Solo again

Last night around 10:30 Jeremy's boss called and invited him to go on a trip for training this week. The girl that was already there got sick and had to come home so they were sending someone to replace her and gave Jeremy the option to go along and he decided to. So last night we were rushing around to pack his suitcase and today he got to go on the company plane to Yonkers, NY. So the boys and I are going solo again this week. We don't mind it so much, but we do miss Jeremy a lot while he is gone.

The girl who was in NY and got sick and had to come home was actually pregnant and last night she lost her baby. I think it was early in her pregnancy, first tri-mester. Her name is Sarah. Please pray for her and her husband this week.

I've mentioned that Damon doesn't always want to eat very much of anything. The last two nights he has eaten his dinner really well. So thanks for praying for him and keep the prayers for his appetite coming. He's getting better at feeding himself with a fork/spoon and I think that's helping. Talk to you all later.

Sarah

Chatterbox

That's what Damon has become lately. He is saying so many new words all the time. It's so fun to hear him say something and actually know what he's wanting. He loves to yell for Myles, which right now sounds like Maya. It's so cute. When Myles is at school and it's time to go pick him up I'll say to Damon "Do you want to go get Myles?" and he starts yelling "Maya, Maya".

We went to a swim party tonight for a little girl in Myles' preschool class. I know, I kinda thought it was weird too, having a swim party with ice all over the ground, but we went nonetheless. Damon had a fun time playing in the water. His little lips were blue when we got out, from being cold not from low sats. It was a fun time. Have a great weekend everyone!

Sarah

Jeremy

He made it home last night around 11:30, which is about an hour and a half earlier than expected so we were glad for that. During his security check at O'Hare airport in Chicago the security guard reminded him that he forgot to take his "liquids" (bathroom stuff like shampoo, etc.) out of the suitcase so they could check it and make sure nothing was more than three ounces. He was really rude to Jeremy about it telling him it really slows the process down and whatever...blah, blah, blah. So this morning when Jeremy went to get his bathroom stuff out of his suitcase he found that the guy had dumped the plastic bag (which was left open) upside down into his suitcase and one of the bottles leaked something all down in his suitcase.

Word to the wise: take your bag of "liquids" out of your suitcase so the security guys can check it. Apparently it's the unforgivable sin if you don't. Damon was so happy to see his daddy this morning when he got up. We're all glad to have him home finally. Talk to you all later.

Sarah

Poem

This is a poem written by a heart mom, Stephanie H. She writes the most beautiful poems and they always make me cry. Her son Braeden is 3 1/2 and has had his three surgeries and is doing well right now. I keep track of him on carepages. I thought I would share this poem with you on Valentine's Day. We hope everyone has had a good "heart" day. We love you all.

Sarah

I have hope that someday... When my son understands... I'll sit him on my lap... and then... He'll ask me of God's plans... In my sweetest daydream... He'll lift his shirt up high... And ask mom am I different? And then he'll ask me... why? I'll get the chance to share with him... The long journey before... And tell him that he's very brave... And God has plans in store... I'll tell him of the battles... That children like him face... And how we must remember... To always lean on grace. That I have learned of courage... Through the lives of those we've known... And I am ever certain that... We never walk alone. That everyday's a miracle... And life is to be treasured... That hope and faith have brought us through... And these things can't be measured. That other's are in heaven now... (Their live's tend to remind me) That even when I run away... Somehow...son...God will find me. And when life seems too hard to bear... (And signs become easy to miss) Brave little souls seemed to whisper... Have faith...you'll get through this... Some might say...your heart's not strong... And there are some things you'll just never do... But...you can do most anything... That you put your mind to.

I have hope that someday... You'll do the same as me... Your child will come running...then... You'll set him on your knee... And lift your shirt...for the hundredth time... When your child says tell me again... Tell me about your special heart... And all of the the places you've been... Tell me about the heart hero's... The one's that they just couldn't save... And how your mommy told you that... They were so very brave. I imagine that you'll smile then... (As you smile all the time) Then hold your child closely... And say...Once upon a time... Mother's can wish for such things... They help the heart to cope... Perhaps...it's even possible... With faith and love and hope.

Growler

Damon is doing really well without his bonkie. He cries a little bit when we put him down for a nap or at bedtime but he has done so well. I don't know what I was so worried about. He still has his buddy Growler to snuggle with and I think he's more attatched to him than he was to the bonkie. One day two weeks ago we lost Growler at nap time. He was still using his bonkie at that time and even though he had it, without Growler, he never did go to sleep. So we are going to hold on to Growler for a while. He's pretty special because he was a gift from Munkin during one of Damon's hospital stays.

We had another ice storm here last night. All the schools are closed so the boys and I are home-bound today. Jeremy, however, is on his way to Chicago today for another trip. The weather is fine in Fayetteville where he is flying out of, but I'm not sure about Chicago. Please pray for his (and his travel partner Heather) safe travel this week. The high temp in the Chicago area is supposed to be 25 this week. He's going to be about an hour outside of Chicago. Burrrrrrrrr! It's not much warmer here though. Pray for the boys to be well behaved this week and for me to have a lot of patience. Talk to you all later.

Sarah

Next week

Jeremy told me today about a fundraiser for CMN next Tuesday. Feb 12th (Tues) is National Pancake Day so IHOP is honoring that day by doing a fundraiser for CMN. So everybody plan on going to the IHOP next Tuesday to help out this great charity that has helped out our family so much.

Also I believe next week is National CHD Awareness week. CHD stands for Congenital Heart Defect, meaning a heart defect that is present at birth. Everyone take some time to learn more about CHD's next week, you never know when this could effect you. I got an e-newsletter from STL Children's Hospital yesterday talking about a certain kind of heart defect that could be present in people their whole lives and they never know it until it kills them. Read up on CHD's so you can learn the signs of them, at least those that are less obvious than HLHS. You can never be too prepared, I think. There is also a lot of new research being done to find out more how to prevent CHD's and how to treat them more successfully. Check out some of the links on our website; the C.H.I.N. website is great and the American Heart Association too.

Damon slept last night for the first time without his bonkie (passifier). And right now he is taking a nap without it. We made him quit cold turkey so pray that we will stick to our guns and have patience with him and not give it back. Talk to you all later.

Sarah

All good

That was the word from Dr Tong today. Sats, blood pressure, EKG, echo, weight, and height were all fine. His heart is pumping along just as it should be and there are no concerns. Dr Tong increased his meds dosage because of his weight. I asked him about the third surgery and he explained some of the physical things that could happen that would mean he needs it sooner than planned but as long as none of those things happen he said we won't have to start thinking about that until this time next year. I was very glad to hear that and we are just going to trust God to keep taking care of him so that we don't have to worry about that other stuff. So everyone keep praying. Talk to you later.

Sarah

On the mend

My voice is getting better. I can actually talk and sound comes out. Thanks for your prayers.

Jeremy is coming home tonight, right now he is probably at the airport in Charlotte, NC. He took an earlier flight there but his flight from there to Fayetteville doesn't leave until around 7:45pm so he's got a long wait this afternoon. We are all excited to see him.

Damon has been very frustrating this week, especially during meal times and his temper....well let me just say that when he isn't happy things fly and hands are banging things. It's hard to figure out what to do. So I'm very ready for Jeremy to come home so that at least someone else can witness it. Please continue to pray for his eating to get better. He has a cardio appt next Wed so I'll update after that.

Good luck to the Patriots and the Giants this weekend. We're Boston fans in this house so we are rooting for the Patriots. I hope they can go 19-0, that would be awesome. But wouldn't it be equally as awesome if the Giants beat them...... Talk to you later.

Sarah