Someone sent me this and said if I sent it to many people that good things would happen; I hate when it gives you a given number to send it to and says if you don't send it something bad will happen, so I deleted the words, as I just wanted to share it cuz I think it's a beautiful picture and spreading the Word of the Lord is more powerful than some chain letter mail that someone makes up to scare people into spreading the Word of the Lord. The best way for me to spread the Lord's Word is through pics of my boys, my living, breathing miracles the Lord has blessed me with and has protected in so many ways. Because of Miracles, I have a beautiful family of 5.




"My only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me; the task of testifying to the good news of Gods grace."
Acts 20:24

CHD Awareness to me Means...

CHD Awareness to me means telling people I am BLESSED with 3 beautiful children, two of which were born with a congenital heart defect, and have SURVIVED 8 surgeries between the two of them (5 surgeries being on their delicate and beautiful hearts).

CHD Awareness to me means telling people the doctor's said my boys may not see their first birthday, let alone their first hour of life and NOW my "CHD boys" are 7 years old and 20 months old.

CHD Awareness to me means telling people to get their echocardiograms done while they are pregnant for peace of mind, and having game plan set ahead of time with the doctors, if they do catch something, because my 20 month old may not be here today if his condition was not caught when I was 20 weeks pregnant.

CHD Awareness to me means telling people my children are "Warriors," if people ask about their scars at the pool, and seeing the pride in my son's eyes as he shows off his scar with pride and says he has a matching scar like his brothers.

CHD Awareness to me means finding wonderful and supportive "CHDers" and "heart parents" who you can sit down and have a conversation with and feel you could "hold your own in a heart conference" and learn from each other and are their for each other when we have a break down and need to vent, because not everyone understands.

CHD Awareness to me means telling people facts like "About 1 out of every 100 babies are born each year with some type of Congenital Heart Defect. (approx. 40,000/year) Source: Children’s Heart Foundation" or "This year approximately 4,000 babies will not live to see their first birthday because of Congenital Heart Defects. Source: Children’s Heart Foundation" and seeing people react from not being aware.

CHD Awareness to me means telling people my kids are great, wonderful, stupendous, but NOT CURED.

CHD Awareness to me means watching my 7 year old go to school with pictures and a smile on his face and do a show and tell presentation on all he has been through while only 8 months old and tell people, "Now I play baseball, basketball and I am the Math King in 2nd grade."

CHD Awareness to me means doctor's appointments, echocardiograms, EKGs, heart catheters, being a little more overprotective, watching my baby have to have monthly synagis shots during the RSV season, watching for blue spells, taking all bumps, bruises, coughs as a possible sign, and LISTENING to my son if he feels something that just doesn't seem right.

CHD Awareness to me means getting the word out each and everyday, whether it is telling my sister about echocardiograms, or telling my friends about oximetry tests, or writing a letter to Oprah, or doing a "Walk with the Heart of a Child" through the mall of Las Vegas, or watching my son do a show and tell. CHD Awareness is a part of our everyday life. We didn't choose this life, it chose us. We are a family of five who try everyday to live a normal life and allow our children to participate in sports or play video games or do math competitions or just go to the park and run around and just enjoy life. We hug each other tighter, we love each other stronger, and we don't take each day for granted, because the Lord gave my beautiful boys a second chance, in turn giving me as a mother as second chance, and we are taking advantage of these moments and embracing each and every one of them.



Proud Mommy to Warriors

Thomas' 1st Basketball Game

Thomas had his first basketball game today :) His team name is the Banana Bops (How Cute is that...lol) All 6-7 year olds. Thomas had so much fun...just loves running off some steam :) So proud of my once frail baby who has survived so much is now in 2nd grade, played baseball last year, and now basketball. I know I'm being all cheesey, but this little boy fought to live through one surgery (open heart surgery to correct his congenital heart defect called Tetralogy of Fallot) and fought to walk to through another surgery (He had congenital scoliosis with a hemi-vertibrate, and without the surgery would most likely be paralyzed right now as we speak)...guess I just have so much to be thankful for when looking how far he has come in his 7 1/2 years (how far we as a family have come). Just feeling very blessed to be able to watch him play basketball and see the joy in his eyes...PRICELESS!!!

   

Babies are Sick :(

Well, I have some pretty sick babies...Samuel has a left ear infection and viral broncalitus (in the same family class as rsv) and jonathan has double ear infection, viral eye infection, and broncalitus and crackly lungs...both on meds and jonathan is back on nebulizor treatments 3 times a day :( BUT HOME...no hospitals...praise Jesus we caught it early...just gotta watch them now...doc said we were doing everything right except not to use the johnson&johnson vaper baby bath soap, as not good on their lungs with this diagnosis...but man, it developed super fast...just got it saturday and hit hard and fast...but at least we jumped on it immediately and got them in and they have meds in them...said it will take a few days, but they will get better.

All I know, is everytime one of the kids get sick, especially Jonathan, I dread taking him in thinking he may get shipped off to the hospital, like last March. I'm always just so worried. But I know his heart has been fixd since then, so he has it a lot easier than he used to, but that fear never leaves. Well, they are all home, so that's all that matter, no use on dwelling on what hasn't even happened this time. Just gotta watch the babies and watch Thomas now. Thomas has a little runny nose, but nothing much. Always been so lucky with him; he rarely gets sick. Hope it stays that way :)