Super Sunday.

We are 22 weeks now as of Friday and it seems time is just rushing by. I have always found it a little interesting that as we count up in pregnancy, we are also counting down too. While I love knowing each passing week is a step closer to meeting my little boy, it is also a step closer to that vast expanse of the unknown. And because I have been asked numerous times for a "belly" shot, here you go:

Yes, sadly my t-shirts are becoming too small (tear) - and please excuse my wet hair

I have to say something about the e-mails I have received and the people I have met as we embark down this path: what an amazing, supporting community. Wow. They have reached out me to me with open arms, sharing their trials and triumphs and giving me tips and advice to put the next foot forward. They have cradled my aching heart and helped to give me comfort and strength when I have needed it most. I even met a mama from Indiana whose son also received his care at Riley, where Lukas will receive his. Isn't that cool? While I wish no one had to go through this and while I wish no one had to be apart of this "club," I am deeply honored to go through this with some of these amazing folks. I have had so many people e-mail me stories or send me messages on Facebook and it helps so much. To see the faces of these beautiful children who have survived obstacles most of us will never know is nothing short of incredible. Its miraculous. Each of these amazing little beings are huge inspirations to me and I wish I could scoop every single one of them up (along with their parents) and just hug them and tell them thank you for touching my heart. Just a couple of my new "heart" friends can be found in the sidebar of my blog - take a peek at their pages and you will see what I mean. They are miracles. Living, breathing, beautiful miracles. 

I am a little embarrassed to say that I really didn't know much about heart defects before we found out Lukas had one. I had never even heard of truncus. You just never hear much about it really unless you are put in that driver's seat. You hear a lot about other things, but never much about congenital heart defects. I think that's a tragic fact considering heart defects are the most common birth defect and the leading cause of death from a birth defect during the first year of life. Not to mention about 40,000 children are born with a heart defect every year and at least 8 out of every 1,000 newborns have a heart defect, just like our Lukas (fact courtesy of Saving Little Hearts). This coming week is congenital heart defect (CHD) awareness week. I sincerely hope you all will join me in helping to spread information and awareness about defects just like Lukas'. This amazing community of fighters need your help because only  a relatively small amount of funding is currently available for parent/patient educational services, research, and support. Let's change that for the better, shall we?

(Banner courtesy of the Congenital Heart Information Network)

Today is Superbowl Sunday and we are going to my mama-in-law's for a little get together before the game begins. Then my Daddy-o is coming over for pizza and some good ole' fashion screaming at the television despite the fact no one can actually hear us. Oh well, that's part of the fun, right? And we are supposed to get more snow. We got 3 inches or so yesterday and our neighborhood looks like an ice/snow covered wonderland. Its pretty, but I am kind of over it. So if spring could make its way to our neck of the woods, that would be lovely.

View out my front door

Crazy looking icicle forming on one of my bushes from the water dripping down

As this weekend wraps up and another begins, a lot of things are on my mind. Hayden's surgery is Tuesday. Even though its a minor operation, it somehow means more now. It strikes a little more fear than I would have ever known before, even though this is not his first time going under the knife. But, he is in good hands and I know it will be just fine. My repeat echo is Wednesday also. To be honest, the idea of another echo scares me. It brings all of these "please don't let it to be true" emotions flooding back and I have worked ever so hard to push past them. This time Jonathan won't be with me either, but my mama-in-law will. That brings me some comfort knowing I won't have to relive all of this information again all by my lonesome. I know she and I will have lots of new questions for the cardiologist and I know another breakdown will be waiting as soon as those doors close behind me. I just need to keeping praying and keep thinking of all the positive, beautiful things that are to come. I need to push that fear aside, even if it is hard. I need to keep my mind busy with good things, like some of the projects I have planned for the nursery we are finally starting on. Think sewing machine, paint, all kinds of good things. I get a little giddy just thinking about it.

I hope you all had a lovely weekend! Stay safe during the Super Bowl craziness and keep on praying for our boy!