Re-Postable Post

I got my Blog2Print Book today...LOVE IT! I am so glad I finally did it. I got the first 3 years worth and I will now make one each year! I was flipping through and found this poem I wrote a few years ago on Mother's Day so I thought I would re-post. I pray you all have a wonderful Mother's Day and just enjoy every second with your children...no matter where you are or where they are!

I cook
I clean
I read books
Wipe butts
And noses
Get dirty looks
Play cars
Play Wii
Hold hands
Give hugs
Love kisses
And noozles
I even squash bugs
To T-ball
To B-ball
To birthday parties we go
To the palladium to watch a picture show
To "chickalay" to play
Or get ice cream when it's hot
Or maybe a trip to the Dollar Spot!
I teach
I learn
I experience
I play
I LOVE my children more and more each day
My profession is the best
and with that I'll agree
I get "paid" each time I hear the word
MOMMY!
Happy Mother's Day!

This Mother's Day, I am excited that Jossalyn will be dedicated at church! If any of you would like to come to LCC's 9am service, we would love to have you!

May 2, 2011

We decided to surprise the boys with a trip to the Great Wolf Lodge to mark the one year anniversary of losing sweet Jordan. We thought this would be a good way to celebrate how far we have come as a family and keep everyone (me especially) in good spirits during this time.
The boys were EXTREMELY surprised. We told them we were going to Ikea for the day. Which was not a lie, we did go to Ikea but just for a quick trip :). Our first problem came Sunday morning when Jaxon, who was aware of the anniversary, decided he needed to stay at Nana's with his little sister. He wanted to be with her and he didn't want to leave her for a silly trip to Ikea. After some coaxing, he decided he would come along with us. We had a wonderful 2 days there (although we ALL missed Jossalyn TREMENDOUSLY).




We came home and went to Jordan's grave where the boys wanted to release balloons. Everyone wrote a message on a balloon and we let them go. It was a peaceful moment we all enjoyed. It amazes me beyond words when I think how far we have all come since last year. So much has changed. It's all so bittersweet. You go through something like losing a child and you feel like you will be sad forever. You feel like you will never experience happiness again. You feel like you will never be the same. The only true statement here is that you will never be the same. I have changed in more ways than I ever imagined and I am so grateful for those changes. The Lord has taught me so much about me, about others, about life. Praise Him!
I still miss Jordan like crazy. How can I not. He is my son. But I can rest in the fact that we will one day be reunited in a glorious heaven.



Wounds will heal
Scars will remain
Gentle reminders
Of the pain

Joy now fills those
Wounds so deep
Lessons from our Lord
We'll continue to reap

March for Babies 2011

We had another great year at the March for Babies walk! Thank you to all who came out and walked with us and to all who supported us but couldn't be there. If would still like to contribute, you can visit our site at www.marchforbabies.org/dukeboys. This site only shows our online contributions and not those collected by other team members!

Here are a few shots of our FUN-FILLED day! Silly me didn't take my camera in at Longhorn and there's was LOADS more fun there after!

the reasons we walk!

our 2011 team! thx friends!

just us girls!

buffalo (-1) and our girls


the awesome kids who did SUCH a great job!

Almost....

It's hard to believe that it has almost been a year since we lost our Jordan. I remember all the details vividly. As if it just happened.
So much has happened. So much has changed. My heart still hurts. I will always have an empty spot for my son. At the same time, my heart is bursting at the seams with love and happiness. I really can't even explain my emotions to be quite honest.
I know I am grateful.
Grateful for the friend who has checked on me faithfully each month, to the date, since Jordan died.
Grateful for the phone call a day or so ago reminding me of many of the good changes that have occured this year.
Grateful for the card I got in the mail yesterday that was perfect and spoke deeply to my heart.
Grateful for the email I got this morning that God timed perfectly, as always.
Grateful for a husband who understands my coo-coo bird emotions and is dealing with them accordingly.
Grateful for my parents who bend over backwards always but even more so right now. Which I know is because they want me to be happy at this potentially sad time.
Grateful for my kids who seem to know that Mommy needs extra cuddles, snuggles and lovin' right now.

Eucharisteo.
It's a different feeling.
To be grateful.
Not to just say it.
But to live it.
To be it.

Field Trips

This week was our spring break! We took 2 field trips! We went to SciWorks in Winston Salem (with a quick detour to Gullions...yay!) AND the Museum of Life and Science in Durham! We had a great time both places! The weather was perfect for SciWorks.....M of L & S, not so much BUUUT we had a GREAT time with GREAT company both days!

The boybarians with Elle (who is getting her fingers smashed by Jax) and Ramsey!

The kiddos with their cousin Tyller, Brenden and Bryleigh

The Princess turns 3 months old!

Baby girl is 3 months old today! Boy, how time flies when you're having fun! Our family is truly blessed!

I have to share this and I thought this post was appropriate to do so. A friend called Jossalyn our "Rainbow Baby" a while back and I had to google it to find the meaning. It spoke to my heart so I wanted to share.

Rainbow Baby: the understanding that the beauty of a rainbow does not negate the ravages of the storm. When a rainbow appears, it doesn't mean the storm never happened or that the family is not still dealing with its aftermath. What it means is that something beautiful and full of light has appeared in the midst of the darkness and clouds.

March for Babies 2011

Camron Michael 2lbs 8oz Caden Christopher 2lbs 4oz These are my sweet "little" boys. My boys who barely weighed 2 pounds at birth. One of which dropped below 2 pounds. 2 little boys. 4 very weak lungs. Lungs that despite the steroid shots first given at 24 weeks and watched daily for the following month for "practice breaths" still just couldn't work when they made their GRAND entrance into this world almost 11 weeks before they were "due". Lungs that were given surfactant so they would be able to "work". Surfactant was discovered by research funded by the March for Babies. We strongly support this organization because of this! If any of you would like to walk with us this year in honor of Camron and Caden or any other child born prematurely, please join us on April 30th! You can get all the information you need here. If you would like to donate to the cause, you can do so on that link as well! It is tax deductible! If you don't want to walk or donate, please just pray that we will have a good turn out and the Greensboro organization will meet their goal....and that one day, ALL babies will be born HEALTHY!

Here is a poem that I have probably posted here before. I wrote this some time before the first March for Babies event!

A premature baby Born too early, too small

Regardless of his size

He is the strongest of them all

Surgeries, tubes, wires

Daily heel pricks and more

Think of all the pain

His little body must endure

It will be a roller coaster ride

His doctors and nurses say

As his Mother and Father

You just bow your head and pray

And hope that the ride Isn't very long

And that you as his parent

Can be only half as strong

With God's will

And all the research being done

That day will soon come

When the fight with prematurity

Will be WON!!!

**anyone who plans to walk with us, please email me at chrisjennjax@aol.com and let me know!