I am calling this post five in one since I have a few topics to discuss.
I will start backwards and work towards today. (This is going to be a long one)
ONE: MASON GRADUATES!
For the past three years Mason has been in the birth to three therapy programs.
Every week he has seen a physical therapist to help with his fine motor skills and a speech therapist to obviously help with his speech.
Kids in this program age out when they turn three and in most cases they move onto another therapy program… Mason has done so well that he has graduated! That means no more therapy!
This is sweet mixed in with some bitter. Mason has two women in his life that he has seen consistently that will no longer be coming over to “play”. Mason will miss his time with them both!
I remember the first day I meet each of his therapists.
Hutch; his physical therapist met us about two weeks after we came home from the hospital (the first time). During the first meeting we discussed how after he turned three he would phase out of the program… At that moment I felt like three years was a life time away yet here we are.
Mason and Hutch celebrating his third birthday!
The first day I met Cindy (his speech therapist) also happened to be the day he threw one of the largest fits I have ever seen him throw; and yes it happened during our meeting. It was so embarrassing.
She taught Mason how to better communicate and at the end of the day she taught Greg and I how to listen to what he is saying more effectively.
These two ladies as well as all of Mason’s nurses, Doctors, Surgeons and our entire family have truly taught us that it does take a “village” of people to raise a child.
TWO: MASON'S BIRTHDAY PARTY!
Firetrucks, Candy, Friends and Family best descibes the day.
See the smudge - That is from my back. I proudly wore cake the entire party!
THREE: FATHERS DAY
The most influential person in my life is probably not even aware of the things he has taught me or of how much he has affected my existence.
This person has always been in my life, from the day I first opened my eyes to the present moment. This person is a teacher, a guide, and a source of strength and support. He is whom I look up to with loving trust and pride. With a willing hand to lend, he is a helper, and an adviser. He showed me the stars and taught me how to reach them.
This influential person in my life is my Father.
He has influence the way I approach life.
He has given me and my sister the greatest gift anyone could give another person; he believed in us.
He may not be a firefighter, an astronaut or a brain surgeon – he is a simple man – yet he has left the greatest impact on me.
Fathers come in all shapes and sizes, and there is a wide range of opinions when it comes to how they are described – Authority, hero, comedian, loving. But no matter what words you use, fathers have an undeniable influence on our lives. I hope if you are a father reading this you choose to affect your child's life for the positive.
Greg: There is no doubt that God gave me you for all of lifes ups and downs. I am THANKFUL for the man you are everyday!
Side note: please be kind to me when you provide your feedback on my post. Have mercy; it it late :)
FOUR: MASON'S BIRTHDAY 6-20-2011
One Mason's Birthday we remember:
- The day our lives were turned upside down
- The instant love we felt when we first met our son
- Carefully choosing his name... Just for him
- Fighting for his life
- Holding his little hands and stoking his hair
- How sick our baby was and is
- Facing the hard reality of our new normal
- Begging the Lord to heal him
- The prayers poured out for us and Mason
- The many, many, many tears
- WE REMEMBER how far God has brought us
- How proud we are to be his parents
- Feeling like we couldnt love him any more
- Brining him home for the first time
- Transitioning to a family of three
- All of his smiles
- The day we dedicated him to the Lord
And today we remember God's faithfulness to us through it all.
Mason is THREE by the Grace of God!
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18
FIVE: MASON'S APPOINTMENT AT CHILDRENS HOSPITAL
Our appointment at Childrens also happened to be scheduled on Mason’s Birthday.
During the visit we discussed scheduling and timing of Mason’s third surgery. Looks like we are aiming for October.
I know this is 4 months away and I feel thankful that we now have a timeline however this brings a HUGE load of mixed emotions.
We knew this would come but it does not make this any easier.
He is our child and I feel vulnerable.
I am sharing the below with you because this has helped me the last two days when I start to feel anxious or feel as if “worry” is creeping in. It was shared with me my by Maddies Mom (via blog).
It comes from the daily devotional, “Women of Faith”.
The excerpt I will be referencing is titled “Let your face Sparkle” written by Sheila Walsh
"I am not an alien!" my son announced one morning over breakfast.
"I'm so glad darling. Now eat your eggs."
"Do you want to know how I know I'm not an alien?"
"Absolutely," I replied.
"Well, when E.T. is happy, his heart glows through his skin."
"What happens when you are happy?" I asked.
"Watch," he said. Slowly a mischievous grin spread across his face till his eyes shown. "My face sparkles!" he announced gleefully.
I thought about that all day. I wondered what my face communicates to my son, to others around me. I see a variety of emotions wash across my boy's face every day, bringing shadows or sunlight.
We each have a choice: to be a blank sheet of paper, left to the mercy of the pen of the day's events, or to be settled in heart and mind that God is in control of every moment and to rest in that good news. The latter decision requires faith and resolve. Hope then becomes an action word. It moves from a crossing of the fingers and hoping for the best to a bold stance of reliance on God.
We don't know what this day will hold, but God does. We don't have the strength to face every unexpected heartache, but God does. So let your face sparkle!
This speaks to me because I had other plans for Mason and when I believed his Fontan would take place, this is not playing out as expected in my mind. So I remind myself that God’s timing is perfect.
I have a choice: I can chose to worry and live in fear each day about his upcoming surgery and allow this to ruin the days we will have together or I can chose to put my fears aside, trusting in him because God knows best. He is in control of this and my faith MUST lie in Him.
If I can do only one great thing in this life I would choose it to be to teach Mason to rely on God and trust in his plan.
How to teach this to Mason becomes the question that I ask myself, today I think I found my answer: I can do this by showing him that I trust his plan when I might have had others.
Yes, I have plans, hopes and dreams for how this surgery will go – but I first must have faith in his plan for Mason.
My trust in the Lord will allow my face to sparkle and enjoy my time with Mason leading up to his surgery.
I will start backwards and work towards today. (This is going to be a long one)
ONE: MASON GRADUATES!
For the past three years Mason has been in the birth to three therapy programs.
Every week he has seen a physical therapist to help with his fine motor skills and a speech therapist to obviously help with his speech.
Kids in this program age out when they turn three and in most cases they move onto another therapy program… Mason has done so well that he has graduated! That means no more therapy!
This is sweet mixed in with some bitter. Mason has two women in his life that he has seen consistently that will no longer be coming over to “play”. Mason will miss his time with them both!
I remember the first day I meet each of his therapists.
Hutch; his physical therapist met us about two weeks after we came home from the hospital (the first time). During the first meeting we discussed how after he turned three he would phase out of the program… At that moment I felt like three years was a life time away yet here we are.
The first day I met Cindy (his speech therapist) also happened to be the day he threw one of the largest fits I have ever seen him throw; and yes it happened during our meeting. It was so embarrassing.
She taught Mason how to better communicate and at the end of the day she taught Greg and I how to listen to what he is saying more effectively.
These two ladies as well as all of Mason’s nurses, Doctors, Surgeons and our entire family have truly taught us that it does take a “village” of people to raise a child.
TWO: MASON'S BIRTHDAY PARTY!
Firetrucks, Candy, Friends and Family best descibes the day.
THREE: FATHERS DAY
The most influential person in my life is probably not even aware of the things he has taught me or of how much he has affected my existence.
This person has always been in my life, from the day I first opened my eyes to the present moment. This person is a teacher, a guide, and a source of strength and support. He is whom I look up to with loving trust and pride. With a willing hand to lend, he is a helper, and an adviser. He showed me the stars and taught me how to reach them.
This influential person in my life is my Father.
He has influence the way I approach life.
He has given me and my sister the greatest gift anyone could give another person; he believed in us.
He may not be a firefighter, an astronaut or a brain surgeon – he is a simple man – yet he has left the greatest impact on me.
Fathers come in all shapes and sizes, and there is a wide range of opinions when it comes to how they are described – Authority, hero, comedian, loving. But no matter what words you use, fathers have an undeniable influence on our lives. I hope if you are a father reading this you choose to affect your child's life for the positive.
Greg: There is no doubt that God gave me you for all of lifes ups and downs. I am THANKFUL for the man you are everyday!
Side note: please be kind to me when you provide your feedback on my post. Have mercy; it it late :)
FOUR: MASON'S BIRTHDAY 6-20-2011
One Mason's Birthday we remember:
- The day our lives were turned upside down
- The instant love we felt when we first met our son
- Carefully choosing his name... Just for him
- Fighting for his life
- Holding his little hands and stoking his hair
- How sick our baby was and is
- Facing the hard reality of our new normal
- Begging the Lord to heal him
- The prayers poured out for us and Mason
- The many, many, many tears
- WE REMEMBER how far God has brought us
- How proud we are to be his parents
- Feeling like we couldnt love him any more
- Brining him home for the first time
- Transitioning to a family of three
- All of his smiles
- The day we dedicated him to the Lord
And today we remember God's faithfulness to us through it all.
Mason is THREE by the Grace of God!
Psalm 34:18
FIVE: MASON'S APPOINTMENT AT CHILDRENS HOSPITAL
Our appointment at Childrens also happened to be scheduled on Mason’s Birthday.
During the visit we discussed scheduling and timing of Mason’s third surgery. Looks like we are aiming for October.
I know this is 4 months away and I feel thankful that we now have a timeline however this brings a HUGE load of mixed emotions.
We knew this would come but it does not make this any easier.
He is our child and I feel vulnerable.
I am sharing the below with you because this has helped me the last two days when I start to feel anxious or feel as if “worry” is creeping in. It was shared with me my by Maddies Mom (via blog).
It comes from the daily devotional, “Women of Faith”.
The excerpt I will be referencing is titled “Let your face Sparkle” written by Sheila Walsh
"I am not an alien!" my son announced one morning over breakfast.
"I'm so glad darling. Now eat your eggs."
"Do you want to know how I know I'm not an alien?"
"Absolutely," I replied.
"Well, when E.T. is happy, his heart glows through his skin."
"What happens when you are happy?" I asked.
"Watch," he said. Slowly a mischievous grin spread across his face till his eyes shown. "My face sparkles!" he announced gleefully.
I thought about that all day. I wondered what my face communicates to my son, to others around me. I see a variety of emotions wash across my boy's face every day, bringing shadows or sunlight.
We each have a choice: to be a blank sheet of paper, left to the mercy of the pen of the day's events, or to be settled in heart and mind that God is in control of every moment and to rest in that good news. The latter decision requires faith and resolve. Hope then becomes an action word. It moves from a crossing of the fingers and hoping for the best to a bold stance of reliance on God.
We don't know what this day will hold, but God does. We don't have the strength to face every unexpected heartache, but God does. So let your face sparkle!
This speaks to me because I had other plans for Mason and when I believed his Fontan would take place, this is not playing out as expected in my mind. So I remind myself that God’s timing is perfect.
I have a choice: I can chose to worry and live in fear each day about his upcoming surgery and allow this to ruin the days we will have together or I can chose to put my fears aside, trusting in him because God knows best. He is in control of this and my faith MUST lie in Him.
If I can do only one great thing in this life I would choose it to be to teach Mason to rely on God and trust in his plan.
How to teach this to Mason becomes the question that I ask myself, today I think I found my answer: I can do this by showing him that I trust his plan when I might have had others.
Yes, I have plans, hopes and dreams for how this surgery will go – but I first must have faith in his plan for Mason.
My trust in the Lord will allow my face to sparkle and enjoy my time with Mason leading up to his surgery.
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