Back on Thanksgiving Day, I said you should count your blessings if for no other reason than because of the story of little Audrina Cardenas, a baby born with a rare birth defect, her heart was literally formed outside her chest. A team of doctors at Texas Children’s Hospital raced to save her life and this week, she went home with her parents.

I sometimes think we live in a cold, cynical world, but if these pictures don’t melt your heart at least a little, you might need to check with Audrina’s cardiologist to see if it is still beating.

This article appears in Jan 24-30, 2013.

Jeff Balke is a writer, editor, photographer, tech expert and native Houstonian. He has written for a wide range of publications and co-authored the official 50th anniversary book for the Houston Rockets.