We were so excited to go to the reunion this year. Last year it was canceled because of the swine flu outbreak.
We spotted Samantha first. Here she is hugging Mason.
I know I have said all this before, but will say it again (and probably continue to say it even at Mason's high school graduation) Samanth is so special to us and I believe he is so special to her because she has been with Mason since the very beginning. She primaried Mason while he was in the NICU. The day he was very sick and we didn't think he would make it, she was there. She was even there the day we brought him home.
When I think of Cook's, I always think of Samantha and everything she did for Mason and Hagen. We will always be indebted to her and the care she gave to our beautiful HEALTHY boys.
After seeing Samantha, we found a penguin!
After seeing a penguin and a snake, we found a slide. Fearless Mason headed up.
And slides down without looking back. (He slid down so fast, I didn't even have time to capture it.)
Hagen sticking close to Daddy on his trip down.
Always time for a temper tantrum, right Hagen?
The line for the slide was super long, so after convincing Hagen there were cookies somewhere... we were headed to find something and we found.... Dr. Lynch!!
And Ginger!
Mason, always our flirt, had no problems going to Ginger!
We had a little harder time convincing Hagen that Dr. Lynch was very important to us :-)
Yep, this says Dr. Lynch. Does that look familiar to you, Mason?
Crazy to think she spent 2 1/2 months taking this huge 33 pound child from 1 pound, 14 ounces to 5 pounds and then sent him on his way... she was amazed to look at him.
Dr. Lynch and I had a great conversation about the boys. She said the reunions are so neat for them because they see the tiny babies everyday and it is so good to see the great outcomes after they leave the NICU.
As we stood there and talked about the boys working on their ABCs and counting - telling her they were just dismissed from speech therapy, I couldn't help but notice the kids with hearing aids, glasses, in wheelchairs, and even speaking to a parent of a 28 weeker that was in the NICU not only longer than the boys, but was also on the vent longer than the boys. It is hard not to be humbled and even convicted.
After a quick group shot, we had to get Hagen some food because melt down city was not far away! As we were eating on a bench, we noticed a large group of people surrounding a garden. Each person had a butterfly sticker on their nametags. Even though no one told me what the butterfly sticker meant, I knew. I couldn't help but feel bad - here my children were happy, healthy, and thriving. After the memorial was done a pair of grandparents came to sit down across from where we were. They told us the boys were cute. Then they shared that their grandson had passed away at 7 months old from RSV and pneumonia. He also had whooping cough. It was alot to take in. Mason just left this same hospital a month ago with RSV and pneumonia. I get it God, loud and clear. I am so grateful. I am beyond grateful.
They may not be potty trained and Hagen may throw temper tantrums because he wants to do it and the ice might get spilled along with the whole plate of peas and chicken because Mason was being silly and got carried away because he was showing off how he could howl louder than Daddy... but they are healthy little 3 year olds. They are learning who Jesus is and want to be read to, they love brushing their teeth and riding their tractors. I thank God everyday that they are here and I am their Mommy. I also thank God that we had Dr. Lynch, Samantha, Shirley, Robert, Ginger, and Debbie.
