"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
--Jeremiah 29:11

Saturday, October 3, 2009

3rd Annual Averi Budde Foundation Benefit for Children's Hospital

Today we went to Blue Springs Ranch in Bourbon to a fundraiser for Children's Hospital's CICU and 7W. It was in honor of Averi Budde, a "heart friend" of Connie. She and her twin sister were there along with four or five other heart families we've met through the St. Louis support group, Heart 2 Heart. They had a lot to do and I'm pretty sure we did just about all of it! The kids had a blast. I think Mary Kathleen's favorite thing was the bounce houses and Connie loved the barrel rides. He called it a choo choo train. Mook rode a horse and even up in a helicopter! Can you believe it? After watching us take off, Connie got a little upset thinking I was disappearing. The food was great and so were the friends! Thanks Isom's and Budde's! What a wonderful event!

Mookie in a covered wagon

Connie and his heart friend Maggie

Finally not afraid of bounce houses!

In a barrel ride with Daddy

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Getting Better and Better

Connie keeps making noticable improvements almost daily! He's now telling us when his cup is "empty" instead of just asking for "more". On the steps of the playground equipment, he's learned to use the railing to go up instead of crawling. He still crawls about 40% of the time, but it is progress! I even notice when he sits down at the top of the slide, he's doing so in a more fluid motion now where before he sat down way back and scooted up to the slide. He's figured out how to bowl and play golf on the Wii and can use the remote without assistance! He's such a little smarty :) He's running more and doing that thing toddlers do where they keep repeating themselves until you acknowledge them! Annoying, but still progress. I still marvel that it has been less than five weeks since his surgery and he's already feeling and developing so much better. God is so good!