One year later...

Today, June 9th

marks one year since Ollie had her 

open heart surgery.

It is an emotional day for us.

A year ago we were scared.

We trusted God

and put her into the hands of a surgeon.

It was a hard day for her parents.

It was a hard day for the parents

of those parents.

Truly, it was one of the hardest things 

I have ever had to do.

I couldn't fix it for my kid.

But Jesus did!

He gave that surgeon the knowledge and skills required.

He held us while we waited.

He gave us strength while we watched our baby moan in pain.

He listened to our prayers and  

he never left us.

Today, we cooked the ribs for our fundraiser.

Tomorrow, we celebrate with a bunch of our family.

What a difference a year makes!

I am so glad Jesus loves me.

I am so glad I know it.

I am so glad he showed me even more depths of his love 

through the gift of our sweet little Ollie.

I am so glad for all of you too.

 Thank you for your love and support.

Thank you for loving this sweet baby 

right along with our family.

Words can never express how much

 it all means to us.

Here is the link to:
Annie's blog today 

A long and rambling road to an event announcement.

Well, they did it.

They infected me.

Elle Pea, Maggie,
Caroline, and Abbie

had the bug and gave it to me.

I reckon it is true because I am up in the night.

I feel crummy.

I need a rag.

I think I may have a grape stuck in my craw. 

That's unlikely since I have had 

nary a single grape

in months.

I wonder why...

fruit is my new dessert-y love.

I like a nice bunch of grapes.

I love them frozen.

Oh, and frozen sliced bananas are fantastic...

I partake frozen blueberries

almost nightly.

They are my dessert of choice.

Another plus, when I am finished I look

like I should be on a slab with a toe tag.

My lips are blue and my teeth look

like I am a meth head.

I have to brush immediately.

Which makes me wonder does wine do that?

Or just blueberry wine?

I am not a fan of wine.

Whine, yes. 

Wine, no.

But, I was talking about my tonsils.

The left one is throwing a party.

She is swollen and all gussied up with blush.

Tonsils are one of those organs you don't need.

What is their purpose?

I am far too tired and sickly to google it.

Would you be a dear?

And while you are up...

 grab me some frozen grapes.

In case you were wondering,

 there is a  purpose for this post

I want to invite you to an event.

If you are local-ish

 Ethel Edith - Junk, Funk, & Furniture is having a 

CLEAN OUT THE SHED SALE!!

 This Saturday 8-12 at 114 West North 8th Street. 

 A portion of all the items sold will be donated to Ollie's team for the Down Syndrome Association of Greater St. Louis 

in Ollie's  name. 

We will also be having a HUGE donation type garage sale going on Friday 4-6:30 and Saturday 8-12 at the same time.

It is going to be a great time.

We have tons of super stuff.

I have cleaned my closet 

and piled up my purses.

Word on the street is my cousin, Tom

may be in the vicinity.

Tom recently called me 

one of his " better looking cousins" 

which has earned him top standing in the cousin rank.

The other 55-56, I can't be sure 

and can't care to count right now,

had better step up their games.

 Tom and his family 

are coming to our neck of the woods

to see his folks.

He may be persuaded to stop in.

He may give autographs.

He may bring me a rag.

He may "Vicks" my neck. 

Or most likely, he will be busy.

But I will be there with my other peeps.

I'll be the disheveled one with the rag,

reeking of Vicks mentholatum,

 and Purel-ing up.

See ya there. 

Love not Hate

I know in the past I have said

ignorant, prejudiced things.

Now, I do better.

When you know better, you do better.

I don't use the word retarded anymore.

I have learned it is offensive and mean.

I won't say something stupid is gay.

It is hurtful and wrong.

I won't make racial jokes.

It is so not funny.

 I know the world is sometimes a little too politically correct, 

but when things are said in a demeaning way

I have to call people on it.

Please read my daughter's Annie's blog. 

Promise you will do better.

Let's make a stand.

We are called to love one another.

Let's get out there and do it friends.

 I want to change this world for her.

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:11-13

Annie's necklace project

Take a moment to check out Annie's blog.

She created a necklace for the IDSC 

(International Down Syndrome Coalition for Life.) 

It's a necklace to help raise awareness.  

As it turns out, 90% of babies diagnosed with DS prenatally 

are terminated. 

 IDSC has a mission. 

 They want people to know that ALL life is precious. 

 It is also a support system 

for those that chose to end their pregnancy, 

to educate and heal,

 not condemn.

  Down Syndrome is just a diagnosis, 

it does not define the person.

We want to change steroetypes

about children with DS and their abilities.

We expect great things from our Ollie.

We are not setting any limitations.

Her life will have joy and purpose.

She is as worthy of life as anyone else.

She is different but by no means less.

She is going to shoot for the moon

and even if she lands in the stars instead,

it will be a life we celebrate.

She is a gift who just happens to have DS.

I am so proud of her and her mama.

I did it.

A while ago Abbie made a decision.

She blogged about it here.

You see, babies with Down Syndrome

are more likely to develop childhood leukemia.

If this happens to Ollie 

I pray they have a match.

I needed to consider this.

I went the website for bone marrow donors 

and read about what it entailed.

I prayed about it and waited.
I wanted my family's support
if I was ever called to help.

I made my decision and ordered my kit.

My kit came and I took the steps 
I needed to be on the registry.

Key facts about the registry are:

• 70% of people needing a donor will not have a match in their family.

• Donors do not pay any of the expenses.

• If you are matched it will take 30-40 hours of 4-6 weeks.

• There are two ways to donate: peripheral blood stem cell donation, which is most common (non-surgical, looks much like donating plasma....blood is removed, what they need is taken from the blood, a portion of the blood is returned to you) and marrow donation from the pelvis.  

Abbie documented the process it takes to send your sample in.

You just order the kit and 

swab your cheek with the swabs they send.

You return it in a postage paid envelope.

Easy peasy.

You wait and in a couple of months you are on their registry

until you reach the age of 61.

Yeah, I am a little nervous.

If I am a match

I think the needle in the hip bone hurts a bit.

I am pretty tough on big things.

A hang nail will make

me gripe and gripe

but with big things I suck it up.

I had a 10 pounder followed by 3 c-sections.

I had the epidural needle for one and

the spinal needle for the other 2.

Needles can be your friend at times.

Then my broken shoulder surgery 

and following therapy sessions

put those into sissy category, 

so I say bring it.

If I am a match, I am in.

Check out their website.

Be The Match 

Maybe you will consider it.

You can decide for yourself.

My actions might save a life. 

Oh, and I have a hang nail, 

so steer clear of me ;)