Summer Is...

Summer is...

a road trip to see family and to celebrate a couple's new life together.  At the end of May, we traveled to Minneapolis to celebrate the wedding of Steve's youngest sister.  Nancy had a beautiful ceremony at the Basilica of Saint Mary.  I played dress-up with the boys and they had a blast with their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.  We visited the Mall of America and finally purchased living room furniture on the way home from Nebraska Furniture Mart in Kansas City.  Now, that's an exciting road trip!

Steve and his siblings (all but the oldest)

What an amazing church!








Those boys clean up pretty nice...





Aaahhh.... finally, the reception!  Sammy unwrapped and ate all the Hershey's kisses on our table.

Joseph stays busy with the reception favors.

David gives me a dance lesson.

Zachy flirts with Aunt Heidi.
OK, now he's had enough!!!

Alex busts a move.

Steve gives break-dancing lessons.

In front of one of the Lego exhibits at the Mall of America.

Summer is...

celebrating a BIG birthday in a BIG way.

I can't believe he has made it this long...
Happy birthday to the love of my life!



A little birthday toy to make him feel like a boy again...

Steve's folks made the trip all the way from North Dakota for his big day.


Summer is...

catching frogs, snakes, turtles, and fish, and sometimes getting "skunked."
I have never seen a grin so big!

Cousin Andrew helps find a snake.

Summer is...

attending my *cough* 20th high school reunion!
This group attended K-12 together.  Go Eagles!


Summer is...

baking on the ball field.
Temps spiked over 100 degrees during several of Joe's games.

It was a fun but rather painful first season of machine pitch.


Summer is...

swimming and splashing 'til we're wrinkled as raisins.
Sammy was afraid to get into the water at the beginning of summer.  Two weeks later, he was jumping in and swimming with no help!


Summer is...

thanking God we are all healthy, home, and together this year. The past two summers, the bigger boys stayed behind while Steve and I took Zachary to Michigan for surgery. This summer, we had good news at a recent cardiologist visit.  Zachy "scored" an encouraging 96% oxygen saturation, even though his Fontan fenestration hasn't closed (the fenestration is the "pressure valve" in the repair between his heart and lungs.)  Some kids require a cath procedure to close the fenestration, but due to his high sats, his doc isn't concerned. Zachy is down to 81 mg of aspirin each day as his sole medication.  Many other heart kids need to take other meds to give the heart a boost.  Zachy is doing so well that his cardiologist said not to come back for a year!  Thank you, God.
Zachy is less fearful at the doctor's office these days.

He likes to show off his muscles.

Bubbles make the doctor's a lot more fun!

Watching a favorite DVD helps Zachy stay calm during his echo.















Summer is...

playing hard.



Summer is...

playing SO hard that you wipe out at Grandma's... next to your stinky brother!

Comments

  1. JennyJuly 14, 2011 at 5:30 AM

    It looks like your summer is so much fun! And I have to say those pictures of Zack actually holding still during an EKG and an echo... unbelievable. That doesn't seem like anywhere we will ever be. ;) Down to one aspirin! AWESOME!! :) :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sarah HolthusenJuly 14, 2011 at 10:18 AM

    Awww.....such GREAT pictures!!! I'm so glad you're all having such a wonderful summer!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Smilen ChampJuly 14, 2011 at 8:44 PM

    Hi
    My name is Jenna and I came across your site. Zachary is an amazing, courageous,strong, determined, fighter. He is a brave warrior, smilen champ and an inspirational hero. All your kids are, cute, adoreble, and handsome. They all have great smiles. I was born with a rare life threatening disease, and love it when people sign my geustbook. www.miraclechamp.webs.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. AmyJuly 15, 2011 at 2:04 PM

    So glad to hear that your summer is "normal" with family fun and trips rather than surgery. Not another doc's visit for a whole year ... unbelievable and exciting!!! I was so excited to see your post and see that there is a normal life after these surgeries. Mason is scheduled to have his Fontan in 6 days. Please keep him in your prayers.

    ReplyDelete

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