Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Story of a Real Life Hero



Some stories just need to be written down, shared, and remembered for all time.  I don’t know why God has seen fit to place so many of these stories in my life recently that have placed my already fragile emotions on a crazy rollercoaster ride.  I know there is a very good reason though and maybe it is so that I will share them and remember them.  This particular story has been weighing secretly on my heart for the last several months.  My friend and fellow law student has been battling one of the toughest struggles life can ever hand a person.  Our story began over 3 years ago in the summer of 2009 when we met at a social event for incoming law students.  She and I clicked instantly because we were both older, non-traditional students with families.  At the time, she and her husband had one lovely daughter, and we had one son.  She had decided to quit her full-time employment to pursue law school full time which would place a tremendous financial burden on her family.  She trusted God to take care of their needs at all times.  It would have been even more difficult for her to try to work and go to school because she would be traveling a greater distance to school since she lived in South Carolina on the horse farm that her and her husband operated.  Just before beginning her first year of school, she also found out she was pregnant with their second child (truly a surprise but not at all unwelcomed).  She worked vigorously in law school while still being a wonderful mother to her little girl.  She was rewarded with being at the top of her law school class, being admitted to our academic honor society, and serving on the law review.  There was never a doubt in my mind she would be successful.  As an evening student, I didn’t get to see her very much, but we were lucky to take one class together in the evening.  She welcomed the addition of her second daughter at the end of her first year (the hardest year of law school).  



She began and ended law school in a similar fashion – expecting a little miracle.  She graduated in May of this year and immediately began the grueling process of bar preparation.  In July, she and her husband received some devastating news.  She chose to only share this news with a few of us who she knew would be her prayer warriors and would lovingly understand the choice she made.  At an ultrasound appointment, her little one was found to suffer from some very serious complications.  Her physicians gave them the news no parents want to hear.  Their baby had little to no chance of surviving outside the womb.  She made the bravest of decisions to allow God’s will to be done and continued to carry and nurture the life inside of her.  Shortly after receiving this news, she took the South Carolina bar exam.  After months of waiting, she received the joyous news in October that she passed!  Was there ever a doubt?  As her baby grew, she continued to cherish every kick, nudge, and flip that would occasionally keep her awake at night.  She was blessed with a wonderful job opportunity for a local firm close to her home in South Carolina.  She carried her living baby inside of her for over 40 weeks never losing faith that God’s ultimate will would be done.  Yesterday, she went in to be induced.  Unfortunately for her and her family, God’s will was for her sweet little angel, a third daughter appropriately named Esther Grace, to immediately be in heaven with Him.  She will not get to hold her living child on this side of heaven, but she holds on to her faith and belief that she will see her littlest angel again.  Please remember this wonderful woman and her family in your prayers.  I believe that her story and her daughter’s life will serve God’s ultimate purpose, and I am so glad she possessed the tremendous strength to choose life at whatever cost! 

On another note that has continued to leave my emotions in a turmoil, please continue to pray for little Henry.  His mother posted an update today about him.  They have enjoyed the last few weeks making some wonderful memories with him and had enjoyed seeing his health peak after recovering from his initial surgery that reduced the size of his frontal lobe brain tumor.  His mother has noticed that the tumor appears to be having an increasing effect on his emotional and mental faculties.  She says they are able to keep his pain to a minimum though so for that we are thankful.  I know that God will heal Henry in this life or in heaven, but my human heart cannot help but want his healing now.  


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Saturday, November 24, 2012

Grady ~ A Thanksgiving Blessing

Our sweet new nephew, Grady James, was born on Tuesday, November 20th just two days before Thanksgiving.  We had a lot to be thankful for.  He is the firstborn son of Eddie's sister, and he was sweet, tiny, and precious.  He was induced and delivered by c-section at 38 weeks because of some complications with his placenta and his growth having stopped.  He was small but healthy weighing 5 lbs. 4 oz. and 17 1/2 inches long.  Evan and Brody were so excited to meet their cousin at Thanksgiving!

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Cousins Brody and Evan had to bring gifts to welcome their new cousin.

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Here he is!

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Evan loved his new cousin.

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Aunt Sherry couldn't wait to get her hands on him.  He even opened his eyes a little for her.

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So snuggly. 

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Of course, Evan wanted to hold him.

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Sweet cousins. 

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Evan loves babies!

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Uncle Eddie and Grady 

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He had a very jealous little onlooker!

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Sweet kisses!

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Jealousy!  First, he hit Daddy's legs.

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Then, he laid his head down sweetly and looked up at Daddy as if he's saying, "What are you doing, Daddy?  I am your baby!"

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Sweet little baby. 

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But Brody sweetly greeted his new cousin.

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And gave him kisses too!

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Grandma gets another sweet boy to spoil. 

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And Papa James and Grady James talk fishin'!
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So tiny and sweet.

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Precious little feet. 

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Just precious. 

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Playing with Baby Grady's balloon. 

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Brody brings gifts.

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The happy family

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Feeling blessed!

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Sweet dreams, Grady!

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Good night, Baby!
Grady is now at home with his parents, but we ask for your prayers for him.  He has been diagnosed with a little ear problem with his ear canal in one ear not being properly formed.  He will be seeing an ENT specialist very soon, and we are confident they will know how to address this issue.  We just pray for God's blessings during any procedure he may have to go through.  He was also having a little trouble learning to eat so we just pray that he'll get the hang of it so he can start packing on the pounds.  Thank you, Lord, for our wonderful blessings!

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Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Fall Wrap Up

Since Thanksgiving is tomorrow and then the Christmas preparations will be starting thereafter, I figured I needed to add these last Fall memories to the collection.  We are so "lucky" that our yard is full of trees that allow us to have plenty of leaves to play in.  I do feel especially lucky that I don't have to rake them since my husband kindly volunteers his skills with the leaf blower.  I have so many "fond" memories from childhood of raking leaves until painful blisters developed on my hands.  *Sigh*  I guess this is just one more thing to be thankful for, huh?  Daddy kindly blows all the leaves into piles for us to jump and play in and then mulches them for use in our existing beds around trees and shrubbery.  The boys especially enjoy this little "tradition."

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Evan, of course, didn't mind jumping right in.

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Silly boy!

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Brody was a little skeptical at first.

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But he warmed up quickly.

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Sweetly offering Mommy a leaf he found. 

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Brody thought Evan's big jumps were hilarious.

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I thought he was going to land on his brother a couple of times.

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Big smiles.

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So happy. 

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He didn't even mind when big brother threw huge handfuls of leaves on his head. 

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Big brother kindly brushed all the leaves off. 

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Before doing it again.

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Yep, that big pile went on his head.  At least Brody was smart enough to bend his head down and close his eyes. 

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And they just laughed and laughed!

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Silly baby!

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Little sweetie

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The best smiles

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Buried in the leaves together

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Trying for one picture of them both looking at the camera.

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Love that silly boy.

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The cousins came over, but Cate was the only one who cooperated for pictures. 

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Sweet Cate loved the leaves!

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And the swing too!
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