My Birthday Wish

Here Is To Getting Older!

I turn 29 tomorrow. Lately I have learned so much about life and what is truly important. Some people dread getting older, they want to stay young forever. I have never felt that way. I have always felt that life just gets better the older we get. So I am not sad at all that this will be my final year in my 20's. I welcome age, I look forward to getting older. For me life has only gotten better with age. I know some of you must think I am crazy. Better? With everything that has gone on in the last year. YES! BETTER! I love my life. I have the most beautiful family and I have been lucky enough to learn true happiness. It is loving life and enjoying every second. It is seeing my children smile and light up when they learn something new. It is feeling blessed and overcoming lifes obstacles and growing stronger because of them. Life is good.

I would not change my life. I hate that Jake has to fight to live but if someone told me I could go back in time and not get pregnant, not go through any of this.... I would tell them NO. I do not regret a single decision I have made. I love Jacob with all of my heart. His heart may be broken but he is perfect. My biggest wish for Jacob is for him to be happy. I have already gotten this wish 10 fold. Jacob smiles all of the time. He grins every time I come into view. He laughs at his brother and smiles at his father. He is a happy child. What more can I ask for. Jacob was sent to me for a reason. We take life for granted. We worry about trivial things and base our lives on material possessions. Jacob has shown me that those things don't matter. Why go through life living for tomorrow when you could live for today. Breath in life and cherish every moment. Because of the lessens Jacob has taught me I feel like I am the luckiest parent int he world.

These are the best years of my life and I look forward to getting older!

Aidan and Jacob playing. Jake was the giant baby taking over the town.
They both had so much fun. Jacob had huge smiles!

MY BIRTHDAY WISH

As you all know I have become very passionate about Congenital heart defect awareness. My birthday wish is for everyone to share one fact about CHD to someone they know. Share Jake's story or even something as simple as letting someone know that 1 in 100 babies has a CHD. We need to be the voice for these children.

• Congenital Heart Defects are the #1 birth defect. Source: March of Dimes
• Congenital Heart Defects are the #1 cause of birth defect related deaths. Source: March of Dimes
• About 1 out of every 100 babies are born each year with some type of Congenital Heart Defect. (approx. 40,000/year) Source: Children’s Heart Foundation
• Nearly twice as many children die from Congenital Heart Defects in the United States each year as from all forms of childhood cancers combined, yet funding for pediatric cancer research is five times higher than funding for CHD. Source: Children’s Heart Foundation
• This year approximately 4,000 babies will not live to see their first birthday because of Congenital Heart Defects. Source: Children’s Heart Foundation
• The cost for inpatient surgery to repair Congenital Heart Defects exceeds $2.2 billion a year. Source: Children’s Heart Foundation
• Of every dollar the government spends on medical funding only a fraction of a penny is directed toward Congenital Heart Defect research. Source: Children’s Heart Foundation
• Though research is ongoing, at least 35 defects have now been identified.
• 4-8% born with CHD have Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
• 4-10% born with CHD have Atrioventricular Septal Defects
• 8-11% born with CHD have Coarctation of the Aorta
• 9-14% born with CHD have Tetralogy of Fallot
• 10-11% born with CHD have Transposition of the Great Arteries
• 14-16% born with CHD have Ventricular Septal Defects
• Although some babies will be diagnosed during gestation or at birth, sometimes the diagnosis is not made until days, weeks, months, or even years after. In some cases, CHD is not detected until adolescence or adulthood. Source: March of Dimes
• It is a proven fact that the earlier CHD is detected and treated, it is more likely the affected child will survive and have less long term health complications. Source: March of Dimes

BUILDING A DREAM

Our local hospital is trying to raise funds to build a children's hospital. The closest one to our area is 3 hours away. They are half way there. If able please support this amazing cause and donate today. This could save lives. Having a sick child is difficult, but it is even more scary knowing that your child could not get immediate care if they needed it. Please help us help our children...

DONATE HERE

PRAYER REQUESTS:

• Another sweet child lost his battle with HLHS today. Joshua Hall was 2 months old. Please pray for peace for his family.

• Baby Emma is still waiting for her heart and the doctors want to attempt to extubate her tomorrow. Pray it works and please pray Emma gets her heart soon.

• Baby Ruthie got her heart! Please pray she continues to recover and please pray that her body does not reject the heart and she lives a long healthy life!

• Baby Bodie may be having his Glenn this week. He has had a very rough road and has spent most of his life in the hospital. Please pray for him and for the doctors. Please pray that he does well and can finally go home with his family.

• Baby Jack will also be having his Glenn this week. Pray he continues to be a super star and sails through this one as he did the first.

• Baby Reece will be having his Norwood surgery tomorrow morning. Please pray for calmness for his parents as they wait while their baby boy has his first surgery. Please pray that Reece does well and is home with his family very soon.

As always please continue to keep Jacob in your prayers. We have 2 more weeks before we make our way back to Philadelphia for his Glenn.

1. Pray that the pulmonary consult goes well and pray his lungs will get better without intervention.
2. Pray his lungs are strong enough to handle bypass
3. Pray that Jake does well in surgery and has a fast recovery
4. Please pray for strength for our family as we hand over our baby for this next surgery