Staking Mom to a meal

Restaurant offers Mother's Day lunch at Anne Arundel Medical Center's neonatal unit

Also enjoying the meal were two couples who have become friends while visiting the neonatal intensive care unit almost every day: Sarah and Warren Provenson, whose daughter Samantha was born 13 weeks premature in March; and Ray and Julie Burch, whose twins, Beth and Buddy, were born 15 weeks premature in February. The two couples, especially the women, have spent as much time as they can at the hospital. The Burchs commute an hour from Charles County, while the Provensons drive 70 minutes from Jacobus, Pa.

"It's great to meet them," said Julie Burch. "I'm so grateful I've been able to meet Sarah. No one can understand like someone who's going through it."

The weeks have been taxing for the couples. Buddy recently had surgery for an intestinal infection - the procedure was done at Children's Hospital in Washington, so the Burchs now must travel to two hospitals. Samantha, too, has had surgery, for a problem with a blood vessel near her heart.

"It's been stressful," said Julie Burch, who works in human resources for the Department of Commerce in Washington.

The plummeting economy has had a silver lining for the Provensons: Warren installs appliances and shelves for new houses. With the real estate market in shambles, business has been slow in recent months, giving him ample time to visit his twins.

"I'm here at noon every day," he said. "It's not good, but it's been good for this situation."

This was the first Mother's Day for Julie Burch. To commemorate the occasion, Sarah Provenson, who has a 4-year-old son, surprised her with a framed picture of Beth, with room to add a photo of Buddy later.

"Thank you - this is gonna make me cry," said Julie Burch, gazing at the snapshot of her tiny, sleeping daughter.

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