San Francisco

We made the long trip up north in our new rig. This summer, Ben and Lucy gifted us with their old RV and truck! That’s a story in and of itself. What an extraordinary gift! 

 

How anyone can read without getting car sick is beyond me but they manage to do it all the time!

 

Ice Cream shop in Larkspur.

 

An evening at the Larkspur Landing.

 

Here we come, Zach! Crossing the Golden Gate bridge into the city.

 

We made it!!

 

 

Grace marvels at everything about her little brother.

 

All THREE of my precious children together!

 

Our little guy was doing so well, they moved him into his own open crib.

 

San Fran is not complete without a trip to Fisherman’s Wharf.

 

Dinner at Boudin’s.

 

My amazing and handsome husband.

 

The girls couldn’t wait for their clam chowder in a bowl. They ate every. last. bite.

 

I suppose there are stranger ways to make a living.

 

The girls were unsure what to make of the eclectic street performers.

 

From the Wharf, we walked to Ghirardelli Square.

 

The World Famous Ghirardelli Ice Cream Shop.

 

Vats of chocolate.

 

The perfect visual after we just read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

 

When in San Francisco…

 

The gateway to Chinatown.

 

The girls loved all the trinkets and shop vendors.

 

 

 

We also had to make a quick stop on our street. :)

 

It’s kind of nice, in San Francisco, no one mispronounces our last name!

 

Zach’s bear made it to his crib and the nurses even dressed him up.

 

Sibling love is the sweetest.

 

We were about to change his diaper when we undressed him to find this adorable onesie!

 

Good morning, sunshine! The girls loved sleeping in the RV and made their bunks into private cubby holes. It’s luxury camping, I tell ya!

 

Less than an hour away from the city, we hiked the beautiful Redwood Groves at Samuel P. Taylor Park.

 

 

 

 

 

Amazingly lush and picturesque.

 

 

One of the prettiest hikes we’ve ever done.

 

 

We’d return to the RV Park in the evenings after a full day in the city.

 

Yes, those are sparklers.

 

This is what happens when you find firecrackers in Chinatown for 25 cents. :)

What a trip!

Looking back, it was a bit of an ambitious drive, hauling the RV for the first time that far but WE DID IT!!It was wonderful to come back to the RV Park in the evenings and having full hook ups made our stay that much more comfortable. 

Although we managed to sneak in a few site seeing adventures, the highlight was definitely getting to cuddle our boy all day. We spent most of our days in the NICU where we took turns loving on him and meeting his team of doctors, nurses and hospital staff. Thankfully, they allow siblings in the NICU so the girls were absolutely thrilled to be with their baby brother. They helped with changing diapers, taking his temperature and simply marveled at the miracle and gift of new life.

Unfortunately, I still can’t post any pictures of his precious face until the 18th (when some legalities will be finalized). But I look forward to sharing those when the time comes…SOON!

Little Zach was making major strides for a couple of weeks. He got up to 4 lbs. 4 oz. and was breathing all on his own. We loved spending time with him and bonding even more. It was definitely hard to leave him on our last day. I was in tears because I felt like I was leaving a piece of my heart in SF and coming home without a member of our family. It gives us great peace knowing how well he’s being taken care of there.

He’s now at 33 weeks and unfortunately, over the last couple of days, he developed another infection. Last night, he underwent surgery to remove an abscess that was found around his salivary gland. It does feel like three steps forward and two steps back but we were told that life with a preemie often works this way. A roller coaster ride. 

Needless to say, there have been countless opportunities to buckle up and rely on God even more. This latest trial is certainly no exception. Did I mention we were also robbed, ticketed, fined, and had a nice visit with the Police Officers and detectives of the Central San Francisco Police Station? 

Yes, lots of surprising adventures on the streets of San Francisco! The girls thought it was THE MOST exciting adventure they’ve ever had and they can’t wait to tell Zach all about it when he gets older. It all reminds me of that quote on adoption:

Adoption is costly, exhausting, expensive, and outrageous. Buying back lives costs so much. But adoption is also REDEMPTION. Hallelujah!

The Lord has been near to us and He is so faithful. We have every confidence that Zachary will come home to us whole and we will continue to thank and praise God for the work He is doing in our son and in us.

Thank you for checking in and most importantly, thank you for your continued prayers for our family!