year of the Fontan

It seems as though this is the year of the Fontan...possibly because most of the heart friends we've met on-line are Maddie's age or just slightly older; therefore, we're hitting these staged surgeries at about the same time. The majority of the kids I've followed are single-ventricle kiddos like our daughter, having the same surgeries to fix their broken hearts as Maddie's. Many are enduring their Fontan surgery or post-op recovery as I type this. It's been helpful to read their blogs and I've been hopeful as most have done quite well! I've been encouraged, given a "good idea" of how it should all go, and learned ways of how to prepare myself and Maddie as we soon face her Fontan surgery.

Please say a prayer tonight for some of our special heart friends who are now post-Fontan! across the nation: Mary Clare, Colby, Aly, Parker, and Joshua. They are an inspiration. And speaking of inspiration, if you have a chance, listen to this new Rascal Flatts song, "I Won't Let Go" (it's at the bottom of our blog playlist, just scroll down) and grab some tissues if you're a heart mom!

birthday girl

Someone's sure proud of turning 3! We celebrated with family Sunday afternoon. She was grinning ear to ear when we sang Happy Birthday to her...dimples, dimples, sweet dimples.
Maddie sure loved having all of her cousins there to celebrate with her! She's a lucky girl to have so many!
She enjoyed (slowly) opening all of her gifts and has loved playing with everything since the big party. Makes being the mom easy after birthdays!
I made these "Martha Stewart Pom-Poms" which are much tougher to make than I thought they'd be! Very girlie though...
Her party was a Strawberry Shortcake theme with lots of pink!
I always love making party decorations...this was a fabric banner I sewed one afternoon, it was a very fun, easy project.
and the goodie bags
Happy 3rd Birthday Maddie Grace! What a big girl you've become :) We are so proud of you and love you very much!

She's almost 3...

I can't believe it either. This little girl is 3 days away from 3! My baby! Where has the time gone? Here's what Little Miss loves, dislikes, and memories I want to keep about our sweet girl at almost age 3:

• Maddie is a "mommy's girl" and I LOVE IT!


• she loves watching tv: Dora the Explorer, Olivia, and Diego (every morning she has her same routine with "milkie" and her shows)


• enjoys cooking with me and washing dishes...making a big watery mess really


• often wraps & rewraps a baby doll or stuffed animal in a blanket and carries it around the house with her, usually just footsteps behind me


• loves her big brothers and is quite funny with them, she definitely has a sense of humor


• she's left-handed: draws circles, colors tiny little scribbles, and enjoys painting


• if asked what her favorite color is, it's always pink


• loves play-doh!


• she likes our two cats and Sophie our dog (she calls her "Fosie", close enough) she's good at yelling at Fosie too. Not so great around horses or cows...too loud for her still


• takes a long nap (around 2 hrs) and often a short cat-nap during play or in the car, just signs that she is needing her 3rd surgery. She can randomly fall asleep almost anywhere and she asks to lay down, as well as gladly goes to bed. "I tidered" are words that frequent her mouth throughout the day too and I find myself carrying her a lot


• her favorite foods are: noodles, spaghetti, pizza, rice, salad, tacos, enchiladas, strawberries, pediasure/whole milk mixture, lemonade, ice water, waffles, ice cream, licorice--she's not very picky and is a good eater...weighing in at 32 lbs and 38" tall!


• her current favorite toys are her baby stroller, shopping cart, strawberry shortcake mini-dolls, little leapfrog laptop, any princess paraphernalia, and my i-phone


• she loves to play with her cousins and her best heart friend Teagie


• she says a sweet prayer when I tuck her in at bedtime: "Dear Heavenie Fader, Tank you all my bessings, bess my heart, seep good no bad deams, I love you, Ameen" When we speak of Jesus, her face lights up and she yells out "Jesus! I love Jesus!" while quickly nodding her head and smiling. Yes, she does know and love Him...warms my heart


• she often does "Nastics" (gymnastics) by twirling around, loping sideways, and bending over with one foot high up, very cute to watch and entertaining...she's watched cousins Savanna & Kaylee compete and is convinced that she does nastics as well!


• she loves books, begging for "just one more" and holding her little blue finger up as a number one. It's tough to resist!


• she is very chatty, sings a lot, and has a large vocabulary...she can be quite bossy and just recently started throwing fits when she doesn't get what she wants or things don't go by her plans


• to sum up her personality, Maddie is sweet, quiet, thoughtful, silly and very tender. She's observant and always concerned when others are crying or hurt and shows lots of empathy and understanding in these situations. Maybe all of her pokes, dr visits and procedures have actually helped her in this area? She can be really whiny and grumpy when she's tired but can still be talked "into/out of" things, situations, etc. pretty easily


• a perfect afternoon in Maddie's world is: swinging-- all. day. long.


• and she still loves to cuddle. Mooms makes our day, every day.

letting my face sparkle

We received the call last Thursday on Maddie's upcoming surgery. We were holding out for June for her Fontan surgery...but it is going to be in May. It's 3 months away...May 24th. I'm glad we have a date but it does bring a load of mixed emotions. I'd like to share with you something I've found very helpful lately, especially when the worry creeps in. Heart mom's...maybe this will help you too!

Recently, my mom and I were having a conversation on the subject of what we communicate as parents to our children. Action speaks so much louder than words. Do we live what we preach? What do we communicate to our kids? What does my faith communicate to them?

She shared with me a chapter out of the daily devotional, "Women of Faith" she reads. That particular day's excerpt was titled, Let your face Sparkle, written by Sheila Walsh.

"Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord." -Psalm 31:24

"I am not an alien!" my son announced one morning over breakfast.

"I'm so glad darling. Now eat your eggs."

"Do you want to know how I know I'm not an alien?"

"Absolutely," I replied.

"Well, when E.T. is happy, his heart glows through his skin."

"What happens when you are happy?" I asked.

"Watch," he said. Slowly a mischievous grin spread across his face till his eyes shown. "My face sparkles!" he announced gleefully.

I thought about that all day. I wondered what my face communicates to my son, to others around me. I see a variety of emotions wash across my boy's face every day, bringing shadows or sunlight.

We each have a choice: to be a blank sheet of paper, left to the mercy of the pen of the day's events, or to be settled in heart and mind that God is in control of every moment and to rest in that good news. The latter decision requires faith and resolve. Hope then becomes an action word. It moves from a crossing of the fingers and hoping for the best to a bold stance of reliance on God.

We don't know what this day will hold, but God does. We don't have the strength to face every unexpected heartache, but God does. So let your face sparkle!

I had other plans for "when" Maddie's Fontan would take place...but God's timing is best. I can chose to let worry and fear about her upcoming surgery ruin the days we all have together until surgery or I can chose to put those feelings aside, trusting in Him because God knows best. He is in control of this and my faith has to lie in Him. More than anything, I want our children to see my reliance on God and my trust in His plan. I have hopes and dreams for how this will all go and my plan sounds great to me--but I have to have faith in His plan for her (and for all of us) and all the while, let my face sparkle. Our hope is in the Lord.

Speaking of sparkle...this little girl LOVES to paint her fingernails and the more sparkle, the better! This was her idea after a bath this week. It's not tough to have a "sparkling face" with this little love.

I pray

I pray that no other parent shall have to hear those words "Congenital Heart Defect"

I pray that no other parent is given the choice to terminate their pregnancy or has to chose the "comfort care" method by bringing their newborn baby home to die because of a complex CHD

I pray that no other parent shall have to sacrifice time with their "healthy" child because you can't be in 2 places at once

I pray that no other parent has to see their child eat with a tube because just sucking a bottle makes them tired and sick

I pray that no other parent has to make the decision to have their child's chest cracked open and heart stopped

I pray that no other parent has to endure the torture of seeing their child cry her eyes out, yet not hear a sound

I pray that no other parent shall have to get instructions on how to hold their child - this should be instinct

I pray that no other parent is at the mercy of waiting for another child to pass away, because this is their child's only chance of living

I pray that no other parent has an empty crib waiting for it's owner to come home from the hospital, if at all

I pray that no other child should have to go through all this pain, yet still lose their fight in the end

I pray for hope

I pray for awareness

I pray for research

I pray for a cure

Today is Congenital Heart Defects Awareness Day...as you love and hug the sweet valentines in your life, please say a prayer for those born with a broken heart.

("I pray" was taken from Heart Mama's facebook group.)

calendar girls!

I love, I love, I love my calendar girl
Yeah, sweet calendar girl
I love, I love, I love my calendar girl
Each and every day of the year!
(February) You're my little valentine...

Maddie & Teagan were featured in a calendar benefitting Seattle Children's, created by the Harvest Ball Guild in Tri-Cities. These two are the cover of the calendar as well as the month of February...fitting for two very special 'sweet' hearts.

Yesterday, we spent the afternoon with Teagan and her family. How we love our time with them. We spent the day eating noodles, playing at a playground in beautiful weather, shopping, and just enjoying our time together. As I've said many times before, the girls are very cute together and because of their friendship, another one has really bloomed over the past couple of years: Caden & Gavin are buddies. These boys are only a couple of weeks apart in age and have a lot in common. They have just as much fun as their sisters and between all four of these kids, there were many tears and sad faces when we said our goodbyes at Hobby Lobby. Simply said, we love the Maxwell's!

Something the Lord Made

If you haven't seen this movie, you need to. It shows how far congential heart surgery has come and is just a wonderful story if you're connected to CHD or not!