Ranger Game and The Dallas Aquarium

The kids and I at the Dallas Aquarium

At the Dallas Aquarium and yes, we are crazy

Carter, Olivia Baker, Natalie, Hinsley Patterson and Hunter Patterson

Hunter Patterson and Carter soaked at Addison Town Square

Last weekend, we met some good friends in Dallas for the weekend, the Pattersons and Bakers. Chad and Danielle Patterson have a little boy Hunter, that is about 6 months older than Carter and a little girl, Hinsley that is 3 weeks younger than Natalie. Colin and Erica Baker have a little girl who is a day older than Natalie, so we had a great and wild weekend to say the least. Nothing like travel and going out to eat with three 2 year olds, a four year old and a 5 year old...yes, we are crazy!

Chad's parents have a box at Ranger Stadium and they were so kind to let us all use Friday night to watch Rangers vs Toronto. I must say, if we were not in a box, the game might have been miserable, but we were able to sit outside or trap the girls inside when we needed to. So, extra "Thank yous, Mr. and Mrs. Patterson"

This was Carter's first baseball experience ever; I mean not just professional, but ever, he has never even been to watch a kids baseball or tee ball game before. I know, but I thought I could hold off sports until this next year. I figured we had the rest of our life for sports, why not take it easy the first few years. I do enjoy my weekends of nothing.

Before we left town, I bought Carter a Cars 2 baseball glove to take with us. He was in heaven and wore it the entire car ride. We have since started working with him a bit on catching a throwing. I just have to make sure we do not throw inside the house, because the boy has an arm already.

I also have to say, the game was so much fun and yes, it did make it even sweeter that the Rangers not only won, but won big time!

The next day we all went to the Dallas Aquarium. Larry and I took Carter when he was 2 years old and they day before Natalie's first surgery. He loved it then, so I knew he would only love it even more and that Natalie would love it as well. If you have never been, it is worth going to see if you are ever in the Dallas area. Once you are inside the Aquarium, you will totally forget that you are in downtown Dallas.

The kids had a blast! The loved the monkeys, fish, and pretty much the entire exhibit. Later that night, we took the kids to Addison Town Square to let them play in the fountains and the water that shoots up from the ground. Talk about cheap entertainment, they had a blast and were totally soaked. What else do you to when it is a 104 degrees at 9pm at night?

The weekend ended on a little soar note for us...Carter woke up with fever. Poor guy caught some virus going around and felt yucky for about 3 days. The Lord blessed us though, because Natalie did not get it! Talk about a miracle, especially since they drink after each other. I try not to let them, but at this age it is almost impossible.

Our weekend in Dallas was great! It was also nice to go there and not have a doctor's appointment for once, not to worry, we will be back in a few months for an appointment. I have attached a few pictures of our trip as well.

Natalie's Heart Check

Natalie at her first Ranger game

(more to come on the Rangers)

Natalie had her heart check up her in Amarillo this morning with Dr. Luckstead. I am sure I have mentioned it before, but we see Dr. Luckstead, a pediatric cardiologist at Texas Tech Pediatrics in Amarillo, in between our Dallas appointments.

Her appointment went great! I have been worried about Natalie not gaining weight, but she finally has hit the 23lb mark and I am so excited. Little milestones are precious in our life. She has also gotten taller, so that I am just over joyed to know she is growing and gaining weight. Cardiac kids sometimes have a hard time growing and gaining weight, because their little hearts are working in over time all the time.

Natalie's EKG was good as well. Dr. Luckstead also checked her oxygen level, which was 80. Now, this is a little lower than it has been, but it is still in the 80s, so I am please.

We go to Dallas at the end of September for her appointment at Children's with Dr. Zellers. She will also get an echo during that visit, which is standard for her.

"Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see"

Hebrews 11:1

Natalie is Two

Natalie is two! This past Saturday, my little miracle angel turned two. I can't believe she is two already. She is such a blessing to our lives. I praise God every time I look at her and see how far she has come in two years. I know we have a road ahead, but we will take one day at a time hand in hand with God leading.

4th of July Weekend

Happy 4th of July

Carter throwing his Spiderman baseball with Larry

Natalie and her favorite Minnie shirt and yes, it is a pj shirt and yes, we wear it everyday

Carter jumping off the diving board

Sweet Girl eating some Go-Gurt

Our 4th of July could not have started off better, with the letter stating Natalie was officially off transplant. The weekend continued to be filled with fun and blessings!

We went swimming with friends and family all weekend long. Carter played so hard on Saturday, that he crawled into his bed with his wet swim suit still on. I guess I succeeded in wearing him out finally!

Natalie had a blast too! We got her a new swim suit with floaties built in. She has not figured out that you have to stay away from the edge of the pool and that she can not get in without Larry or I. This is that fun age, of no fear, which is fun and challenging.

I have posted a couple of pictures of our 4th of July weekend

Officially Off the Heart Transplant List

Not sure if you can tell, but this is her favorite pj shirt, but we wear it daily...Minnie Mouse, our new obession

I sometimes forget that Natalie was still on the heart transplant list. I am not sure how, since getting on the list is harder than any interview I have and will ever go through. We met with financial, psychologists, social workers, every team member on the transplant team and that was just our part. Natalie had to undergo a couple of tests as well. However, we were blessed that Natalie did not have to go that route as of now. By God's grace, Natalie's first unsuccessful heart surgery was a success the second time around!

Natalie was moved originally placed on the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) waiting list for a heart on September 19, 2009. On October 8, 2009, she was moved to a status 7 or inactive status, this was after her successful surgery. We got a letter today, that states because of her health improving, they officially removed her from the UNOS waiting list on June 28, 2011. What a great way to start the 4th of July weekend!

Now, she still has at least one more major heart operation in the next year and she will continue to live her life on half a heart, but we can handle that. Her life will always be different, a "special different" because God made her heart extra special.

Speaking of special hearts, I have a couple of prayer requests...Larry's parent's best friends, grandson (sure hope you followed that) was recently born with a congenital heart defect. They will be traveling to Boston for him to have surgery, because the Children's Hospital there specializes in this specific defect. Before he can have surgery, he needs to gain weight, which is always a challenge with a heart baby. Please pray for him to gain weight and pray for the family as the begin making plans to travel to Boston for surgery.

Also, summer is a busy time for heart surgeries. There are a few families from the Panhandle area whose children are currently going through heart surgeries. Please pray for all the families with children going through surgery this summer.

A little update on the little girls with ecoli. I believe they have all been released from the hospital and doing much better. Thank you for your prayers for all these little girls and their families.

I hope everyone has a great 4th of July weekend! Be safe and please be smart about fireworks, especially if you are in the areas where fires are so scary (Amarillo).

Swimming

I am not sure what happened in one week, but Carter went from not jumping off the side of the pool with his floaty to jumping off the diving board without his floaty. He also went from not wanting to let go of Larry or I while in the pool to swimming in yes, one week!

Carter has become a fish to say the least. He loves to swim! We had been working with him on swimming, but then literally over night he figured it out. I took him to the pool and he just started swimming. Of course at first he did not realize you could lift your head and breath while still kicking your legs, so we worked on that for about 10 minutes and he had it down perfect.

The water was hurting his eyes a bit, so I got him some Lighting McQueen goggles. He is that child that was so excited to have goggles that he wore them all day and wanted to sleep with them too. We compromised and the goggles watched him sleep on his side table...too funny!

I can't believe it, but Natalie is 23 months old! I have been telling people she was 21 months old, what happened to the time?

Natalie has started talking a lot! She is asking a lot of questions and repeating whatever you say (carefully watching all the words that come out of my mouth). She is also a busy body, never stopping. You would never know she had a heart defect the way she continues to go.

Pandamania

Carter had VBS last week at our church, Pandamania. He loved it! He came every day asking me about "Patty Panda..." Where does she sleep? How does she take a bath? How these kids come up with some of their questions, who knows. I did what every parent would have done, I told Carter to ask the talking panda.

I was blessed to be able to volunteer one day with Carter's actual group. There is nothing like 11 4 year olds, to completely wear you out. Natalie went to the nursery,but after two hours in the nursery, she wanted to come and join the fun.

At the end of the time everyone gets together and sings as we wait for parents to pick up there kids. Natalie was fascinated and trying to do all the hand motions. Yes, I did almost cry, but thought I should really try and contain myself for the sake of the other kids around. I just can't help it sometimes, when I see my kids on fire for God!

We get the option to purchase a music cd of the songs they sing during the week. I was pretty pumped to buy a new VBS cd, because frankly, I was tired of the one from last year, that we still played everyday. I can't complain too much, because it does make my heart smile to hear Carter in the backseat busting out, "He's wild! He's wild! God is wild about us!" Plus, occasionally I get the hand motions too!

I do have to mention this one last thing, because I am so proud of Carter. He has memorized his first bible verse, Philippians 4:13! We were driving to school one day and he would not stop talking, so I thought I would try and get him to memorize a bible verse and that was the only one that came to my mind, but I do love it, so it worked.

Some updated on our friend's kids with e coli....Our friend whose little girl was in Dallas is home now and doing much better. They will continue to have blood work done twice a week for a while. The other two little girls are finally doing better. One had surgery today to get her port out. God is working and healing these little girls!