October 2017 Newsletter

What a roller coaster of an October we've had! If you all didn't know, as soon as the calendar flipped to October, we knew it was only going to be a few short weeks until the arrival of our baby boy, Parker Landry. Little did we know God had other plans in his entrance into this world. After the doctor told Amy and I to be at the hospital on Sunday, the 8th to be induced, our minds were already spinning in getting our stuff in order the weekend ahead of heading to the hospital. They wanted to reduce any complications due to diabetic need and blood pressure figures, so we were so thankful for the knowledge of the professionals and how they cared for us even before his birth.

All of us back in the room after his arrival.

After nearly two days in the hospital with little action, the doctor chose to move things along with more assistance and before we knew it, Amy was starting to move toward having our son on Tuesday. What we didn't know was how her blood pressure would continue to rise and the medical protocols the hospital had would force us to make a decision we didn't think we'd have to make. Rather than have Amy in pain but also provide some relief for her blood pressure for her and the baby, we chose the option to help that quickly and safely. Before we knew it, her pain was under control, the blood pressure dropped and it seemed like we were on the way for her to continue the birth plan from the doctor earlier. One thing the doctor noticed was how quick her blood pressure dropped and then the baby's heart rate dropped with it. They were concerned so much that she said that we'll be having a birthday party soon if it doesn't rise. Literally less than 15 minutes later, I was in the operating room watching my son being shown to us from the whirlwind of activity that happened to bring him safely into the world along with keeping Amy healthy and safe as well.

Amy and I with Parker moments

after his arrival.

So, there it was, on October 10th, at 1:13pm, Parker Landry Parsons came into the world. Although we had a birthing plan together for how we hoped to see things unfold, I (Phil) was very open and relaxed as things kept climbing for us to notice the demand of changing options and keeping mom and baby healthy. It was a Jesus teaching moment right from the start - not all goes as planned and He'll make sure we're taken care of regardless of our own intuitions. The full on range of emotions hit me while I was holding my son while the doctors and medical staff were tending to Amy to finish up the procedure was unreal. We were both elated but also filled with tears of joy that God had brought us our son, which we never knew would happen.

Then, after almost 5 days in the hospital, they released our new family of three into the world, ready

Parker in his initial days 'photo shoot.'

to go home and settle into this new journey of being parents to a newborn son. So many of our friends warned us on this moment that would grip us when we were heading out of the hospital...they're going to let us take this human with us, and expect us to take care of him!?! Once we arrived home, it was nice and tranquil around the home getting settled into the surroundings with the extra person alongside us that we were responsible for. One thing we didn't foresee was how our dog would welcome us back home...

A bit of a back story with our dear dog, Neicy. She'd been with Phil dating all the way back to 2005, where he'd adopted her and she was rescued from a no-kill shelter. She continued to be by his side throughout some of the toughest and darkest moments of what he'd been going through, including the transition into following Jesus all the way back in 2007-08. Loyal to a fault, this dog was everything hoped for and resilient beyond belief as she even moved nearly as many times as some military teens we've met in the years. She'd lived in Kansas, Nebraska, Georgia and back to Kansas again. Many friends throughout the years had helped watch her whenever Phil or both Phil and Amy would have an event out of town and dear friends would let her stay over or they would go take care of her at our home.

Neicy enjoying the warmth outdoors.

What welcomed us back to the house after a 5-day hiatus was a fragile and weak posterior of our dog when we saw her. Her back legs had deteriorated even beyond what we knew, literally where her front would go straight and the back would pivot sideways, trying to keep up. If this wasn't enough, the poor baby girl was having trouble holding her potty, where she would unknowingly urinate on the floor here and there in the home. It broke our hearts as she was highly interested in our son's arrival, literally going over to his carrier or us as we were holding him. Neicy would come sniff him and even lay her head on his covers just to be part of the process of Parker's being home.

Our sweet dog, Neicy as she was laying on our laps.

What we ended up doing was the toughest decision we've ever made being married. Neicy's life was at a point where it was not any type of quality at all. She was struggling just to survive in the time we noticed her decline. The day we were celebrating our son's one week being here, we were struggling to hold it together on the final day of our dog's life. Phil spent literally almost all day with Neicy, petting and cuddling her and even going outdoors and laying outside in the sunshine and enjoying it with her, just stealing moments together with a best friend. The time set in our minds was iron-clad, 4:40pm as we knew that time would come too soon at the vet. Getting her into the car and on the way to the vet was the toughest and longest ten minute drive of our lives. Even when we feel we're doing something humane for our pets, it's true agony when we do it due to their impact on our lives.

Neicy sunbathing outside on her last day. 

Neicy and I together in the warmth of the day.

Then came the moment to watch our dog come to the end of her life. To say that anyone could be ready and make that choice for a pet, is literally so hard. I had done that before for a friend who lost her husband and she needed help in putting the dog down that was her late-husband's dog, but this pain was way beyond that. To see our pet, a dear loved friend who was loyal to a fault, not be around anymore still brings us to tears as we remember that hard afternoon decision.

Neicy in the back of the car 

as we took her to the vet.

The best part about any and all of these moments this month is that God still remains sovereign even in the toughest and most joyful opportunities. I personally got the chance to share twice with groups of teens on what exactly God has been teaching us throughout this time. He is waiting on us, just like our pets as they are loyal to a fault and nearly will lie at our feet, waiting on our every move. It's just as I shared with our teens on Thursday nights and at our church to consider; what if we treated Jesus the same way our pets acted toward us?!

The month of October was a roller coaster for sure emotionally for us and continues to be that way as we remember our furry friend and loved pet, plus learning some kind of 'normal' with our son in the home. As we head into another month of creating spaces and places with phenomenal adults who love teens just as they are when they show up, please be praying for us. Pray for our family. Pray for each teen that comes through the doors wherever we get to high-five or hug them. Pray for each of our adult leaders who are spending incredible amounts of time loving our teens with the time they could be using elsewhere.

Us with our newborn son, Parker.

In essence, we can't do this without you all praying and taking care of us as we are hoping to go where God calls us and directs our ways. We love you all and pray for each of you often.
~Phil, Amy & Parker

**To join our team in any way you feel led in prayer, financial partnership, spreading the word and anything in between you can reach us at pparsons@yfcmail.org or contribute online at https://yfc.givingfuel.com/30631**

Daddy and son in their photo shoot in the room. 

Showing off his early grip from his hands.