Change In Plans & Feeling Contemplative

Well, this evening we are suppose to be at one of our favorite Christmas parties of the year....and this year's theme is Polar Express where all the kids come in their jammies and listen to the story read by the host, and then Santa comes with toys for everyone. But, our boys are both under the weather so unfortunately we needed to keep them home. So, my alternate plans?....cleaning out the fridge and freezer...somehow this just does not compare to getting all dolled up and heading out for Christmas cheer and celebration. What a bummer!
Well, with this unexpected opening in my evening and with the house being quiet with feverish kiddos and with the rain tapping outside on my windows I figured maybe I would use this time to put a few thoughts down that have been swirling around in my head. I have been thinking a lot lately about Reid's upcoming birthday. Reid will be turning three in a few weeks, so hard to believe on so many levels and yet I am really glad to be here, three years out. Don't get me wrong, I love the baby stage and savor each milestone and I actually love diapers...I'll be sad when diapers are gone forever around here..... but somehow Reid turning three is just so sweet for me and I have been feeling very contemplative and reflective lately on those early days and very raw emotions we experienced. I am working on a couple different posts and hope to share in the next few days... so many amazing things actually happened those first few days after Reid's birth that I have not shared yet on my blog that we took as signs that we would be okay, and, of course three years later we are so much more than okay!! But, I am working on sharing those stories....
Until then, here are a few pictures from earlier in the week when my guys were feeling better and decorating some Christmas cookies.

I just love to see the love these two boys have for eachother!!

Nooooooo, MINE!!!!!!!! Celebrating 2 Word Sentences, Even If They Are These 2 Words :)

In speech therapy we have been focusing on getting Reid to string two words together. This has been slow going getting him to do this consistently on his own. However, this morning he clearly said, "Noooooooooo, MINE!" while whisking a book away from Luke. Hooray......we'll take it, even if it is a phrase that poor Luke probably would have been reprimanded for had he been the one to say it :). But, for Reid, we'll take those two words as a celebration! This means something is triggering and perhaps we are on the verge of several two words connections....

I Can't Believe It's Been A Year... Heart Update

I can hardly believe it was a year ago today that our littlest guy came out of the operating room looking like this.... For those new to our blog, this was Reid's second open heart surgery. The first was to fix an ASD, a VSD, and his mitral valve when he was 7 months old. The second surgery, just before his 2nd birthday, was to further repair the mitral valve which had some moderate to severe leakage. The surgery seemed a success at first but then things went a little south and it was thought he would need to go back into the operating room for surgery # three to replace the valve altogether with a metal one before he would be released...which quite possibly could have caused more complications and more surgeries down the road. However, long story short (or read here for posts from that time) over a course of several hand wringing days his swelling and excess fluid had dissipated and they decided to send us home to see if we could get a few more years out of his own valve before needing to completely replace it. But............ drumroll please...........I have not updated on his heart (shame on me) until now and as of last month he is now completely heart medicine FREE......AND his last echo showed a near perfect heart. The cardiologist said that if he keeps on like this there will not be a need for another surgery. Makes this mom's own heart very, very happy!!

Reid's surgery happened to be scheduled on Toby's 40th birthday.....which means TODAY is his birthday.....Happy Birthday Toby! We love you!

Below are pictures of what his little "zipper" looks like today, Reid in his "I did it" shirt because it just seems appropriate, and then him just being his little hambone self!

This Just Has to Be Shared....Such a Beautiful Thanksgiving Miracle

What a way to wake up on Thanksgiving Day and learn of this beautiful miracle, this beautiful heart of an 11 year old, and the goodness and awesomeness of God to make this all happen. My words cannot give what has occurred justice so please first read here to read the beginning of this amazing story and then read here to hear what has occurred just 8 days later. I am just so humbled by this family and their willingness to act upon the whispers and tugging on their heart for an orphaned child with Down syndrome. And...I am so encouraged by a community that helped make it financially possible. How many times do we ignore those little tuggings and never know what could have been.... and yet when we do act, or more appropriately "respond"....look at what true beauty can take place!
By the way.....what you are about to read happened because 300 people donated a small amount. 300 people......that's it, just 300 hundred. That number resonates with me because as big as our world is it should be so easy to get each and every one of those precious children out of those orphanages if only we would all act upon those small whispers and nudging.....I so hope we can!

Happy Thanksgiving...From My Favorite Little Indian

From where I sit it is 7:00 pm Wednesday evening and as far as I am concerned......the long holiday weekend has begun! I LOVE, LOVE this time of year. I love turkey and stuffing and all the trimmings and I love the warm aroma that just envelopes the house. I love the time with family to reflect on the year and share what we are thankful for. Actually, I just asked Luke what he was thankful for and his quick response was,"My friends and family". Truly, what could be better! I too am so thankful for my family....in fact each Thanksgiving Toby reminds me of a little story that occurred before we were even a family....and my fingers keep typing so I guess I am going to share that story :). Before Toby and I were engaged and he and I were "ring shopping" we came across a ring that I thought could be "the one" so I put it on my finger and stretched my hand out in front of me to take a look at it...and I guess I had a dreamy look on my face so Toby asked me what I was thinking. I laugh now thinking about it because it is such a "Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus" moment as I am sure he was thinking more about how much $$ it was going to cost him, but my response to him was, "I am trying to picture myself stuffing a Thanksgiving turkey with this ring on, for our future family". LOL. And, yes, I will be stuffing a Thanksgiving turkey for my family and my beautiful boys that I absolutely, absolutely adore....with THAT ring on my finger! ...and yes Toby will remind me tomorrow of the story and we'll laugh and look around at our little family that we could only have imagined back then....and we'll be ever so grateful and thankful!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone from the Foreman's and our cute little Indian.
These pictures were taken at his school "corn feast parade".

My favorite little Indian

This was when he first spotted me, lol,...I tried to hide at first so he would walk in the parade.

Reid's "cheesy" smile.