Birthday Eve

1 year ago today, we were anxiously awaiting the arrival of Matthew.  We were blissfully unaware of the monumental changes that would occur in our lives with his birth.  We naively believed that everything was going to be 'hunky-dory'.  Wow...just wow.

Many days and nights over this past year I feared Matthew wouldn't make it to a year.  Matthew gave us reason to worry.  Like scenes in a movie, I can see the scary highlights in my mind.  The doctor showing us his missing thumbs. That first night in the NICU when he was hooked up to an IV, the NG tube, under the blue lights.  The moment in the radiology lab where the radiologist told us about Matthew's intestinal malrotation...that he could end up on an IV the rest of his life or die.  Holding Matthew's limp body after the Ladd's procedure, watching his pulse oxygen levels plummet and his heart rate skyrocket.  The screaming pain when he took a bottle.  The pale color of his skin the week before his heart catheterization.  "Heart failure."  The machine breathing for him in the ICU after the heart cath.  The swollen, bruised face and the ear to ear incision after skull surgery. 

But Matthew battled through it all with his sweet disposition, his ear to ear grin, his cute dimples, his piercing blue eyes and his beautiful 4 fingered hands. He's made it to his first birthday. We've made it! 

We've had so many blessings.  Matthew, Alyssa, Jackson, each other.  The love and support of our family and friends (old and new).  Caring doctors and medical staff.  Wonderful therapists.  Our kids' loving school teachers and directors.  Supportive bosses and co-workers. We have been blessed!

It was a tough year, but we are so very thankful that we made it, that he made it! We pray it is just the first year (and the most dramatic) of many, many more.  Thank you for following our journey with Matthew and for continuing to keep Matthew and our family in your thoughts and prayers as we enter Matthew's 2nd year starting tomorrow!