Update and new/updated slideshow and videos

Hi everyone!

Gavin has been gone less than 24 hours, and we're doing fine despite a few rough hours from midnight to 5:30 (Grace woke up soaked and hungry at 5:15 a.m. after I hadn't finished baby care/medication until nearly 2 a.m.) Thanks for praying for us while he's gone! I would be dead tired if it weren't for the wonderful help I'm getting, thank God.

We made a new version of our previous slideshow from mid-October, when all the babies were still in NICU, for Gavin's home church. This one has all the latest and greatest quint pics and even a couple of videos.

http://youtu.be/MvsMcjxb0dU

Thanks also for praying about the following; I think I need to update:

Seth's vomiting/weight gain: both better, thanks! But he really needs a lot of work on tummy time, rolling over and other large motor skills. This is all vastly complicated by his g-button as it's so sensitive. He hates being on his tummy because it's uncomfortable to be on the button (we try to prop his chest enough that he doesn't have to have the button touch the ground), and he doesn't want to roll onto his tummy, of course, for the same reason. His fine motor skills seem normal, praise God.

Seth's eating is MUCH better! He's even been interested in his bottle, although he chews, doesn't suck. But he does swallow the soy milk!

I also asked you to pray for extra help the last couple of weeks. We did get some much-appreciated extra "shifts" from regular volunteers so there were only a couple of really challenging days. Again, I was thrown back on Christ, my solid rock, and reminded not to lean on my own strength or understanding.

I believe we also asked you to pray for stamina and joy during baby care: We are definitely feeling the prayers and always needing continued prayers on this front, thanks! The babies are so adorable and lovable and FUN!!!, but the sheer volume of them (both spatial and auditory) can be very overwhelming and cumulatively stressful. I don't think it's any accident that we lost a number of volunteers once the babies left the sweet newborn phase. It takes a certain personality to deal with the loud chaos that not infrequently reigns. A quint mom warned me about this: She said, "It's VERY loud. There will be a LOT of crying," to which I wanted to reply, "And I bet the babies cry a lot, too!" (Hardy har-har, I crack myself up.) During "low staff" times I repeatedly have to stop and pray during the day, or rather keep going and PRAY while I put out the next fire and meet the next need and try to prioritize and let the ones who are having to wait know somehow that I love them and recognize their felt needs too. :}

My sleep: as long as I remember to take my nighttime pill and if I can sleep through the monitor "false alarms," e.g. babies making noises in their sleep, I am fine - no insomnia! Sam has richly blessed me by taking it many a night so I don't have to listen to the babies' noisy dreams. Sleep is such a gift, and I treasure the volunteers who grant me that gift two nights/mornings a week. I realize such luxury isn't part of a "normal" singleton mom's experience, and I do not take it for granted! I count the days until Mondays and Wednesdays each week. :)

 I appreciate each and every person who helps out and loves on our babies, even the older ladies who "just" come to hold them! :) THANK YOU to the new volunteers who have joined the quint care team recently! What an enormous blessing you are!!

David and Marcie are sitting up well now, Will, Grace and Seth are getting there, and David is very nearly crawling, which is crazy! They really are a ton of fun to watch. :)

By the way, for those who haven't seen it on Facebook, never mind about voting for our James Avery picture. There are people with thousands and thousands of votes! :) Oh well, it was fun!

Love to you all,
Carrie