this past week

We had three babies in a row die over the past week or so.
Number one was born far too premature to have any hope for survival. Number two was a breach baby - at her last pre-natal visit at the hospital the doctors made it very clear that she had to come back to the hospital when she was getting close to labor - the survival of her baby depended on it. She decided to give birth at home. The baby got stuck and died. By the time the family did get to the hospital, nothing could be done.
Finally, a baby girl was born in the hospital apparently healthy. After recovery, the happy family was sent home but two days later - this past Sunday morning - the baby was rushed back to the hospital with no pulse and not breathing.  Abby was on call and called the code blue out to the whole community so there would be more hands to help.  She got a heartbeat back and was breathing for the baby with an ambu-bag. Abby, along with other doctors and nurses, spent most of the rest of the day in the ER trying to stabilize the baby.  About 12 hours after she came in, the third baby died.
This was all exhausting for the healthcare providers here, both physically and emotionally.
We're not going to post any pictures, but please pray for the families who have lost their children.
That same call day, about 2 hours after the death of the last baby, Abby and Dr. Vance (the new OB/GYN) delivered health baby girl:

Here are some other miscellaneous pictures from this past week:

Our neighbor's horse in the rain

Aliyah playing in our big bucket

The monkeys have decided to take up residence next to our apartment for the past few weeks

Mom and her baby

Aliyah with GIANT plantains - they're about four-times the size of a regular plantain

We've been here for almost a year - this is the first time we've ever seen Breyer's icecream in the store - and it's even on sale! For more than $10 a half-gallon!!!

The orchid on our back-porch has been blooming for the past few weeks