Stephen finally got some good news this week. He is getting a service dog, and not just ANY dog either. He is getting a Rin Tin Tin German Shepherd puppy, which will be trained as his service dog and companion!! The puppies were born this week (we have been waiting since last year) and will be placed with their new families at the end of May! He is just beside himself with anticipation and is trying out names. We feel very fortunate that we located the ARF Kids Foundation and have this opportunity to get a young dog and let Stephen bond and actually participate in the training program himself. It should be quite an experience and one we are looking forward to. This year has been such an emotional one and it feels good for Stephen and I to have something wonderful to do together and know he will have a new friend for life! He is such an outgoing kid and has lots of friends at school and church and everyone knows him and says hi to him, but he doesn't get invited to do a lot of things because he is in a wheelchair - and many times birthday parties are at skating rinks, bowling alleys, gymnastics places, etc and he just can't participate. It will be so good for him to have a companion and to participate in training his dog. What a self esteem builder it will be!! A real blessing to our family this year and I am sure it will help a bit with our healing.....
Our family continues to grieve the loss of Emily, and we struggle day to day to understand her loss, but are trying hard to have faith in God and His Eternal Plan for us. I can't help but think about how much Emily would have loved having a new puppy, but I am sure she will be watching over Stephen and helping him along with his special new friend...
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Life Continues...
We have to move on day to day - it's hard to do - everyone is still shell-shocked. But life continues on whether we want to participate or not. Especially for me. I love all my kids so much. I am missing a huge piece of my heart and I cannot describe the feeling of loss in words. I can hardly function most days and have to keep a strong face on for the sake of my family. Andrew and Dana, Katie and Chrissy and Stephen are what is keeping me going.
Emily wouldn't want our family blog to be all gloomy either, so I am making an effort to write about other things and happenings in our lives. And I am so proud of my kids! They are making such an effort to be supportive, to be loving, and to be active and brave in the face of their loss.
Andrew had lasik surgery in January. He was recommended for a spot in flight school by his commanding officer if he had lasik and could pass the Pilot Aptitude Test. The surgery went well and I am proud to announce that he passed his Pilot Aptitude Test! So if things go as planned, he will be in line for going to rotary wing flight school in June 2011. That means he and Dana will be moving to Alabama for the two years he will be in school. That is closer than Alaska, so I am happy they will be near enough to visit more often!! The downside is that since the Alaska Guard unit is sending him to flight school, he will have to commit to 5 years service in Alaska as a pilot when he graduates. But then he is free to transfer where ever he wants or to leave the military when his commitment is up. Whichever he chooses, I am sure he will be a fine Pilot and will have a wonderful future of opportunities ahead of him!
My daughter-in-law, Dana, is also a proud member of the Alaska Army National Guard and she has just completed the very grueling Basic Training and Advanced Training in Missouri. She got through it like a trooper and is now back at home with Andrew in Anchorage. She will be working and going to college and serving her once a month weekend as an MP in the Guard.
I so appreciated Dana and Andrew dropping everything and coming to Houston when they got the news about Emily. They loved her so much and it was so hard for them. But they were here for her services and here for the family and I hope they know how much I love them both!!
My Katie has been continuing with her competition season in competitive cheer. She had such a commitment to her team and did not want to let them down, so despite her loss and pain,she has been at every practice and has not missed a single competition this season. I am very proud of her dedication and her perseverance. Her team won 2nd place at NCA Nationals in Dallas two weekends ago. They missed first place by .5 points. Though the team was disappointed that they didn't get first, their coach told them they did great and did their best! She has one more competition this weekend in San Antonio and I so hope they can end their season with a win! I know it would mean a lot to Katie. She is such a sweetheart and worries about me and tries her best to take care of mom! I love her so much too!
Chrissy had her swallow study at Texas Children's today and passed with flying colors! This means she can have little tastes of pureed food and things like pudding and ice cream now. She LOVES yogurt and now we can feed it to her safely knowing she won't aspirate. Chrissy has been my rock and my salvation these last few weeks. I can hold her and look into those big brown eyes and just tell that she is letting me know things are okay and that Emily is safe in the arms of Jesus. Chrissy misses her little sister too, but seems to have a greater understanding of Heavenly Father's plan. My friend told me the other day that it is because kids like Chrissy have one foot here on earth and the other foot in heaven - and I think that is true! I love my little earthly angel girl, and I sure hope she communicates with my little heavenly angel girl how much mom misses her and can't wait to see her again one day!
And Stephen, my Stephen - what would I do without my Stephen? He is such a sweet little man and so happy and talkative all the time. He keeps me busy and my mind busy just keeping up with him and his inquisitive nature! He started his new school Monday and already the teachers are telling me what a special little guy he is and how all the kids just swarm around him and want to talk to him. He is so outgoing! Only Stephen could be happy and content two days after starting a new school! What a joy he is and how much I love him! I just signed him up for Challenger baseball and we are looking forward to taking him to his baseball games this spring! He will just love it!
I will close this loooooong post with a little story my sister-in-law sent to me about my nephew, Trevor! Trevor is Emily's age (just about 6 months younger) and he has been very concerned about Emily and what happened to her. He has asked a lot of questions which his mom has tried to answer. So last night she told me he said the following:
He was talking about Emily and says "Maaahhhm...I want to get a space costume and take a space ship...and go up and get Emily...and bring her back to her Mom...so her Mom won't be sad...'cause that's what Super Heroes do....is that okay, Maaahhhm?"
I thought that was just the sweetest thing I have heard from anyone since Emily's passing! What a thoughtful, caring young man he is! He is definitely a super hero in my book!! Love you too, Trevor!!
Take care all and please, please continue to remember us in prayers!
Emily wouldn't want our family blog to be all gloomy either, so I am making an effort to write about other things and happenings in our lives. And I am so proud of my kids! They are making such an effort to be supportive, to be loving, and to be active and brave in the face of their loss.
Andrew had lasik surgery in January. He was recommended for a spot in flight school by his commanding officer if he had lasik and could pass the Pilot Aptitude Test. The surgery went well and I am proud to announce that he passed his Pilot Aptitude Test! So if things go as planned, he will be in line for going to rotary wing flight school in June 2011. That means he and Dana will be moving to Alabama for the two years he will be in school. That is closer than Alaska, so I am happy they will be near enough to visit more often!! The downside is that since the Alaska Guard unit is sending him to flight school, he will have to commit to 5 years service in Alaska as a pilot when he graduates. But then he is free to transfer where ever he wants or to leave the military when his commitment is up. Whichever he chooses, I am sure he will be a fine Pilot and will have a wonderful future of opportunities ahead of him!
My daughter-in-law, Dana, is also a proud member of the Alaska Army National Guard and she has just completed the very grueling Basic Training and Advanced Training in Missouri. She got through it like a trooper and is now back at home with Andrew in Anchorage. She will be working and going to college and serving her once a month weekend as an MP in the Guard.
I so appreciated Dana and Andrew dropping everything and coming to Houston when they got the news about Emily. They loved her so much and it was so hard for them. But they were here for her services and here for the family and I hope they know how much I love them both!!
My Katie has been continuing with her competition season in competitive cheer. She had such a commitment to her team and did not want to let them down, so despite her loss and pain,she has been at every practice and has not missed a single competition this season. I am very proud of her dedication and her perseverance. Her team won 2nd place at NCA Nationals in Dallas two weekends ago. They missed first place by .5 points. Though the team was disappointed that they didn't get first, their coach told them they did great and did their best! She has one more competition this weekend in San Antonio and I so hope they can end their season with a win! I know it would mean a lot to Katie. She is such a sweetheart and worries about me and tries her best to take care of mom! I love her so much too!
Chrissy had her swallow study at Texas Children's today and passed with flying colors! This means she can have little tastes of pureed food and things like pudding and ice cream now. She LOVES yogurt and now we can feed it to her safely knowing she won't aspirate. Chrissy has been my rock and my salvation these last few weeks. I can hold her and look into those big brown eyes and just tell that she is letting me know things are okay and that Emily is safe in the arms of Jesus. Chrissy misses her little sister too, but seems to have a greater understanding of Heavenly Father's plan. My friend told me the other day that it is because kids like Chrissy have one foot here on earth and the other foot in heaven - and I think that is true! I love my little earthly angel girl, and I sure hope she communicates with my little heavenly angel girl how much mom misses her and can't wait to see her again one day!
And Stephen, my Stephen - what would I do without my Stephen? He is such a sweet little man and so happy and talkative all the time. He keeps me busy and my mind busy just keeping up with him and his inquisitive nature! He started his new school Monday and already the teachers are telling me what a special little guy he is and how all the kids just swarm around him and want to talk to him. He is so outgoing! Only Stephen could be happy and content two days after starting a new school! What a joy he is and how much I love him! I just signed him up for Challenger baseball and we are looking forward to taking him to his baseball games this spring! He will just love it!
I will close this loooooong post with a little story my sister-in-law sent to me about my nephew, Trevor! Trevor is Emily's age (just about 6 months younger) and he has been very concerned about Emily and what happened to her. He has asked a lot of questions which his mom has tried to answer. So last night she told me he said the following:
He was talking about Emily and says "Maaahhhm...I want to get a space costume and take a space ship...and go up and get Emily...and bring her back to her Mom...so her Mom won't be sad...'cause that's what Super Heroes do....is that okay, Maaahhhm?"
I thought that was just the sweetest thing I have heard from anyone since Emily's passing! What a thoughtful, caring young man he is! He is definitely a super hero in my book!! Love you too, Trevor!!
Take care all and please, please continue to remember us in prayers!
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