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| January 2011 |
There is also a 20/20 Challenge to raise funds. Here is a link for more information. 20/20 Challenge!
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| November 2010 |
Friday, October 26, 2012
October is Niemann-Pick Disease Awareness Month
There is also a 20/20 Challenge to raise funds. Here is a link for more information. 20/20 Challenge!
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Jesus!
I have been praying a lot lately for inspiration on what to write here on Kaitlyn's Korner. I feel like my prayers were answered this week. An amazing thing happened here at home.
I have been trying to get Cole to sit with me and listen/read books (no this isn't the amazing thing). In my attempts, I have started reading books with him in his room before bedtime regardless if he is running around not even paying attention to the book or whether he is at his art easel coloring. I figure that over time, he will become more interested in the books as I read them.
Let me preface what I am about to tell you with a few statements. First of all, we say prayers every night before bed. We thank God for our family and friends and then say specific prayers for those that we know need them. At the end we will say, "In your name we pray, Amen" or "In your son's name we pray, Amen". For whatever reason, I just haven't said "Jesus" a lot. Secondly, we have a few books that have "pictures" of Jesus, but we have never pointed him out specifically to Cole other than just reading the story. Most of the books that Cole likes to look at have colors, animals and are typical books aimed at toddlers.
Well... I decided to read "Heaven is for Real for Kids" to Cole the other night. I have never read the book to him before. I started reading the book and he ran around his room playing with toys. Occasionally he would look over, but it was obvious he was more interested other things. At the end of the book, there were photographs of the family that wrote the book and there was a picture that a teenage girl drew of Jesus. Cole came over to look at the pictures and he scanned them briefly. Then he pointed to the drawing and with gusto, said "Jesus". I say "gusto" because it was like Cole knew him like a family member. The only other people that I have heard him do this with are "Mama", "Daddy", "Gigi", "Dane", "Pepere" and "Emie". Even when I ask him "Who is that?" at a picture of Kaitlyn, he will usually just be really quiet or will occasionally say "Kaywin". Let me remind you that Cole will only be two years old in late December of this year. Most of what he says is "toddler language" and I feel like I need a translator!
Of course, I immediately started to think of when I could have possibly shown the book to him before or maybe Chip had shown it to him before so I decided to wait until the next morning and find out. I also did a little "test". I took out an Easter book that we have and handed it to Cole. I took my phone and recorded him looking at the book to see if he would spot Jesus. Again, he has never pointed him out before and the last time we read the book was at Easter time and I honestly don't remember reading it to Cole specifically. Here is the video.
The pictures of Jesus in both books show him in a white robe and purple sash. That is the only similarity, otherwise the two pictures are starkly different.
As many of you know, Chip and I are separated. I thought that maybe Chip had been talking about Jesus to Cole or may have read similar books to Cole. I called him after I recorded the video and asked him about it. He said the same thing that I did. He says prayers with Cole before bedtime but usually says the same things that I do. I asked him if he had shown him any books or if anyone else that interacts with Cole has done anything that would have led to him recognizing the pictures and he couldn't think of any possibility that Cole would have known what a picture of "Jesus" looks like or that Cole even knew how to say the word "Jesus".
I also asked my mom, Gigi, and she also said that she hasn't said anything to Cole about "Jesus" specifically or emphasized any pictures, etc.
Now, I completely know that it is possible that we read the book a LONG time ago to him and could have pointed him out, but as Cole's mother, I know my son and I know that this was not him remembering from when he was a baby. I really do feel that young children have almost a sixth sense about things and as we get older, that ability fades.
I think that God and Kaitlyn were impacting Cole and answering my prayers. To be able to share a remarkable event like this with all of you and also to help me know that Kaitlyn is still with us and that Cole knows Jesus. Kaitlyn was and is amazing. So is Cole. I know that he will also inspire many people, as I feel he already has. I am so proud to be his mother and I can't believe how lucky I am to have him in my life. What a blessing children are.
I have been trying to get Cole to sit with me and listen/read books (no this isn't the amazing thing). In my attempts, I have started reading books with him in his room before bedtime regardless if he is running around not even paying attention to the book or whether he is at his art easel coloring. I figure that over time, he will become more interested in the books as I read them.
 |
| "Buckethead"... he thinks it's hysterical! |
Let me preface what I am about to tell you with a few statements. First of all, we say prayers every night before bed. We thank God for our family and friends and then say specific prayers for those that we know need them. At the end we will say, "In your name we pray, Amen" or "In your son's name we pray, Amen". For whatever reason, I just haven't said "Jesus" a lot. Secondly, we have a few books that have "pictures" of Jesus, but we have never pointed him out specifically to Cole other than just reading the story. Most of the books that Cole likes to look at have colors, animals and are typical books aimed at toddlers.
 |
| He loves animals! |
Well... I decided to read "Heaven is for Real for Kids" to Cole the other night. I have never read the book to him before. I started reading the book and he ran around his room playing with toys. Occasionally he would look over, but it was obvious he was more interested other things. At the end of the book, there were photographs of the family that wrote the book and there was a picture that a teenage girl drew of Jesus. Cole came over to look at the pictures and he scanned them briefly. Then he pointed to the drawing and with gusto, said "Jesus". I say "gusto" because it was like Cole knew him like a family member. The only other people that I have heard him do this with are "Mama", "Daddy", "Gigi", "Dane", "Pepere" and "Emie". Even when I ask him "Who is that?" at a picture of Kaitlyn, he will usually just be really quiet or will occasionally say "Kaywin". Let me remind you that Cole will only be two years old in late December of this year. Most of what he says is "toddler language" and I feel like I need a translator!
 | |
| This is the picture in the book. |
Of course, I immediately started to think of when I could have possibly shown the book to him before or maybe Chip had shown it to him before so I decided to wait until the next morning and find out. I also did a little "test". I took out an Easter book that we have and handed it to Cole. I took my phone and recorded him looking at the book to see if he would spot Jesus. Again, he has never pointed him out before and the last time we read the book was at Easter time and I honestly don't remember reading it to Cole specifically. Here is the video.
The pictures of Jesus in both books show him in a white robe and purple sash. That is the only similarity, otherwise the two pictures are starkly different.
As many of you know, Chip and I are separated. I thought that maybe Chip had been talking about Jesus to Cole or may have read similar books to Cole. I called him after I recorded the video and asked him about it. He said the same thing that I did. He says prayers with Cole before bedtime but usually says the same things that I do. I asked him if he had shown him any books or if anyone else that interacts with Cole has done anything that would have led to him recognizing the pictures and he couldn't think of any possibility that Cole would have known what a picture of "Jesus" looks like or that Cole even knew how to say the word "Jesus".
I also asked my mom, Gigi, and she also said that she hasn't said anything to Cole about "Jesus" specifically or emphasized any pictures, etc.
 |
| Gigi and Cole singing "Wheels On The Bus" |
Now, I completely know that it is possible that we read the book a LONG time ago to him and could have pointed him out, but as Cole's mother, I know my son and I know that this was not him remembering from when he was a baby. I really do feel that young children have almost a sixth sense about things and as we get older, that ability fades.
 |
| Kaitlyn's autumn bouquet! |
Sunday, October 7, 2012
New Normal?
For the past 6 months, I have been trying to figure out what the new normal is. When Kaitlyn was here, our new "normal" changed all the time as she changed. I was mom/nurse/advocate every second of the day. Now... there is no normal.
I haven't written much since Kaitlyn died because I just didn't know what to say and still feel that way sometimes. It has been nothing like I expected it to be. I always imagined that I would be so overwhelmed with grief and heartache that I would be paralyzed.
Instead, I found myself lost in who I was supposed to be. An identity crisis of sorts. There were days I felt empty and days I felt fine. I realized that I had been grieving ever since we got Kaitlyn's diagnosis. I grieved every single day as I watched her lose her abilities and grieved knowing that there wasn't a cure.
What keeps me going now is all of you. Friends, family, neighbors and others across the world who remind me of how Kaitlyn touched their lives. Knowing that she is still making a difference makes me so grateful and blessed. Thank you for the messages you continue to send me.
As I continue to figure out my new normal, I pray that God will direct my path and surround me with people like all of you who have been so supportive. I will never be able to thank all of you enough.
 |
| A friend shared this with me. Doesn't it look just like Kaitlyn?! I love it! |
I haven't written much since Kaitlyn died because I just didn't know what to say and still feel that way sometimes. It has been nothing like I expected it to be. I always imagined that I would be so overwhelmed with grief and heartache that I would be paralyzed.
Instead, I found myself lost in who I was supposed to be. An identity crisis of sorts. There were days I felt empty and days I felt fine. I realized that I had been grieving ever since we got Kaitlyn's diagnosis. I grieved every single day as I watched her lose her abilities and grieved knowing that there wasn't a cure.
 |
| Words of encouragement from a friend |
What keeps me going now is all of you. Friends, family, neighbors and others across the world who remind me of how Kaitlyn touched their lives. Knowing that she is still making a difference makes me so grateful and blessed. Thank you for the messages you continue to send me.
 |
| My current desktop background |
As I continue to figure out my new normal, I pray that God will direct my path and surround me with people like all of you who have been so supportive. I will never be able to thank all of you enough.
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