Blessings

With the amazing generousity of so many, we were able to purchase a slighlty used, 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan! It is currently in the process of being modified into a ramp van, so it will be wheelchair accessible! It's blue color has earned it the name GROVER ROVER. Coined by Grandma Kelly and Isaiah!

It feels so great to have a van we know will run well! I can't wait to get it back. Hopefully, by the begining of May.

Jeremiah got ahold of the camera again! He started taking pictures of his Little Critter books.

Then he would show us the pictures and say, "That's ADORABLE!"

Isaiah was working on his driving skills with a passenger....He almost runs into the NEW van! Beware, I yell at him at the end of this one!

We visited the Children's Museum with the Uttecht's and got to say hi to the Big Red Dog himself!

CLIFFORD! The boys were so excited!

A typical Sunday afternoon at Grandma's...it is my favorite day of the week!

Natalie Jane is doing well, and we all feel as prepared as can be expected. Surgery is scheduled for 7am on Monday. We will keep everyone updated with the blog and the website! Thank you all for your prayers and financial support. This situation could have easily drowned us, but the encouragement we have received kept us afloat. Blessings.

Natalie says bye-bye, her first word, at the end of this one! She also says ma ma and da da now!

Fitting for a King

Jeremiah took the camera and took quite a few pictures by himself...this was on of them!

Isaiah and Jeremiah had there tuxedo fittings today! I got a few cute picks while they got measured for the suits they'll be wearing in Chelsea's wedding this summer.

Jeepers was a little reluctant to try on they suit jacket...

but he perked up when we bribed him with Chuck E. Cheese!

Isaiah is so excited to wear a nice suit and match his uncles and grandpa. He knows how handsome he will look!

Lift your arms...

A little preview of things to come as Isaiah peeks in the mirror.

Have a happy Wednesday everyone!

Mayo Clinic Visit

Hi everyone. I am sitting at the Kahler Inn in Rochester, MN. Natalie is sleeping soundly in the next bed, and we are all bushed after a long day of appointments and information.

Natalie was sedated for her echo today. Here she is dozing nicely waiting for the doctor to start the test. Following the echo, she had an EKG. She slept through that too! She did very well with the sedation, and awoke happy and ready to play.

Nurse Molly watches over her as we finish things up. We loved Nurse Molly!

Here is Natalie eating Jimmy John's for lunch. She had the #16, and she ate it freaky fast!

The cardiologist informed us that Natalie will be needing surgery at the end of March. They will be planning a full Mytral Valve Replacement. This surgery is an open heart procedure, and Natalie will be placed on a bypass machine during the surgery. She will be hospitalized for one week afterwards.

Unfortunately, this was the worse case senario, and is second only to a transplant. Valve replacement in children under a year old is very risky, and will mean an additional surgery in her teen years to replace it again. Because Natalie has not gained any weight since January, and her heart is not improving in any way, they feel the risk is worth it.

I have a lot of questions not answered, and the news today was hard to take, and emotional for us. I was really hoping they could save her valve instead of replace it. A valve replacement means life-long blood thinners, and all the difficulties that brings with it. We will be regrouping and contacting the doctors soon to get more answers, and reasurance that this is the best course of action.

I want to thank all of you who helped our family at the Broomball Tournament at Bryce and Tracy's over the weekend! Matt and I are so blessed by all of your genourosity. And WE ARE STILL SORE. So thanks for that too! Go Team Three!

Please continue to keep us in prayer as we arrange details and prepare for a challanging March. I feel so devastated about the valve replacement. I was so hoping they could avoid it! Pray for our Natalie Jane, our little gift. We waited so long for her, and I have so much fear...for the worse.

Day Two at Faith's Lodge

Today we got to know another family. It was great talking to a mom who knows first hand the struggles of raising high maintenance kids! One of their sons had stage four neuroglastoma (blood cancer) when he was one year old. He pulled through, but has tests often to watch for reaccurance. Another mom waiting for the other shoe to drop.

We enjoyed the fresh snow today by taking the kids for a sled ride! It is beautiful up here.

Isaiah and Natalie ride on the sled together! Matt said it was a bit heavy...

The entrance to Faith's Lodge. It looks like Lori and Jeff's basement!

Getting ready to make some s'mores. I've never roasted marshmellows in the winter before!

One big happy family with floppy hats. Some day our kids will be embaressed by this one.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmarshmellows!

Isaiah had so much fun roasting his marshmellows.

Quiet movie time back in the room.

Big TVs and comfy beds. The boys were in heaven!

Comfy couch and a warm Natalie Jane. Daddy's enjoying himself too.

Okay, is it just me, or she getting CUTER EVERY DAY!?! The second tooth is still pushing through, but she is being a trooper. She won the bear at family bingo tonight! Isaiah got a big Hotwheels car, and Jeremiah won a rescue chopper.

She is doing really well keeping her glasses on! Natalie is especially taken by books now that she has better vision. Her new word today was "all done." Really, she says it! I think we have another big talker on our hands.

We will be heading to Forest Lake tomorrow for the broomball tourny! I can't wait to fall on my butt. I ate lots of crap this week, so there should be extra padding. Hey, it is a great excuse to eat those brownie bites...

Faith's Lodge

We are having a great time in Northern Wisconsin at Faith's Lodge. Faith's Lodge is a vacation spot for families that have lost a child, or are dealing with the challange of raising children with life-long disabilities or illness. It is free of charge, and they provide fun activities and meals while you and your family enjoy time free from medical appointments, or as you recover from the loss of a child.

We arrived Wednesday night with excited Jeremiah asking, "Is this a Grandma's house?" I think he still thinks it is a "grandma's" house because he is so free to run around, and other people are making us food! There is a great toy room, a craft area, and a lot of space to sit and relax. There is even a small movie theatre...Isaiah's favorite room!

Natalie is working on her second bottom tooth, and getting over a cold. Mommy and Daddy didn't get a whole lot of sleep Wednesday night!

One of the activities today was painting a birdhouse together as a family. It was a lot of fun...despite the look on Jeeper's face! We also decorated cupcakes.

Matt and I have an ajoining room to the kids, comeplete with a fireplace, deep tub, and a living area with tv!

The kids have the same thing, accept there is a handicap bathroom for Isaiah, and an extra bed. The beds are all Sleep Numbers! I am a 65, Matt is a 60, and Isaiah is still figuring his out. We keep the remote away from Jeremiah!

We went up to the Eagle's Nest this morning and watched the snow fall. It is nice to be in a place where you LIKE the snow instead of DREAD it! Matt's commute is 3 plus hours on these nights at home! We passed a lot of time playing games (Operation, Jenga, Candy Land and Hi-Ho-Cherrios) and crafting. We are enjoying ourselves and are greatful for a break from reality.

Jeremaih sings "Juice Box Hero"

Grandpa and Grandma were playing "Band" with the boys. Grandma Kelly started singing "Juke Box Hero" when Jeremiah pipes in with "I'm a JUICE BOX hero!" Isaiah even thought it was funny. Here is a little taste of an evening with our juice box hero. Now he's singing "Hit Me with Your Best Shot" and playing his fly swater guitar.

Family Update!

Natalie is doing well! The last week has held some "Firsts..."

FIRST TOOTH!

FIRST WORD! (Bye Bye with a wave! So cute!)

FIRST PIG TAILS!

Natalie goes back to Mayo on March 2nd for another echo and to see her cardiologist again. We are praying that her condition has remained stable (not gotten any worse) and her heart is growing.

Natalie went to the Opthamologist (eye doctor) a couple weeks ago. She was diagnosed with severe far-sightedness (just like daddy and Isaiah) and will be undergoing surgery to correct her crossing on April 1st. Her eyes will appear straight immediately after surgery! The surgery will take place at Children's Minneapolis under the care of Dr. Freeman. He did Isaiah's surgery almost 5 years ago. She also got her first pair of glasses, which she loves to play with and take off! They are pink plastic rimmed and sooo cute. I'll try to catch a picture soon!

Natalie also started physical therapy at Children's West a couple weeks ago. Because Natalie is not sitting, rolling, or crawling independently (gross motor delays) she's going to be seen twice a month to help get her moving. We will also begin shopping for her flower-girl dress! Chelsea's wedding is only 16 weeks away!

Isaiah is also doing well. He loves pre-school this year, and will be attending Kindergarden Round-Up in March! I can't believe we are getting ready for SCHOOL! He is working Hard at Gillette using a computer system for communication. His therapists are doing a great job showing Isaiah the ropes, and helping us choose a good system he will use to talk to us! Everyone at school and therapy tell us he is so smart, and doing a great job.

School has also been good for his social life this year, and he has a couple friends he really enjoys. He will be attending his first "friend" birthday party on Saturday. Isaiah got the above science kit from aunty Kerry for Christmas. He has been enjoying making underwater volcanos and learning about acids and basis. He's our new science buff! He loves the show Sid the Science kid, too.

Oh, Jeremiah. We are neck deep in the terrific threes! His past times include playing the drums, drawing, basketball, golf and baseball (in the house). He knows all of his letters by sight, and can count to 20. He has been trying so hard to write his letters, but does not quite have the coordination yet. As a result, he gets very frusterated, and tends to be a perfectionist when it comes to art and writing! He can swing from totally happy and content to comeplete violent melt down in 5 seconds. He also decided naps are not needed any longer, and talking or singing constantly is.

He truly is a test of whole different set of parenting skills! I think I need to buy a book for this one!

A friend of our family is throwing a fundraiser for Natalie on February 28th. Check out the flyer below for more info!

Blessings on your week! Thank you all who have been holding us in prayer, and supported us financially.