A Broken Heart but Fights with a Whole Heart

Thank you for all the prayers and support over the past few years for our family and for Natalie!  I truly believe she would not be here if not for the power of prayer...

Amarillo City Commissioner's Meeting

Every year our heart group, High Plains Mended Little Hearts, goes to the Amarillo City Commissioner's meeting to get the week of Congenital Heart Defect Awareness with announced as a Proclamation for the City of Amarillo for that week as well. 

We have not actually made it to the meeting in the past due to illness or recent surgery, but we were able to make it this yea.

So proud to be apart of an amazing group of Heart Parents and kiddos!

The City of Amarillo's Proclamation

Carter at his first City Commissioner's Meeting
I even pulled him out of school early, which was the best part in his eyes

My Child is 1 in 100

 

Natalie after her 4th Open Heart Surgery in October of 2012

 

More CHD Facts...

~In the United States, twice as many children die from congenital heart defects each year than from all forms of childhood cancer combined, yet funding for pediatric cancer research is five times higher than funding for CHD

~Almost half all children and adults with complex congenital heart diseases have neurological and developmetal disabilities

~There is NO fix or cure for CHDs

~Individuals with CHDs often need additioal operation(s) and/or medications as adults.  This is true even when they have had a successful repair

~A CHDer is born every 15 minutes in the US

*98% of these facts came from The Children's Heart Foundation and The Adult Congenital Heart Association

February is Heart Awareness Month

I will have more information throughout the month.

Congenital Heart Defects (CHD) Facts...A Few Facts For Today

~1 in 100 in the US are born with a CHD

~There are over 40 known CHDs

~CHDs are the world's number one birth defect

~CHDs are the world's number one killer of babies under 1

~40,000 are born in the US each year

~more then 50% of CHDers are now over age 18

~CHDs can range from "simple" defects to "severe/very complex" defects

*98% of these facts came from The Children's Heart Foundation and The Adult Congenital Heart Association

Buzz the Bee

As a mom, I can not lie, I do not necessarily enjoy take home projects for the weekend.  I like to think my weekend is homework free.  I know, I know, it will only get worse as my kids get older.  However, as my kids get older, they can do all the homework themselves.  I feel like I am the one doing the homework.  Yes, I have a bad attitude, but that is probably, because I do not have a printer still, so having to print things is just not as easy as it seems.  One day, our life will be somewhat normal or will it?

Off of my soap box now. Natalie got to bring "Buzz the Bee" home for a weekend of fun!  We had to take pictures of Buzz, which means, Buzz got to go everywhere with us for 4 full days.  I am just happy we did not go out of town and were in town.  Then, we type a little deal of what all Buzz got to for the weekend.  So here is Natalie and Buzz's weekend together...

Buzz the Bee got introduced into the world of Strawberry Shortcake

Buzz the Bee got to hang out with Carter and Natalie and got to meet Gigi's dog, Rosie

Buzz the Bee even got to play Hide in Go Seek in Gigi's bed

Buzz the Bee went grocery shopping with us

He even got to watch Carter play basketball

Last but not least, Buzz got to go to ballet with Natalie before returning to school the next day

Jump for Heart

This past week Carter's school, Puckett participated in the American Heart Association's Jump for Heart.  Carter jumped in honor of his sister.  Who better to jump for, then someone who has had 4 open heart surgeries and is just 4 years old.  Carter is an amazing big brother!

Happy 2014

May all your wishes and dreams come true in 2014! 

 

I have learned to only make a few resolutions, because most of them never get filled, but I am going to do my best to check them off my list this year.  But most important, I will treasure the blessings God has bestowed on me and our family!