Home Friday?

This mornings MRI did find a bleed in her head. It is between the skull and her brain; in between the large part of the brain and the small part of the brain. Not sure why this happened, possibly because of pain and tension during and after removal of the drainage tube Saturday. Doctors also feel like this pain and tension may have caused her fever to spike. You know when we are in enough pain, our bodies can do weird things. The doctors here say Mackynlee has taught them something they have never seen before. All are going to remember this in case another baby/child does the same thing. I guess Miss Mackynlee wanted to leave a legacy here at CHOP.

Both the neurology team and the cardiology team are agreeing on discharging us Friday, unless we go backwards. Talking with Walter about the angel flight in a few minutes.

Boy, the neurologists know bigger words than the cardiologists. It is so amazing!!

I forgot to tell everyone that while Mackynlee was in the CICU, she won several awards. 1)Prettiest bed award 2)Prettiest baby award and 3)Best personality award!! LOL.....

Father, before the mountains were born or You brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God. You care for all of creation, the order of the universe, all people from past generations to the present, and You work powerfully and invisibly in our hearts. We are humbled by Your greatness and touched by Your kindness. We give You thanks and trust You for that which we don’t understand. We see only the fringes of Your ways, but that reminds us that Your power is what creates the works established by Your hands. You are our God, the rock in whom we trust and take refuge. Amen.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18 ~

I would also like to thank each and every one of you that know us and those who do not know us. We appreciate all of the time you have taken out of your life to keep up with our journey, and shower us with prayers. I love the following story that I want to share with you. We should all take it to heart.

Thanks for Your Time
Author Unknown


It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, girls, career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him.

Over the phone, his mother told him, "Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday."

Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.

"Jack, did you hear me?"

"Oh sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It's been so long since I thought of him. I'm sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago," Jack said.

"Well, he didn't forget you. Every time I saw him he'd ask how you were doing. He'd reminisce about the many days you spent over 'his side of the fence' as he put it," Mom told him.

"I loved that old house he lived in," Jack said.

"You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man's influence in your life," she said.

"He's the one who taught me carpentry," he said. "I wouldn't be in this business if it weren't for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important... Mom, I'll be there for the funeral," Jack said.

As busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr. Belser's funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.

The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time.

Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension, a leap through space and time.

The house was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture... Jack stopped suddenly.

"What's wrong, Jack?" his Mom asked.

"The box is gone," he said.

"What box?" Mom asked.

"There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he'd ever tell me was 'the thing I value most,'" Jack said.

It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.

"Now I'll never know what was so valuable to him," Jack said. "I better get some sleep. I have an early flight home, Mom."

It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died. Returning home from work one day Jack discovered a note in his mailbox. "Signature required on a package. No one at home. Please stop by the main post office within the next three days," the note read.

Early the next day Jack retrieved the package. The small box was old and looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago. The handwriting was difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention.

"Mr. Harold Belser" it read.

Jack took the box out to his car and ripped open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope. Jack's hands shook as he read the note inside.

"Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett. It's the thing I valued most in my life." A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, as tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch.

Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing, he unlatched the cover. Inside he found these words engraved:

"Jack, Thanks for your time! -Harold Belser."

"The thing he valued most...was...my time."

Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and cleared his appointments for the next two days. "Why?" Janet, his assistant asked.

"I need some time to spend with my son," he said. "Oh, by the way, Janet... thanks for your time!"