Birthday Boy Pictures & How is Mason Doing?

At this busy time of year, preparing for Christmas has kept me from updating our blog. It's amazing how much time we spend preparing for something that comes and goes so quickly! But for me, it's all worth it to see the joy in each other's eyes (especially our kiddos on Christmas morning) as we celebrate the true "Reason for the Season" - Christ's birth, life, and atonement. Let's just say I'm quite behind on things this year, especially Christmas cards! So if you do receive one in your mailbox there must be some kind of Christmas magic that gets it there!!! I hope you all are enjoying this beautiful holiday season. Don't get so caught up in the hustle and bustle to remember the real reason we do all this :) (That's a reminder to myself as well!)

A few pictures of Miracle Mason and our family:

Our 3 Year old boy whom is true proof that miracles still

exist and continue to! Hold on to your HOPE and DREAMS!

PRAY, have FAITH, and never give up! NEVER GIVE UP!!!

MASON'S 3rd BIRTHDAY

A birthday angel comes to our house during the night

and decorates the kids rooms. (Even though Mason and I

ended up on the couch that night-as usual- I stuck him in

his crib for the sake of a picture! Little stinker has NEVER

slept all night in his own bed. Hopefully once he's off his

steroids we will have better luck w/ that !!!)

Our family party that night included

2 sets of grandparents, our Angel Nanny Sammi,

Daddy, Mommy, and our kiddos. Small & simple!

Mason is opening his favorite gift which came

from Grandma and Grandpa.........

his very own recliner chair!

He looked like a king sitting on his throne!!!

Mason's #2 favorite was a new cell phone. Maybe

now he'll leave our phones and ipods alone!

Mason and big sister Kaitlin

It's almost impossible to get all 5 looking at the same time.........

...........as you can see!!! Ammon (5 1/2) in front,

Preston (9 1/2), Mason (3), Braiden (7 1/2) in the middle

and last but not least - our one and only girl Kailtin (12).

Mason loves in Grandma's and Grandpas!

Meet the 4 that were able to join us that night........

Grandma SanDee & Grandpa Wally

Grandma Marilyn & Grandpa Jerry

Here's Daddy giving Mason a pep talk about blowing out the candle.

Attempt 1 didn't work. The other kiddos blew it out for him!

So here's Mommy pep talking for round 2.

Mason's thinking about eating his cake........

took one lick........

and decided it was more fun to play with tissue paper

than to eat birthday cake! Of course!

How is Mason Doing?

As always, I want to be very careful not to jinx Mason. But, he is doing so so good!! We have gone almost 3 weeks without a single doctor appointment or blood draw. It makes me nervous, but our transplant team at Primary's saw no reason for another appointment before next week as long as no sicknesses or rejection symptoms manifest. Say some prayers, knock on wood, & cross your fingers that nothing gets in Mason's way of having a wonderful happy healthy Christmas at home!!!! 4 weeks in between appointments certainly means our brave little guy has come a long way from having 2 or 3 appointments a week. Hooray for Mason!!!

Positive: Mason is pulling himself to a stand all the time and isn't as scared to put his weight on his feet. Yeah! He is also being extra courageous and tasting more foods especially all the yummy goodies we receive this time of year! (notice I said TASTING, not EATING- but it's a step in the right direction)

Not so positive: Mason's average night sleep still = 3 or 4 hours! Yikes not so good! Those darn steroids! Can't wait until April when he can come off of them. This also means Mason's Mommy, that would be me, feels like a zomby most days. But, somehow I still make it through the day and accomplish the MINIMAL that a Mom needs to do (as well as what Mason's personal nurse needs to do).

Next week on the 29th Mason has his monthly IVIG appointment. And, on the 30th he'll have a heart catheter biopsy. For this I am truly nervous!! It has been 3 months (the longest he's ever gone) since his last biopsy. For those of you who are new to our blog. A biopsy of the heart is the best way to check for rejection. In the beginning, Mason had them every week. Then at 4 months post transplant he went to once a month biopsies. Now, his last one was the 30th of September-4 days shy of his 6 month anniversary of receiving his Angel heart. His last 3 biopsies showed ZERO rejection. Please remember Mason in your prayers that next week his biopsy will also be a ZERO, just 5 days shy of his 9 month anniversary!!!

I want to leave you with a quote I found yesterday. It instantly made me think not only of all our family, but also all the friends, family, and strangers who have served us in many many ways AGAIN, AGAIN, and AGAIN! Thank you with all my heart. Little by little as a family we are trying to pay your service and kindness forward.

“Just as Jesus used a child in His mortal ministry as an example for the people of the pure love they must and could have to be like Him, He has offered us the family as an example of an ideal setting in which we can learn how to love as He loves.

“That is because the greatest joys and the greatest sorrows we experience are in family relationships. The joys come from putting the welfare of others above our own. That is what love is.” ~Henry B Eyring

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!