Cardiac Kids Picnic

Last weekend, we went to the annual Cardiac Kids Picnic and wore ourselves out. We go every year and it is so great to see all the families outside the hospital setting and watch the kids play. Somehow, we got nominated a few years ago to be in charge of the snow cone machine, so we've now got that down to a science. Kinley is especially helpful in taking everyone's order.

This year was extra special for one family here from Japan. In Japan, they apparently view harvesting organs for transplant as murder, so it doesn't happen there. This family raised money and came here in February to get a transplant. They have yet to go home after getting a new heart on Valentine's Day due to some post-op complications. We volunteered this year to take the family to the picnic since this little guy is now out of the hospital. They have to stay at the Ronald McDonald house near the hospital for a couple more months until they can go home. It was the first time they had been anywhere other than the hospital since arriving.

Though he speaks very little English, my kids were so nice to him and it was good for them to be part of doing something nice for someone else. Kinley, in all her glory, was hilarious trying to talk to him. She just figured the louder she talked, he might finally communicate with her. Then, she started speaking some Spanish words and when that didn't work, the body language took over. I believe my next post will be a compilation of "Kinleyisms" because this girl is a natural comedian.