MAYLIN2007

I love all the fun Christmas activities at my kids' school. This year they had an ugly Christmas sweater dance for those 14 and older. Jay and were the chaperons - I am in charge of chaperons for each dance. My kids love that.....hahaha. Anyway, they had a cute fashion show so everyone could show off their sweaters. The kids really put a lot of time into.  Alex helped cut out a lot of the snowflakes for the decorations. They were cool. The last day of school before the holiday break each class did a service project. Alex's class colored ready books for kids in 3rd world countries. Maylin's class donated and hugged teddy bears for a homeless shelter that caters to families. Each class also had a party. I was in charge of Maylin's and we made cool painted Christmas ornaments.  Alex with his friend Davin.  Here Alex is getting ready for his turn in the fashion show. Here is his star wars themed snowflake.  Maylin showing off a snowfla...

We were so excited to get to go to Idaho for Thanksgiving. We hadn't seen my parents for a while and time with them is precious. Austin made the trip up there with Ibuprofen and a bed in the back seat of the car. We took two cars so he would have plenty of room. We got there Thanksgiving night, so we had Thanksgiving on Friday. I cooked the dinner. Alex had fun cutting the turkey. It was kinda sad as it was the first time my dad did not. It was nice and fun to be together. We helped my parents put up their Christmas tree after dinner. We also got out all the decorations they needed. Austin and my dad slept and rested most of the day. On Friday, Alex went skiing with my sister and her hubby to Grand Targhee. It was so cold! 7 degrees when they got there, but he enjoyed snowboarding under the shadow of the Tetons. Austin rested and the rest of us put my parents Christmas lights up. That night we went over to my brother's house where his family met, my sister's family met ...

The Tuesday before Thanksgiving, November 24, Austin had a surgery in which they tried to replace his Pulmonary valve (the valve that caused his whole entire heart defect in the first place). It has been repaired 6 times, but it was finally in a place where a repair was just not going to cut it anymore. He was approved for the Melody Procedure, in which they try to replace the valve through the main artery in his leg with a catheter. We were so hopeful. It would have been great to avoid an open heart surgery. He has been on the heart and lung machine 6 times and each time it deteriorates the brain and the body. Unfortunately, when they got in there, his valve was so big they had to use the largest stint and valve and they could not maneuver the turns in his heart with such a big stint and valve. They backed out because they were worried it they pushed it through the turns in his heart, they could break loose and dislodge in his heart, causing an emergency situation. So, they b...