The Burlingames

Eli’s been on a roll lately with quotable sayings that only kids seem to come up with. Here’s yesterday’s exchange as he was eating a popsicle:

D: what kind of Popsicle do you have Eli?
E: flavor
D: yes, what kind of flavor?
E: flavor, that’s what kind of Popsicle I have.

This morning’s offering (while getting shoes on to go to daycare) was a bit more strange:

When I get bigger I’m gonna be a girl and have a baby in my tummy. Noah will get in my tummy and he’ll be small like baby Caleb.

Caleb is a new baby that belongs to our friends who live a few blocks away. This evening my niece, Alexis, stole the show. After dinner she was washing her hands and splashed a couple drops of water on her dress and proceeded to sob. While doing so, she yelled out:

I’m melting!

I’d hate to see what happens if she were to get caught in the rain. The crazy thing about this stuff is for every item I post here, they’ve said 30 weird and hilarious things that I didn’t manage to write down.

Please take a moment to read our “story” and try to understand our passion for Children’s Hospitals of Minnesota.

Over the past 4 years, our family has been greatly blessed by Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis, MN. In July of 2008, during a routine ultrasound, we learned that our unborn baby boy had something called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS – left side of his heart is too small to be functional). On November 11th, Eli Mathias, was born – our miracle baby. He had his first open-heart surgery at 10 days old. Eli had his second open-heart surgery at 5 months old. He had his third (and hopefully final) open-heart surgery last summer, at 2.5 years old. Between surgeries, doctor visits and heart catherizations, Eli has spent several months throughout his short life at Children’s Hospital.

Today, Eli is 3.5 years old and has a zest for life, he loves to watch movies, help out around the house and outside, play baseball and talk your ear off. We thank God every day for the miracle that Eli is and for the joy he brings to our lives.

Our friends, The Porta’s, have a little boy named, Elijah, who also has a heart defect which has required surgeries and visits to Children’s. Together we have created a team called, “Double E” to raise funds in honor of our boys.

We ask for your participation in a variety of ways – join our team, make a donation or say a prayer for the families at Children’s.

Below is the race information and our web address. On our website you can make a donation or join our team. We would LOVE to see as many people possible come help us raise funds and raise awareness for pediatric cardiovascular care at Children’s of Minnesota.

Come support “Double E” and Children’s Hospital of Minnesota on Saturday, June 23rd at 9:30am at Father Hennepin Bridge in Minneapolis.

Elijah Porta and Eli Burlingame are amongst the many thousands who have received care and love from the doctors and nurses at Children’s Hospital.

Visit: heartbeat5000.kintera.org/doublee
for more details, to join our team or make a donation.

Thank you so much!!