Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Wordless Wednesday-December 25, 2013









Tuesday, December 17, 2013

We met!!

     It is hard to believe that December 17th has rolled around once again.  This day 12 years ago, someone entered my life and changed it forever!

     Rewind to the moment my doctor told me that I was pregnant.  I remember being in a state of wonder.  Me?  Someone's mom?  Can I do this? That soon changed to, "what is this little person going to look like?"  What kind of personality will the little one have?   Seeing the sonogram..."It's a girl!!!" I knew that I had to be the best mom possible to this little girl growing inside of me.

Definitely a girl named Kerstin, making her way to change my world!
     Now knowing that "the little person" was a girl, I grew anxious to meet her and see her face.  I wanted to let her know just how much mommy loves her.  So a few months after the sonogram, I got to meet, Kerstin!
     December 17, 2001 was a cold and rainy day in Alabama.  3:38 p.m. Kerstin entered my world!





 We met!!! I completely fell in love with this little girl!  She changed my life in ways that I never imagined.
We and I never knew that I would be on an unexpected journey.
We met and I have come out of a shell of shyness. 
When I met Kerstin, my beautiful child, I never knew I needed her to turn my life around for the better.  I never knew I needed her to be the reason I look at the things so many people look past, or never give a second thought. 
We met and Kerstin has bought so much love to my heart and to most of the people around us.
I never knew I needed someone so loving in my life.  Kerstin is my angel, my strength and my life!
We met and my life will never be the same!!

Happy Birthday to my love!!


Just a glimpse into our life over the past 12 years. It seems as if Kerstin's birthday is synonymous with Christmas, since they are a week apart, so most of her birthday pictures are Christmas pictures. 








When I first heard the lyrics to this song are so befitting to me and out lives.  When I first heard them, I was in love with it and it just so happens to be one of Kerstins's favorite songs as well!

"For the way you changed my plans
For being the perfect distraction
For the way you took the idea that I have
Of everything that I wanted to have
And made me see there was something missing, oh yeah..."

Here's the video....enjoy!!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY LOVE!!!

More to come...
  

Monday, December 16, 2013

The Thoughts of Others.

     Last month, Kerstin and I were entered in a contest hosted by a local photographer.  She wanted to feature people that have faced challenges in life.  Kerstin and I were nominated because of the year we have had, and at the time her surgery that was right around the corner.

     Well friends and family secretly nominated us and we were treated to a beautiful photo session.  Felecia and I talked on the phone in order to make arrangements for the photo session and she continuously told me that she could not wait to meet me in person because she really enjoyed reading the nominations.  I was curious and told her that I could not wait to read them myself.

    Well, the blog posted and once I read the things family and friends submitted bought me to tears!  It is such a blessing to see that so many people notice the things I do everyday.  I don't do them for the attention and nominations, I do them because I have to.  Kerstin and I were placed in each others lives for a reason.  I know that I have to take care of the blessing God has place in my life!!

     I hope that you will read Felicia's blog post, Felecia's Spot "November", be sure to scroll down to our story, "Beautiful in My Eyes".  I know you will enjoy it!  Here are some of the beautiful photos we took that day.  It was an outing for us, it was the Saturday before her surgery, we were on our way to the movies to see "Free Birds".  Enjoy the photos and be sure to check out Felecia's blog and website.




We are a team!  In it to win it, whatever life hands us!!!

*All photos are courtesy of Felecia's Photography*



Friday, December 6, 2013

A Thanksgiving to remember!

     Twenty-six days after arriving in Birmingham, Alabama for Kerstin's spinal fusion, it is Thanksgiving Day 2013.  We wake up to possible snow flurries and 21 degrees of bone chilling cold!


     Today is the day that I have been waiting on.  I know with every fiber of my being that this is the last morning we will wake up in room 1046 at the Benjamin Russell Hospital for Children at Children's of Alabama!

 
 The nurses are changing shifts and not one doctor has come around like they had been coming on previous days.  Around 5:30 and 6 a.m.  I knew to be sitting up or at least awake becasue they would make their rounds and I didn't want another one of her doctors to scare me by rocking me to wake me.  Yes, that happened!!

     Finally, around 8 a.m. we got word that all of the doctors that had been following Kerstin's treatment and caring for her were in fact communicating and about to make their rounds.  First, my friend, the doctor that rocked me constantly saying "mom, mom...", came in with his team to say that Kerstin's levels were continuing to improve and since she had tolerated smaller boluses of her Pedisure the day before and even smaller of the Pedialyte the day before that, it would be safe and okay for her to go home, as long as her admitting doctor agreed.  I knew that we would be going home because her nurses had previously told us that we could go home if her amylase and lipase levels were in a safe range.  So...it's time for a HAPPY DANCE & HAPPY THANKSGIVING, Kerstin is headed home.
Our time in our "apartment" has come to an end! Truly Thankful.

     We are now home, Kerstin is healing and making great strides on her road to recovery!  I'm including some pictures of our stay at Children's and Kerstin's before and after surgery pictures.  Even her pouting Thanksgiving night.  I think she misses the attention and the "friends" she made in the hospital.


Kerstin with her the Justins!
Kerstin with "Mr. Kerstin"-Justin.



Sleeping comfortably!




One of our many evening strolls!

In the Rehab Gym-standing!!
Sitting in her chair watching stories online.
Finally in the rearview!


   
Thanksgiving night, first night home!
Hiding from the daylight!












More to come...