The Normal Life

I visited our blog today (to find a link for a new HLHS family) and couldn't believe my last post was over a year ago! Whoopsies, my bad.

The past year flew by and I'm happy to report that all is well. And Normal.

Zoe started and finished pre-Kindergarten - which was way more difficult for mom than Zoe! She loved it, and ended the school year with not one, but two, boyfriends.


Zoe and Ryder (aka Batman and Batgirl)

 

Zoe and Hudson

 

Both of our little ladies took up gymnastics and are loving it. I regret not getting Zoe into community activities earlier, as she's already built muscle tone in her little arms and legs - and, new research is showing that exercise is important for single ventricle kids as it improves circulation.

All of us have been extremely busy this past year - with school, traveling, advocating, and opening a new business - Thies, Lihn & Simpson. Thanks Obama! No Really, thanks Obama for making it possible for individuals with pre-existing conditions to become business owners!

Many may be unaware, but after Zoe was born, Caleb decided to go back to school and get his LL.M. in Estate Planning (with a specialization in special needs and elder planning). An LL.M. is a "Master of Law" degree with advanced study in a specialized area of law. Inspired by Zoe, Caleb wanted to use his law degree to help other families raising special needs children and individuals often overlooked by our system.

I couldn't be prouder of him - and his two partners - for making this venture at the beginning of the year. And, honestly, proud of myself for not freaking out more in taking this leap!

 

 

 

With Zoe's heart in good shape, we've done some traveling and exploring - taking our first trip to San Francisco to visit Aunt Stephanie and Uncle Paul



And braving the elevation with Zoe in the Colorado Rockies. As you can see, she fared perfectly. We had to get this picture of Zoe at 9,331 feet with great oxygen saturations to send to her cardiologist - who advised us to drive home if she got cyanotic or lethargic. Clearly, Zoe wasn't going to let half a heart get in the way of a great vacation!

 

White Water Rafting down the Colorado River

We'll be doing quite a bit of relaxing until school starts up again in August.  Zoe and I are headed to Philadelphia at the end of July for an annual post-Fontan cardiac work up. It's hard to believe her last surgery was two years ago. The further out we get, the more and more normal we feel. Cheers to countless years of normalcy!

We hope everyone enjoys the remainder of the summer and we'll do our best to update more than once a year! Cheers!