I've had a lot of sweet emails and messages lately asking how Pierson has has been doing. The short answer: very well. His occupational therapy is going very well and he is showing so much progress in his fine motor skills, over all strength is building and he is falling a lot less. He's getting stronger every day and he will begin U4 soccer in a few weeks.
We've seen the inside of a lot of doctor's offices lately but none of them have been cardiologists so we're good. Two days after Christmas he was diagnosed with pre-pneumonia. 8 days later he had an ear infection. The next week he fell on the playground and slit the corner of his eye open and we had to make a little ER visit to put the skin around his eye back together - now all he has to show for it is a teeny-tiny quickly fading scar, and now he has a double ear infection. What's funny is a year ago this would have gotten me all in a tizzy and would have been a big deal but now it's small stuff. Really, very, very small. Please understand I am not at all discounting anyone's child feeling under the weather when you read the following statement, I've been there: I hear other parents talking about how their otherwise healthy child has a cold, tummy bug or ear infection and how horribly awful and inconvenient it is and I think to myself, "Count your blessings! If you only knew..."
Back to February. February is a very exciting month for our family. First and foremost, February is Congenital Heart Defect Awareness month. We get to celebrate heart heroes this entire month. There is defiantly emotion tied in to this. To think that last year we didn't even know what a CHD was and now we're celebrating all the "1 in 100" kids out there who valiantly fight - it blows my mind. CHD Awareness week is celebrated February 7-14. Make sure and wear your red! We are looking forward to the CHD Survivor Party at P's hospital that week more than I can tell you. I can't think of a better reason to celebrate than all these warrior kids.
February also holds Pierson starting soccer, my birthday and one of my best childhood friends and her husband coming to spend my birthday weekend with us here in Texas. Woohoo! We should also complete the remodel on our house this month. Hopefully before our company arrives. ;-) We have a lot to be thankful for, a lot to look forward to and a lot to celebrate this month.
Oh! Something else very special! Sigma Alpha, the Christian sorority I am an alumni of at UNT is doing something very special for the next two semesters. They are raising money for Whole Hearts. Whole Hearts is a foundation founded by Sanctus Real lead singer Matt Hammitt and his wife Sarah. Their son, Bowen was born with a congenital heart defect called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. There's no such thing as a "good" heart defect, but HLHS is especially scary. Matt and Sarah have chosen to honor God and their son by reaching out to other heart families who are hurting and give them support and show the love of Christ in the darkest times by forming Whole Hearts. My sorority sister Cat, who has a son with HRHS and I went and spoke with the active membership of Sigma and these girls have blown me away. They have jumped in with both feet and are approaching this project with passion and vigor. I will keep you updated on them. They are blowing me away and blessing my heart. 1 in 100 children are born with a CHD. Our chapter of Sigma has around 200 alumni and two our our children have CHDs, so that statistic is shockingly true for our sisterhood.
I'm awake early this morning. Whenever I wake up early I like to go steal some sleepytime cuddles with Pierson. As I snuggled up beside him and looked at that precious little sleeping face I just had to praise God. Everyone tells you that being a parent will change your life in indescribable ways but I think that's an understatement. Those precious little soft cheeks. Ugh. I hate that they're thinning out in to little boy cheeks but that just means he's here with us and he's still growing in to a healthy young man. Not a day goes by where I don't think about how lucky we are to still have him. Every time I hear of a kid on the news who drops dead of "an undetected heart defect" I tear up. We came so close to that being our own 3 year old. This week has been a hard one for the congenital heart community. Too many children have died. Never take your children for granted. When they want to play, go play with them. When they ask why, explain to them (even though it may be followed by another "why"). Be a cuddle bandit. You can never tell them you love them enough. God's ears never get tired of hearing you thank Him for your children. Don't be afraid to get messy with them or to do something fun spur of the moment. Make sure they know that God has created them with His own two hands and that He has a special plan and purpose for their lives. They are never too young to hear this. In this month where we celebrate all the CHD warriors, soak in your children and pray for the parents who no longer have their heart heroes here on earth with them.
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| One of my favorite new pics of P and his best bud Jack |
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