Raising Warriors..............

I write about Madelynn's heart journey all the time. But there is more to the heart than it's physical function. More times than I can count, I have been stopped by friends, other parents and complete strangers telling me what heart my oldest daughter Kaitlynn has. 

As a parent, my ultimate goal is to raise a well rounded human being who will be an asset to society. This is not an easy task for anyone involved. As a matter of fact, it is the hardest job I ever agreed to take on. Lately, the fruits of my labor are slowly coming into focus. Kaitlynn started middle school this year and it suits her 110%. I am in awe daily.

Lately Kaitlynn has met her match in Language Arts, Band, Honors Math and Sports just to name a few. One day she came home crying and screaming she hated her Language Arts teacher. I asked why. What it boils down to is that this teacher truly challenges her to ALWAYS give 100% and sometimes she fails. She has to meet the challenge show the teacher what she is really made of. She didn't like my answer but she knew I wasn't wrong. Her goal is to have an A in this 6 weeks. She is almost there.

A few weeks ago Kaitlynn was called out in band to play a series of notes that was considered a test. She could not play the notes. Again the tears came and the screaming. She hates the band teacher, this is too hard, she just can't do it.......on and on. So again I investigate. The band teacher is strict and with good reason. She also runs the high school program. This program is so successful it was invited to play in Hawaii at Pearl Harbor Day in December. Again Kaitlynn was forced to meet the challenge. Grateful for the help of a very generous friend's daughter who is a middle school music teacher, Kaitlynn retakes the test tomorrow. She can play the notes. Hopefully she keeps her nerves in check and shows the teacher what she really can do.

All year long Kaitlynn has maintained an A in Compacted Math (Honors Math). Thursday before Easter she had a panic attack during a test and could not finish it or stop crying. Her teacher called me very concerned. He said after break he wanted her to take it again. The title of the test was Volume and Surface Area of Rectangular and Triangular Prisms and Pyramids. For a math geek like myself, when I hear this I see formula's and want to start calculating, pretty easy. Come to find out the entire Honors class bombed the test and everyone had to take it over. Again she stepped up to the plate and brought home 100%. She currently has a 98% average in the class.

In a few weeks Kaitlynn will have been playing travel soccer for about a year. This journey has not at all been what we thought it would be. She joined a team that came off an amazing high of winning it all for their age group. In the Fall the team lost as many games as they won. Many parents are discouraged and wanted answers. For me as her parent, if she gave 100% on the field and did what the coach asks of her, she did her job. Win or lose she did her job. 

She has taken a beating this spring season already. So much so she was laying back in a game. After the 0-1 loss I asked her what happened? She started giving me all the reason's she could not succeed. She was elbowed in the head without a penalty call, she was cleated in the calf, the girls are so much bigger. I heard excuses. Phil and I explained to her a little shouldering back and forth is legal give back what you get. Kaitlynn is incredibly smaller than most of her opponents she needs to play smarter. In her most recent game you would have thought she was a foot taller then her actual height, her punts were travelling great distances and the other team could not score while she was the keeper. The game ended in a tie but when she walked off the field she held her head high, she gave 110%.

I took a few pictures from last weekends game. 

Warming up and practicing her form before the game.

Just to give you an idea of how much smaller physically she is.

But yet she can make herself larger than life.

I have never seen someone have so much heart in everything they do. I have talked her off the ledge a few times, reminding her she is better than the circumstance and she will succeed. And she does. I cannot wait to see more of her journey unfold. Hoping for continued success and fewer tears. Her little sister may be an actual heart warrior but Kaitlynn has the soul of a warrior and will always succeed. Love you to the moon and back Punkin.

TTFN~

Savoring the gifts before you......

As Soccer season came to a close in the Fall, Madelynn told me she did not want to play in the Spring. I told her we would talk about it in the Spring. In February, Madelynn and I had a conversation about her playing soccer. She has talked about wanting to dance. So I promised her if she played another season of soccer and gave it 100% I would investigate dance. At this point I still have not found a studio for her.

She however has found her own studio and it requires soccer cleats. She has danced her way down the field. In her last game she acquired the ball at more than half field. She managed to get past every single player on the other team. As she was about to shoot she realized they are hot on her trail and her teammate was calling for the cross to try and score. She sent the cross and they scored. It was a beautiful drive down field. She is learning how to be a team player and make her own way.

On one of her next possessions she took the ball all the way down, everyone close behind and no one to cross it too this time. She took the shot. The keeper stopped it. She ran so much in that quarter and still wanted to play in the next quarter. To try and give her a break and still play coach put her the box like her sister. At this age her big sister is allowed to be behind the box coaching her.

The game ended in a 2-2 tie, It was not the result we were hoping for but I was in awe of what I had witnessed. Not only had Madelynn upheld her end of the bargain, she exceeded it. To the stranger on the street she is a very tiny 7.5 year old weighing about 43 pounds soak and wet. To me she is a TRUE WARRIOR who fought her way back from a hell I would not wish on my worst enemy. On the days she wanted to give up I carried her. On the days I almost gave up God carried us both.

Never in a million years would I have imaged I could post pictures like these.

She never stopped fighting for the ball.

She found her opening and took off.

She met a defender but didn't stay long.

Her teammate calling for the ball. 

The big cross for the score.

Found her self down field alone so she took the shot.

This is a sobering reminder children with heart conditions don't own soccer cleats. I will never understand why we were given a second chance and other families did or will not. What I do know is we will never waste this type of gift, EVER. Madelynn's story is one of hope we must continue to share.

My favorite part of this game was watching Kaitlynn who had a bye week coach her little sister from behind the net. It was sweet. It was again another one of those moments I see as a gift and will never take for granted. 

Teaching her all she knows.

They did not score on her. Thanks to her big sister.

Learning to treasure every moment as a gift, document it and remind her never to waste it.

TTFN~

Seventeen years later......

Seventeen years ago Phil and I were getting off work early to sign our life away on our first home. We were both working full time and I was going to school at night to finish my accounting degree. The house was so big for two people three bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, unfinished bonus room, two car garage more than we needed.

Today this same home is bursting at the seams. Phil and I now have three kids, two dogs, two cats (outdoor) and a fish. Since 1999 I have redone every room in the house at least once. Since 2012 they are all getting a second go round. I have scrapped popcorn ceiling out of every room except three, mudded, sanded and new coats of paint. All windows have been cased in sanded and painted. Every floor has been replaced. All of my blood, sweat and tears are in every room.

But these are all physical things that have changed our home. If the walls and floors could talk you would see a movie of flashbacks. Neighbor kids coming to the door to ask if Mr. Phil was home. They always wanted to play video games or throw the football around. As the reel ran, you would see the tears of joy shed when we found out our first baby was coming. You would see all the laughter shared with family and friends over meals. The days when some of our beloved pets have crossed over the rainbow bridge. Many late nights in the rocking chair with feedings and children that would not find sleep. The giant pig we roasted in the backyard and the beer caps we picked up for years after that roast. The giggles, boo-boos, sweaty faces and tears of our children as they are growing.

One of my favorite stories about home is Bob. Our home was new construction in 1999. There was no fenced in back yard, no trees, shrubs and there was barely any grass. Every single plant life on the property Phil and I planted. One Saturday we went to a green house and bought three trees. One was a weeping willow, one was a burning bush and the other was just a tree. No tag on it, I had no idea what kind of tree it was. We named him Bob. We planted these trees in the summer of 1999. A few years later this tree started spitting out acorns and lots of them. We planted a very fast growing oak tree. Bob now covers 2/3 of our backyard in shade.

In 2008, Phil went and bought wood and rope. He made some very sturdy old school swings. Bob's branches were just right for hanging swings. I can not tell you how many carefree summer days and nights the kids and I have swung from Bob. This year we discovered Bob ate the rope around his branches and we had to remove the swings. Over the next few weeks, I hope to have new swings hanging from Bob.

Every memory made in this house is ours.

Phil and I laugh that we closed on the house on April Fool's Day. We were told to bring over $1200 to closing. When we arrived and started signing papers only $500 was required. Phil and I thought it was some kind of joke. Sure enough it was right. I guess it was God's way of making sure we could pay cash for the new refrigerator we needed.

Today our house seems small, every single orifice of the house is full. I am in the process of making sure all the kids have their own room and I still have my crafting and design space. The goal is to have this part done by Madelynn's first communion in May. I hope to continue to make lots of memories in this house even if it includes sadness and tears. Knowing our friends and family it will be over powered with joy and laughter.

Happy April Fool's Day Phil! Thank you for continuing to bring laughter in our home.

TTFN~