unexpected treat

Not sure where to start with this one...

I started to share this story last night but I can't help but feel like I'm not going to do it justice. I say that because this meeting is more meaningful than I could ever articulate.  I'll try....

To understand the significance of this meeting, we have to revisit what happened late January 2007.  After a routine ultrasound, we were scheduled to go see a specialist.  The specialist did not have good news...Lisa and the girls were diagnosed with Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS).  If you want to read the blog post from that night, here it is.... 

In those initial days after we learned about TTTS, Lisa and I did a lot of internet research.  For the most part, we were just managing to freak ourselves out but one positive was finding the forum on the TTTS Foundation website.  The forum immediately gave Lisa a way to share our story and get support...and the main source of that support came from a very nice woman named Laurie.  Laurie connected with Lisa, swapped stories, and even put her in touch with Dr. Julian DeLia.  Hard to describe Dr. DeLia's expertise so I'll just copy/paste from wikipedia...

"TTTS can also be treated by laser therapy fetal surgery. Dr. Julian DeLia began investigating TTTS in 1983 and pioneered fetoscopic placental laser surgery in 1988 at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City. He subsequently brought his life-saving surgery to Wisconsin and Illinois. Dr. De Lia’s laser procedure is now performed (with some modifications) throughout the United States and the rest of the world."

The connection is that Dr. Julian DeLia performed this life saving surgery on Laurie and her daughters.  I KNOW I won't do her story justice so I'll just leave it at this...her daughters names are Julianne and Leah!!

So Laurie helped Lisa (and myself) through the pregnancy, stayed in contact, and started following our blog. At some point, we realized that we're all from the same town!!!...and that Laurie and her family still live there!  So we joked how some day we would finally meet.  Well that day finally came this past summer when we met up for about an hour just minutes from where Lisa's mom lives.  Amazing!  Honestly thinking about this as I'm writing...it's truly amazing!!

Standing around getting to know each other...while our girls explore the playground.

A slide???  Oh game on!!  Not sure at this point that Katy knew her hair was sticking straight up.  I think I had to show her a picture later for her to believe us.

 

Tag!

You're it!

 Just good ole fashion shenanigans between twins separated by 10 years but sharing the same love of life.

 Love this one!!!

 Lisa noticed at some point that the donors and recipients paired up.  Coincidence?  Perhaps...  

 Laurie and family picked up sweatshirts from our high school for the girls.  LOVED IT!!!

 What a sweet woman!  Thank you Laurie!!!

 Lisa and the girls thought they would go down the slide one more time.  If you haven't yet...notice the hair.

Thank you again Laurie, Julianne, Leah, and Audrey!  Meeting you was extremely special for all of us.  You helped us through the most difficult time in our lives...and in the process made a lifelong connection and friendship.

Ohio vacation continued with.... SCIENCE!!!

We pick up our 2012 summer vacation in Dayton on a fun afternoon trip to the Boonshoft Museum.  It's a kids science discovery museum in Dayton.  I don't remember this being there when Lisa and I were growing up...then again maybe we were too old???  Either way, it was a great idea and a huge hit with the girls.

In the first few minutes while we were there, we lucked into a private tour of their telescope!  The girls were VERY impressed...stood there perfectly quiet and still and listened the whole time. 

 I played the part of the weird dad walking around taking pictures.

 Then it was time for some hands on exploring!  I'm not sure....but I'm thinking Katy's technique might need some tweaking.

 Yeah...that can't be right.

 Time to play with the water!  They had a really neat canal, some waterfalls, hydro powered tools...all very cool stuff.

Alyssa; the scientist.  Apparently science is very serious business.

 It was actually a bit over-crowded until about lunch time, and then all of the school groups left and we had the whole place to ourselves!  The girls (and Lisa) climbed up this rope ladder several times to come down the slide.  It was hard work...but well worth it!

 You can imagine the screams of joy echoing through the entire museum as they slid out of control down the 3 story slide.

 SCIENCE!!

 My favorite part of the day...going into the planetarium with maybe 5 other people.  I think this was the girls first planetarium.  They were blown away by the stars!  No, there isn't anything wrong with the pictures...it was just that shade of blue before the show started.

So only a few posts so far in 2013.  Slowly...slowly getting back into it.  Thankfully my buddy, Lisa Kriederman, is resurrecting her blog so now I'll have a little extra motivation to keep up!