Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to my amazing husband! We are so blessed to have you in our lives, to love us, support us and play with us! Thank you for working so hard to provide for our family and to allow me to stay at home to do the very important job of raising our children. I appreciate the way that you take care of us. You do a great job of loving us! I hope you had a fun and relaxing Father's Day weekend!

Ava and Mommy making a special breakfast for Daddy

Drew helped us cook too!

Chocolate chip pancakes, chicken apple sausage and fruit-Yum!

Best Daddy, playing with the kids in the backyard

Golfing Maniac

Future Tiger Woods?

Drew has a new hobby. It's golfing! Dan picked up some clubs for him about a month ago and they started hitting golf balls in the back yard. Then during Ava's birthday party (for ballerinas only!) Dan took Drew and his friend Connor & his dad to the driving range. Ever since then he's been hooked. He asks Dan to take him golfing all the time! In fact, sometimes his little feelings get hurt if Dan doesn't bring him. :(

He also practices his swing in the backyard nearly every day. The other day he was out there hitting golf balls and I heard him say to himself "Oh my gosh! That's so awesome!" Dan just bought an indoor putting mat as his own Father's Day present (and opened it early!) and Drew practices putting every day too! Perhaps we've got the next Tiger Woods on our hands? If that means that Drew can support us in our old age, we sure hope so!

Retrieving his ball after sinking the putt

Good position at the top of the backswing

Check out the power!

A Boy and a Girl

This weekend was a big one at our house. We had Drew's last T-ball game and Ava's first dance recital on the same day! Grandma and Grandpa and Grandpa Oddone and Gigi drove up from So Cal for the occasion. We also had Aunt Marie and Uncle Terry, cousin Adam from Amador and cousins Heather and John from Oakland join us. Since we don't live very close to most of our family, it was really special to me to have so much family there.

The day started off early, with Drew's last Scrappers game at 9:00 am. The weather was cooler than usual, but warmed up as the game went on. Drew was playing third base and got three hits and two RBI's. Then in the last inning he wanted to play catcher, so he got all suited up and did a great job behind the plate. I was very proud of him for trying it again, because the last time he played catcher he did not like it! After the game, Drew enjoyed his team snack of chocolate cupcakes!





Drew's team party was later that afternoon at Mountain Mike's Pizza. I couldn't go because Ava had to be at her recital early. Dan went with Drew and they both came home with trophys! Drew also got the SweetHeart award, because he's a sweet heart! Dan was recognized for being a great assistant coach. I'm so proud of my guys!


Ava's dance recital went great! I wasn't sure if she would dance on stage in front of everyone, because well, you know how she is. But she did great! She followed the teacher's lead and looked very cute! I didn't get very good pictures, but I did get video. Afterward Heather and John presented her with flowers and she was so proud of herself!






We all came home and had a yummy BBQ in the backyard. We had braided mozzarella and pita chips, gourmet sausages, green salad, fruit platter, pasta salad, and key lime pie. And lots of wine! The kids played outside and we had a wonderful time just visiting. At the end of the evening we re-watched the days events on video and just celebrated having a boy and a girl.

Difficult Conversation

I'm not sure if I've written about Faith on my blog before, but she had a special place in my heart. She and Drew had very similar beginnings. They were born about a month apart, both with interrupted aortic arch and 22q. They both had their first surgeries at UCSF and actually had a bit of an overlap there. Through the years her mom, Shelly, and I kept in touch about what was going on with our kids. We attended 22q conferences, support group meetings and sent Christmas cards and prayer requests.

Faith had the same surgery that Drew had, a one and a half ventricle repair, at UCD on March 31st. She spent the past two months in the hospital fighting for her life. Unfortunately after a strong and courageous fight, Faith passed away on Monday afternoon, in the arms of her mother who had been waiting two months to hold her again. I can only imagine the depth of the pain that Faith's parents are feeling. When I heard the news I sobbed...and have been thinking about them constantly. How strange it would be to leave the hospital that last time, without your child. What would it be like to go home and do the normal things you have to do, like eat dinner and go to sleep, but know that your life has changed forever? And how difficult would it be to deal with your own grief, but also to help your children who are grieving over a lost sibling? My heart goes out to the entire family.

Faith

Drew knew that Faith was in the hospital and that I had been going to visit her. We would pray for her at night and he painted her a picture to hang in her room. I wasn't sure if I would tell him that she died. I thought at the very least, I won't tell him unless he asks about her. Yesterday in the car, this was our conversation:

Drew-Why is Faith still in the hospital?
Me-Well (getting choked up)...she's not in the hospital anymore. She's in heaven now.
Drew-(starting to cry) Why is she in heaven? Was she very old?
Me-No honey, she was very very sick. So Jesus took her to heaven to be with him.
Drew-But I wanted her to come to my house.
Me-I know. But she's not sick in heaven. She's happy and playing.
Drew-Why does Jesus take kids to heaven?

I don't know how much he understands about death and heaven, but I do know that he was sad that Faith was gone. I told him that we are sad because we will miss her, but she is happy in heaven. I was dreading having this conversation ever, but I think it went pretty well considering.

Now if only someone could say something to me that would make me feel better.

Drew's picture for Faith