So Hard to Say Goodbye

Andrew & Ava

Love this girl!

 This is the dress my (then 2 year old) nieces wore in our wedding.

Steve & Penny

Ava saving Steve from the scary part of the movie (Princess Bride)

Betsy & Penny

Love this girl!

Love this girl!

I am going to miss my friend, Lily

TJ, Lily, Betsy, Ava, Andrew, Penny & Steve
Can't wait for the next photo op

Our good friends, TJ & Lily left for school today with their 2 girls.  We are going to miss them so much.  They are on their way to Missouri to New Tribes Missionary training school.  There is a link to their blog to the left under the 'friends' tab.

Summertime Pictures

 Andrew sound asleep in the corner of his awesome bed space (that Daddy made him).

Funny how he barely takes up the corner of his bed, but when he's in our bed he dominates : )

 Blowing Bubbles from the sink

 LOL!

 Dizzy & Daddy love to goof off together.

 Supporting USA soccer.

 Mommy & Andrew in his little easy chair.

Such a sweetheart!

Procrastination

Well, Andrew WAS scheduled to go in for a heart cath this Friday, but yesterday he started a stomach bug so it has been rescheduled for next month - September 7th to be exact.  Andrew is doing okay with the illness.  We're hoping he is sleeping it off tonight.  The timing is kind of ironic, since Andrew is rarely sick.  But that just reminds us of what an awesome work God has done in Andrew - making a way for him to live, and THRIVE.  The boy weighs over 40 pounds now!  He has started eating more by mouth & getting 1/3 less tube feedings - a great start!  Andrew is also starting to talk more, which is very exciting.  He's such a smart thing, learning sight words now, we can't wait for him to tell us what he's thinking.  We are getting ready to start homeschooling this year - figured PreK was a good time to try it out.  We are excited to be participating in a Classical Conversations community, which uses a classical approach to education & meets regularly to allow 'class projects' and socialization/community.  Should be fun for the whole family.  I promise I will work on getting some pictures up this weekend.  Thanks to everyone who has been keeping us in their prayers!

Homecoming!

      Words can't explain how grateful we are to be celebrating 4 years home with our precious son! For a kid who was expected to only live a few months after we brought him home on May 27, 2008 he sure is full of wonderful surprises! We even had a great cardiac checkup on the 22nd.  Andrew is scheduled for a cardiac cath on August 10th - because it's time - but no plans for major surgery anytime soon. His cardiologist even said 'teen years' at which point Steve & I took off on cloud 9. We continue to pray for Andrew's ongoing health, but overwhelmingly praise God for the miracle He continues to work in Andrew's body, allowing him to LIVE & bring JOY to our lives!

Can't escape Mama's kisses

 The 18 foot water slide was a blast! Andrew went down with me a couple times, but preferred the kiddie pool and even the big slip & slide.

 Swinging with his big cousin, Kalee

 Slip n Slide with Uncle Richie

 The Costello Girls giving him a fun wagon ride

Cousins: Charley & Sierra

 Getting pictures with his CMN shirt for our fundraising.

 Fight night

 Andrew with his friends Penny & Ava.

 Steve snuggling Penny on her first fight night : )

 A good book. Andrew frequently picks a book from Steve's library & flips through. Sometimes he counts out loud as he turns to each chapter. Often he will pick the same book for a week or so, impressive since there are over 1,000 books in there. He just loves books - a chip off the 'ol block.

 Andrew has grown to love Thomas the Train & Daddy bought him enough additional train parts to  build a track that takes up his whole room. They have a good time sending his match box cars back & forth to each other from opposite sides.

 On May 12th my co-workers & I put on a fundraiser for our Children's Miracle Network Torch Relay team.  We are doing the 5k in November, but have been fundraising all year (Wendy's great idea & we are already over $1,000). For this Fundraiser in the Park we raised $600 & had a blast doing it!

Check out the link to the left CMN Torch Relay Team to join us or just keep track of our progress.

Easter, Sprinklers & Bubbles

 Andrew & Daddy all dressed up for Easter : )

 Sweet smile

 Lately Andrew will go into his dresser & bring out his swim suit. The water in the pool was still a bit cold in April, so sprinkler fun it was. 

 Can't believe how BIG this boy is getting - about 38.5lbs these days.

 Andrew just learned how to blow bubbles. We are all very excited since bubbles is something he loves & asks for verbally.

Just love this boy!