(Certainly a 180° change from last Summer)
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
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
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
I Celebrated 20 years of marriage to my One True Love Jeremy
My hair extensions are such a blessing.....I look more like mommy to my children and I feel more like myself
(this shirt was such a sweet gift to our little Gracie Ann)
***********************************
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
**************************************
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
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.
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.
"kerry, if you want her to learn how to walk....then TEACH HER HOW TO WALK!"
So...I humbly answered my Mighty Creator,
"I will teach her...."
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.
****************************************
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.
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
*******************************
SUMMER SNUGGLES......ALONG THIS AND THATS
(MY FIVE LITTLE ONES)
(All hanging out in daddy and mommy's bed.....I love it!)
(Watching a Dallas Cowboy scrimage with daddy before bedtime)
(Madison and Savannah already went to bed)
(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
The Bookends
Our oldest and our youngest.....Madison and Gracie Ann
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
OUR LAKEHOUSE
(THE OLD/NEW BOAT WRAP)
OLD BOAT WRAP
Just as our old boat wrap was meant to honor our Lord in and out of the water
*************************************************
NEW BOAT WRAP
We have never taken a picture of our lakehouse FROM in the lake
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
***************************
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 driving the jet-ski all alone
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
******************************************************
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
********************************************** SURPRISE VISIT FROM THE LOUISIANA LUSTIG COUSINS
***************************
Driving Gracie Ann to her hematologist while infusing my IV med
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 kids are addicted to Ramen
LA....BABY!!!!
(Yikes for this mommy!!)
Fro-Yo with Daddy
Playing family Games
SWIMMING WITH THE BOYS
And Gracie Ann too......
Visiting with Cousin Jimmy
Funny Little Isaac
Visiting Grandma and Grandpa
My Mom with the "Littles"
Faustina Academy
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)
******************************************************
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
