Doing Great!

It's been too long since my last update, but I am happy to be bringing you wonderful news!

Porter Mac has completely stolen our hearts. He is just the sweetest little thing and he LOVES to be outside! He snorts when he gets mad and it's so funny! They are all doing well and settling in to a good routine and just loving every moment with him.

The therapists came to see him yesterday and it turns out he is doing so well, he doesn't even qualify for their assistance! THIS IS JUST THE MOST AMAZING NEWS!!! I would have never in a million years thought that on July 11th, that almost 2 months later, I would bring you the news that he is doing this well.

He is truly our miracle baby!

Thank you too all of you who have continued to pray. His life has been changed by the faith you have had and the willingness to invest in his life. Let us never think again that our prayers don't make a difference!

I have recieved several bracelets in the mail. If you still have yours and would love to put it in his baby book, please mail them to me. I want him to see the ones that supported him throughout this journey and to encourage him in the power of prayer.

I look forward to continually bringing you good news :)

Thanks and Blessings!

Jacquelyn

NG Tube out! Doing great!

I am so sorry it's been so long since my last update. It has been a crazy few weeks around our house and everytime I try and sit down to write, I get up and go see him instead :)

They removed the NG tube last week and he has been eating GREAT!!!! He is so precious and a joy to be around. He is STRONG, Beautiful and I just can't believe that he has only been on this earth 6 weeks. He is beginning all of his therapies and they are still working on his lab work trying to get everything straightened out.

Thomas and Jennifer are doing good. It has been overwhelming and stressful at times, but they are starting to get into a routine with him. Please continue to pray for peace and rest. They are believing God for complete healing and we are too!

We are so thankful to you all who have prayed, donated, visited, fed and just loved the family through out this experience. You have blessed them beyond imagination and we can't tell you enough what comfort it has been.

I would love to collect as many bracelets as I can :) Please mail them to me whenever you can.
Send them to Jacquelyn Ray 746 West Avenue, Cartersville 30120 :)


Thank you again and I look forward to bringing you more great reports soon!

God Bless!

1st Doctors Visit

Porter Mac had his first doctors appointment today and they had a great visit! They didn't know what to expect and were all a little nervous, but they LOVED his new Pediatrician and I think she was pleasantly surprised at how far he has come. He is still slowly but surely getting better with his bottle feeds and they are hopeful that he will be able to come off the feeding tube before the month is up!

As far as the rest of the check up, things were very positive and I think Porter Mac is just going to surprise us all! He is STRONG and will keep getting STRONGER! They are ALL exhausted and will hopefully get some rest tonight.

Keep praying that he will just keep working of his bottle and LOVE it :) He's such an angel!

I promise promise to overload you with pictures soon! :) It's been a pain trying to figure out why my pictures won't come off my SIM card, but hopefully we can get it fixed tomorrow!

Great Day!

Porter McClain had a GREAT day! Jennifer has been working with him so well on his bottle feeds, and tonight he took his ENTIRE Feeding (2 oz) by mouth! It's the first time in his life he hasn't had to have the pump hooked up! We were so shocked and excited! They are lookin forward to his next feeding to see how he will do again!

They are starting to get in their groove and figured out a schedule. Tomorrow will be his first appointment with his Pediatrician and they are excited to see what the Dr. has to say. I also got to see Porter Mac pee all over his daddy, which made me laugh more than I have laughed in a long time.

I could see the confidence growing in them tonight. Thomas starts back to work full time tomorrow so it will be another day of adjusting, but he is excited to get back and so what he can for his family.

Please continue to keep them in your prayers! I promise I will have pictures up tomorrow!!!!

God Bless!

Welcome Home!

Sweet Porter Mac has finally arrived home! We were so excited yesterday and it was definitely overwhelming.

I can't get my pictures to upload for some reason so as soon as I can get it figured out I can get them on here! He looks so good and is such a snuggle baby! They had a long night last night trying to get settled in, so I hope tonight is a little easier. The alarm on his feeding pump went off about every 60 seconds for hours last night until they could get it fixed. Needless to say, it made an already intense situation worse. They were absolutely exhausted today, so pray they can get some actual HOURS of sleep tonight.

He fed from his bottle twice today. 10cc's this morning and 25cc's this afternoon. And they were working with him just a minute ago when I left. Please continue to pray for them as they feel the weight of this responsibility on their shoulders. Coming home from the NICU is a life changing experience. Pray that they will be confident in their abilities as parents and pray that Porter will continue to progress in his bottle feedings.

Thank you friends for all your prayers. Please continue to lift them all up. They are just precious. It's hard to be on the outside and want to just fix this for them, but I know that God will supply all their needs.

move that honda!!

They are signing the paperwork and getting ready to come home!!!! I can't begin to tell you all the emotions that are running wild right now, but we are totally in awe of what God has done and will continue to do in Porter McClain's life!

I can't wait to show you pictures of this baby doll once he is home sweet home! Thank you to those of you who have signed up to take them meals. This will be a huge blessing as they try and settle in :)

Blessing to you all! I'm ready to yell "Move that Honda!" :)

Bottle Feeding and Coming Home!

Porter Mac had a great day yesterday! He went from bottle feeding 5cc's, then took 10cc's, and THEN took 25cc's this morning! Once he can do this consistently he can come off the NG tube!!!!! We are so so excited!!!

Thomas and Jennifer have gone to the hospital today and will stay tonight. They are going to have to take care of him, all his feedings, changing, and bathing, to help prepare them for once they are home. They are also going to be taught how to insert his NG tube in case he pulls it out again (which I think they are a little nervous about!) Hopefully he will continue to increase his bottle feeds and won't need the tube much longer!

I can't believe he is almost a month old!!! I am so so excited by the progress he has made!! I know he will continue to grow stronger everyday! Thank you again for being a part of his life and praying for him! It has made all the difference and we are all forever grateful!

So excited about tomorrow! Can't wait to show you pictures of our sweet little man finally coming home! It's going to be an awesome day!!!

Practice Makes Perfect

I'm so proud of Porter Mac! I just love this picture of him working on his bottle feedings! I know that when he gets home and Jennifer and Thomas are able to work with him every feeding it will become easier and easier! He is just a baby doll!

They had a good visit at the hospital today. They are getting all the loose ends tied up and we think he will be home by Saturday! It's going to be wonderful! I am extra excited that I live right next door to them! :) Bear is going to be rotten!

Thanks for all who have asked about takethemameal.com. Instead of you having to email me, the password is Ruff. Original, huh ;)

I will have tons of pictures from the softball tournament soon and can't wait to share with you the news of when he actually comes home!

Blessing on you all!

One step closer :)

Porter Mac has had a great day! He latched onto the bottle for the first time ever and took a few sucks! It's a HUGE Praise and we know that the more practice he has the better and easier it will become for him! He LOVES the mobile attached to his crib and loves to look at himself in the mirror :)

They are trying to get some things figured out before he can come home, so it's been a busy and tiring day. Please continue to lift them all up in your prayers! It's going to be a big adjustment when they get home. They are so excited and just ready to be able to be with their little man.

As far as setting up a feeding schedule, my other amazing sister.in.law told me about TakeThemAMeal.com! It's perfect! If you want to get on the schedule their, just email me Jacquelyn.ray@comcast.net for the password, go to takethemameal.com and then pick your day and see what other meals have already been taken!

Hope you all have a blessed week! I am so so ready to make the "Coming Home" announcement! It's right around the corner!!!

Great Weekend!

It has been such a great weekend! I cannot tell you how wonderful the softball tournament was last night! I don't know how late everyone was out there but I heard a rumor that they played til 4!!! It was so neat to see everyone in their orange Porter McClain shirts! The food was great and everyone loved the raffle prizes :) There was so much love and support, I know it has forever blessed their family! I can't wait to get the final list of all the donors and teams that played! I definitely want to thank you all and I want you to SUPPORT THOSE BUSINESSES!!!! I also have to say that my favorite team by far was "Team Woody," it was definitely entertainment :) Just Kidding Boys :)

I got to see Porter McClain for a while this afternoon and they moved him into a little crib instead of the NICU bed. He looked so good today! He was wide awake and I got to help with one of his feedings :) He sucked on his paci for a while and I was so so so proud of him!!!! They are meeting with the discharge coordinator tomorrow and will then be taught exactly what to do for his feeding :) They are so excited and anxious to get him home. Please pray that everything goes according to plan! He has been spitting up a little, so pray that this is nothing more than normal baby stuff and it doesn't prolong him being released!!!

Many of you have asked me about bringing them dinner once they get home and I have decided to make a schedule starting with next Saturday so that they will for sure be home. You can email me at Jacquelyn.Ray@comcast.net and I will get you on the list! I can't begin to thank you enough. I know I write it every time I blog, but you all really are the most wonderful friends and family in the world!!!

We have talked about what we picture it being like when he comes home and Thomas has cracked me up with how he thinks it will go....bear with me on this.....You know that show Extreme Makeover Home Edition, Thomas says he invisions everyone of his friends and family in the front yard screaming and when they pull up everyone starts screaming "Move that Honda! Move that Honda! Move that Honda!" Then he holds Porter Mac up in the air and everyone starts that ugly crying, passing out, falling on their knees (You know, like the show)ha! And then Ty Pennington says, "Welcome Home Ruff Family. Welcome Home".....Doesn't that crack you up :) We will all probably be in the front yard waiting, and if you want to join us, come on, just park your car in my back yard :)

Much love to you all! I am so glad that I got to meet so many of you last night! Thank you for checking the blog and being a part of this amazing little boy's life! Jennifer said last night, "Just tell them not to change anything, cause whatever they are doing is working! Keep Praying!!! :)"