Prayers for my Sister and Grandpa

This has been quite an up an down last few days for our family...Started Tuesday morning off with an early phone call from my mom informing us that my sister Lisa was taken into the hospital in the middle of the night. She was having severe cramping and bleeding. After several tests she learned that she had an ectopic pregnancy. They rushed her into emergency surgery, I do not know all the specific details but know that she had a blood clot accompanied with a lot of internal bleeding. The doctor said it was a good thing she came in when she did. She is recovering at home and still has quite a bit of pain and is undoubtedly experiencing a lot of emotions. Very sad indeed. My heart is heavy for her. I can not quite imagine how exactly she is feeling, as I personally have not gone through this, and have not experienced this sort of a loss. All I can do is simply be there for her, listen, and offer to help out in ANY way that I can. I have spent some time at her house helping chase around her two active little kiddos. She is not supposed to lift anything over 20 or so pounds for a couple weeks. Yeah, sure, that's easy for a mother of two very active toddlers!! Please, all, say a prayer for Lisa as she and her husband go through this difficult time. Please ask that God look down on them and provide them with some much needed support and warmth. Lisa's facebook status today said "God has a reason for everything. May I some day figure out what his plan is for me". Lisa, you are an AWESOME mommy and a great wife! God's plan is already very much at work for you and you are doing a phenomenal job. Just keep up the positive spirit and everything will work out as it should. You have a lot a friends and family who will always be there for you. Please feel free to call any one of us and lean on us for support, especially as you work through your emotions.

Here is a photo of Lisa visiting us at the hospital after Little Macy was born ... just one of her MANY visits :-)

About an hour within learning of Lisa's situation, we also received not so good news regarding my Grandpa Salisbury. He has been in a nursing home for quite a while. That morning, nurses found him unresponsive, they could not wake him up. Needless to say, we were all VERY worried! He had suffered another stroke the week prior...They finally brought him back around, but they could not get him to eat or respond to therapy for a couple days. He has been very down and out lately, very depressed, we were afraid that he was "giving up his fight". They had contemplated moving him into hospice care... :-( He is doing okay for the time being.
We went to visit him today, he lit up and was so excited to meet his newest great-grandchild! He was in pretty good spirits and we had great conversation. It felt sooo good to be there with him and hug him!It is difficult to come to terms with the fact that our Grandpa's time here on earth may be ending soon. I hope and pray it is not too soon. I do feel in my heart that HE is in control of his destiny. All we want is for him to be healthy and most importantly happy. The good Lord will decide what is best for our Grandpa, and we will all be at peace with the fate that is in store for him. Please, Grandpa, I HOPE you know how much you are loved by all of us! Please also keep his wife (our grandma) Peg in your thoughts and prayers as well, of course this takes a heavy toll on her too! :(

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Here are some pics of one Kenzie and my visits in the fall...I was pregnant at the time and Grandpa was VERY certain that I was having a boy...hehe...he was wrong :-)McKenzie teaching Grandpa how to play "paddy-cake"What a BIG helper she is!! :-) uggggh
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On another note...I wanted to share with you this short video from earlier in the week. This is at Toddler Story Time @ the Elkhorn Public Library. McKenzie had such a great time. She wasn't content sitting far away like all the other kids. As you will see in this video, she had to be right up front soaking it all in! Her friend Lauren came up and joined her for a while :-) what a goof!! silly.silly.girl.

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This morning I was asked to give a talk at a Big Brother's Big Sisters "Mentoring Moments" event. I took macy along and it was a lot of fun. I really enjoy being a big sister and talking about me and Kylie's experience. Can't believe we have been matched for over 6 years. Wow, how time flies! :-) below is a picture of me & Kylie from a BBBS photoshoot several months back...isn't she a cutie?? Sadly, we are not able to get together as often as we used to, now that she is a high schooler and I am a mommy of two. But we still remain close and talk as much as we are able. We will always be friends and she will always be important to me. She is wonderful, I have enjoyed watching her blossom into the beautiful, intelligent girl that she is. What a bright future she has in store!!!!