Tuesday, August 29

END OF SUMMER BUNDLE OF BLESSINGS IN PICTURES

BEST SUMMER EVER
(Certainly a 180° change from last Summer)
To My Dearest Jeremy and Madison, Savannah, Nicholas, Isaac, and Gracie Ann,
Jesus carried us through the storm as He always does...Just thinking about last summer gives me chills, as last summer was the TOTAL opposite (180°) from this summer
BUT....
We would not even recognize this most joyul celebration without experiencing last summer's painful anguish

There would be no Resurrection without a Crucifixion

SUMMER 2016 (AUGUST)
Above
(A picture of Jesus holding our little angel Gracie Ann in His Loving and mighty arms)

Below
(A picture of Me and our little miracle baby...Gracie Ann)

After 100+ days in the hospital, we were finally dischargded and spent the rest of the summer and fall just healing and snuggle-sleeping all day.....It was ALL that either of us had the strength to do, but what a huge blessing this time was that our Sweet Lord Jesus Graced us with
(This lasted for about 4 months)
I HAD LOST ALL OF MY HAIR DUE TO EXTREME STRESS ON MY WEAK BODY AND MEDICATIONS
24/7 OXYGEN (IT TOOK 2 FULL SIZED OXYGEN CONSENTRATORS TETHERED TOGETHER TO ALLOT FOR ENOUGH OXYGEN TO KEEP ME AIIVE
and I STILL struggled to breath

I HAD ONLY 17% LUNG FUNCTION

SUMMER 2017 (AUGUST)
NEW LUNGS-NEW LIFE

My hat reminds me of the 80's song...."Jesse's Girl"
....but I changed MY song lyrics to "Jeremy's Girl" I sing it every time I wear this cap
On July 19th....
I Celebrated 20 years of marriage to my One True Love Jeremy
THIS IS HOW MUCH MY NATURAL HAIR HAS GROWN IN ONE YEAR
My hair extensions are such a blessing.....I look more like mommy to my children and I feel more like myself
"This girl runs on cupcakes and Jesus"
(this shirt was such a sweet gift to our little Gracie Ann)
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DADDY'S SUMMER EATS
After about 150 days in the hospital together, we watched ENDLESS hours of the Food Network and HGTV

So, by the end of this stint, both Jeremy and I felt like we had received our contractors licenses, and....
We kinda felt like we actually went to culanary school
Since we have already renovated our house, we took up cooking as a new hobby
(We have so much fun cooking now and pretending to be on "Chopped") 
Pizza Night








Lettuce wraps







Sausage Calzones



In Isaac's words......
"Daddy, you're a GOOD cooker!"

LUNCH AT CHICK-FIL-A




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MORE SUMMER FOOD

DAILY TREATS AT MY FAVORITE PLACE
"PELICANS SNOBALLS"


Such a cute pink and blue building to visit for some yummy shaved ice

My SUPER CUTE boyfriend buying me an Avalanche Flat Top Tiger's Blood/Pina Colada
He is such a blessing to me and loves to surprise me with little treats

Isaac earns "cone cones" (as Isaac calls them) for making virtuous choices each day

When Isaac makes good and virtuous choices.....we ALL get a treat
(Savannah was home with Gracie Ann so we brought a "cone cone" treat home for her)

You'll never guess what flavor Isaac chose...
Isaac wanted a BUEW (blue) snow cone to match his eyes...


***************************************
2016

My first time meeting Gracie Ann
Jeremy first introduced me to her when she was already three  weeks old....
(I was actually too weak and sick and my sight was too blurry to hold her all by myself)


Jeremy kept telling me that Gracie Ann had been born, but I was on so many medications and just so sick that I kept forgetting and I would ask about her over and over again.....

My Lord and my God,
Thank You Thank You Thank You for our precious little baby girl Gracie Ann.  I praise You for saving her life when I could not.
I stand before You in gratitude for allowing me to live, enabling me to be her mother and to be a wife to Jeremy and a mommy to my four other babies who so longingly waited, in worry, for me to come home
love,
kerry ann
***************************
2017
I sure can hold her now ALL BY MYSELF......
And I can't keep my arms from squeezing her tight and my lips from kissing her squishy cheeks millions of times each day!!

GRACIE ANN IS LEARNING SOME NEW TRICKS

I was in prayer......really praying to Jesus about Gracie Ann and how much I love her and how Jeremy and I want to give here all of the opportunites possible to form her into the little soul that Jesus intended for her to be.
I want so much to be the best mommy for her.....Jesus DID entrust this tiny person to Jeremy and I...
And I just want to please Him so much

We are working on teaching her to sit up all by herself




(Ms Olivia loves Gracie Ann and works with her too....she took this precious picture of Gracie Ann...Yay Gracie!)

Jeremy and I absolutley LOVE our sweet little Gracie Ann just the way that she is, but as her mom and dad, we are always praying to teach her all that we are supposed to.
The other day, in prayer, I was dreaming of her walking and asking Jesus if she would ever walk.....Jesus so very lovingly, but STERNLY said....

"kerry, if you want her to learn how to walk....then TEACH HER HOW TO WALK!"
I love it when Christ Jesus  speaks to me so clearly, as He knows that I miss what He is saying so often.....He knows me so well

So...I humbly answered my Mighty Creator, 
"I will teach her...."
So I bought this harness for her online....If she never walks, I will be JUST AS HAPPY as if she had....

This harness was worth it, if only to strengthen her muscles (and gives us a blessed opportunity to interact with her (and each other) together, as it takes one person to hold her up and the other person to move her legs....

We are doing all that we can to give her every advantage...
If she only sleeps, eats and cuddles during her lifetime....and her purpose on this earth is only to love and to be loved.....then we are absolutely and completely blessed by this tiny angel.
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Gracie Ann's future is not for us to know now
It will all be revealed only in His perfect time....

Because Jesus can do ANYTHING that He pleases.....
Gracie Ann and I are living proof of that

Whether she will ever walk is only known to her Loving Father in Heaven.

Today we brushed her teeth for the first time
 Well, our Little Gracie Ann does not have any teeth yet, even though she is already 18 months old, but I brushed her gums, tongue, and the roof of her mouth......
she actually seemed to enjoy the feeling of the brush on her lips and this will keep any bacteria bugs out of her sweet little mouth.  
(fruity-strawberry toothpaste breath)

The great blessing of caring for her as her mommy (bathing her, changing her stinky diapers, dressing her, etc....) is one of the  greatest joys a mommy experiences.....it's in our "mommy genes" to joyfully take care of our little lambs, especially when they are sick or hurting
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SUMMER SNUGGLES......ALONG THIS AND THATS
(MY FIVE LITTLE ONES)

All five kids
(All hanging out in daddy and mommy's bed.....I love it!)
 Four kids
(Watching a Dallas Cowboy scrimage with daddy before bedtime)
 Three Kids
(Madison and Savannah already went to bed)
Two Kids
(in the car on our way to St. Francis Cabrini in Granbury for Mass)

One kid
Daddy's  Snuggles are the best

More Daddy Snuggles

My boys

The Bookends
Our oldest and our youngest.....Madison and Gracie Ann 
 Nicholas and his Chubbers
 Isaac LOVES to sleep with his "Bro Bro" Nicholas 
Madison and Nicholas
Gracie Ann's Toes
Everytime we snuggle Gracie Ann or play with her hair.....kiss her or hug her......her big toe raises into the air...it's so super cute and it makes my heart flutter to see her react to our love for her


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OUR LAKEHOUSE
(THE OLD/NEW BOAT WRAP)

 The TRADITIONAL......"Family picture in front of the boat"

OLD BOAT WRAP
Our boat wrap was meant to honor and serve our Lord in and out of the water 
Jen and Shane stopped by to help us say goodbye to the old wrap
My boys washed out the boat getting it ready for it's new wrap 
 Isaac loves helping his "Bro Bro" and Daddy
Just as our old boat wrap was meant to honor our Lord in and out of the water 
*************************************************
NEW BOAT WRAP
Our new boat wrap was designed for the same reason, but with new colors and a little tweaking 
If our boat is going to make a statement......it is going to glorify our Lord Jesus Christ.......Our Mighty King and Creator
The lake view of our lakehouse
We have never taken a picture of our lakehouse FROM in the lake 
You cannot see our lakehouse from the street, so we had a "Lustig Ln" road sign made so that friends and family could fine our house
Isaac is helping daddy drive down the lakehouse driveway.....Isaac was very excited that he got to open the driveway gate 
Isaac watching a float plane taking off and landing in front of our deck
Isaac was VERY excited......actually we ALL were very intrigued
Madison suggested that Daddy should learn to fly so that we can ride in a float plane...

Daddy told her that he didn't have his piolot's license because of mommy (me)
I will gladly take the blame for that

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NICHOLAS
He is our little wake surfer.....and he finally is able to let go of the rope and stay up.....he is really good at it, as he has worked really hard this summer
 Nicholas...you are looking good Buddy
Nicholas driving the jet-ski all alone

Nicholas took a boater's course and tested to get his "Watercraft License"
Now he can drive any watercraft legally
*****************************************************

Isaac fell asleep on the boat under the warm sun, watching Nicholas surf
 Isaac enjoys the boat rides so much

BOYS LAKE DAY
No girls allowed
It was all about boating, tubing and food




BOYS LAKE DAY 2017 CHECKED OFF OF THE LIST

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FUN WITH OUR SILLY DADDY


FAUSTINA ACADEMY VOLLEYBALL PRACTICE STARTED
My beautiful girls are both playing varsity volleyball together
It melts a mama's heart to see my girls as team members
FUN WITH OUR SILLY DADDY CONTINUES......
 DADDY NEVER MISSES A CHANCE TO PHOTO BOMB
BUMP 
SET 
 SPIKE
The girls were a little less than impressed with daddy's teasing .....But all of us could not help but laugh as we looked at the pictures
********************************************** SURPRISE VISIT FROM THE LOUISIANA LUSTIG COUSINS
Uncle Jeremy tightened their braces and then we all went out for BBQ

***************************
Driving Gracie Ann to her hematologist while infusing my IV med
Jeremy and I prayed and prayed for me to be taken off of my IV meds.....I was on them for 3 months (But it was such as blessing to me as it was healing my infection)
Well.....Friday morning, August 19th my Transplant coordinator called and said that my home health nurse could pull my IV line out....YAY
Jesus.....You surprised me again!!
My friend Lisa surprised me with flowers right after my nurse left to celebrate my IV release 

My kids are addicted to Ramen
 Sister and Brother Swim-Time
 Jen and I hanging out watching the kids swimming
 Fun with a spur of the moment evening with friends...I love summertime
 Bree and I at lunch
 Going on my VERY FIRST girls trip EVER
LA....BABY!!!!
Beverly Hills With Bree Bree 
Seeing my old bestie Dean Troy from high school
 A visit from my blessed friend Gisele
 Magdelena and Savannah at the Rangers game
Our kids were so kindly treated to a Rangers game by our great friends, the Sipe family
Nicholas started tackle football this year
(Yikes for this mommy!!)

Fro-Yo with Daddy

Playing family Games

SWIMMING WITH THE BOYS


 

 

And Gracie Ann too......
 

 OUT TO DINNER



Visiting with Cousin Jimmy

 
Funny Little Isaac 
He loves putting gel into his hair and making a faux-hawk 

Visiting Grandma and Grandpa
Gracie Ann and my Daddy
My Mom with the "Littles"

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
Faustina Academy
Savannah is FRESHMAN now
Madison is a SENIOR


Nicholas is in the 7TH GRADE
where did the time go

The first day of school with Father Isaac
(Who we named our Isaac after)
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To all of those who stormed Heaven for me and Gracie Ann,
I don't know how to express my undying gratitude to all of the people from near and far who stormed Heaven for me to make this summer possible.
The world said goodbye to both Gracie Ann and I, but my most Loving, Amazing, Mighty king and Lord Jesus Christ, heard the cries of the faithful, on my and Gracie's behalf, and He saw it fit to let me stay here a little longer with my husband and children.....and for that I will be forever grateful

I love You Lord Jesus,
I will honor You all of the days of my life
Love,
Your humble servant and Your little girl,
(Your fearful little lamb)
kerry ann