Home Sweet Home

We made it home!!!!

This picture was after our arrival to the Salt Lake Airport

as we reunited with our family on Wed afternoon.

What a HAPPY DAY!

The hustle and bussel of packing to come home, saying goodbye to our friends at Lucille Packard (CVICU nurses & docs, 3 West nurses, and the transplant team), saying goodbye to some of our friends in Palo Alto, taking care of Mason's last appointments and gathering all of his information to bring back to his doctors in Salt Lake........left me little time to get emotional. But after boarding the plane, wiping down our area w/ clorox wipes, and getting Mason comfortable for the flight, my tears began to flow almost for the entire 1 hour and 30 minute flight HOME.

Two days shy of five months ago Mason and I had said goodbye to our family not knowing how long it would be until we returned. Mentally I had prepared myself for 12 months ("hope for the best, but prepare for the worst" ........ and 12 months is not even near the worst length of time that families have relocated to wait for an organ transplant). As we had said goodbye at the security gate that night the fear of the unknown got the best of me. My tears began then and continued for several days. At times I would muster up enough faith to hold my composure, but spent many times a day on my knees pleading to my Heavenly Father to reassure me that I had made the right choice for our Mason . I would plead in my heart praying to my Father Above through out the whole day to comfort my family at home, to help them know that even though I'd left them temporarily to help Mason, I still LOVE them just as much and more!

You all saw the ups and downs of this Transplant Chapter of Mason's "Broken Heart Journey", but yet witnessed with me the miraculous way everything just fell into place. You have truly witnessed with me MANY tender mercies of our Lord sent down upon Mason and our family. I know with certainty that the Lord's hand was there preparing and making Mason's new chance at life possible. He was there during Mason's surgery calming the hands and minds of his surgeon and doctors to be very precise in all they did.

As I cried tears of joy and victory on our flight home. As I cried tears of gratitude for blessings of miracles that have been gifted upon my sweet baby. As I cried with excitement to go HOME to our family.......I began to cry for our special donor family who at this time I'm sure still mourns the loss of their dear child. Here I was crying with happiness that Mason had beat the odds and I was bringing him HOME a new beautiful healthy heart, and some where out there our donor family still cries because they miss their angel who has gone home to heaven. I said a prayer to help comfort this wonderful family, as well as thanking Him who made all this possible. Him who carried me at times of complete exhaustion and heart break. Him who has been so good to me.

Here are a few more pictures from our preparation

and arrival to our Home Sweet Home:

I borrowed a scale at the RMH so I wouldn't go over the 50 lb

weight limit this time. Mason was so excited to sit on it and

scoot around the floor with it just like he use to at HOME.

We came home to a huge sign on the garage from a dear friend,

signs made and put up by my darling and excited kids,

and the outside of the house and yard adorned with

yellow ribbons and balloons (Thank you Vick family).

What a great welcome back and homecoming!!!

If I tried to thank everyone who has helped our family the last 5 months (well, really the last 31 & 1/2 months since Mason was born) I don't think I could fit the list in my blog! Seriously, there have been so many family members, friends, neighbors, church members, and strangers who have served us in various ways I wouldn't even know where to begin. But, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING and most of all for your PRAYERS and LOVE!

I will try to update about Mason's progress at least once a week.

Goodbye, until next time.