3rd Annual Santa's Little Helpers

I cannot believe it has been nearly a month since my last post. I do apologize, I have been so busy with cheerleading and then there is Kinsley. She is slowly becoming a big girl right before my eyes. She is AMAZING!!! She is starting to put words together making little sentences. She always wants to dance, color, and play with ALL her stuffed animals. I should say carry ALL of her stuffed animals around, and if she can't get them ALL I carry what she can't. We are potty training and she recognizes most of the time when she needs to go. She is soooooo proud when she does go, and of course so am I! She just turned 18 months, such a fun age, but it's a busy age.Gracie is staying busy with school. She has finally figured out why it is so important to do good the first time around. She has weekly spelling test and on Thursdays they have a pretest. If they get 100% they don't have to take the test on Friday, let's just say I think she has only taken one test on Friday. She just finished cheerleading for her little brothers team and now she is starting basketball. She is pretty pumped about bb, and I think Jason is more excited than ever, something he can really relate too.Now for the next topic at hand, 3rd Annual SANTA'S LITTLE HELPERS!!! For the last 2 years we have stuffed stockings for the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Childrens Mercy. We have had such an amazing response both years, so I am really looking forward to see how this year turns out. I am thinking we will deliver Saturday December 19th. That is not 100% confirmed but that is the date I am thinking will be best. That gives us 4 weeks to collect items. Remember we do not know until a couple days before what age groups we are collecting for, so it is important we get a little bit of everything. Mostly babies, a few tweens, and teens we also like to include something for the parents. These are some things we have collected in the past...coloring books and crayons, cross word puzzles, gift cards (McD's and movies tickets are great), hand held games, barbies, toy cars, lip gloss. The place I stock up the most is the dollar spot, you can find great items there for super cheap. We also accept monetary donations and then I take that and buy items suitable for the children/parents. I also like to take a tray of goodies for the nurses, so any bakers out there??? If you are interested in making any sort of donation, please contact me micah@giftsofgabisgrace.org
It is a tough time of year for everyone Christmas can be overwhelming on top of all of our other expenses, but the think I always remind myself of is, the kids are in the hospital and no kid should ever have to spend Christmas in the hospital. So we need to bring a little cheer to their day, give them a stocking full of goodies, just let there minds be in another place for an hour or 2.

Stepping Up for GABI'S GRACE

Our team raised $720, just $30 shy of my goal...which I was super excited about. The sun was shining and we were surrounded by our amazing family and friends! It was a great day and we couldn't of had more pride walking for our angel. Thank you again to those of you who walked as well as donated!

My favorite 2 cheerleaders

A Great Way to Start Your Monday!

What can I say, the girl loves music! And check out her new uniform, Great Grammy made it and she LOVES it!

Another eventful weekend...

Can you believe it, 2 days in a row I am on here!?! I figured instead of making a huge entry I would just start from the weekend. We are always on the go when Gracie is in school. But this was our last free weekend for a while. She starts cheerleading this next Saturday, which I am totally pumped about. She has been practicing really hard with her mom and me. When we practice though she asks if her motions are right and where she should be looking on certain motions...it is so cute. She actually listens to me too since I am a cheer coach.
So Saturday Kins and I picked up Gracie and went out to the Renaissance Festival, opening day. Gracie got to ride a pony, get a henna tattoo, and visit with Mimi and Papi....Kins and I were along for the ride. Jason had to work all day Saturday, so I have been trying to keep both girls entertained without hearing too much, "When's Daddy gonna be home?"Then Sunday was the annual Childrens Mercy Memorial Service. It was very bittersweet, this year they dedicated the 2008 quilt. The 2008 quilt is in memory of the children who passed in 2007. I had made a quilt block in memory of Gabi the quilt was beautiful. And the most special part is Gabi and Ava are right next to each other, just as they are in heaven...insert tears here :) The quilt will be hung in the hopsital on the wall near the cashiers counter in May of 2010. Be And each family gets to release a butterfly...it is such an amazing site to see when they are released.
Monday as a family, along with Uncle Freddie and Zach, Uncle Michael, Matt, Jess, and Joellen we all went to the Ren Fest. The kids got their faces painted, rode an elephant, jumped on a tampoline off bungies, ate turkey legs...let's just leave it at they got SPOILED!!! Oh and Kins got her new attire for the Ren Fest, she is so stinkin CUTE!!!

Basically it's like this...we have been super busy and enjoying life to the fullest! The girls are doing great. Jason and I are doing great...we celebrated our 2nd, 3 year anniversary. If that confuses you it's because in June we got married at the courthouse and then in September we had a ceremony to exchange our vows in front of all of our loved ones! So that is why I say our 2nd, 3 year Anniversary!

I have been taking pictures like a crazy woman...is that any different than any other moment in my life. If you don't take pics how do you capture those moments you wish you had your camera??? I will have to download them soon and post A LOT!!!

Step Up For Down Syndrome Walk is coming up soon, so be sure to sign up. The cut off date for team t-shirts is right around the corner!

STEP UP FOR DOWN SYNDROME

Don't wait until it is too late the walk is October 24th, seems far off but it will be here before you know it! Join team GABI'S GRACE for our 3rd walk. It is $20 for adults and $15 for children. Price includes team t-shirt, lunch, and lots of fun family friendly activities. All proceeds go to kids in KC with D.S. It is an incredible cause and most importantly to us, we are there to walk in memory of our precious angel! If you can't walk, donate to our team! All planning to attend and wanting a t-shirt, the cut off date is Sept. 25th...so don't lose track of time and forget to sign up...DO IT TODAY!!!

Piggies For Gabi

Thank you everyone for your thoughts, prayers, and Piggie Tails!!!
You all bring so much joy to our hearts. Gabi WAS shining down on us all yesterday!

Remembering Our Angel

It doesn't seem possible that is has been 2 years since Jason and I received the call that Gabi was not doing well and we needed to hurry to the hospital to be by her side. That day was the worst day of our lives, we couldn't get to the hospital fast enough. Our hearts and minds raced as we drove that horrid 15 minutes to get to her. Gabi had been doing better, or I should say she was maintaining. But I think she was just holding on for us. She needed to reassure us we could move forward with our lives. That is when we conceived Kinsley, definitely our life saver!

As we rushed into the hospital up the elevator for what seemed to take an eternity to go up 2 floors, the doors opened, we signed in, approached her room and we knew what was in store as soon as we saw her. Gabi had retained so much fluid she was so Pink and Squishy...she looked as if she would burst if she held onto any more fluids. It was the most awful feeling in the world, knowing there was nothing Jason or I could do to comfort her. We discussed our options with Dr. Teeves and proceeded with dialysis...we feared this because there was only a slim chance this would do the miracle we needed. As Dr. Teeves did her thing she felt a bit of relief it worked a little. So for the next 12 or so hours we watched and waited by her side. We called our family and our pastor for the most dreaded call of all. They needed to be there with Gabi what if this was it. Our family had been our biggest support while watching us and Gabi over the past 7 weeks in the hospital.

They all rushed in and we waited. We prayed, we cried, we told Gabi we knew how much she fought and it was ok to go into God's hands now. Those were words you NEVER want to tell your baby, but what choice did we have. She wasn't getting better, we truly felt she was suffering and that is absolutely not what we wanted for our baby. In the wee hours of Aug. 20th 2007, as I held my baby for the very last time, we said our final prayer and said our good bye's and Gabi returned to God and received her wings. How bittersweet that moment was. There is not a day that goes by I don't relive those final moments, it is not the way I want to remember my baby, but those are are final memories and how do you not remember that? Our Gabi changed our lives forever. We found the true meaning of life, we love harder, we give more and we are better people because of her. As much as I would change to fix her and bring her back to live with us much much longer, I know God had a bigger better life planned for her and that is where she belongs. It is taken me a long time to realize and agree that that is the truth and God really does know what he is doing. But given the situation how was I to think anywhere other than with her parents is better for her. I trust in God and what he does for us. And yes I said FOR US, 2 years ago I'd of said he did it to us not for us, but that is simply not true. He does things for us, we just have to learn from it and move forward.

Thank you God for bringing Gabi into our lives! I wouldn't change a thing, she defined life for us and that we will forever be thankful for. Please keep her safe and we do look forward someday to being with her again! And thank you for Kinsley she has given us the strength to continue to keep going forward with life. And thank you for Gracie, she is such a strong little girl. She has been through so much, but we continue to see her blossom into such an amazing young lady. We are truly blessed and we owe it all to you!

With that being said, I declared August 20th as NATIONAL PIGGIE TAIL DAY!!! Please show your support and wear piggies in honor of our precious angel Gabi. Most little girls love piggies, so it isn't that hard. The only thing I ask, please take a picture and send it to me. It is such a great way to help us get through the day! Thank you and God bless you all!!!

email it to: micah@giftsofgabisgrace.org

Oh Me Oh My

Things have gotten super busy around here and school hasn't even started! Last week my squad took 4th place at our regional competition. I was very proud of them, some tough competition out there. We will be competing mid November for the state tourney. I have high hope for them, but we have a lot of work to do in preparation for that. Our football season is about to begin, which I look forward to. Kearney is very well know for there athletic achievements, among other things. So I think Jason will even enjoy attending the games :)

All decked out for the Regional Competition...check out her shirt...GO BULLDOGS!!!

Gracie spent her last day with us on Wednesday. I guess you can call it that, we still have her every weekend, but we love summer time, cause we have her a lot more. She is ready to get back to school, but not so much for abstinence with daddy. Nothing we can do though, tough havin a split family. She did start cheerleading yesterday! YES, I said it cheerleading! I am so pumped for her, this is her first year on an organized squad, so we will be traveling early Sat. mornings to watch our little cheerleader!

Rockin in Sissy's chair...she loved it until she rocked to hard and fell forward onto her noggin!

Kinsley is GO GO GO!!! She is talking up a storm. Some of her newest words are Mema (finally, poor mema thought she'd never say it), puppy, bath, back pack (strange huh, she loves Dora, so that's where that one come in), potty, and pee pee. We are slowly working on potty training. I know it is a bit soon, but really who say when is too soon??? I am so proud of her too, she does an excellent job considering how young she is. We have a great little pee pee/poo poo dance...which she thinks is GREAT!!! I am a little frustrated though because I have been looking for training pants, NOT pull ups at the stores and they have plenty and they do make them in 18 months, but apparently they do not believe there is much demand for them, so they do not have them in stock. I will have to order them online...oh well! She is one of the friendliest toddlers I know, she says Hi to EVERYONE! Loves blowing kisses and has even flirted with a few cuties! She continues to dance her little tushy off, she LOVES music! Today my baby girl is 15 months old...wow time sure flies.

15 months ago today...

Jason is doing great! Staying super busy at work. This weekend he gets alittle alone time, which is well deserved. Me, Kins, and my mom and heading to Branson to see my grandparents. Our first little road trip with Kins. My grandparents live in AZ and they are going on a little get away so we figured we better take advantage of them being so close. We are really looking forward to it! So next week I will have to post pics of that adventure!

Have a great weekend! Just a friendly reminder...next Thursday is my self proclaimed NATIONAL PIGGIE TAIL DAY, in honor of Gabi receiving her angel wings!