My Redeemer Is Faithful And True

Well, it has been a while, once again. I only blog when I have something worth blogging about, not just ramblings, well at least that is my goal. Not too much to catch up on. We started school (homeschool) a few weeks ago, using BJU Press for the first time. I am more than impressed with their curriculum, lesson plans and videos. The kids also enjoy it. Of course they would rather be playing outside, but they also love their school work.

The main reason for this post is Andrew and Averie's cardiology appointments yesterday. I had asked that everyone pray for the echo results to be the same as last time or at least not much change. Well, our prayers were answered once again! Last visit for Averie the doctor said not to be alarmed that we may be talking about scheduling her next surgery when we came back. Well, Averie looked great and does not have to go back for 9 months, which is a long time, for heart kids.(AND he never brought up surgery for her!!) Andrew has some calcification in his conduit. He said they may have to do a balloon cath within the year, but maybe not. He goes back in 6 months to check on it. He had this done at 1 year and it gave him an extra year on that conduit(that he had since 3 weeks old) before it got replaced. His aortic valve has always been leaky, and it remains mild to moderate(more on the milder side), Praise the Lord!

This cardiologist's face just lights up at the sight of Averie! I love to see it! This is what Dr. Christian Lilje said to me yesterday, "Do you remember the first time you came to meet with me and when we looked at the baby(at this time I was pregnant so it was a fetal echo, I had already been given the grim diagnosis from Andrew's original cardiologist)? Do you remember that I told you her prognosis was so poor, ZERO life expectancy? LOOK AT HER! She is amazing!!" I love that he is not too proud to admit that she is a miracle, that even he could not understand how everytime I came back, something mysteriously changed with her heart and that she grew lungs and shouldn't have been able to. Her heart had grown so distorted that her pulmonary arteries usually, in those cases where the pulmonary valve was absent along with Tetralogy of Fallot, they usually take over the lung space and the baby usually goes into heart failure during the pregnancy and if they make it to birth, it usually isn't good either because they have no lungs, so a ventilator doesn't help. I was a wreck! But God worked it all out, and I love to be reminded, not that we ever forget. I guess I just love to hear the doctor say it, too! I remember how he was smiling from ear to ear when I had done a fetal MRI at 37 weeks and we saw almost perfect lungs in Averie's little body!

Well, thanks for your many prayers for our family, we will always need them, especially around surgery times. Thanks for letting me brag on God again, it NEVER gets old!

From A Household of 7 in 2011

Things haven't changed much in the last 4 months, the last time I blogged. Well, putting it that way, I guess they have! Averie is walking, well running now. She talks and talks, hmmmm....like her mother! For a few months now, if you ask her ANY question, even "Are you married, or when are you going to college, or what is your name?" She ALWAYS answers, even if it is baby talk. It is as if she knows you are asking her a question. Averie and Maci share the same love of music and animals, especially dogs! These two are going to be very close, I hope.

Maci is still my most sensitive child. She gets her feeling hurt very easily and holds grudges like her grandma! (my mom!) She is still very shy at church, hiding behind me wherever I go. But she is a good girl, we don't ever have much trouble from her. And, she does not usually cause the trouble, she is not an instigator, we have enough of those, don't we Averie!

Andrew turns 4 in a about a week. Wow, what a story he is! Most certainly our most energetic child, pushes all of the limits, especially when it comes to talking back to his mother! I am reaping in this area, I was so bad at it myself. He is a very sharp thinker, always having some witty comment ready to fire! What a joy he has been to our family, just cannot figure out a way to put a silencer on his extremely LOUD burps, very embarrassing, but he acts like they are involuntary. Hmmm...

Aubrey is such a delightful little girl, I wasn't sure I would ever be able to say this! She gave us such big fits from the day she was born until about 18 months ago. But, she is so sweet and helpful. She and I will be best friends forever! She is doing such a great job in kindergarten, what an exremely good reader and also great at math. I couldn't be more proud.

Matthew is also doing well in school. Neither one of them have complained about having to do their work. (I am sure it is coming!!) He is also very good at math, has decent handwriting for a boy and enjoys reading as much as he has to. Actually, depends on the book, if it is something that interests him, he will not put it down! He is so creative, and loves to take things apart to put them back together, which is what his daddy did as a child. Guess that is why he is so handy now!

Don and I will soon be celebrating our 8th Wedding Anniversary. Wow, I had no idea marriage would be this awesome and I could ever love someone this much! He is the most generous and kind man I know. The kids could not ask for a better, more energetic and patient Daddy! I am so blessed! It was not an easy 8 years, starting with miscarriage of our first baby, then the 4 surgeries, so far, of our children, but he has been such a strong leader and example of trusting the Lord for me. I thank God daily, and more, for a wonderful, Godly husband.

Me...well, let's just say I am really enjoying not having any more babies! It was addicting, I won't lie, but, it has been great to have my energy back and to do so much more with the older ones, without having a fussy, nursing infant along. They have been patient dealing with it all, now it is time to just go have fun, big kid fun...camping, fishing, Disney(in a couple years), hiking, etc. Homeschooling is going great and we are not adding anyone this fall as Andrew is just turning 4, but will most likely add Andrew and Maci the following year together for kindergarten, FUN!!

As far as the kids' heart health: Andrew should be ok to wait several more years before his next surgery, providing his aortic valve and conduit go bad around the same time. He has shown no symptoms of heart failure. Averie should be ok for another year, hopefully a few years. She was not placed with a pulmonary valve, so as long as she tolerates this and her heart doesn't start doing anything funky, we should be ok to wait. It is being discussed soon between the cardiologist and surgeon.

Thanks for reading, especially those not on Facebook who still like to keep up with our family. Hope all is well with you all, also!