Road Trip (Back to Minneapolis)

Susan and Hannah took Jacob back to Minneapolis for a week of 

clinic visits, routine evaluations one year after transplant.

They left Richmond and drove all the way to Richmond (Indiana, that is),

then on to Minneapolis, stopping briefly in Madison, WI to see James.

Susan got to fill out lots of forms in clinic.

They visited the zoo to see some cute puffins

and one super grumpy fish.

On their return trip, they enjoyed many thunderstorms

and a promise.

Life at the Ronald McDonald House

Visitors from the South

Susan's sister Elizabeth came to celebrate her birthday with her sweet nephew.

Jacob and Elizabeth had a fun time playing with his cool car.

Mary was deep in prayer.

Mama Martha was praying, too.

(photo withheld to avoid conflict)

Susan and Jacob got a new and larger room (with a very poor wifi connection)

I am looking forward to visiting this room myself in a couple of weeks!

Hays Invasion

Hannah and I called Jacob on FaceTime

He has a cool new T Rex sweatshirt

All of a sudden, the T Rex opened his massive jaws and attacked!

Fortunately, the whole T Rex mauling was an elaborate hoax from Jacob the trickster.

So we watched further to see that Jacob had some new and wonderful visitors:

Mama Martha, Aunt Elizabeth, and Aunt Mary had all just come from the airport

and the Hays women were celebrating Aunt Elizabeth's birthday (28th, I think).

Jacob made Elizabeth one his now patented HOPPY BIRTHDAY cards.

Then Elizabeth opened some cute presents (Hannah liked).

Smiling, grinning, and smirking ensued between Jacob and Hannah. Pure joy!

Jacob's Ninth (A Virtual Party)

FaceTime brought us close to Susan and Jacob in Minneapolis tonight as we celebrated

Jacob's ninth birthday. We were grateful that he was out of the hospital in the Ronald

McDonald House for the occasion. All the children sang Happy Birthday to Jacob and

he showed us some of the many gifts and cards he had received. We all exchanged jokes

and then a pageant of well dressed princesses passed through to entertain him. Such fun.

These cards have just arrived over the past two days.

Jacob's cookie cake, which he will enjoy later.

We failed to tell him about our cupcakes. Did I mention the cupcakes?

Tiny meowing cats sing Happy Birthday. Cute or heinous? You decide!

What on earth?

Happy Birthday, Jacob!

We love you!