The ambulance man in the white shirt asked me to promise one thing as we entered the emergency room garage - that I not take the baby home again until the nursing agency found a new night nurse. I promised. Then back doors opened and hospital fluorescent flooded what had become a calm space.

A mom steps timidly forward.

A protective older brother watches cautiously.

A baby looks for reassurance.

A mom stands courageously to the side.

And the photographer positions the moment I met my son in a larger story:

his foster family loved him well.

We met Nathaniel on July 3, 2013.

We are meeting Nathaniel today.

Nathaniel Steven Rankin

It seems we've always had to cope with our children being away from home on Christmas.

Rich spotted it first.  An empty bird's nest nestled in the branches. We paused. Admired. Took a photo. Considered the tree. But moved on, leaving the nest for whoever claimed the tree.

I went to court for the first time in my life yesterday. And it about did me in.

Our new baby came home on July 31, 2013. In the middle of his first night he went into respiratory distress due to a mucus plug blocking his tracheotomy tube. God used our hands to provide emergency care and preserved his life. Today we celebrate 100 days with him in our family and I celebrate by sharing a bit of our story.