Happy Anniversary!

One year ago today, Joe and I handed over our sweet boy to the surgical team at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital one more time for his third (and hopefully final) heart surgery. Though we had been down this road before, this surgery felt different. On one hand, we were relieved knowing that the "big one" would be behind us soon. On the other hand, we knew this surgery was the most risky one yet. I cannot begin to explain the amount of faith that it takes in God and the surgeons to trust them with your child's life. We felt a tremendous sense of hope and helplessness, all at the same time. We had been discussing this surgery, the "double switch" since I was pregnant though, and we truly believed that it offered the best hope for a long, healthy, and normal life for Emmett. One year later, we still believe we made the right decision.

Joe and I know how lucky we are. We get to wake up to Emmett's big, beautiful smile every day. We get to watch him play, hear him laugh, and feel his hugs. We know that not everyone is this fortunate. Throughout Emmett's journey, we have met other heart families, either in person or online, who still have a long road ahead of them. We also know families who are dealing with the very harsh reality of losing a child to heart disease. We think of them every day and keep them in our prayers, not really having a clue what they're going through...and not knowing why our own beautiful child was spared.

To commemorate the one year anniversary of E's surgery, we are doing two things this week. First of all, we booked a little getaway for EuroDisney this weekend. Remembering the difficult time we were going through this time last year, we just wanted this weekend to be about having fun and celebrating Emmett's life. Believe me when I say that it is ALL Emmett wants to talk about this week...and admittedly, Joe and I are just as excited (maybe even more so)!

The second thing we are going to do is make a donation to The Children's Fund at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford. The Lucile Packard Children's Fund supports the Hospital's highest priorities each year in areas that are not covered by insurance: Family and Community Services, Pediatric Research, and Care for All. With Emmett's condition being so rare, we did our homework and felt that LPCH, and specifically, Dr. Frank Hanley, was the right choice for Emmett's care. Their love for children combined with their innovative, ground-breaking work has given hope to families from all around the world who want nothing but the very best for their children. Joe and I have made a commitment to financially support their work every year on this day. We truly feel that they are angels on earth, doing amazing work for children and families. If you feel a tug in your heart to support their mission as well, please read more about ways to give here.

Finally, Joe and I would like to thank each of you, once again, for your support throughout the last four years. Since E's diagnosis in utero, we have felt overwhelming love and compassion from family members, friends, and even strangers who offered everything from prayers to meals to advice. We appreciated each and every gesture, and cannot begin to thank you all enough for keeping our family in your thoughts. It is hard to believe that just one year past his 9 hour open heart surgery, we are living in Germany with a feisty, strong-willed, and healthy Emmett, preparing for the new addition to our family in August. Yes, we are truly blessed.

Much Love,
Missy, Joe, and of course, Big E

Emmett right after his Double Switch - May 26, 2010


Emmett and his hero, Dr. Frank Hanley of LPCH

Koblenz

Saturday, we ventured out to the beautiful town of Koblenz, about 140 km southwest of Marburg. Joe had seen online that they gave boat tours, and we were pretty sure that would be right up E's alley. Our first little adventure came with trying to use our car's navigation system in German. It got us to Koblenz, but detoured us through every little German town between here and there. Oh well, we just chalked it up to a learning experience and a nice little scenic tour. Needless to say though, we made sure that the drive home was more direct.

Upon arriving in Koblenz, I immediately hopped out of the car to find the nearest tourist center (and bathroom, of course) while Joe and E patiently waited for a parking spot to open up in the garage. Little did we know that there was a children's street fair and a summer-long horticultural event going on, so the place was jam-packed. All along the river were various boat tours that ranged from one to several hours long. Having never taken E on a tour like this, we decided to play it safe and see how he managed for an hour.

The weather was PERFECT--I was more than comfortable in my little sleeveless maternity dress (looking every bit 29 weeks pregnant, and feeling it too, by the way). We sat on the top, out in the sun, and just enjoyed the cool breeze and beautiful scenery. A fortress and a castle were among the beautiful sites, but E only had eyes for the ice cream offerings, so we caved in and let him have a kid's sundae before we even had lunch. It kept him quiet and happy the rest of the cruise...totally worth it. At the end of the hour, we asked E what he thought of the boat ride. In his words, "We floated around and ate ice cream. It was a good time." Deeps thoughts...by Emmett.

After grabbing some lunch at a cute little Italian bistro, we headed up to the castle, thinking that a little tour would nicely round out our day. So we handed over 40 euros for two tickets (a little steep, I thought) and began the not so quick climb up to the castle doors. We walked around a little while before asking the guy at the information desk where we could sign up for a tour. We were then informed that there was nothing to tour in the castle. Most of it was destroyed during the war and what parts have been restored are now government offices. Say what??? No royal bedrooms to ogle at, no thrones, no artwork? What the heck did we pay for then? I was told "the atmosphere". Thanks for that, but I could have gotten "atmosphere" somewhere else for a lot less than 60 bucks. Oh well, live and learn. *

* Footnote: We did discover later that our 20 euro tickets included a few other attractions; unfortunately, there was no time left in our day to take advantage of them. Next time, we will buy the tickets early :)

They did have beautiful gardens though and a few entertainment options--a dance performance, an a cappella group, some birds on display...an interesting mixture of odds and ends. However, we found the best part last...a little wading pond that you could take off your shoes and walk through. Sounds a little strange, I know, but you should have seen the look on E's face when he saw it. "Can I go in that water?" he asked hopefully. "Of course" we said and in he went. Of course, walking isn't really E's style. So it was only a matter of seconds before he was running full force through it, soaking his shorts in the process. His shorts got so wet, and so heavy, that they started to fall down. Eventually, he was running through the water, shorts around his ankles, his adorable little Finding Nemo tighty whities on display for all of Koblenz to see (and, yes, there is photographic evidence in the collage below). I thought the old German men were going to bust something laughing at him, and I have to admit, I almost wet my pants doing the same thing (not a tough feat at 7 months pregnant). I jumped in, fished him out, changed his shorts, and off we went...Emmett protesting the entire time. He had no problem running around half naked and was not ready to go home yet.

So that, in a nutshell, was our day in Koblenz. Quite fun, quite peaceful, and quite possibly a place that we will visit again very soon!

Blog: Take 2

Yes, yes, I realize that the blog is a little outdated now. I can no longer technically call Emmett my Rocky Mountain Baby, and I, alas, am no longer a Rocky Mountain Momma. Therefore, the blog is in need of some updating. This will happen eventually, with the help of my technologically savvy BFF, Dana, I'm sure :)

I also must warn you that I will be taking over as head writer of the site, as Emmett has been quite the slacker lately. I mean, no posts since March...what's up with that, Big E? So, until he can become a little more consistent, he will only be making the occasional guest blogger appearance for the time being. I know that he is a more talented writer than me, not to mention funnier, more creative, and let's be honest, cuter...however, you'll just have to take what you can get for now. For my part, I promise to keep you all updated on our journey over the next two years...the ups, the downs, the highs, the lows, the travels, the adventures, and of course, THE BOYS!

Sending lots of love from Deutschland!
Frau Missy

Your New Head Writer (and my little "in utero intern")

We Made It!

Well, we did it! We made the move. I have to be completely honest here (I mean a blog is where you share your deepest, darkest truths, right?) When Joe came to me several months ago and told me he would like to apply for a job in Germany, I thought "What could be the harm? He might not get it anyway, right?" I honestly didn't think that it would pan out, so when he told me that he'd been offered the job, I suddenly realized the enormity of it all. Moving internationally...with a 3 year old...almost 7 months pregnant. Friends have called me brave, but actually, I think I am just plain nuts. However, we have done this before. And, like before, I know that in the end we'll be glad we have the experience under our belts. Afterall, we are giving our kids an amazing opportunity to be immersed in a new culture, visit fun and exciting places, and hopefully, learn a new language while we're at it (at least a little).

So, now that the shock has worn off, I can tell you that our first week or so in Marburg has been a success. Joe is obviously working, so that leaves E and I the daytime to explore our new surroundings. We are currently living in a hotel, which is wonderful and beautiful. I mean, I haven't made my own bed since I got here and the laundry magically washes itself. Since this is probably the last time in my life that I will get to say that, I am going to enjoy it while I can. However, I must say that I am very excited to move into our apartment in July, so that E has more room to run, and I have a bigger kitchen to get creative in (at least until the baby gets here, when I'm sure we'll be back in carry-out mode for a while).

This week, Emmett and I found all the important things: the best place to feed ducks in the river, the best lunch spots, the neighborhood grocery store, the playgrounds, all of the public restrooms (since Baby B seems to be using my bladder as a trampoline these days), and of course, the toy store. As far as E is concerned, there are no other necessities in life. Ahhh, to be three again!

We have the beautiful old Botanical Gardens, which serves as a wonderful picnic area (plus there is a pond to throw rocks in, so E is in heaven). Joe took us to the zoo in Frankfurt, which is beautiful and much bigger than we anticipated...let's just say that the season pass will be a must. And, last weekend, we took our first day trip to the town of Koblenz. Beautiful. That will be in a separate blog post.

So, as with anything there are pros and cons. Here is how the list is playing out for us right now:
Pros:
* Beautiful scenery
* New places to explore
* New people to meet
* Tasty news foods to eat
* Wonderful new memories to be made

Con:
* Missing all of you :(

So, friends and family, if you are up for a little European adventure, please know that the Balleydier Haus is always open (as of July, that is). Free room and board...you just have to offer up a night of babysitting :)

We love and miss you all!

Missy, Joe, and Big E

Hey There, Remember Me?

My, my, my...where has the time gone? I haven't updated this site since...that's right...OCTOBER! Oy!!!

No excuses, just a simple lack of motivation and inspiration. I don't want you to think that we haven't been doing anything the last five months...hardly! In fact, we have had some major life changes in the works lately. Will fill you in on that later.

For now, however, I wanted to do something that is LONG overdue. The love of our lives, Big E, turned the Big Three on December 28th. As I did with his second birthday, I would like to catch you up on some of his favorite things--make that 3 favorite things (covering a wide variety of topics). I actually "interviewed" him, so this is straight from the horse's mouth!
Here goes:

THE THREES OF THREE YEAR OLD EMMETT:

3 Favorite TV Shows:
1) Max & Ruby (much to Daddy's dismay)
2) Scooby Doo (much to Mommy's dismay, only because I'm sick of it)
3) Go, Diego, Go!

3 Favorite SHNAAACKS (that's snacks, Emmett style):
1) Ice cream (preferably vanilla shakes or Oreo Blizzards)
2) Blueberry Pop-tarts
3) Granola bars

3 Favorite Toys:
1) Candyland
2) Stickers
3) Moon Sand (messy...thanks, Grandma Donna :)

3 Favorite Colors:
1) Green
2) Orange
3) Blue

3 Favorite Places to Visit:
1) Zoo
2) Ice cream store
3) Aquarium/Mall (tie--he couldn't pick just one)

3 Favorite Animals:
1) Sharks
2) Dinosaurs
3) Fish (particularly the arapaima--look it up)

Well, that's a quick snapshot of our big 3 year old boy. He amazes us everyday with his intelligence, wit, and uncanny ability to get anything he wants ;) We don't know what we ever did without him!

On the Road Again

....or at least on the plane again. Momma and I were feeling a little homesick to see the family, so we decided to take a last minute trip back to the S-T-L! In six days, we managed to see almost all of our family AND score some serious snuggle time in the process!

We also realized that this was my 10th round trip on an airplane--whew! That is more than my Momma had flown at 25 years old. Just call me Emmett, World Traveller.

 

The Great Pumpkin!

I love this time of year! Mostly because it's Mommy's favorite time of year, so she's been in a GREAT mood. Playing outside, baking cookies, picking out a Halloween costume, and of course, finding the perfect pumpkin! Mommy, Daddy, and I went to the pumpkin farm (actually, a couple of them) in search of just the right pumpkin to carve. We found a couple, and I must say...I know how to pick 'em! Here are some pictures of the Great Pumpkin Search of 2010. Enjoy!