It was a big weekend for our family because we made our first trip to see Grandma and Grandpa in over a year. This was a big trip for us all because it meant traveling for more than 10 hours round trip in the car to get there and back. All went well with the travel even though it took more like twlve hours round trip due to potty and food stops.
The vist was great. We all went out on Saturday afternoon to the Atlanta Children’s Museum. Sherry took Riley there last year while I was on travel to California so this was a first for Caden and me. We had a blast. Riley had the most fun. We took plenty of pictures and many of them are on Caden’s picture page. Caden had a great time too.
I have to share a story about Riley. He was playing in the area of the museum where they have food, a delivery truck replica and fork lift replica. We went up into the front of the truck where there was a little boy sitting on the seat pretending to drive while a lady that I am guessing was his grandmother watched him through the window. Riley sat down with his box of toy strawberries in the middle of the seat and I sat on passenger side of the bench seat of this full-size replica of a delivery truck. Riley looked at the little boy and said, “he’s going to drive.” I said, “great Riley, where are we going?” Riley responded, “we gone go to the hospital.” With all the concern in the world the little boy’s grandmother said, “Oh my Lord!, is everything okay?” It was all I could do to keep from wetting my pants at this point I started laughing so hard. Riley has a thing about going to the hospital. Almost every time we say we are going bye-bye, he says, “We gone go hospital?” I guess the number of trips that we have made to the hospital in the past year have really made an impression on him. This lady had no clue why Riley thought of going to the hospital and I could not gather myself up enough to tell her.
Sherry and I got a date for the first time in a while. We went to eat at one of our faorite Italian resturants Johnny Carino’s in Newnan, GA. This is a chain that is just getting started and it is fabulaous. By the way, I am not getting paid to say that or link to their site. Sherry and I then went to see a move, “Must Love Dogs”. I came very close to wetting myself due to laughter for a second time in less than twelve hours during this movie. Need I say more? It has been out over a month and you need to see this if you have not yet.
Emory
Our friend Emory not only got his shunt placed on Friday, he is already home form the hospital. His family had to wait an extended amount of time on Friday and that raised the stress a bit for them, but they made it through. Here is a little bit from Stephanie’s email to Sherry.
“God was with us and our precious boy today as always, and we are so happy that this step is behind us.”
Praise God for another answered prayer.
Drakes
I just keeps getting better. Prasie God, the Drake twins are coming home togther tomorrow from the hospital. Here is what Amy said in an email annoucung the great news:
“I have said a lot about how God has been with us through everything that has gone on, and the fact that these babies have been feeding and growing so well to come home together is nothing short of a miracle in our eyes. We are so thankful to our Father in heaven and rejoice that our family has been so incredibly blessed. Some people have commented to me that I’m amazing to handle what I have been, but my strength has not come from myself. This is one of my favorite bible verses:
…but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not be weary, and they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)”
A final treat
Well, it has been along day and a long weekend. I want to share about 30 seconds of video footage that I took of Caden while at the museum in Atlanta this weekend. You can certainly tell that he’s having a good time. Don’t forget to check out the dozens of pictures that I posted today. I did not put a caption on all of them since there were so many today. Enjoy!
You should only click on this MOV05570.MPG video file of Caden if you have a fast connection or a lot of time to wait. This 30 second clip is about 13MB, but worth the wait.
It’s hard to imaging that less than ten months ago the cardiologists at MUSC were arguing over whether Caden would survive the heart surgery. Sherry was told this week that Caden’s name came up in a meeting among some doctors. Caden’s heart defect was rare enough that his case is talked about often especially given his remarkable recovery and growth.
It is time to start Caden’s last meal of the evening. We can then all get some rest after this long and exciting weekend.