Last year's "Stratford Days" was really, really rough on me. We had just announced our pregnancy a couple weeks prior. It was Walter's ten-year reunion and everybody and their mother was coming up to congratulate us. Little did they know we had just found out our son would be born with serious heart problems.

Two days before the celebration, July 28th, we drove back from my 20-week ultrasound appointment in Amarillo. I sobbed, ugly cried as they say, the entire ride home. My OB told us he wasn't sure exactly what was wrong with our son's heart, but he knew it was bad. So bad, he said he was referring us to a maternal-fetal specialist in Lubbock and that we would have to prepare to deliver our baby in a much bigger city where they knew how to handle this sort of thing.

I asked, why me, God? Why me?

Flash forward, people. We just got done with Stratford Days yet again. And this time, we celebrated as a family of THREE. I watched proudly as my son sat in his "big boy" stroller seat for the first time. He was mesmerized by the cars, fire trucks and horses in the parade. The kid loved it! I thought, wow, he we are. We made it. 

Watching the parade with one of his favorite Stratford friends

Crazy to think just a few weeks ago I was in Houston having very mixed emotions about finally coming home. I realized, oh hey, it's been almost a year since diagnosis, AKA, D-Day. I figured I'd wake up sentimental and make a post about how I couldn't believe it had been a whole year. Instead, I had another incredibly busy day entertaining Augie. I didn't realize I had missed the date until standing there smiling at the parade. Doing such normal things...truly a blessing!

Everything has come full circle. After anticipating his birth for a full month and then living in Houston for the seven that followed, we got to come home. Everyone and their mother came up to congratulate us again. I fought back tears again. But this time of joy, not of pain, or anger, or fear.

Enjoying some pool time and a cracker after the parade

Our journey with Heterotaxy will never be over. Augie's heart has only been repiped, not fixed for good. And in recent months, we've been able to confirm that his intestines are malrotated. We will be traveling to Houston for another procedure. I'll post again soon for that. Good news is, this trip should be much quicker than the last!

For now it's just so good to be home! I no longer ask God, why me? I think, thank God it was me. Together with my hubby, I've been able to tackle this major obstacle in our son's life. We're not perfect, but we are equipped emotionally, physically, financially, spiritually, etc. If it could happen to someone, thank goodness it happened to us. Thank you, God.