Happy Angelversery Alessa Rose

Happy 3rd Angelversery in heaven baby girl, we love you to the moon and back! We are on our way to visit you at the cemetery and send your balloons to heaven, I hope they all get to you, please share with the other angels. We love you we will never ever forget you. 

Tiny Angel

For a brief and fleeting moment,

An angel touched the ground;

With tiny wings and halo,

And sweet, soft angel sounds.

Blessing the lives of others,

In beauty and in grace;

Those who saw her knew that God

Had kissed her tiny face.

The angel came for reasons,

We may not understand;

Her journey brief, with gifts so great,

And guided by God's hand.

For the angel left so much behind,

Left nothing here undone;

She gave herself so others live,

Just like her Father's Son.

So, rest now tiny angel,

Your work on earth is through;

In the beauty of God's perfect love,

We saw His gift in you.

Allison Chambers Coxsey

Chances Are?

I wonder what the chances are for a Grandmother to have her last three grandchildren all born on the same day for the last three years in a row? Because yes, for the last three years I have had a grandchild born on July 10.

Starting with our little Rosie Posie being born 4 months early on July 10th 2009.

The next year Rosies little brother Gavin was born a month early but on the 10th. 

So when my oldest daughter got a due date of July 10th, I knew all along that would be the day Ellen was born. I was right, that was in fact the day that Ellen chose to come into the world.

 If you have been counting or even if you have not been keeping track that is 12 grandchildren I now have. One of them is a step grandchild, but the rest all belong to my children. 

Rosie had her 2 year checkup at the NICU. Shes not ofically corrected to the age of two yet but she is almost there.

She saw her favorite nurse Donia who was the flight nurse on the helicopter ride to Des Moines and the nurse that took care of her while she was very tiny and sick. As Rosie started getting stronger she had many nurses she liked.

After NICU check-ups we had the fourth of July and the birthday parties all together this year.

Birthday cake face

 Gavin has his cake too

Rosie and her new bike

as you can see she loves it!

Fireworks

And I will sign off with a picture of my newest sweet pea.

Pain

I never knew you could feel physical pain in your heart until my precious granddaughter was born still. It felt like a hand squeezing my heart, I could not breathe. The pain that crushed my heart was very real, very raw. I was going through the motions of life wishing it was all a dream. I went to sleep crying and I woke up crying. I would wake up in the middle of the night crying, remembering it was all real. The grief washed over us all like a fog rolling in. It was crushing. It was brutal. It was a pain I had never felt before. I cried for three months straight. I didn't know a person had so many tears. Three years later the crushing pain seems to have subsided replaced by a need to remember and honor Alessa, a need to still buy her a gift every holiday so shes not forgotten, a need to buy new angels for her corner of the room, and a need to hold and kiss a beautiful baby girl who will not get a chance to grow up. We love you sweet baby girl.

Alessa Rose 7-25-2008

A rose bloomed in our hearts today,

and in our hearts it will forever stay.

A new day

Rosie is almost 2. We have her last NICU visit this month. WOW how time flies. Shes doing great and has almost reach her corrected age to where she is caught up to all the other kids. She is still a tiny girl at 21 pounds.

Im going to change the blog a little and blog about all the grand kids. The ones we see the ones we dont see and the ones we know are out there somewhere. Im setting up my craft corner now so I can get started on some projects I wanted to do this summer. I need to get to my name pictures done and am also thinking of adding some items to that blog. I want to set up my studio for taking portraits, and Im going to re organize my family history stuff. I will probably talk about all those things on here.

More on Ola Nagele

A new post about the adventures of MckMama as she travels through parts of Kenya, helping out others in need. What a wonderful thing she is doing! I dont know if I could do the same. She is so brave!!

JustAnotherThursday from Jennifer McKinney on Vimeo.

Meet Ola Nagele

I would like to introduce you to the village of Ola Nagele that myself and 99 other people have committed to helping out. We will follow this village and even be invited to view live streaming video and even to visit and see the fruit of their labors. This is the first time for the village to have running water. This is an effort brought to them by this organization GHNI.

Here is the story of Ola Nagele as told on their blog page.





Driving north out of Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, you might think you’re in a tropical paradise as you go around lush Mt. Kenya. But then you drop down to the dry, barren plains of the northern bush. And that’s where you find Ola Nagele and a sea of other villages struggling for survival.

Ola Nagele is due east of the town of Isiolo on the dry, dusty road toward Somlia. It’s a larger village with almost 4,000 people. The average family, since polygamy is practiced, can easily be 15 people. And it’s hard to feed that many mouths with only maize and beans that might be available once a day.

The nearest clean water source? It’s currently a pipe that’s 4 kilometers away, where people often wait 3-4 hours in line to fill their water cans. And only slightly more than half of Ola Nagele’s children are in a school, since poverty prevents the parents from affording the small fees for uniforms, books and supplies.

But the leaders of Ola Nagele have urged GHNI to come help them with our method of Transformational Community Development (TCD). They are eager to learn how to organize themselves for development, and they understand that we only work with villages who will devote themselves to their own transformation. As we begin with Ola Nagele, we have high hopes for their future, and we’re eager to invite worldwide partners to join their Extended Village!

Thanks to MckMama, who is over there right now helping out, for giving us this opportunity!

pictures and story of Ola Nagele are the copyright of: http://olanagele.ghni.org/

quote # 4

We should not let our fears hold us back from pursuing our hopes.- John F. Kennedy

quote # 3

A wife who loses a husband is called a widow.A husband who loses a wife is called a widower.A child who loses his parents is called an orphan.There is no word for a parent who loses a child.That's how awful the loss is.
- Ronald Reagan

quote # 2

The man who fears no truths has nothing to fear from lies.
- Thomas Jefferson

the princess and the pea

brother and sister

awwww they are so cute rosie is 14 months old and gavin is 2 months old

Presidential Quotes for a week

In honor of my trip to Washington DC I will leave a quote from one of our Nations presidents each day until I go next sunday, then I will blog about my trip while Im there. Only my Mom and I will be going, she has been lots of places and by that I mean "EVERYWHERE" I on the other hand have not been anywhere outside my town, and have not been on an airplane since I was 17, I am now 45.

Quote # 1
Actions, not words, are the true criterion of the attachment of friends.
- George Washington

Grandmas big Adventure

Rosie Posie

Its been a few months since I have updated so I'm going to start with me. I am going to be going to Washington DC. No, not for any official reason just a vacation provided by my mom. My Mom has been so kind as to offer me a trip somewhere for graduating from college. Her and I will be going next weekend.
I plan on blogging while I'm there, as this will be the first time Ive gone on a trip like this. So I'm sure it will be quite an adventure. Besides the fact that I get motion sick at the drop of a hat I should have fun. So stay tuned...

on graduation day

My mom, me, and my 3 daughters

me and my mom

Now on to the kidlets. Rosie is doing great she is almost walking now. Today she was saying dada and nana. I think shes at about 1 year corrected but we will see at her next check up. She learned to swim (well you know with help) At her big sisters birthday party. She had a blast.

Gavin is doing great hes a little cutie!! Well aren't all babies? Hes not doing much yet hes only two months old. Hes a doll face though.

Gavin at the hospital

Gavin about 3 weeks old

about 6 weeks old

And I cant leave Alessa out, we had her second celebration of life at her grave we had fireworks and left a cupcake for her (yep at night yep where fireworks are illegal) We let balloons go before dark so I could take pictures. Rosie and Gavin were able to be at both with us.

the new headstone is almost done we cant wait to go get it




And last but not least Id like to share the picture of the sunset on September 2nd my 21st wedding anniversary because I believe i do get signs from our angel up above.

crazy

So sorry for the lack of updates but life has been a little crazy around here. If its not one thing with our family its another. Anyway Rosie turned 1 on the 10th of july her birthday present was....her baby brother. Gavin was born by emergency c-section just like his sister he was omly 20 days early so all is well he went home in 2 days. He was born around 2 AM he was 5 pounds and 12 ounces and 19 inches. Hes such a sweet little man.
Lastnight Rosie was admitted to the hospital because of a high fever she is still there today so please say a prayer that this resolves itself.
For a bit of good news the Dempesy Burdick Memorial Foundation is purchasing a headstone for Alessa. We have to pick out the design and set the stone ourselves. As soon as we design it we can go pick it up in Des Moines. Since her 2 year Angelversery is on sunday this is a very special gift! I can say thank you enough to Kevin!!
I promise I will add some pics later of Rosie and Gavin and the headstone (after we get it)

10 month check up

standing practice at NICU

play practice

Dad Mom Rosie and her nurses donia and Jann

Crystal, one of rosies nurses

just cuteness

Sorry for the lack of Rosie updates I have just been really busy graduating from college this week and it has been a hectic few weeks getting to that point. Anyway all is good Rosie is growing and learning. She had her 10 month NICU checkup last week we got to see the nurse who came and got Rosie on the helicopter and took care of her for the first few most important weeks. Also two other of her primary nurses came to see Rosie. The NICU is very happy with her progress she is at exactly a 6 month old baby going on 7 months even though she is actually 10 month old, remember this is called her corrected age. She stands up with support, as you can see in the pictures, she is sitting by herself for longer and longer, she plays with her toys now she also started on teething biscuits not because she has teeth (because she doesn't) but to get her started on solid thing and used to swallowing. So all in all shes doing just great. Her little brother is due in the end of july and all is well there too. So this spring has been busy but good.

Rosie Posie

Rosie Posie hopes you all had a nice Easter
Rosie is going to be 9 months old in a few days. She is getting a tooth,
she is starting to sit up by herself, she rolls over both ways now.
She had a fun Easter with all her cousins. She has been enjoying fresh air and she is eating baby foods(1st). She grabs and hold toys and looks at them but is not really playing with them yet. She does like her hands her new thing this week is putting her fingers in her mouth and gagging. She is also starting to make faces.
Thats all I can think of for now.

Who wants chinese food?

Ethan thinks chinese food rocks

Rosie thinks chinese sounds good too

Oh I dont get any?

Mom help I think shes thinking of kissing me

um see I told you she was thinking of kissing me


has Elvis left the building yet?




After a long winter of being cooped up Rosie went outside for the first time uncovered. This was her first time, because when she got out of the hospital it was already cold. Shes had a busy winter with a hospital visit that lased a week and all the growing she does. Shes 5 months old corrected age now and 8 months old actual age. She has to get only 1 more synagis shot for the season then the cold and flu season is over. Woohoo

A treasure from my heart

I am offering to write your Angel's name and take a picture please go here to have a look.

http://treasurefrommyheart.blogspot.com/

Rosie out of Hospital

Rosie is out of the hospital she got out on wednesday. All she has to do is breathing treatments every 4 hours. She is weighing in at 13 pounds she was almost 14 pounds but lost a tiny bit this last week. She is starting to grab at toys, not holding anything yet. She is smiling and laughing. She has also mastered rolling from her stomach to her back (only because she hates being on her tummy now) She is also making eye to eye contact with people. Shes been trying babyfood for the first time also. Some foods she likes some she doesnt.

still in the hospital

Rosie is still in the hospital. They decided she actually has bronchitis and her lung collapsed and was sticking together. They had to give her breathing treatments every 4 hours of epinephrine and that has made her heart race so they are cutting down the breathing treatments to every 12 hours and weaning her off the oxygen. Her lung has re inflated. She looks so much better. I really cant believe Rosies mom has had to ask the nurses repeatedly to wash their hands, so I made her some signs. She should be able to leave Monday or Tuesday.

pneumonia

Rosie has pneumonia in her right lung and had to be admitted to the hospital today. So far she is still in our town, if she gets worse or gets a fever again they will sent her to Des Moines. I am going to visit her up at the hospital. An adult has to be there at all times with her because the hospital is so small there is not a nurse to watch all the patients. Right now she is in an oxygen tent. Keep little Rosie in your prayers. I will keep you updated.