January 2018
One of my favorite memories from this year, which I had forgotten, when Rowan accidentally ate Zane's donut and hilarity ensued.
February 2018
Calm before the storm. This was national CHD Awareness Day. We were all dressed in red and headed to Zane's yearly cardiologist appointment. I literally could never imagined what lied ahead of us this day.
Ear tubes!
These two waiting for Zane are some of my favorite memories too.
Zane's first ER trip came less than a month after his cardiology appointment and a few days before Rowan's birthday.
And then he was five
Rowan loving baseball.
March 2018
We started March with Zane wearing a halter monitor for a week in hopes of figuring out the chest pain he was having. This was a scary time before we really knew exactly what was going on.
Last month of bottles at our house.
I don't remember really anything about Thatcher's first birthday besides Zane threw up and he was scheduled for his big MRI that following Tuesday. The theme I see while going through this years pictures is, while I was paralyzed by fear the world kept turning. Big events kept happening I went through the motions of everything, but remember very little about them besides the paralyzing fear.
April 2018
Man April was hard.
The teachers went on strike for two weeks with little results, but it was a good lesson in civil engagement for Zane who went down to the Capital a couple times to protest.
End of the year Cub Scout Blue and Gold banquet.
Last baseball game before surgery.
May 2018
Brother pictures before surgery.
Our family motto this year became "We can do hard things." I would write this on Zane's wrist before school on days that were particularly hard or when he was feeling scared. We bought banners and signs to hang around the house, as much to remind myself as to remind him. I wish we didn't need this saying as a family motto, but this year we did so many hard things. I'm beyond proud of all of us, most especially this kiddo.
Trying to find bright spots in May, Rowan playing catcher was HYSTERICAL!
These sweet babies were absolutely adorable all year long and brought me lots of smiles.
The Shurtz girls visit for my birthday was a wonderful surprise.
T found a love of puddles and water dripping from gutters. This was the last day of school. It was a very bitter sweet/sad morning. Of course it was raining and I let Thatcher play in the water as long as he wanted because I needed this sweet smile to get me through the day.
We were unbelievably blessed by our wonderful school community. Mrs. Blue, Zane's first grade teacher helped Zane so much during his difficult year. This was a sad good bye but she came and visited him multiple times over the summer to make sure he was healing well. I am beyond grateful for our wonderful school friends, who after this year feel like family.
Game face, pre op day. I cry every single time I look at this picture.
First time seeing Zane post op. I thought he looked great, Zach thought he looked terrible. All about what you've seen before I guess.
June 2018
As hard as June was it felt like we were starting a new month with a clean slate. Zane had a fully functioning heart for the first time in his life and we just needed to get him through this horrible recovery, but the worst part (the waiting) was behind us.
This picture breaks my heart a little bit. It's two fold, one I can't believe we managed to have this sweet boy. It is a minor miracle that he his here and I'm so grateful he is. He brought me so much joy during the worst times of this past year. Secondly, I know I missed so much of his cuteness and his little toddler self being scared for Zane's life. He was blissfully ignorant to it all, always laughing, always smiling.
Going home! Post op recovery was one hundred percent harder than I expected. There were a lot of unexpected things that made this hospital stay much harder than the last one. It was longer, it wasn't all smooth sailing, but we made it! We did it! I felt the weight of the world lift off my shoulders on that drive home.
Oh sweet Rowan. I'm not sure I realized how hard everything was on this kid until we were on the other side of everything. I know he was scared and didn't understand all that was going on. I missed a lot of his precious last year at home and I hate that. This was his last tball game and I got go, finally!
Best birthday smile ever!
We, ever so briefly, had a dog. Sadly, that did not end well.
July 2018
Keeping Zane from hurting himself during his ten weeks of post op sternal precautions was no joke. This was ten week post op! Another huge milestone on our journey.
Zach met his biological family in July as well. Here he is with his biological sisters and Mother.
August 2018
Heart hero interview
As close to vacation as we ever get, our weekend trip to Arkansas to visit Uncle Adam.
We went to a minor league game and pet a kangaroo. Win Win!
After a very hard summer of recovery it was time to head back to school. This was Rowan's first meet the teacher day.
First day of Second Grade
First day of Kindergarten
Our traditional waiting on the bus routine began.
September 2018
HAMILTON!!!
This was Zane and I after his first communion meeting. Love this kid so much.
A few weeks after school Rowan broke his arm on the playground and our next medical adventure began.
October 2018
Happy first heart birthday to this kid.
Halloween 2018
November 2018
After having two different casts, almost two month later the cast came off and his tiny arm was free.
Thatcher loved his first time playing in snow.
My first go around at chaperoning kindergarteners.
Sweet baby Worth joined the family November 20th.
December 2018
Baby Worth loves Rowan.
Kinder lunch with Rowan and Grandma.
Zane had a full schedule of choir performances in December.
Usually the year in pictures is a much happier post, but this one was an emotional roller coaster. Here's to a happier new year.
