I am sad to see this one come to an end but I love it. It was a nice surprise to have Pam jump in there with her side of things. I too hope you are coming up with some new ideas. I love your writing and can't wait for more.

Well done, you.  Dedeen, I hope you're proud of this.  It's beautifully written and full of emotion.  You include the good and the bad, which makes it so real.  Lovely having Pam write the last chap. 

I hope you're planning something new ;)  /greedy

I'm already sad that this is almost over.. Jim talking to Pam's dad was amazing. Love all the little details you throw in too!

So so many things I love about this chapter! Where to begin? The love that he has for his children and his wife just jumps off the screen throughout, especially when he's talking to Bill. I love how you incorporated that into this, and I love how Jim is able to tell it like it is to him in a way that's both calm and mature. I love that Jim can't even imagine what it's like to be in Bill's shoes and yet he won't judge. I love your Cece, she's so cute with her eyes not closing all the way. Kids say the most adorable things and you totally nailed it there. You've managed to make her exactly like both Jim and Pam. I'm really sad that there's one more chapter left, I was hoping you'd continue this longer, but I'm so glad everything with Ben is a-okay, and I can't wait to read your next story. :-)

10

I have been following this story so first let me say I'm really sorry for not reviewing sooner.

This is truly amazing. This story has a feel of it being very real. I find myself feeling genuine concern and compassion about this very real, very difficult situation. I've found I've had to MANY time through this, remind myself that it's not real, simply a fictioal story.

I wasn't sure when the story began just how well I was going to enjoy the format of Jim writing letters to tell the story. Let me say, I have grown to really REALLY love it. It's a really unique way to give us so many of the details along with his feelings not just about his fears about Pam and the pregnancy and then his very real fears about Ben, but we also get his feelings about Cece and what she is going through and how this is affecting her. Along with that there are a lot of background details you have been able to share through the letters.

What to me though, makes this so SO special is the way that you are able to get across to us, the readers, that this is a man who is head over heals in love with his wife, his daughter and his son both before he was born and after. You get the feeling that there is nothing he wouldn't do for them. It's also clear that he falls in love anew with each of them on a regular basis.

This chapter was amazing in the way that you had Jim deal with the situation with his father in law. First just him knowing his wife well enough to see and feel her hurt, then in the way he cares enough to act. The way he handle the situation is so perfect. Him simply inviting his FIL along while he changes Ben, not being heavy handed, letting him look around the room and see Pam's work, see the pictures of a newly born struggling Ben and see what he is missing. I love that Jim remains quiet long enough for Bill to begin the dialoge but when he does, Jim is honest and straight with him, letting him know that he is really hurting Pam, then challenging him to stay through lunch. In all of this you kept it real. Bill stayed just through lunch, it wasn't like he had a huge change of heart and decided to make up for all the hurt that day and was the last one to leave. It was real, a man who has messed up and wants to make steps to make it right, but realistically is still the same flawed person so he makes a step but you can see it is going to take time.

Truly an amazing story and an incredible journey, that is really meaningful and very realistic, that you have taken us through.

Thank you for sharing this with us. Your writing is always very incredible!

10

I am so happy for their family and especially our story teller Jim! They are celebrating four years of sharing a last name. Their baby boy is growing, he is healthy and soon they will (hopefully) have the whole family in the home where they belong. And how lovely is this happy, helpful big sister they have!

I cannot wait until Jim updates us again!

*Jenna's spoiler excites me! I look forward to seeing this. Not to mention that I think this gives us awesome fanfic possibilities!

This entire chapter is beautifully done, so much emotion just jumping out at me. His happiness that Ben is doing better, his reflection at their wedding anniversary, all a think of beauty. I love that he's calling his son a heavy weight champ, it's just so sweet and perfect. The love he has for the three of them just comes through so much and I'm so happy that things are getting better for this little family!

I did read the spoiler, and I'm really happy about it! Maybe because I've been watching a lot of season 3 lately, but the spoiler is a good thing, in my opinion. :-)

Hope you have more of this story soon!

10

This is my favorite chapter so far.  I've lived through many horrible hospitalizations with my parents and you did SUCH a good job of capturing the powerlessness, frustration, guilt, and worry of these situations. It's so terrible when you have to be away from the hospital but you KNOW that if you don't get SOME sleep, you will simply cease to function.   I liked that you have Pam able to face Ben with all the tubes and Jim has to work past his avoidance. It's so true that different family members will react in these ways.

The "forest" of IV poles.  What a perfect description.  Are you researching like crazy or have you lived some of this?  Your descriptions ring very true.

I want to snuggle Jim so badly.Keeping it incharacter, my heartaches for little Ben. Great as always.

wow... I'm utterly speechless right now. This is so heartbreaking! It must be taking a toll on you to write this. I can't even imagine what it would be like to be in their situation. This chapter blew me away, especially this part --

Our conversation didn’t go beyond that. The silence that reigned afterward was comforting. We are good at silence. I think we speak better when our conversations are devoid of words. I understand her more from the way her eyes lingered on me than I ever could from words she strung in sentences

That's them, in a nutshell, and so poetically put. I'm going to go dry my eyes now.

Sorry for the delay once again. Great job with the ups and down of having a premie. I can't imagine the toll it takes on you day to day. You are giving us a tiny glimpse of how it could be.

Still with you, and still enjoying every minute of this fic :)