Katie's prayer: Oliver James' "Long Time Comin'"

It's been a long time coming
Down this road

Last year my cousin's sister-in-law gave birth to a baby boy with some heart problems. They began a blog shortly after to track his progress. When I came home from camp, I got on facebook and started a group called "Prayers for Oliver." I invited everyone I knew and made myself the one in charge of updating the news on the group page anytime news on the blog was added. I became obsessed with this adorable little boy who seemed to have no chance at all.

He spent the first few months of his life in the hospital, hooked up to machines to help him breathe, being fed from a tube instead of orally. For a while he was on the top of a heart transplant list. I'd read that blog often (at the beginning, practically every day). I'd be super happy when anything good would happen. I'd be brought to tears when something bad would happen. I've never met him, I met his parents once or twice. But I'm obsessed.

It's been a long time since Oliver was a completely helpless, near death baby. He turned one year on Friday. He really is a miracle. He never got the heart transplant, his heart began to cure itself on it's own. He still has trouble, and is still not quite where he needs to be, but he's alive, and he's getting better everyday. Here's a little bit of the post the day after his birthday:

There were two sheet cakes, one chocolate and one strawberry. Grandpa painstakingly inscribed the white cake with “Celebrating the Joy and Blessing of Having Oliver” and the chocolate cake with “Believe in Miracles"..."It was a memorable celebration and of course we knew that it was so much more than just a regular one year birthday party. There was such a feeling of gratitude and love, I think everyone there was counting their own blessings. Yes miracles really do happen and we have all been given the privilege of witnessing one. Thank you for that, Oliver!"

I really couldn't say it any better. Miracles still do happen.

If you want to follow this amazing boy: http://oliver.planetpayne.com/