As we celebrate the month of November for us also comes another new meaning to being THANKFUL!. On Saturday, November 16th we celebrated Ethan's 1 Year Heart Birthday! It's hard to believe that we've finally reached this 1 year milestone. In the transplant world, the first year is usually the hardest and that tends to be the year you see rejection. Fortunately, Ethan had a great year with no rejection and no big hiccups! This past year has been lots of adjustments but it's all been worth it. We are THANKFUL! To celebrate Ethan's milestone we had a Heart Party that was perfect! With close family and friends there to celebrate it couldn't have been any better! After the party we released some green balloons and one red balloon to our sweet donor angel in heaven! Ethan tells people about his heart party and how he has a new heart! It's so precious to listen to him and then to see the reaction on others faces when they are unaware of his story. His preschool class had a heart party for him too. They even made a book that was called "We are Thankful for Ethan", then each classmate wrote why they were thankful for him. It was precious! Just another reason we are so THANKFUL for the school he's in and his teachers!
Now to back up a few months,we had Caden and Maddison's cardiology appointment in September. At this point we were checking Caden's heart size to make sure it wasn't getting to large. If you have not been following all three of my kids were born with Complete AV Heart Block. Caden doesn't have a pacemaker yet, but will someday. After his appointment in September the doctors have moved his appointments from 6 months to every year unless we see symptoms that his heart can't keep up with his body. We are so THANKFUL for the good news! As we know the day will come, the longer we can chug along the better! Maddison had a pacemaker put in at 6 1/2 months and she also has Long QT syndrome. We are watching Maddison closely because of the heart failure that Ethan had. The results we got in September showed that her heart was still going strong! She will go back in April and if all looks good then her appointments will move to yearly too!
Another reason we are THANKFUL!!!
As we celebrate Thanksgiving today we are also celebrating another yearly marker in the Hanes home. On November 28th, 2012 we brought Ethan home from an 8 month hospital stay with a new heart! It was just like bringing a newborn home all over again. Ethan had never seen our new home. The last home he remembered was our home in Las Vegas. The ride home that evening after his long stay is something I will never forget. Ethan's eyes wide open looking at everything. Caden was telling him about all the things we were seeing. When we got home Caden took Ethan's shoes off for him and then gave him the tour of the house! We had spaghetti, green beans, and garlic bread, which was one of Ethan's favorite meals. The most amazing thing was how well Ethan just slipped right in and adjusted like he'd been here for months. We were finally home as a family of 5! Again, another thing I'm truly THANKFUL for! Hearing the little giggles of 3 kiddos
under one roof is such a blessing! I'm THANKFUL!
I thank God daily for the blessings he has given us! Our lives are nothing like what I had imagined they would be 11 years ago when Perry and I began our journey as two. We still face difficult roads but I'm always THANKFUL! Caden had a Thanksgiving show at his school and then a party we attended. On the "I'm Thankful for" Turkey, Caden said he was thankful for "My Ethan"! I'm THANKFUL!! Whether it's the month of November or the month of July I'm THANKFUL!For we do not know what lies ahead but
I will always give Him THANKS!!
Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. - Ephesians 5:20
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. - Psalm 118:1
Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
