Our Miracle Child

Tonight was the unveiling of the Heart Hero Gallery. The event was held at the Antler's Hotel. Eight incredible children were featured in this gallery. We got to pull the cloth off of Thad's picture and see his reaction to it. He said "Oh, it's Thad!" He was excited to see his picture blown up. They had his picture and his story. It was amazing to read all of the stories and see how CHD's have impacted each life.

KKTV 11 News was at the event and Thad's picture was in the background while the anchor was talking. You see his picture for a long time on the news! It shows a little section of his story as well. Once they post a link to the news story I will post it.

Here is a shortened version of the story I wrote for Thad's picture.

Our Miracle Child

Thad’s Story

Our first child Emma passed away when she was 3 months old due to a heart defect, so on August 28, 2007 when we were told our second child would be born with a heart defect; our hearts sank. In January of 2008, our son Thaddeus Max was born. His aortic arch was narrowed and he had a hole in his heart.

When Thad was just three days old he had open heart surgery. It lasted for almost six hours. His chest was left open to take pressure off his heart. He had four chest tubes and eleven pumps hooked up to his little body. Each day he made a little more progress, and after two weeks was able to come home.

Our life continues to be full of doctor’s visits and heart check-ups but Thad is doing great. He is now three years old, loves to ride his bike and play in the dirt. He teaches us a new lesson every day and reminds us how important life is. He is our miracle.

First look at baby Younger

We had our regular OB checkup today. I was only expecting to hear the heartbeat not see our little one! I am 11 weeks and they were afraid we wouldn't be able to pick up the heartbeat on the regular doppler so they did an ultrasound to see the little heart beating! It was small but you could see it! It was a quick appointment but we got to take home this precious picture of our LP3- Little Peanut 3! Right when he/she came on the screen his/her little hand was sticking straight up!

We go next Thursday- December 2nd for an appointment at Maternal Fetal Medicine. We will have a consult with the doctors and also a Nuchal Translucency scan. It is a sonogram where they can measure the fluid on the back of the babies neck. If this is thick it usually means some type of chromosome defect. We will have the big sonogram where they can look at the babies heart at 20 weeks- probably in late January.

Survivor Heart Gallery

Thad is one of the featured kids in the survivor gallery. The unveiling is November 29th from 4-6:30 at the Antler's Hotel in Colorado Springs. This gallery will travel around businesses in the Colorado Springs area. We need more awareness about Congenital Heart Defects. We will have volunteers who will be at some of the locations once a week. If anyone will be in the Colorado Springs area and would like to volunteer at the gallery to present facts to the public please let me know.

2011 Calendar

Saving Little Hearts 2011 Calendar is now for sale! Of course I submitted Emma and Thad's picture. You can click here to view the calendar. Check out May and December. Emma is in May and Thad is in December.

Emma Renee

Today marks the 4th anniversary of our Emma joining Jesus in Heaven. We could tell you how sad each day is but instead we will write about how much joy Emma brings us. We talk to Emma each and every day. She continues to do great things in our life every day. Thad and the new baby will grow up knowing about their big sister. Thinking about each day we had with her here makes us smile. Life is a gift and we treasure every moment we have.

Love you Emma.

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then someone at my side says: "There, she is gone!"

"Gone where?"

Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side and she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at the moment when someone at my side says: "There, she is gone!" there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout: 'Here she comes!"

Henry Van Dyke

October

We had a lot of fun activities planned for October! We went to the pumpkin patch with our Mended Little Hearts group and picked up some pumpkins. We took a hay ride out to the pumpkin patch and Thad had fun picking the pumpkin he wanted. After the pumpkin patch we went to my Aunt and Uncle- Tony and Sue's cabin in the mountains. It was gorgeous up there and we went on a nice hike. Thad had fun climbing over sti

After the pumpkin patch we went to my Aunt and Uncle- Tony and Sue's cabin in the mountains. It was gorgeous up there and we went on a nice hike. They have a tradition of picking up sticks, rocks, leaves, etc along the walk and making a picture frame to hang in the cabin with our picture. Thad had fun climbing over sticks and crossing the little river.

We also went to Boo at the Zoo again this year. Of course spiderman did all the fun things like riding the choo choo train, carousel and seeing all the animals. Spiderman had fun driving the train!

Thad had fun trick or treating this year. He wanted to keep going to every house! He walked right up to the house and said Trick or Treat! One lady told him he could take 10 pieces of candy! So he counted out all 10 pieces. Another lady told him to pick 2 pieces and he asked if he could have 3!!!!