Republican Soccer Mom

Happy Hearts

On April 4, 2007, Maggie Jane was born and changed my life forever.  Maggie surprised us a couple days after her birth when we learned that she was born with a double inlet left ventricle, transposition of the greater arteries, and an interrupted aortic arch.  These 3 severe heart defects can all be classified under Hypo-Plastic Right Heart Syndrome.  She had her first life saving surgery, the Norwood (slightly modified) on April 10, 2007 and came home exactly a week later.  Her second heart surgery, The Glenn, was on Sept. 20, 2007 and she came home 4 days later.  We have been tremendously blessed with how well Maggie has sailed through these surgeries.  With the exception of some severe reflux, Maggie has thrived.  In fact, she has done so well and has grown so quickly that she is now ready for her 3rd surgery, The Fontan, much sooner than her doctors anticipated.  Our prayer is that she will sail right through this one as well and will be back at home causing trouble in no time. 

Maggie Jane's personality is quite hard to explain.  I've been pondering it a lot lately as I sit back and enjoy watching her live.  The only way I can explain it is that she is full of life.  She enjoys every second of every minute of every day.  She takes what comes and she conquers it.  Our family is so blessed to have Maggie in it and we have all been forever changed because of her. 

I will not tell you that every part of this journey has been easy.  In fact, most of it has been very difficult.  It is not what I ever expected my life to be.  However, I am now and forever will be a "Heart Mom" and we are a "Heart Family".  Maggie's heart problems will affect her the most, but they have changed and will continue to change us as a family.  Ryan is a "Heart Dad", I'm a "Heart Mom", and Trent is a "Heart Brother".  God has chosen Maggie and our family to tell His story of love, power, mercy, grace, and healing.  This is the life God has chosen for us so we are learning to be happy and content with life as it is. 

We are a family of 4, with Happy Hearts. 

(If you would like to read Maggie's story from the beginning, scroll down to the categories and select "Maggie Jane")

I think we are in trouble...

My little man is becoming quite the gentleman.  He loves to dance with his sister when she is in her princess dresses and definitely notices when she "looks beautiful".  His teacher has told me before that he is always good about complimenting the girls in his class when they are dressed up and looking extra special. 

One night at dinner, a few weeks ago, he was listing the kids in his class.  He was telling us about all of the girls and says, "and then there's Isabella.  She's my best girl.  She has curlies."  Isabella is quite adorable and does have beautiful blond hair. 

Yesterday, we had Christmas with Ryan's family.  Trent cousins were all still in their church clothes and the girls looked very nice.  Trent, without any prompting, made it a point to tell all of his girl cousins that they looked beautiful.  "Oh, Ella, you look so beautiful", he would say.

Today, his assistant teacher who is very pretty told me that when I dropped him off at school this morning, she was getting some snuggles and he said, "Mrs. Cella, you are soooo beautiful."  I think he made her day.

I love that my little guy is so loving and kind.  However, sometimes it's a little awkward.  I think we have quite the ladies man in the making, but the time is coming very soon when we will have to teach him when it's appropriate and when it is not.  Oh, how I love my little guy.  He's such a sweetheart!

Merry Christmas

We are truely enjoying this Christmas season.  It has been full of house decorating, Christmas parties, a couple dr. appointments, reading lots of Christmas stories, listening to Christmas music, baking cookies, Christmas shopping, and just watching our kids eyes light up with all of the excitement of Jesus' birthday. 

I know that I have shared this with you before, but Christmas is even more special since Maggie was born.  When you imagine a lifetime of Christmases without your baby girl, then everyone that she is a part of is even more special.  This child enjoys every second of every day, and that includes Christmas.  She loved decorating the tree and tells me almost every day that the Christmas decorations look pretty.  She can't wait to open her presents and loves hearing about baby Jesus.  She is hoping to get "princess stuff" for Christmas and I think we might be able to grant that wish. 

Trent is also enjoying Christmas.  He isn't in to all of the decorations as much as Mags is, but he's a boy.  He loves all of our Christmas stories and loves to help me bake.  He wants one thing for Christmas, "a super dooper race track with a loopy -d- loop".  Guess we'll have to see what's under the tree on Christmas morning. 

We got a little dusting of snow friday night and it was just enough for them to get to try out our only sledding hill.  The hill was perfect for them... just fast enough but not too fast.  Thankfully, it's not too steep for Trent to pull his own sled back up.  Maggie needs some help so the princess just sits in her sled while Daddy sends her down the hill and then pulls her back up.  I will post some sledding pics later this week... PROMISE! 

For now, enjoy the smiles of our Christmas season:

Fall Family Fun

Two weeks ago, all of the grandkids and some of us "kids" were over at my Mom and Dad's for Sunday afternoon fun.  We all had a delicious lunch and then headed outside to enjoy the absolutely gorgeous weather.  Ryan and I had been wanting to play in the leaves with T and M so off we went.  Some of the kids rode the ponies with Papa and Uncle Seth and the rest of them "helped" Uncle La (Ryan) rake leaves in to a huge pile.  The kids were outside all day and finally at 3:00 we had to make the little girls take naps.  It was so much fun watching them play together and gang up on Uncle La a little bit too.

Abby and Maggie raking leaves

My sweet niece, Abby Grace

"Trent, is Dad in there somewhere?"

Claire and Lawson (niece and nephew) attacking Uncle La (Ryan)

Seth Robert and Lawson had a blast to see who can jump the "best"

What a fun day!

Fall Catch Up

I've gotten a tad bit behind in my blogging.  Amidst the dr. appointments, we've done a lot this fall and have enjoyed lots of fun family time together.  Trent and Maggie play together more and more and with that comes more and more fighting/arguing.  Maggie misses her bubby when he is at school and always wants to know when he is coming home.  Trent is doing very well in school (after a little extra discipline at home).  He can write his whole alphabet and is sounding out and spelling lots of words.  He has a lot of maturing to do before he starts Kg so I am very glad that he has an extra year before starting.  Maggie is quite the little "helper" and is as always full of life.  She is enjoying being able to eat lots of yummy food again!  This week we are working on getting her re-potty trained.  You may remember that my sweet girl potty trained herself the week before she turned 2.  However, this last surgery and the lasix and diuretics she's been on have really shot that one out of the water.  We have rearranged her med. schedule with hopes of being able to get her back in panties again.  Today has been a success so far and for that I am sooooo thankful! 

So, take a look at what we have been up to in the last couple months:

Trying their best to keep Ryan from going on his business trip

Maggie's first big time owie (other than surgery).  While Ryan was out of town, she fell off of the bar stool and her ear hit the other bar stool wrung as she came down.  Ouch!!!  She was mighty tough.  This picture doesn't even do it justice.  It looked even worse.  Poor Baby!  It's all healed up now, though.
 

Enjoying some spaghetti!  This girl can eat!

Ryan is so good at coming up with fun things for them to do! He's an amazing Dad.

Carving pumpkins on Halloween.  Trent wasn't very interested.

Maggie wanted a princess pumpkin so Ryan carved a crown.

Princess Cinderella

Trent, the famous golfer

My sweet nephew, Seth Robert, the Rodeo Clown

 

 

Pink for Maggie

Maggie's pink party was a success!  We had lots of delicious, pink treats and we had fun visiting with friends and family. We all enjoyed a photo video that highlighted what God has done in Maggie's short 2 1/2 years, and then Ryan shared from His heart about Maggie and the story God is telling through her.  There were lots of us decked out in our pink.  Maggie's Daddy and bubby (after much convincing) even wore pink for her.

We did our best to explain to Maggie why she was having a pink party.  After thinking it was going to be her 3rd birthday party, she was finally able to understand that her party was to celebrate that "God and Dr. Gandhi fixed her heart."

If I counted correctly, there were 62 adults and kiddos here to celebrate what God has done in Maggie's life... And there are even more who have sent cards and letters for my sweet girl.  WOW!!!  As my brother and sister in law wrote to Maggie, "He mended your heart so that your life could be a testimony to HIS greatness and HIS love.  Always remember that God didn't fix your heart for you or for your mom and dad.  You are here to serve Him and fulfill His purpose for you.  God just started using your life to touch others earlier than most."  I would say that last night was proof that God has used Maggie's life to touch so many.

In Maggie's mind, a party involves blowing out candles... so that's what she did!

Mammy got some pinkalicious sugars!

Adan, Robin, and Olivia (some of our "heart friends")

Erin (heart mama)

Sarah and Camden (more heart friends)

Angela and Abbie Lynn (more heart friends)

Abbie Lynn (sweet heart baby) wanting to do what her big sis is doing

Maggie and Camden (8 yrs. old) have very similar hearts

Angela and Maggie Jane