G-R-A-C-E...

I was out of town for 3 days and 2 nights this week and by God's grace the kids did pretty good; however, I have to go out of town again this week.  Will you please pray the kids do well this week too?

Here is my team at work.  I'm grateful to know and get to call each of these people friends.  

It's hard seeing them get sad as they anticipate me leaving, knowing much of their struggle comes from PTSD of the unpredictability of their lives over the past 3 and a half years, since Grace has been in our lives.  This morning I was reminded that I too struggle with PTSD as our venture back to Boston appears that it may be closer than we had expected...  more on that in a minute.  Here are a few highlights from the week...

-One of my many favorite things about the Rise School is that they post pictures and videos of Grace throughout the week and the pictures never fail to make my day!  This picture has to be my all time favorite to date because Grace's smile is the purest demonstration of Grace's love for her school and the love her teachers and therapists have for their kiddos.

Here are some from snow day at Grace's school...

In preparation for snow day, they ice-skated in the classroom...  I'm so glad that they have this kind of  (messy) fun at school!

Here is Grace showing you how she spells her name and then cheers... "that spells Grace."  Clearly, we still need to work on our last name ;)

-GRACE GOT A BIG GIRL BED!!! So far Grace LOVES her big girl bed for the following reasons

1)  Now she "matches" her big sissy (remember how much she LOVES to match?)

2)  Her bed spread has hearts on it (a family favorite)

3)  She has all of her stuffed friends in the bed with her, her favorite being Lovey, the one the big kids made for her the fist time she went to Boston for her second surgery.  Both Abigail and Andrew recorded a message for her that she likes to play over and over every morning as she plays in her bed before we go into get her.

This is one happy and rascally little girl!

-Both big kids did a great job in their basketball games and Abigail had a soccer scrimmage.  Here's a short video of each making a basket (I'm just proud of myself for capturing one of their baskets on video because I'm officially the world's worst videographer when watching the kids play :-)

-Abigail (and Grace) was thrilled to get her hands on a baby with Down Syndrome at Gigi's Playhouse this weekend!

-Andrew lost another tooth (finally)...  another point for Mommy when it comes to the pulling teeth out score!

***Prayer request...  I learned this morning that there is a chance that Grace's cardiology team in Boston may want her to come for a heart catheter sooner than later because they are thinking that there may be value in dilating her valve at 2 years, despite her gradient not warranting it yet.  The thought is that it may help prevent complications of calcification that could negatively impact the valve replacement that she will need in the future.  All that being said, they are going to review her most recent echo images and let us know when they would like us to come back.  Will you please pray that the Lord would prepare everyone in our families hearts, take care of all of the logistics, and protect Grace from any complications whatsoever?  Thank you!!!  We trust that God's got this, but it doesn't mean I don't have to continually give any fear that sneaks in, over to Him.

Hope each of you has a blessed week!