home. That's right, home. It felt so surreal as we were sitting in the hospital room this afternoon waiting to be discharged. The room was filled with laughter and tears as the nurses and doctors all came by to visit Jacob and wish him well. We were snapping pictures left and right, grinning from ear to ear, as we held our son totally free from all wires and monitors. We prayed with our primary nurse just before it was time to walk out the doors of our NICU room, and we praised God for how far He brought Jacob. We walked down the hallway toward the doors to exit the hospital, with Jacob in our arms, and tears filled our eyes and joy filled our hearts.

We are so blessed. Great is our God!

Jacob was not supposed to be here...he was not supposed to be able to breathe...he was not supposed to come home from the hospital. For months we looked at an empty room in our house with such pain and agony. We trained ourselves to look away from the empty walls each day as we passed by the room. It was a room that was never supposed to be filled. We felt as though our family would have to live incomplete without Jacob. Today, for the first time, we are a complete family. Today, not only is that room filled with all things Jacob, but our home and hearts are filled with an overwhelming sense of...

We are so blessed. Great is our God!


Here are some pictures of our glorious day. May you be blessed by what you see and hear and may God be the one to receive Glory for how He has worked through many people to bring Jacob home with us.


The Empty Room





Jacob's room, ready for his arrival!





Jeff, Jacob, and Julie sporting our Vanderbilt attire to leave the hospital. If we weren't Vandy fans before, we are now!



Isn't he the cutest!

Yes...we know...the shoes are too big!

Leaving our room...



Walking out of the hospital...

We're free!!!

Jacob's first car ride!

We're so happy!


Our complete family...thank you for the prayers!

Now that we are home, please help us to stick to Doctors' orders...we can only have family visitors at this time. As much as we want you all to see Jacob, the doctors have asked us to protect him from public places and visitors for at least 6 weeks. We are not allowed to have Jacob around other children for a while, since they usually carry alot of germs. Also, once we are in public, please don't be offended if we do not let you touch or hold him. Jacob is still VERY susceptible to illness, and his lungs are still developing. If he gets sick, it would likely be more serious than the average child.

Thank you again for the continued prayers for Jacob. We are forever grateful.

58 comments:

  1. crying and rejoicing over this incredible day for your family and sweet jacob!

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  2. Praise the Lord for this day!!!!! I am so happy for your family. There is nothing like going home with a baby in your arms. Especially when you never dreamed it would happen!! And the empty room. I walked by one for 2 years! What a blessing that we can now say our rooms are OCCUPIED!!! Thank you Lord!!! Can you tell I am so excited?? :)

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  3. I know that I do not know your family, but I have kept up with your family through other friend's blogs. I am so happy for all 3 of you and wish you all the best in your future as a family! God is amazing and powerful! Praise God for you healthy son!! Enjoy him!

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  4. Our GOD is so AWESOME! Thanks for sharing your journey home.

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  5. I am soooo glad Jacob is finally home where he belongs. I can only imagine the joy that you both feel finally being able to be "real" parents and not have people constantly watching you and Jacob. I will continue to pray that Jacob does well and that his battle with CDH is mostly behind him. I am so glad to have met your family, even under these awful circumstances. Much love and Many Prayers.. and HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!! We will be in KY visiting ours so I thought I would say it now. :-)
    Ash

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  6. I am so happy for you all. I was trying to read this to Derrick but could not for crying. God is so good. I will continue to pray for Jacob and you and Jeff as you settle into your life at HOME with sweet baby Jacob. I hope you have a wonderful 1st Mother's Day. What a gift to have sweet Jacob at home with you to celebrate.

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  7. I am crying too hard to think. Much love to all of you. Happy mother's day!!!

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  8. Tears of joy are streaming down my cheeks! I am SOOO happy for you guys! What a wonderful Mother's Day present! God is good!!!

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  9. What an awesome blessing! We are so happy for you all and so blessed again by getting to share your story...the nurse in the picture is an old friend of mine from high school...I know she took good care of you all! We will continue to pray for you as you adjust to your new lives together!!! Congratulations!!
    Jessica Cook (Woodmont)

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  10. God is so great! Congratulations on bringing Jacob home where he belongs. I am so very happy for you all. Good luck in the days ahead!

    Happy Mother's Day!

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  11. This news has made my week SO MUCH BETTER!! We are so thrilled for you guys! I hope you have a FABULOUS Mother's Day. I can't wait to meet Jacob in person soon!

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  12. I have followed your blog for a while now and I must say....GREAT IS GOD! Happy Mother's Day and WELCOME HOME JACOB!

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  13. I don't even know you and I'm crying for joy! Happy Mother's Day. Happy Father's Day. Happy Jacob Day.

    It feels so good to know that sometimes God says "YES!"

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  14. This is such a joyous Friday morning! I'm so happy for your family. Your story and continual faith in God's provision for your son have been so inspirational to me. Enjoy every minute. Praise God!!!!!

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  15. Praise God!!! It's absolutely the best feeling in the world when you finally get to spring your NICU baby free!

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  16. Hallelujah! I too join the crowd of readers with tears rolling down my face. Jacob is such a miracle baby. I know you will enjoy every second of having him home!

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  17. Praise God! I kept checking your blog a couple times a day to see if there was a post about coming home. It has made my Friday to see that he was able to come home yesterday. There is no better feeling them being able to bring your baby home after a stay in the NICU. Congrats!

    Denise Bratton

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  18. Thank you for choosing to share your story! It's such an amazing story! God is truly Great and Jacob is proof of that! We are rooting for Jacob in Memphis! Many hugs, The Rasoul Family

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  19. So awesome. Praise God!!! I've been praying all along, but I had to post, as tears were brought to my eyes this morning.

    Love,
    Mandy, a sister-in-Christ from Mufreesboro

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  20. Yea! Praise God! I also don't know you but was told about your blog from a friend of someone's. I have been praying Jacob from right before he was born. God is awesome and thanks for allowing us to remember that through Jacob! Happy Mother's Day! Welcome Home Jacob!

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  21. We are so excited for you guys!!! Yea, Jacob!!!

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  22. I have never met you, but I have followed your blog from the beginning after hearing your story from my sister. I cry every time I read your posts and see the answered prayers. Today I read with tears streaming down my face. Praise God! Have a Happy First Mother's Day and many, many more!

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  23. Wow what a BLESSING!!! I have such tears of joy for you all!! I can't imagine the feeling of taking Jacob out of the hospital! You must have almost felt like you were stealing him...it was soo surreal! I'm sooo happy for you both! I'll still be praying Jacob stays healthy and grows up to be a BIG STRONG boy!! You've definitely got yourselves quite the little miracle child!! Keep the updates coming...I can't wait to see pics of Jacob home!! WELCOME HOME JACOB!!!!

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  24. PRAISE GOD! I am so excited for your family. I am praying that God gives you peace having him home and that you can rely on God's strength to protect Jacob just as He did in the hospital!
    -Carah B.

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  25. CONGRATS!!!!! Meghan and I are so happy for you-guys. We have been following the BLOG and know this is an answer to Millions of prayers.

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  26. Yay!!! What a big boy! Take care, and please update your blog whenever you get a chance! Gonna miss you guys!

    God bless, Emily Huamani, RN

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  27. Congratulations!! Praise God!! We are so happy for you!! Still we continue to keep you all in our prayers...... How totally AWESOME!!
    Love and Hugs,
    Marie and Breezy

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  28. I have followed your blog since Jacob was born.God still controls everything.Enjoy your blessing. God loves you Nancy Fowler

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  29. i feel like jumping up and down for all of you!!! god is so amazing and so good. i am so happy for you and am so glad i got to witness your miracle through your blog.

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  30. This is my favorite post! What a blessing to bring that sweet baby home. God is Good!

    Sharon Nikolaus

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  31. We are so stoked for you guys! Praise God for choosing to move like this in your situation. We love you and are THRILLED to see that Jacob's going home.

    John, Shannon, Josh, David, & Gracie

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  32. HAPPY MOTHER AND FATHER'S DAY. GOD IS SO AWESOME. You will always be in our thoughts and prayers. Keep us updated on God's Tuley miracle.

    Diane Dishmon
    Anna Broyles' mom

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  33. What a wonderful Mother's Day gift!!! God is awesome! What a precious little boy!

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  34. What a wonderful mother's day you will have. He will continue to be in my prayers!

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  35. Wow! I was so glad to run into you at VCH the day you were leaving, Julie. You were GLOWING! I felt privileged to have the advance news before everyone else did! As a peds nurse, I agree with Jacob's doctors and nurses and want to "AMEN that he needs to be safe from outside germes! He has been in a pretty safe environment since birth and his little immune system will need time. Although he has proven to be quite a trooper, he is vulnerable. So all of us prayer warriors can keep on praying and watching the blog until the doctors, nurses, daddy and mommmy are ready for his big debut! We eagerly await!
    Happy Happy Mothers Day

    Jennifer Hicks

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  36. Happy Mother's Day!! What beautiful words! Thank you God and AMEN!

    Cynthia

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  37. What wonderful news!!! I pray that you keep up with this blog so that we can all share in God's grace. Welcome home Jacob

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  38. Your story is truly an epic one...with a very, very big ending! I am so happy for you and your beautiful family. I cannot wait to see what God has in store for Jacob's life...you better believe it is something larger than life!!

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  39. AWESOME!!!! God is Great!!!!

    You're story has blessed me beyond words. What a special gift for Jacob to be home on Mother's Day.

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  40. Wow!! That is so amazing and so wonderful! God can do incredible things! I am so happy for your family to be home. We will miss Jacob and your family in the NICU but we know he is in a much better environment at home. Keep us updated!
    Beth Hutcheson, RN

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  41. What a blessed Mother's Day you had. I know that Jesus's mother, Mary, is rejoicing with you and thanking HER son for your blessing.... Our prayers will continue forever for you and your family. We think of our son, Jonathan everyday and you will now be entwined with those thoughts and prayers on a daily basis. We rejoice with you. We do not know you personally - but we know you by spirit. Gary and Judi

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  42. Congratulations!!! Our God is truly awesome. I am so, so, so happy for your family.

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  43. I am so happy for you guys! When I read about your empty room and saw the pictures, I couldn't help but think that we all have empty rooms in our hearts and our lives that cause us so much grief and pain, but God has plans to fill all of them. I am so happy that God has given you Jacob to fill your empty room.

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  44. Praise God that you have gotten to bring your sweet little Jacob home. He is so cute!! I know your hearts are full of joy and happiness! What an awesome day!! He is so blessed to have you as parents!! May God continue to bless you all!!

    Sissy

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  45. I know you don't know us, but we attend Woodmont Hills. Miss Ruth is my daughter's shepherd.Miss Brooke is my son's teacher. It has been truly amazing to watch little Jacob's life unfold. What an awesome story. God is great! We are all so happy for you, and we will continue to pray for you!
    The Outhiers
    P.S .One of my daughter's very best friends was not supposed to live either. She's ten and a crazy Hannah Montana fan.

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  46. Whoever says God doesn't work in miracles anymore is WRONG! Praise God Julie! I am brimming with happiness for you right now...do not be afraid to be bold to protect him! So happy...so happy...so happy!

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  47. I am crying tears of joy for your family. God is so good!! My husband and I have been praying for Jacob since his birth. Our daughter Madelyn was born a few weeks before Jacob, so we have felt very connected to your family. Enjoy your precious son at home! Isn't being parents so amazing!?

    God bless you,
    Michelle & Richard May

    PS I work with John Ott at North Point Community Church.

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  48. congratulations!!! i am bawling my eyes out. thank you for having such faith in our awesome God. miracles. He still does them!!

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  49. We have kept up with you all and Jacob since he was born. Praise God. He is so Good. Jeff and Julie, thanks for sharing your story with us. We continue to pray that Jacob will continue to grow and thrive. We know you had a great Mother's Day! Thanks for the pictures. Are you getting any sleep? Remember to take care of yourselves.
    Lots of Love,
    John and Melinda Knott

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  50. Praise the Lord for his goodness and provision. SO very excited for your family.

    -Kelli Isaac Duhaney

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  51. Praise God!!! We are so happy for your family. We've been praying for Jacob and following your blog. His story has been so inspiring. God is Awesome!! Love, The Mickey's

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  52. I do not know you, but your website has brought many tears to my eyes. I am so excited to say that they are now tears of joy! I have visited your site many times and am ecstatic that Jacob's day to go home has finally arrived! As a parent of a 3 year old and a 10 month old, I have prayed that God would bless you with this day. My friend, Jenny Aiken, told me of your story, and I am so thankful to feel closer to God as a result. God bless your family! Love, Leigh Ann McFarlen

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  53. Happy, joyous, thankful days! Soak them up!

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  54. I don't know you personally, but this site was linked off my cousin, Sharon Glenn's blog. I have been praying for you and your family, and I just have tears of joy to see that your little one made it home. What wonderful news!-- Karen, Raleigh, NC

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  55. We are so happy for you. It was a blessing to meet your family in the NICU. May God hold you in the palm of His hand. - Hart and Stephanie (and now Mary Margaret) Knight

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  56. I am sooo happy for the three of you!! Jacob is definitely a "miracle baby"! He shows us God is in control, not humans! He is such a handsome boy!! You have all been in my prayers, & I'm so thankful that you are all home!! Praise God!!

    Marilyn Boyette (Jen's mom)

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  57. Praise God!!! What a wonderful and amazing testimony you have to the power of God! Hope to meet Jacob one day and thank him for teaching me about true faith and hope!

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  58. Give Praise to the Lord, for He is Good!!! I am so happy for your little family. Thank you God, for answered prayer

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