Checking in (4 weeks!)

Today Avery is 4 weeks old!  To be honest, the last four weeks have been a complete blur, so I can't tell if it's flown by or not, though I tend to lean towards flown by since I feel like it was just yesterday that I was having contractions and thinking No, this can't be it yet!

Thank you to everyone who has reached out to us.  We have had a tremendous amount of love poured out on us through phone calls, emails, texts, facebook messages, gifts, meals, and donations to the CF Foundation.  We are truly blessed by your words of encouragement, love, support, and wisdom.  Your prayers and thoughts are more appreciated than you know as we navigate these completely unfamiliar waters.

For those asking, we are doing well.  I'm not quite sure how to answer the "how are you doing?" question, because I seem to be "doing" about a million different things each day: moments of peace, periods of grief, glimpses of hope and joy, pauses for tears and sadness.  But all in all, I think we are getting better.  I've had my ups and downs, sometimes with others and sometimes in private.  Now that Matt is back to work, I find that the time I spend with Avery alone allows my mind to wander and think about her future.  I smile and cry during these times.  I haven't yet read through all the literature we received from our doctors (that's a little too much for me right now), but I have been reading a few blogs of people living with CF.  These are both inspiring and difficult to read.  It is wonderful to read about 40 year olds who defied the odds and live relatively healthy lives, but it is hard to read about teenagers who have had lung transplants or on donor wait lists.  While we don't know the path that Avery's life will take, I do want to prepare myself for the realities and possibilities we face.  Avery had the misfortune of catching our family's cold this week, so we're headed into the doctor's office to make sure her lungs sound okay.  I'm not quite sure what to look for when she gets sick (which hopefully isn't often), but I'm thankful we have a great team of medical professionals around us to answer those questions for us (and to not make me feel dumb when I email them with probably silly questions).

We are so incredibly thankful for her and know that God has a big plan for her life, I just continue to pray that it is a long life that is not too burdened with medical devices, treatments, hospitalizations, etc.  I am not unaware that she likely will be facing a life with each of these things, still I hope and pray that she keeps a fighting spirit and uses all the strength that God has given her to beat this thing called Cystic Fibrosis.

At any rate - I just wanted to give you an update on how the Larson family is doing.  I appreciate everyone saying that we're strong parents - because I don't often feel that way!  It's a new path we're on, and we're just hoping to take it one day at a time (for a long time) ;)

I did also want to mention that we have had some fun times these past few weeks with visitors and then on our own as a new family of four.  :)  Here are some pics!

Adele spent the afternoon with us and the Kozlowski boys stopped by after taking Benjamin to the zoo!  It was a party. :)

we love Bam Bam

Mackenzie and Bode stopped by for some kisses!

It was SOOOO wonderful of Auntie Emma to come out for the week (even though she took a nasty spill on the bike on her second day, so sad!).  Benjamin (and I) had the best time with her and were spoiled by her help.  We love our Auntie Emma!

saying good morning to the recycling truck

my twin boys at the zoo

{This video is hilarious - Benjamin choo-choo-ing through the zoo until he hears a peacock, his nemesis.  Laughter turns into agonizing screams!}

Bryan and Matt came to visit!

Checking out the re-opened Union Station:

Family outing to the Aquarium for "Otter Weekend":

Celebrating Mason's 2nd birthday:

Benjamin was in heaven with a drum and a bouncy castle :)

thankful for our awesome neighbors

Benjamin likes to help out (and actually does, thankfully!).  Here he was watching daddy give Avery some vitamins:

On Labor Day we celebrated my sister's THIRTIETH birthday!  We had family over for a bbq and ended with a family jam session in the basement (and a dance party afterwards with Benjamin!) :) We love Bam Bam!

My first outing with just the two kiddos and myself was to the Museum.  It was a success!

I'm thankful for my little astronaut :)

Other randoms: