Week #26, Provo, Utah, January 15-21, 2018

....and just like that we are in Provo, Utah! 

The past week is kind of a blur but one to never be forgotten.  Hannah went from being 28 weeks pregnant and healthy and strong to being diagnosed with Preeclampsia with the possibility of being on bed rest and hopefully making it to 34-37 weeks, to being hospitalized and delivering her baby c-section at 29 weeks!  She had a teeny baby girl, Violet Joy Moore Wankier, born on January 16, 2018, 1 pound 15 ounces, and 14 inches long!  It has been a hard trial for Hannah, Chase, and Violet to go through, but she is here now and is doing great!  She will be in the NICU in Utah Valley Hospital in Provo for several weeks while she finishes her pre-term growing.  She came out breathing on her own (partially due to the help of pre-birth steroids giving to Hannah to help with Violet's lung development and partially due to the fact that she is a strong little warrior girl) which is one of many miracles.  The NICU is a miracle place and full of very caring, careful, and skilled people.  We are very impressed.

So when we got the news of Preeclampsia and possible bed rest, we didn't know what we could do but pray and ask others to pray and put their names in the Temple prayer rolls.  So we did, and we had a lot of contact with Hannah.  Then, when she delivered and we knew Violet would be in the NICU for several weeks, we started feeling prompted to go to them.  We contacted our leaders and got permission to go to Utah, and within a day of her birth, we were packed up and on a plane to Salt Lake City.  So many miracles got us here and we are so grateful to our Heavenly Father for His help in all of this.  For putting the right people in our path and for the peace we have felt in knowing He is with us and most importantly He is with little Violet and her sweet parents, Hannah and Chase.

We were so sad to leave Sao Paulo and our many wonderful new friends there but we left everything in good hands and felt peace and comfort as we left.  We appreciated the help of all those who came to our aid in those fast, totally last minute arrangements to get us out of there.

Neil and Lori Whiting, Brett and Ruth Barrett

We flew from Sao Paulo to NYC, to Los Angeles, to Salt Lake City.  It was a very long day, but it went well and we even got quite a bit of sleep on the initial overnight flight.  Eric picked us and our large bags up at the airport in Joel's truck and took us to our dear friends, Jeff and Cindi Ingersoll's home in Highland, where we unpacked the truck, grabbed a bite to eat, and headed to the hospital to see our girls!

We got to meet our 28th grandchild, Violet Joy, in the NICU, on Thursday, January 18, 2018.  She is an amazing little gal and we love her with all of our hearts!!  She's beautiful with everything in place, just mini-sized.  She even has some dark hair.  She is absolutely precious.  We are so proud of Hannah and Chase.  They have been solid, strong, united, and such darling, naturally adept, first-time parents to their new baby girl.  They are a blessed family to have each other!

These words are so true and Hannah, Chase, and Violet are handling this very well.  It's so hard to go home to their apartment each night without her, but they and we are so grateful for the modern medical miracles that saved hers and Hannah's lives.  We are grateful for the power of prayer and for the power of the Priesthood.  We are grateful for so many things and so many people.  We need the prayers to continue while Violet continues her growing time in the NICU.  She is already over 2 pounds and she's doing great so far! 

We are grateful beyond words that we can be here and can help out in whatever little ways that we can be of service to Hannah and Chase.  They have totally got this, but we are glad we can be near to lend support and love as needed. 

We came from sunshine, humidity and temps in the 80's to snow in Utah!  We love it so much!  When we were at Cindi and Jeff's, we had hot chocolate while the snow fell outside and we had a real wood fire in the fireplace that evening.  Those are a few of my favorite things.  I was looking forward to skipping winter this year, but happily, I found that I really do love it after-all!

 

Our church announced the new First Presidency of the church this week.  We will miss President Monson, but we completely support our new Prophet, President Nelson and his counselors President Oaks and President Eyring.  President Uchtdorf was released from the First Presidency and has retaken his spot in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and has already received some important assignments there.  He was an amazing counselor to President Monson.  We love him dearly and appreciate all the service he gave to the church during his calling in the First Presidency.

 

This week I want to dedicate myself to serving in the best ways possible.  We are taking each day a step at a time and praying for divine direction along the way.  We know God is in charge and that He will let us know what to do next.  I want to.....

Thanks for the prayers, support and love!  They are felt and appreciated!  Have a beautiful week!