Here's a photo of Paige on my lap in February 2011:
On April 8th, 2011 (one day before Nate and Kellye's 6th wedding anniversary), I got a phone call that my precious niece was being rushed to the hospital. She'd been struggling with acid reflux issues and was referred to a gastroenterologist. He decided to do an X-ray to be sure everthing looked okay and realized that her heart was taking up the majority of her chest cavity. She was diagnosed with idiopathic (no known cause) dilated cardiomyopathy (enlarged heart), and the odds were against her. Her condition stabilized for a while and then progressively worsened to the point that she'd need a heart transplant to survive. After many prayers and a very short wait on the heart transplant list, Paige received a new heart and new lease on life on September 30, 2011, thanks to an incredibly special, anonymous family.
Paige, a couple of weeks before transplant (10 mos old):
BEST DAY EVER! September 30, 2011...Paige's flag is flown outside of the hospital after having received a new heart during the wee morning hours:
What a trouper!
Paige became a big sister to identical twins, Ella Claire and Avery Ann on January 6, 2012. It's incredible what changes a year can bring!
My family still got together on Easter last year, but we met up at the hospital. Here's a photo of Paige on Easter last year (late April), in the garden at The Children's Hospital of Atlanta. She wasn't quite 6 months old:
Here is Paige (17 mos) with 3 month old Ella (on the left) & Avery, Easter 2012:
My parents vacation to China was planned just a few days after Easter this year, so instead of meeting up for Easter, we got together for Palm Sunday. Nate and Kellye couldn't join us because they were finally getting to have a nice wedding anniversary to themselves.
For Easter, Harrison and I went to Mass at our church in Auburn (St. Michael's). We spent the afternoon at his parents home with family and friends:
My mother-in-law and father-in-law, Esther and Perry:
Here are some of the photos from Palm Sunday at Aileen's house in Newnan, GA:
Blake and Ryan Swartz
Hailey Swartz
If you can't read her shirt, it says, "If you think I'm cute, you should see my Aunt." Andrews sister gave it to her, but works for all three of us :-)
Hope that you all had a great Easter; there's so much to be thankful for!
