Cate's 2013 Swim Meet

This post is going to look very similar to the post last year but I just can't help myself.  I am so proud of Cate!!! Last weekend she participated in her adaptive swim team's Spring Swim Meet in the 25 yard freestyle, 25 yard back crawl, and the freestyle relay.  While she didn't get any first place ribbons, she beat her times from last year by 20 seconds in the free and 3+ minutes in the back stroke.  She actually swam an entire 25 yard lap of back crawl without every stopping or turning over.  It was so much fun and everyone was so proud of her.  I'll say it again - it means even more that the baby I was scared wouldn't do "normal" things is an awesome swimmer!!! 
I love this girl so much I think my heart might just explode some days.

all warmed up and ready to go!

 

a wave to her many fans as her name is called

 

ready

go!!!!

a great finish!  She tried to beat that girl to the right but didn't quite get there.

ready for back crawl (which took over 4 minutes last year and she needed a little help)

no help needed this year - she's going strong

Lucy was so proud of her sister!

And Cate was so proud of herself which is the best part of it all!!!!

Heart Day - 7 Year Anniversary

I actually don't have much to say today on the 7th anniversary of the scariest day of my life that I didn't say in my very long post last year, except that I am more grateful every day that my girl has a healed heart that allows her to be the beautiful active child she is today.
I am grateful my girl can go on vacation without medical equipment and doctors notes.

 

 

I am grateful my girl can ride a bike.



I am grateful my girl can be curious.

 

 

I am grateful my girl can run though a sprinkler.

 

 

I am grateful my girl can be a cheerleader like her mommy was back in the day.

 

 

I am grateful my girl can swim to her hearts content.

 

 

I am grateful my girl can go on pony rides.

Most of all I am so grateful, I can't even put it in to words that the doctors and nurse at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta do the work they do.  I fully realize if Cate was born not so many years ago that she is not be the child she is today because no one could have fixed her heart or wanted to even try.  We are so blessed to have a healthy vibrant daughter like Cate and owe so much of it to those doctors and nurses who healed my baby and kept her safe during a scary surgery and recovery.  I am also grateful to all the therapist who helped her gain back her skills and strength.  There no thank yous big enough or words available to describe the depth of my feelings.  I get to mother this treasure and I know that I have God, prayers of friends, family and strangers, and medicine to thank for each kiss, hug and smile.  I appreciate each day as a gift given to me, I am a wonderfully lucky mom.

Happy Heart Day Cate

Spring Break

If I have any readers left, you deserve an explanation of my 5 week blog hiatus but really all I have are excuses so I'll just apologize if you were wondering about us and move on!  I can't really promise a much better performance in the coming weeks given the end of school and a major house related project starting.

Tomorrow I'll have more to say but today I'll let the pictures talk and say Happy Anniversary to my husband - that wonderful day 9 years ago was the beginning of this amazing life that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world.  And a week like our spring break vacation to the beach is a perfect example - we had a great trip and the girls had so much fun doing nothing more than going to the beach, swimming and being together.  I don't have a picture of my very favorite thing from that week, we took the girls down to the beach after dark to look at starts and play with flashlights.  But I did take my camera on a few adventures.

Our one venture out to a resturant outside our complex and a photo shoot on the dunes there.

Both girls did great riding their bikes to the beach everyday.

Walking to lunch at a favorite restaurant.

Can you tell they like this restaurant?

We had one day of rain but by the evening low tide it stopped so we made a foggy trip to find shells.

Cate getting her feet wet.

Awesome daddy got really wet going to the good shells!

Lucy decided digging for shells was preferable to getting wet.

fun in the fountains

I know I am a lucky mama to have such a wonderful family with the opportunity to have a great vacation.