Happy Thanksgiving!

Enjoy you family and friends!

Happy Veteran's Day

     To all the men and women that are serving, have served and the deceased, Thank you for your service!  If you have served, and suffered or are suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, hopefully you are getting the help you need and have a great support system!  

Support!

     I will tell anyone, Kerstin has so many moms and grandmas out there.  I often think about "Lily Owens" from "The Secret Life of Bees".  By the end of the book and movie, Lily has found so much support from her former housekeeper now friend and the Boatwright sisters, that she feels she is the luckiest girl in the world to have so many "moms".  Kerstin has her beat!!  It means so much to have so many caring women in our lives.   Yesterday, I even posted on Facebook, how it means so much to receive invaluable support, advice and prayers. Post here.  That means so much more when it comes from women, especially older women that truly understand what we younger women and moms are dealing with. 

     Kerstin has motherly/grand-motherly figures seems like wherever we go!  She has an aunt, Regina, that will tell anyone that, "Mattisa gave birth to Kerstin but, I'm her mom!"  She has been supportive in ways that could take a blog post or two to explain.  Kerstin loves her T-Gina!  I have another sister, Joan, she's Kerstin's and my go to for anything medical especially after hours.  We love her for that, even though Kerstin seems to be annoyed by her sometimes.   I know there's divine intervention when you least expect it.  My sisters were lead into areas of higher learning because of their interest but also because it would be needed in our family.  I am eternally grateful for them and their knowledge.  When I don't know what to say or do in some situations, they step right in and on time!

     When Kerstin has gone to school over the years, there are so many motherly figures.  Not all the women we've encountered have been kind but, this is NOT about them.  We have had some tell me on cold days, "Make sure you have Kerstin wrapped up."  Or, "Make sure Kerstin has on her hat and gloves..."  I've even been called some days with her at school moms telling me "Don't bring Kerstin to school, there seems to be a virus going around."
Taking her to therapy, her therapist know that she's going to have her nails polished and when she doesn't, I get "Why aren't her nails done?"  Leaving me to explain that I've usually taken the polish off late the night before and just hadn't re-polished yet.  

     Cannot forget about her "grandmas"  and "aunts", that are not even related...my moms friends, always asking how their baby is doing.  They always send encouraging words via my mom to me, "Tell Mattisa to hang in there and be strong."  Kerstin has love from every corner of this country it seems, from California, to Texas, to Michigan, to Virginia and beyond.  THANK YOU, from our corner in Alabama!

     All of your support does not go unnoticed!  It means more than I can began to explain!  

     So, to all you supportive women in our lives:

"I don't tell you often enough how much we appreciate the time and the care and the love you give us.  But today we want you to know how special you are and that we will always remember everything you've done for US!"

We appreciate YOU!!

THANK YOU,

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*

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...