Off to School and Graham Update

Amidst the roller coaster of emotions that I've been experiencing because of Graham (see update below), my firstborn started Kindergarten.  Not sure I had any tears left for this, but I'm also not sure I would've cried them anyway.  She was all sparkles and sunshine. 

I was a little worried she wouldn't talk about her day with me, but that was an unfounded fear. Here's the short version:

How'd your day go Ry?

"I made a friend today!"

"Mrs. Beren's looked so pretty."

"We have to wear red tomorrow, do I have anything with red on it?"

"I sat by Wyatt and Seth, Savannah and Leah were next to them and Lindsey was..."

"A boy got sent home today because he was naughty!" (we threatened her that they would send her home if she didn't obey the teacher...pretty sure no one got sent home.)

"We had centers, I played in the kitchen today."

"Our classroom has a bathroom in it!"

"I had to get three drinks during recess."

Are you ready to go back tomorrow?

"Ya Mom, but I hope Daddy don't cry again."

For the record, I'm sure Eric would like me to point out that he just said that he "wanted to cry" because his girl was getting too big.....so I will point it out, although it wouldn't surprise me if Rylie saw something I didn't. :)

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Graham had open heart surgery 2 days ago.  The surgery went very well and now Ann and Drew are experiencing the ups and downs of recovery.  One step forward and two steps back.  I feel like I've been walking around with my heart in my throat since his birth and I'm just the Aunt/sister.  I received this email from Ann this morning:

"Thank you so much for all of your prayers. I would not be able to get through this without them. My update as of 6 this morning. Graham had a wonderful night. They are going to try to get him off his oxygen this morning, which is the first step to him getting stronger. He is withdrawing from his strong pain meds, which is normal, but I don't like it. He shivers and shakes a little; heart breaking to see. My prayer for today is for his body to breathe perfectly on its own and for the withdraws to stop immediately. Again, your prayers are keeping me going. I had a really bad day yesterday of questioning, crying and exhaustion. God gave me rest last night and strength for another day at the NICU. I'm praying they'll start tube feeding him by tonight and maybe by tomorrow I can hold him again.

I love you all and would ask that you would forward this to anyone who would be willing to pray for our family."

Ann