Ultrasound Appointment......Healthy Baby - Ticked off Parents

Please forgive me - I just need to vent!!

We went in for our 20 week ultrasound today and needless to say we're thrilled to know our baby is healthy, but it was one of the most frustrating & disappointing appointments I've had in a long time. The tech came in (15 minutes late & me with a FULL bladder!) and said "so now what was the situation with your last baby?" I replied that she had Trisomy 18 to which she asked "oh, how did she do? everything come out okay and she survived?" If you know that she existed wouldn't you know a little more to the story!!??? And what a STUPID question!!! Do you not know what T18 is????? Later I read in my chart notes online that it has written (and I quote): had integrated screen, last child with Trisomy 18 and a heart defect. Even if she didn't have the rest of the story in her notes wouldn't you think she'd either #1. find out what happened BEFORE asking. #2. have at least SOME clue what T18 even is!! #3. not ask such a definitive question. or #4. just keep her mouth shut.

I had a similar thing happen at my 6-week check up after Kristen's birth. The nurse didn't know that she had passed away (although isn't it odd to have a mom come in for her 6-week check up without a baby?) And she's going through her list of questions she has to ask and I am getting a feeling she doesn't know the outcome. That assumption is confirmed when she asks the baby's weight at birth and then if I am nursing or formula feeding. I then had to eek out the words. I don't remember what I even was able to say but it obviously took her by surprise and horror. She apologized profusely and then finished the check-in process. The midwife then came in and told me the nurse was crying and felt so horrible about what happened. I asked if it wasn't in my chart and she said it is there, they just didn't know/think to look. Since then I've asked that it be plastered throughout my medical file....apparently that hasn't happened and people are still asking STUPID questions!!

The rest of the ultrasound appointment progressively got worse. She has been doing this for 20 years so she does it all so fast we can't tell what anything is and she never stayed in one place long enough for us to see the baby move much at all.

Then when she was done she leaves and says she'll be back in 10 minutes or less. FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER she walks in with another radiologist. All I can think is -- great - we've been here and done this before! Then get this...she says "this is Dr. So and So and we just wanted to get one more quick look." I ask if something was wrong and she says "oh, everything's fine, we just wanted to take a quick look at the kidneys." Bull-sh*t everything's fine! You don't bring in a second opinion if everything is fine. I told them both that I know it's not good when they have to bring someone else in to take a look, at which the radiologist says "we don't want to do anything to worry you so we thought it's better to take a quick look now instead of having you come back in." So they look at the kidneys and then start looking at the heart. After a number of code-worded conversations I finally ask what is going on and why they're looking at the heart so much. They said it was because they weren't able to get good scans of all the heart's structures before and wanted to try again. But this time the baby has turned and its spine has shadowed its heart and they can't get a good look. The radiologist is leaning over me so I can't see the monitor or what they're looking at and finally she says it's fine and leaves the room.

Needless to say we were a little less than pleased with the visit. We were now 10 minutes late for our midwife appointment upstairs so we booked it up there and got in right away but the midwife was still 10 minutes away from seeing us! (I had called while we were waiting for the tech to return and told them we were going to be late because we were still down in our ultrasound.) I shared my concerns with the midwife and she helped us to understand where some of what happened had come from. Because of our excperience with Kristen, they wanted to be 100% sure they checked everything really well this time. And since the tech has been doing this for so long she knows when she needs a 2nd pair of eyes to look at something. That's also why she went so fast through most of it, because she's been doing this for so long it's "normal for her". Sorry - it's not normal for US!!!! You better believe I'll be contacting radiology AGAIN tomorrow to let them know how our appt went! I had to do it last time with one of Kristen's appointments too. Not only do I not appreciate being treated like an ignorantly-bliss 1st time parent who only cares about gender, but I don't like being lied to either nor do I appreciate them treating my appointment so insignificantly. They may do this 100 times a day - BUT I DON'T! This is my baby we're talking about here!! Give me 5 seconds to just look at it move for goodness sake!! Will it kill ya to have an ounce of bed-side manner!!?

So, yes the baby looks good and ultimately that is really what mattered. We still don't know gender yet, its legs were crossed - just like ALL our babies have done!! We unfortunately didn't really even get any good scan photos like we did with Katelynn. I mentioned that to our midwife too and she said that she'd do an in-office scan next time and see if we can't get a good photo of the baby AND maybe check gender. So that's one good thing that came out of that appointment.

But all in all, the baby has none of the signs that Kristen had. Our midwife even showed us comparisons of their ultrasounds (gotta love technology!) and it was amazing the difference there is between a T-18 baby and a healthy baby! Thank you Jesus!

The most dangerous cake recipe in the world

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug(MicroSafe)

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well.
Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.
Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.
The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!
Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.
EAT ! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).

And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world?
Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!

What's up with the In-Laws?

The other night while reading to Katelynn her preschool Bible, we got to the story about Christmas and I was struck by something. I am still kind of amazed that I had never thought about it before and that it never occurred to me in all my years of hearing the same Christmas story. I would love any input from anyone that reads this that may know something I don't. I took a number of classes in college that had to do with Judaism, and from what I know of the culture, this just seems really odd to me.

Here's an excerpt from the Message Luke chapter 2:1-5

^1-5About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire. This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown to be accounted for. So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David's town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there. He went with Mary, his fiancée, who was pregnant.

So here's Joseph traveling to a different city simply because that's where his family is from. His fiancee (who is believed to be very young) is away from her own family, experiencing pregnancy for the first time, is unmarried and ready to have a baby any minute and there's no place for them to stay. I could understand that if they were traveling to some unfamiliar city or town...but shouldn't Joseph have family in Bethlehem? Another translation said he went there because it was the hometown of his ancestry. Weren't there ANY people in that town that were relatives that would have taken them in? I mean, really! They were planning on staying in an inn when she's about to have a baby!! From what I've studied and learned over the years, family is very important in the Jewish culture. I couldn't imagine going to a town that your family is supposed to be from and not having family to stay with. And this is assuming that Joseph was an only child and sole survivor of his family. Weren't his parents or siblings there? They'd have to be there for the census if they too were of the line of David. I know growing up my parents would open up our house to anyone passing through town. We lived along I-90 and lots of our family was from Montana, so I-90 was a common route for them. There were times people were sleeping on air mattresses on the floor because there weren't any more beds. And if they weren't home, they'd arrange for the friends/family to stay at our house anyway! But when we'd hear that family passed through and stayed at a hotel and we didn't even know it, we found it kinda odd. Just like I find it odd that Joseph hadn't arranged to stay with family....knowing his "wife" was going to have a baby any day! Maybe he was just as naive as Mary was! :)

Then it hit me. Was it because Mary was pregnant and they weren't yet married? Were they such social outcasts in their own families that even the women of the family would let (force) this presumably scared little girl go have her baby - most likely unassisted - in a cave with animals hanging around? Granted having a baby back then was a little different than it is now, but c'mon! Maybe it's just my western culture speaking here, but what a way for Mary's new in-laws to welcome her to the family!! But I guess that's how the story had to play out. If you have any insight or references to this little in-law scenario, I'd love to hear it! Thanks!

Then on a totally different side note - I love the photos that our culture has created to portray the new family. I wish I looked half that good after giving birth!! Not to mention I'm INSIDE and COMFORTABLE, PREPARED for a birth, have birth professionals around (whether at a home birth or hospital), and probably not wearing the same clothes I just traveled and/or gave birth in!! But I guess we have to leave some reality out of Christmas, don't we. It just wouldn't make the same sentiment on a Christmas card without some artistic interpretation.

Either way, Happy Birthday Jesus!!

-Tara

The Results Are In!!

I just got the call from UW with our integrated screen results and they look GREAT!

Before the test our chances of T18 were: 1 in 5,300
After the test our chances are: 1 in 20,000!!!

Before the test our chances of Down Syndrome (T21) were: 1 in 530
After the test our chances are: 1 in 19,000!!

Then the test showed our chances of spina bifida are: 1 in 1,800

If you ask me, those are beautiful numbers!! Granted we know what being that ONE is like, but we have no reason to worry at this time about the health of our baby. What a great feeling!
Then on Monday at my check-up the baby had a great heartbeat and was really active. I still haven't been able to feel anything, which was a little worrysome. But while she was trying to listen to the heartbeat, the baby kept moving away from the doppler! She assured me the baby is doing JUST FINE!! :)

The Pink Glove Dance

If you liked the "Wedding Dance" or the "Union Station Dance", you might enjoy this!!
I love that they thought of everyone!! And that's a LOT of pink gloves!!
(Thanks Patti for posting it first!)

Week 15 - This is Amazing!!

We're already at Week 15!! No real movements felt just yet, but I'm sure they're coming. I wanted to share a link to some AMAZING videos for the various stages of the baby's development. Here's the link to 15 to 20 weeks, you can click on other time frames if you want.

This week Baby Balcom measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). He's busy moving amniotic fluid through his nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in his lungs begin to develop. His legs are growing longer than his arms now, and he can move all of his joints and limbs. Although his eyelids are still fused shut, he can sense light. If we shine a flashlight at my tummy, for instance, he's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for the baby to taste at this point, but he is forming taste buds.
Finally, we will have an ultrasound the week of Christmas, so we still have a bit of a wait to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. We have a history of modest babies! Besides, nailing down the baby's gender depends on the clarity of the picture and on the baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.") But we'll be sure to share once we know!

Seasons of Change Part 2 - Year 4

I'm not consistent with many things but I am glad I've kept up with these photos!!
(If you want to see last year's post with these photos click here.)

Magical Night of Giving at the SuperMall - I have tickets available!!

My MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group is selling tickets to the SuperMall's "Magical Night of Giving" happening on Sunday November 15th.
Each year, SuperMall hosts Magical Night of Giving, their official kick-off to the holiday season and an opportunity for guests to enjoy an evening of exclusive savings throughout the mall, prize giveaways and holiday entertainment. SuperMall joins with local non-profit organizations that support this community event by selling tickets, for which they keep 100% of the profits.
The tickets are only $5 each and our MOPS group will receive 100% of that. If you're interested in attending this event (you must have a ticket to attend!) please contact me to let me know.
Here are the other details:
Magical Night of Giving 2009
Sunday, November 15th
6:30pm - 10:30pm
Thank you for your support and I hope you enjoy the event!!

Week 12 and a few thoughts about pregnancy

Okay, so it's 2 days before the baby is "officially" 12 weeks old, but I have time now and may not on Tuesday! Below is are some fun details about where the baby is in development so far.

Tomorrow we will be heading up to University of Washington Medical Center for a special ultrasound scan of the baby. It's called an NT Scan or Nuchal Translucency scan where they check the thickness of the baby's neck where the nuchal folds are forming. It's a simple ultrasound that can only be done between weeks 10 and 13 and the data can then be used as part of an equation later, so I opted to go ahead and do it now. Doesn't mean we have to use the information later, but I'd rather get it while I can!! And how fun to get to see more images of the baby! :) And since it's just an ultra sound, the baby doesn't get bothered at all. If you're curious, here's some information about it.

And just to let our readers know, since I know many of you have wondered but not asked: What are the chances of this baby having any problems? Our chances are the same as they were with Katelynn! We are back into the same "risk pool" of having anything wrong with this baby as any other normal healthy pregnancy. Kristen's condition was a genetic abnormality - which means at the moment of conception, her chromosomes were already having issues. There was nothing that could have been done to prevent it, and there's nothing that can be done to replicate it. (scientists are trying all the time to do both!!) There have been NO recorded cases of T18 families having a subsequent T18 baby. We all go back into the "general population" and have the same chances of having anything else happen with the baby - and just the same chances of having a HEALTHY BABY....just like Jane Doe down the street.

I know that there are some people that are all freaked out that something else will happen with this baby - welcome to our world with a lack innocence. If that fear makes you pray for us, then thanks for the prayers!! But please don't remain in that fear. I rest in the fact that God knew our babies (past, present and future) before He made the earth. He's in control of what happens to them. He knows exactly what our family can (or can't) handle and I know that I have very little I can or can't do to "control" this pregnancy. Although I don't have the "pregnancy bliss" that many moms get to experience, I have no reason NOT to expect a healthy baby next May!!

Yes, I will still do some of the prenatal scans and tests but not out of fear, more or less out of routine! I guess that is one silver lining from Kristen's pregnancy. I had a pretty normal pregnancy with her - it was the birth that was traumatic. So this pregnancy, I don't really have any issues with being pregnant. I've never had issues with pregnant women around me. I do however, have some minor issues with baby showers before a baby is born - just that lack of innocence I guess. There are a number of other T18 moms that knew of their baby's T18 condition during the 1st trimester and lived with the fear of losing their baby the whole pregnancy. Every Dr. visit was spent wondering what the bad news would be that time. So now with their next pregnancy, they are reliving that fear. We didn't have that with Kristen. Yeah, we had a few no-too-great results from appointments, but nothing that stopped us in our tracks. So this time around, I am not relating this baby to Kristen in a bad way because there wasn't much about her pregnancy that was bad. The morning sickness is a little worse, but other than that - this is a whole new pregnancy, a whole new baby, a whole new experience for all of us!!

So, on that note! Here's what's up with Baby Balcom in the 12th week?!?!

By this week, our baby is about two to two-and-a-half inches long (keep in mind that, after week 11, growth rates can vary a lot), and could be cradled snugly in a soup spoon. His or her brain's basic structure is now in place, and brain mass is growing all the time.

Several important digestive functions begin around this week. The pancreas begins to produce insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. The liver starts to secrete bile, a thick greenish fluid stored in the gall bladder that helps the body digest fats.

Though still not quite "cute," our baby is starting to look more like a person now. The bridge of the nose and the jawbones are starting to create the familiar outlines of a human face. Inside the mouth, folded tissues come together to make the palate, or roof of the mouth. Fingernails emerge from their nail beds.

As we move into the second trimester, baby shifts into the growth and maturation stage. After weeks in the critical development stage, almost all of baby's systems are fully formed. (Amazing!!)

Just add water and sunshine....

They say things grow faster with a little sunshine and lots of water - well, we have both of those in abundance here in Maui and look what happened!!!

We actually stopped at Wal-Mart to get some materiny shorts and they don't carry maternity clothes! So we found Old Navy had a good sale on shirts....no shorts. But I guess in a week I won't need them anyway!!
Thankfully I haven't been feeling too bad. Definitely feeling pregnant, and now looking like it too!!!

HAWAI'I!!!

We have just a few minues post a few photos. We're having a great time and looking forward to the laid back side of Maui!!

Baby's First Photo!!

Well, there is just one baby in there and it's looking healthy so far! Good, strong heartbeat and measuring right on cue for a mid-May entrance - or should I say exit? :)

Week 8 - Our Litle Kidney Bean

New this week: Webbed fingers and toes are poking out from our little baby's hands and feet, his eyelids practically cover his eyes, breathing tubes extend from his throat to the branches of his developing lungs, and his "tail" is just about gone. In his brain, nerve cells are branching out to connect with one another, forming primitive neural pathways. Although we may be daydreaming and wondering if it's a boy or girl (or both!), the external "proof" still hasn't developed enough to reveal whether we're having a boy or a girl. Either way, our baby — about the size of a kidney bean — is constantly moving and shifting, though I still can't feel it.

We have some appointments scheduled for when we get back from vacation at which point we should know for sure if there's one or two babies! We'll keep you posted!

Week 7 - Our little blueberry!

The big news this week: Hands and feet are emerging from developing arms and legs — although they look more like paddles at this point than the tiny, pudgy extremities you're daydreaming about holding and tickling. Technically, your baby is still considered an embryo and has something of a small tail, which is an extension of her tailbone. The tail will disappear within a few weeks, but that's the only thing getting smaller. Your baby has doubled in size since last week and now measures half an inch long, about the size of a blueberry.

And in true form, I did start getting a little bit of morning sickness. Just like with both girls, it starts out with what I called "car sickness". Although, "morning sickness" would be a dream instead of afternoon sickness, evening sickness, midnight sickness, morning sickness, mid-morning sickness, mid-afternoon sickness, early evening sickness, pre-meal and post-meal sickness....well, you get the idea. So far so good, considering I feel this way because I'm being used to create a life! How awesome is that!!!

Katelynn sharing with the world

we aren't sure who Katelynn has already told this to so we thought it was time to post it!
Sorry if you didn't hear in person!

Update on the Corn!!

There's so much we want to make sure it's all taken!

Yellow Sweet Corn: $1/dozen!!

Come to our house on Tuesday to get it. We get our bread delivery on Tuesdays after 4pm, so you can come after that if you want to get both! Otherwise, just let me know when you want to stop by how many you want! (bring some plastic bags, too, as I'll probably run out!!) :)

Passing the savings on to you - Tara style! :)

Interested in some fresh corn? My parents are coming over from Spokane tomorrow and just picked a ridiculous amount before they left (they have a farm and sell it locally). Some of it is smaller - great kid sized. It'd be nice to sell it in dozens if possible - 12/$3 and you'd probably get a few more than that of the smaller ones. Just call, e-mail or FB me and let me know if you're interested. You'll be able to pick it up at our house probably on Monday or Tuesday. -- And FYI - it can be frozen! Last year we froze it on the cob, but this year we're going to cut it off and freeze it as kernels.


Anyone interested in joining a few of us to buy parchment paper (for baking) in bulk? It is excellent for baking cookies, cakes, breads or pizza, making candy, frozen desserts, seafood, poultry and meats. It works great to cover foods in the microwave. Professional bakers and cooks use it all the time. They have it at Cash & Carry in a box of 1000 sheets - but they're "industrial cookie sheet size", so one sheet would cover 2 regular cookie sheets. (**see below for more details about using parchment I found on a great website**)

Check this out:

• Renyold's Wrap Parchment at the store (on sale!) $3 for 30 square feet = $.10/sf
• Cash & Carry Parchment $35 for 1000 sheets (approx. 17" x 25") 2772 square feet = $.01/sf.
  

Yeah, A PENNY A SQUARE FOOT compared to TEN CENTS A SQUARE FOOT for the stuff at the store!

But obviously, I'd never need 1000 sheets of the stuff, so I'm seeing if anyone else wants to go in with me and save a bunch of money!! I already have about 4 of us, but thought I'd throw it out there and see if there'd be any others? It's about 4 cents a sheet. (two cents per cookie sheet sure beats the heck out of scrubbing pans!!)

If you're interested in this please let me know. We're hoping to do it before Wednesday (9/9).

**What is baking/cooking parchment and why use it?**

Have you ever wondered how bakeries and restaurants manage their huge baking needs? They use this product because it doesn't stick (it's coated on both sides), it is economical (you don't need shortenings or sprays), it is labor friendly (just toss it away after an afternoon of baking) and flexible (cut it to your pan size). Each sheet is 16 3/8 x 24 3/8, large enough to cover two standard size cookie sheets.

Not only can you use it for baking, you can use it to provide a stick free surface when freezing meats (between hamburgers for example) or baked goods, or use it to line pans for messy jobs such as barbeque chicken.

It is an energy saver (yours and the utility's). Get an extra batch of cookies ready for the oven and do the old switcheroo when they come out of the oven.

Put a piece down on the countertop when cutting frozen or homemade pizza to catch the grease. Or use it to line your microwave to catch spills. You get the idea.

Our Big Preschooler's First Day of School

My, what a difference a year makes!! I didn't even realize she had the same sweater on!!

Has it really been a year?

Hard to believe a year has already flown by! Some moments it feels like just yesterday that we were taking a photo of the three of us just before we headed off to be induced. Yet, other moments seem like it was a lifetime away....well, I guess it really was. The external scars have healed for the most part and the internal ones still need plenty of tending to. We each do that differently, and everyday it looks a little different. But we know that God is faithful to complete the good work He has begun, it's just not on our timeline! :)

I wanted to thank everyone that has been contacting us one way or another this weekend. Whether through visits, calls, e-mails, facebook, cards or prayer, it is all appreciated. And thank you as well to those that have remembered throughout the year and have encouraged us to talk about Kristen and remind us that she's not forgotten (or nor are we and what we still feel everyday.)

We decided not to do anything "extravagant" to remember her on her first earthly birthday and her first heavenly birthday. We're planning on going to the ocean, just the three of us (and Libby!) and all of us are looking forward to that. I made the mistake of telling Katelynn we were going to the ocean for Kristen's birthday. She replied, "oh that will be so fun, and I'll hold her 'cuz she's so tiny!" I explained to her that Kristen was in Heaven now, "in the sky with God?" she asked, and I told her yes.

She has been extremely observant lately and it has been really interesting how she incorporates Kristen into her life. There is a hospital being remodeled in Puyallup and she always asks what the cranes are doing and we tell her they're building a hospital and for the most part that ends the topic. Sometimes she'll add something about how that's where babies are. Well, the other day we were driving within sight of the hospital and this was our conversation (more or less):

Out of no where she says, "hey Mommy, look there's a hospital....how come daddy cried at the hospital?"
"Well, he was sad about baby Kristen."
"Why?"
"Because she was really sick. We're sad when you get sick too."
"And she has owies?"
"Not anymore. Remember, she's in heaven with God now and doesn't have anymore owies, she's all better now."
"Oh." "Heaven up in the sky, with God?"
"Yep. Up high like the mountains." (sometimes she thinks if she jumps "high" that she'll be as high as heaven too. :) So I wanted to be sure I clarified that one!)
"And she's so cute." (that's when she makes the action of holding something the size of a quarter cupped in her hands.) "Oh Mommy! Look! There's a plane!" (If you've ever seen the movie "Up" these are total "SQUIRREL!" moments that happen with lots of things!) :)

I am so thankful for Katelynn and how it is never odd for her to talk about Kristen. We were told in the beginning when we were fearful of what to tell her, that she would ask questions according to her level of understanding and that we just need to answer her question, not give her more info that what she is asking for. It's been in the last few months that I have realized that we'll get the privilege of doing this for the rest of her life. A privilege I am honored to have! Not only do I enjoy telling Katelynn about her sister, but I love hearing Kristen's name spoken without reservation like she does.

Thank you again to everyone that reads our blog. Sorry it hasn't been updated in so long. I have tons of fun things to post here with great photos, just haven't made the time yet. I've been trying to work on my personal blog a bit and of course keep up with Facebook! :) But I hope to get more posted to our family blog soon. Until then.......
-Tara

Orphans Deserve Better

Those that know me know that I DO NOT like freaky movies and I just stay clear of them. But when I heard what kind of negative impact the new movie "Orphan" was going to have on the millions of orphans world-wide, I decided to act.

Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. ~ Psalm 82:3-4

I encourage you to sign the online petition with me. Below is what the petition says so you have an idea of what I'm talking about. Hollywood has it's own version of perverse reality and I don't want it to distort and sell-short the true reality of the orphans in our world.

http://orphansdeservebetter.com/
Mr. Barry Meyer, Chairman and CEO
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

Dear Mr. Meyer,

We desire to express together—respectfully but firmly—that the portrayal of orphans conveyed by the Warner Brothers film Orphan is both misleading and unhelpful to the millions of children growing up without families today.

The film delivers a distorted picture of the difficulty and pain these children often carry. It also sells short the great love they so often return to those who reach out to them with care and compassion.

We assume you did not intend this, and we recognize that the film could be described as merely a far-fetched thriller. But the power of such a film to subtly shape attitudes and perspectives remains. In that regard, the movie Orphan does no favors to the many children who share its name.

For the sake of the world’s more than 140 million orphans, people deserve to know better. They should have an honest understanding of the deep needs orphans face—as well as the satisfaction and beauty that can be found in embracing orphans as a mentor or adoptive family, foster parent or nonprofit volunteer.

We urge you to take steps to help convey this message robustly, just as its opposite was conveyed through the film—perhaps as a message following the film. In addition, given that the profits from this film will likely come at some expense to orphans, we encourage you to contribute a portion of those profits to aid orphans across America and around the world.

We respectfully await your response.

Signed,
Tara Balcom

Growing like a weed!!

Katelynn had gotten this growth chart for her 1st birthday and I hadn't put it up until Christmas time...Then, out of sight, out of mind. Then the other day I realized we hadn't done it in a long time so I had her go stand by the door so I could measure her......WOW!! An inch and a half in 5 months!! No wonder her clothes are getting short! :) Of course, if you see in the 2nd photo down, she had grown almost an inch in just 2 months before her birthday!!!


She was trying to not see the flash, so she'd close her eyes.....

Then I finally caught one before she could put her hand up and block the flash! :) What a cutie!!


However, I don't think any of our kids will have a hope of being less than average height. The photo below was taken at a family reunion on my dad's side, in May. Everyone in this photo is a blood relative, except my mom. She was put in the photo for "height perspective." (for those that don't know, she's average height.) And if I'm not mistaken, the lady on the far right in the pink was Miss Tall USA when she was in college. :) Add to that, the height on Kevin's side...Yeah, our kids don't have a chance of being short! :)

Today Show Clip

Here's a clip from the Today Show that highlights one of Kristen's playmates and his family and new baby sister.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

There Will Be A Day

Last October I heard a song late one night while I was driving (I still even remember where I was!) and I took a moment to listen to the words. I had heard it quite a bit but never really listened. I came home that night and instantly tried to post it to our blog but it was too new at the time and it wasn't yet available to post. I hadn't checked in a while and when I heard it again this morning I decided to try again. It's now added to our playlist which plays in shuffle mode. So it will either come on in a bit or you can just skip ahead at the bottom of our blog.
It's been amazing how God has spoken through music in new ways since last fall. What a gift we have to listen to this music freely without fear of persecution.
Here are the words to the song:

Artist: Jeremy Camp
Song: There Will Be A Day

I try to hold on to this world with everything I have
But I feel the weight of what it brings, and the hurt that tries to grab
The many trials that seem to never end, His word declares this truth,
That we will enter in this rest with wonders anew

But I hold on to this hope and the promise that He brings
That there will be a place with no more suffering

There will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, and no more fears
There will be a day when the burdens of this place, will be no more, we'll see Jesus face to face, But until that day, we'll hold on to you always

I know the journey seems so long, You feel you're walking on your own
But there has never been a step, Where you've walked out all alone

Troubled soul don't lose your heart, 'Cause joy and peace He brings
And the beauty that's in store, Outweighs the hurt of life's sting

I can't wait until that day where the very one I've lived for always will wipe away the sorrow that I've faced
To touch the scars that rescued me from a life of shame and misery, oh this is why, this is why I sing.

There will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, and no more fears
There will be a day when the burdens of this place, will be no more, we`ll see Jesus face to face

There will be a day, He'll wipe away the stains, He'll wipe away the tears, He'll wipe away the tears...there will be a day.

A beautiful tribute

Our friend Patti Ramos posted a letter from us and some beautiful photos of Kristen on her blog: "Preparing for the journey ... not just the destination"

Happy 6th Anniversary!

Hard to believe it's already been 6 years since our wedding! We watched our wedding video last night and were amazed how young we looked! :) But then also realized how much has happened in those short 6 years: getting a new puppy, having two babies but losing one, three different houses, 4 new jobs, a new church, and so much life in between!

Thank you Kevin for such an amazing adventure - I look forward to what lies ahead and am so glad I have you to enjoy it with!


(You can click on the photos to see them bigger.)
Last night we went to dinner at the Pacific Grill in Tacoma, went to see Up in 3D, then went to Baskin Robbins to share a sundae. Thanks Nama and Papa for taking Katelynn for the weekend!

Into the Deep

At Kristen's life celebration service the "guest book" was a daily devotional book. Some days I read it, some weeks I don't. There has been one that has really stuck out to me that I have kept bookmarked.

"Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." Luke 5:4
A lot of us have limited vision. We base most of our activities and plans on what we've learned from experience and the interests, talents, and abilities we know we have. We are reluctant to get in over our heads because of the discomfort we feel in such situations. We don't like having demands placed on us that are beyond our resources.

When Jesus calls us to follow Him, He always pushes us beyond our experience and beyond our abilities. Peter had been fishing all night with no results when Jesus' instruction came to put out into deep water. All of Peter's intuition told him that the exercise would be fruitless. But Jesus doesn't call us to do the same things we've always done in the same ways we've always done them. He call us to launch out further and deeper, to places where we cannot depend on our own experience and abilities. He puts us in places where we must depend entirely on Him.

Next time you feel helpless in a situation and know you're in over your head, remember the sovereign Lord who placed you there. He has intimate knowledge of the deep. He is master over all the elements of His creation. He knows what awaits us there. He is Lord of the wind and the waves, the harvest, the loneliness, or whatever else might face us "in the deep."

The deep water can be a scary place to be. For Peter, it seemed like a pointless place to be. We are helpless there. But we cannot avoid it and be obedient to Jesus at the same time. This is the way to bear fruit in His kingdom. This is where the catch is. They way of discipleship will eventually lead us there. Jesus knows what it takes to bear fruit - and it always involves going beyond our own experience, our limited vision, and our resources. He calls us to launch out into places where we have no choice but to depend on His instructions and His power.

Katelynn - the new family photographer!

Katelynn found a 6+ year old disposable camera that still had all it's photos left so we let her have it. After a few pointers from Grammy on how to hold the camera, how to advance the film, and a couple of practice shots we let her loose in the backyard. Unfortunately only 17 of the 25 came out, but of the ones that did, I was pretty impressed!! Keep in mind this camera was REALLY old and film DOES have an expiration date! The quality of the photos isn't her fault. :)

You can see the whole album here or you can see a slide show below.

Katelynn's First Photography Samples

Our beautiful backyard - up close and personal!

We got a new camera recently and it was fun testing out some of the features - this album highlights the "super macro" setting letting me take really close-up photos. I always knew our backyard was beautiful, but never knew it could look like this! You can click on the slide show to see the photos in the online album.

Daylight Savings Time in real life

8:30pm
Mom: Katelynn, I didn't realize it was so late, it's time to get ready for bed.
Katelynn: Not yet, it's still sunny.

6:00am
Mom: Katelynn, it's not time to get up, it's still sleep time.
Katelynn: But it's sunny. I all done waking up.

I guess we have a head start on our day today!!

Blue Water

When one thinks of "Blue Water" usually the vision of Caribbean waters comes to mind. However, in our house "Blue Water" has been the most exciting addition to our bathroom! Kevin found one of those blue water toilet cleaners the other day and had to tell Katelynn that it was okay for the water to be blue. She thought that was pretty neat!

Then the other night when she got up to go to the bathroom she came into the bathroom and turned the light on. Usually she just uses the nightlight to help her and then goes back to sleep. Since the bathroom is connected to our bedroom, I asked her what she was doing with the light on and her reply was "blue water." I should have guessed! So I told her to finish up and turn of the light when she was done. Who would have thought that blue toilet water would have been that exciting!!

Photos yet to come!

We got a new camera a few weeks ago and I have some really fun photos to post but we can't find the USB cable to connect it to the computer!! :)
I just thought I'd post a quick note to say we're still here, we're still alive, just haven't had (made) the time to work on the blog. Hopefully we'll get new photos up soon!

I love a good deal!

Once again our preschool has an awesome fundraiser - two actually!
The first one is Ram Cards - for the Ram Restaurant. This is a great deal for us because the Ram generously gives us the cards free of cost for us to sell for $20. And it's a great deal too because with the card, the purchaser gets:

• 3 buy-on-get-one-free dinners
• 3 buy-on-get-one-free lunches
• 1 buy-on-get-one-free appetizer
• 1 buy-on-get-one-free dessert

Obviously, this pays for itself very quickly! As of Wednesday we had 12 more left and I know that 4 of them are already sold. So if you're interested please let me know ASAP! :)

The other one we're doing is Hanging Fuchsia Baskets and Hanging Garden Baskets. I have photos of them that I can't seem to get posted here, but they're beautiful and very full! We have to have the orders in by May 15th and they will be delivered to our school in early June.
The Fuchsia Baskets are $23 and need shade. The Garden Baskets are $25 and need sun.

If you have any questions on these please let me know. I know our preschool really appreciates all the fund raising support which helps keep our tuition low. We only need to raise $1000 of the original $3500 needed at the beginning of the year. So thank you to everyone who has supported us!!

Green is good - in more ways than one!

I just got back from the "JBF Sale" (Just Between Friends). They're a nationwide franchise company that does local consignment sales. I heard about it a few weeks ago and decided to actually be a consignor about 10 days ago! It was a little crazy getting everything ready but I was able to move quite a few items! The nice thing with this is people are getting kids' stuff (and maternity) in good condition at better than Craig's List prices and we're getting to sell them at better than yard sale prices. Not to mention it's all done in one weekend and you don't have to have people coming and going. I had a few things I've listed on CraigsList a number of times in the past and they sold right away for twice what I was asking on CraigList!!

They have a pretty amazing tagging system where you enter your items online and print out barcode tags that you then attach to each item. Then as they are purchased it records it and you can track your sales at the end of each day via their online website. They allow you to donate any unsold items and on Sunday it's 50% off on items the owners agreed to sell for that price.

There were a few glitches with the computers so not all my sales are listed yet, but as of tonight my check should be around $180. Not bad! I'll put some of it towards Katelynn but I am really looking forward to getting me some summer clothes! A lot of the clothes were my maternity clothes that either didn't fit very well or that I wasn't going to be wearing again. So I figure I can use some of the money to get me some "real clothes."

But probably the biggest triumph is that all our baby bottles are gone! Yippee!! I packaged them up and they all sold the very first day! I figured that some of them were already pretty old as I had gotten them as pass-downs, and now we can start FRESH next time around! And Katelynn knows there's no more bottles. :)

So when it's all said and done, I was able to do something "Green" by recycling a number of items (not all clothing either), people got some really good deals, the associated charity got some really great things too, and I get Green in my pocket! I think that could definitely be considered a win-win!!

Back to the Balcom Blog

I thought I would blog a few thoughts that have been percolating over the last few weeks. There's a lot here, and I tried to "truncate it" but it didn't work. So here's the full post!!

(this blog entry took almost two weeks to write, you’ll see why)
I had a friend at preschool ask me a few weeks ago about the lack of updates to our blog. She said, "I've noticed you haven't updated your blog. I check it all the time and if I remember right, you once wrote that if there is a long time between postings, things are hard. Are you doing OK?" I thought to myself, Busted! I smiled and eked out something that at least confirmed her suspicion but wouldn't require me to go into any more detail; then I had to stop before my eyes flooded. It wasn't the time or place to go into more detail, but in an odd way it felt good to have her (or anyone for that matter!) notice the blog has been silent. She replied that she'll continue praying for me and thinks of me often. I thanked her and told her how much I appreciate hearing that. That was when I realized that Katelynn was fighting over a paintbrush! Good distraction!

Then last night I was thinking it probably IS time to update the blog. I haven't updated it in so long. I've meant to a couple of times. I wanted to post photos of our great adventure going to see "The Lion King" with Kevin's family, "brag" a little about Katelynn's new found skill and love for storytelling and bug hunting, have Kevin blog about his completed tattoo, there's plenty to write about. But once again it's not for a lack of content that I don't write. It's probably partly a time issue and a little bit wondering if people even read it. There's been a few instances where someone who I thought read our blog asks us about the radio contest (January/February) or had no idea about Kevin's tattoo (since October). All things that have been major topics on the blog. That's why we blog and why we shared the address with so many people was to keep them caught up.

But as I thought about it last night, I wondered where I'd start again. I realized that I personally didn't feel like I had anything "interesting" to share. In the beginning of this crazy season, blogging was a great outlet for me. I shared lots of thoughts as a way to process them and did what I could to start the healing process. Anything I felt or thought was "fair game" and I didn't feel like anyone would question what I shared because of where we were at the time. Our situation had become quite public and we were happy to share via the blog because we could share with so many people so easily. But as life got back to "normal" on the outside, it was nowhere near that on the inside and the gap between “normal” and “real” became harder to define. People would continue to ask, "how are you doing?" and I know they meant well, but I just got used to saying “OK”, an easy answer that doesn't necessarily cover up what's going on, but doesn't have to go into detail either. It wasn't getting any better (for me anyway) and I got tired of being reminded that it wasn't. I also got tired of having to catch people up on what had been written on the blog months previously. If I told them things weren’t that great, they’d respond with “Oh, why! What’s going on!!?” I wanted to reply “check the blog. It’s all there.” Not to mention Kevin would read the blog and have to ask "really? you feel that way?" So I realized I was sharing things on behalf of our "family" when in reality it was pretty much just my junk!

My daily struggles were no longer the obvious ones they were in the beginning; I can now do my own grocery shopping, make my family meals and take care of Katelynn like any other mom. But the issues now are deeper, more personal ones. So as I thought of what I wanted to blog about, I found that anything I would write today would almost sound the same as it did seven and a half months ago, but unfortunately with a little less hope and confidence than how I wrote back then. (Yes, it HAS been 7 and a half months already! Thanks Cari for remembering us on Sunday the 29th!) And in my mind everyone's already heard that stuff, it's a little old. (Second verse, same as the first!) But on the same token, it may be old on the outside, yet it's everyday on the inside. Granted some days are better than others, but it's always there. Seven months ago, even three months ago, the things I was blogging about were expected, but it felt part of a healing PROCESS. I thought it would get better as I wrote, but it didn't. I know some people would tell me (and have and still do!) to give it more time, we're ONLY 7 months into it. But I guess I'm tired of it. Tired of "managing" emotions, tired of trying to maintain a new normal for our family while still feeling the same pain and sorrow I did months ago, tired of wanting to make it sound like we're making more progress than we are. I know we are in some sense, but it doesn't "feel" like it. It is what it is.

It's funny, as I write this, I can probably name three to four people that will at some point respond that they ‘wish they had known’, ‘why hadn't we talked about it’, and felt that ‘we have been hiding what's been going on’. We weren't and aren't hiding. And there's really nothing to talk about most days. Its just part of our new normal. I'm sincerely hoping that one day it will cease to be, but until then, it is what it is.

And I guess it's those questions that have kept me from blogging. I actually like feeling like we have some sense of normal, even if it is on the outside, we need it! But then when I want to blog like I did before, honestly about what I’m still processing, I am worried of the reactions I’ll get. My counselor said a few weeks ago that our culture doesn't know how to deal with emotional situations, grief especially. We want the other person to feel better (get over their “stuff”) so we can feel better being around them. We're not okay with people grieving - we want to make it go away or pretend it’s not that bad. Maybe that’s why people chose not to read the blog, it’s just easier not to read. That’s fine with me. I’ve been told a number of times that another person’s reaction to my situation is not my responsibility. If you don’t like the tears, don’t look. If you don’t like the thoughts, don’t read them. If you don’t really want to know what’s going on, don’t ask! But don’t be surprised when a year down the road you hear or read something that might suggest life is still hard – no, it hasn’t gone away. Or don’t be surprised that Kristen’s name still brings a smile to my face and tears to my eyes, or that Katelynn loves to tell people about “my sister Baby Kristen.” This is all part of our daily life and just because we don’t make it obvious, doesn’t mean it’s not there. We have relatives that change the subject or act like they didn’t hear us when we mention Kristen’s name. I’m learning to be prepared for those situations and almost expect them. But in return I am finding outlets where I can be real with how I feel on good days and bad ones. I have gotten so used to wanting other people to be comfortable around me that I forgot exactly how I feel! I am in touch with a few people that I know have been (and are going to be) huge components in this journey. They invite and almost expect the ugly stuff to come with the good stuff, and they never make me feel uncomfortable with my tears or jumbled thoughts! I think we all need those kind of people in our lives!

So in true form, I’ve processed a lot of thoughts in this blog post. As I mentioned earlier, I like having a sense of normal family life and I think I am going to let this blog do that for me. I need a place I can post the fun family stuff, stories and photos. I will most likely find a new outlet for the “ugly stuff” which in reality is more my own than anyone else’s. That way I’m not always trying to bridge the gap that grief brings between “normal” and the “new normal” or making it sound like the whole family feels the way I do. I need a place where I don’t feel like I need to temper the hard stuff with something happy. It’s not always that easy. I may come back after a while and blog some of that here. But until then, this will once again become “The Balcom Family Blog” sharing the daily happenings of the Balcom Family. As for my “other stuff”……well, I’m sure that will find a great new place to flourish!

Our Budding Artist!

Just had to share!!

Prayers of Comfort for the Zimney Family

Our friends Mike and Michelle found out that Mike's 16 year old son passed away last week. Mikey fell a few weeks ago and hurt his knee. Thursday morning he woke up and said he didn't feel very good and within minutes he collapsed. He had a blood clot that traveled from his knee to his heart and took him instantly.
My heart sunk when I read the e-mail while I was in Spokane. It just doesn't make sense. I am so sad for them and their families and the long road of grieving and healing they have ahead of them. I so thankful they have the same support structure we had. I guess that's the one solace in this situation, they have a strong faith and strong church family. I can only hope that they are able to rely on both to help them through.
God Bless you Zimney Family. May you experience the kind of peace that will pass your understanding and help you get through each day as it comes your way.

Red Envelope Day

I'm not a very political person and I know there's always more than one side to every story. But when I saw this campaign (below) I knew I wanted to share and encourage others that agree that every life is important to act on their belief. It's one thing to have a bumper sticker that says what you believe, but when called to act, do you?
I remember reading before Kristen was born that in the U.S. 9 out of 10 Down's Syndrome (Trisomy 21) babies are aborted by the encouragement of genetics counselors because it will be "difficult" and there is a possibility the baby won't make it. How would I have felt if I was told "Tara, your baby MAY only live for a few hours at best (or maybe not at all after birth) and it's up to you if you want to take that option away from her because it might be a difficult situation to go through." Granted, I would never wish the loss of a baby on anyone, or even news that there's something wrong with their baby, but even though we only had a few moments with Kristen, wouldn't give them up for anything. She was my baby. She was Katelynn's sister. I couldn't imagine the thoughts that would haunt me for the rest of my life - what if she would have lived even for a moment, I wonder what she would have looked like, I wonder what it would have been like to hold her little hand, and the thoughts would go on for ever. I couldn't imagine the thoughts of the mother who's baby was healthy, yet for whatever reason, was still denied an opportunity to the gift of life.
Please know, I don't judge anyone that has made that decision due to health complications or not, it's not a decision that is ever made lightly. Yet, I have met a number of T18 moms (as well as moms of healthy babies) that have made the choice not to carry their babies to term, and they second guess themselves all the time. I can't change the past, but I hope I can help change history. If I can help just one baby get to meet her mommy even if just for a moment, help just one baby to be welcomed into this world as the precious life that he is, help one mother not live with regret or 'what if's', I will at least try. If Kristen was only given 64 precious hours, who am I to deny that of her?

Red Envelope Day www.redenvelopeproject.org
Prepare red envelopes and mail them on March 31st to the White House. You can buy them at office supply stores or at party supply stores. On the front, address it to:

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington , D.C. 20500

On the back, write the following message.

This envelope represents one child who died because of an abortion. It is empty because the little one is now unable to be a part of our world. Responsibility begins with conception. (or the message above on the Red Envelope photo)

We will all mail the envelopes March 31st, 2009. Prepare the envelope as soon as you can but mail it ON March 31.

Let every one of your friends know who you think would send an envelope too. I wish we could send 50 million red envelopes, one for every child who died [in the U.S.] before having a chance to live.

Three missing days

Kind of a weird day - it's like three days in history that have been repeated for the last 5 months simply disappeared. Today would have been Kristen's 6 month birthday - but instead it's March 1st, Kristen's 6 month birthday of being born into heaven. I had been doing really well during the first part of the month but somewhere over the last few weeks the lack of dealing with emotion (and not really being aware that was what I was doing) started to catch up with me. I have had a few friends here and there make comments that "brought me back" and reminded me I'm not alone. I wanted to share a few notes they have sent.

"something caught my heart... so I'm sorry if I say this wrong.. but I don't have 3 times more kids. You will always be the mother of 2 or more if you have more... but in my heart, your baby girl will always be a part of you. She's a piece of your daily living - you go on.. being a mom of two! And being a "Stay at home mom" is soo much harder and amazing then any other job! Be proud! You do more then you know! And I'm sure your family knows that with all the love! And anytime you want to speak about your babe in heaven... speak free with me. I have not forgotten baby Kristen."

"I just wanted to let you know I am sad there isn't a Feb 29th so Kristen can have her full 6 month birthday. But I guess it's fitting that since she isn't with us that the 29th should be missing as well."
(It makes me feel kinda bad for those born on a Leap Year, only getting to truly celebrate their birthday once every four years!)

I also had a friend tell me she still gets angry about what has happened, how unfair life can be, why it had to happen to us, and how she should be watching two little kids when she comes over to babysit, not just one.

So many different sentiments that bring comfort in so many ways.

Just kind of a weird day.

A video of our "fancy day" with Spirit 105.3

I just saw that the video that was made during our day up in Bellevue is online! Here's the link. http://www.spirit1053.com/week5.php

A beautiful gift at just the right time

My Aunt Sharon does amazing cross-stitch work. We have her work all over our house. She made us a beautiful framed wedding piece with our names and wedding date, and then made a piece for Katelynn when she was born with all her "stats" that I had framed. She had Kristen's all ready before she was born, she was just waiting for the "stats". It was divine that there was enough room for the details she ultimately included. She gave this to me at Kristen's service and I was so touched. I'd been wanting to get it framed through Creative Memories and just barely got it to them in time before they accepted their last order. (CM no longer does Custom Framing.) We're not sure where we'll display this so I wanted to display it here. You can click on it to enlarge it and see the beautiful details. The saying at the bottom I added so it would look like Katelynn's who's has a scripture at the bottom.
Thank you Aunt Sharon, it means so much to me to have such a special gift for each of my girls.

It was actually interesting to get this when I did. I've been going through a "wave" over the last week or so, which took me a bit by surprise. I had been doing so well most of the month of February and got caught off guard by a wave of grief that started over the weekend. I know they will always come and go in varying degrees, and this was just one of many more to come. There had been so much celebrating of Kristen this weekend and getting to tell her story which I enjoyed. However, all the talk of her without getting to also talk about the hard parts took its toll. I don't enjoy talking about it, but am finding I need to find ways to talk about it because grief will always find it's way out, one way or another, and I'd much rather have it be constructive. Tears are cleansing in so many ways and I had been denying them their power, thinking I was getting "better." Little did I know....have you had a good cry lately? :) Give it a try, you might be surprised how good it makes you feel!

A fun opportunity for a cute photo session!

Our MOPS group is offering "Antiquities", a fun opportunity for anyone who has kids under 16. We did this with Katelynn when she was about a year old and I was really looking forward to it this year! The photographer was amazing and really worked well with Katelynn, letting her crawl all over her as she took photos! Other moms had newborns all the way up to middle-schoolers. (You can click on the photo to be linked to their website for more details.)

Here's how it works - with a few words from their website: You purchase a photo session sitting for only $10. Your session includes a FREE 10X13 sepia-tone portrait (retail value $69.95) and Antiquities provides all the clothing and props for children up to age 16. The 10X13 sepia-tone portrait is a limited offer (one per family or household). Children will be photographed ONLY if a parent is present during the photography session. Once I've received your payment, our coordinators will call you and set up your sitting on either April 3rd or 4th (Fri/Sat) at our MOPS church in downtown Puyallup. The photos will be available before Mother's Day - I don't have the exact date.

This has been a really great fundraiser for our MOPS group in the past as we get 100% of the sitting fees and I believe a residual on any portraits purchased - however there is no obligation to buy photos - you still get your 10x13 FREE! My goal is to sell at least 15 sittings so if you're interested or know someone who might be, please pass this along! You can call or e-mail me or even contact me through the blog.
Thanks!!
Tara

The Big Day!

Today was my special day to go shopping for my grand prize from the radio contest that you all helped me win! We were picked up at 9:30 in a stretch limo and taken up to Bellevue where we were met by a photographer and Matt Case from the radio video taping us! We got to meet another winner and her husband and looked around a bit. We then were introduced to Rex, Marci's owner and he provided us with a small welcome gift: a pair of sterling silver hoop earrings in a little pouch. Matt said a quick prayer and then the caterer welcomed us to enjoy the delicacies. And they were wonderful! Cheese souffle, mini goat cheese tarts, chocolate mousse and chocolate covered strawberries, smoked salmon tarts and fruit parfaits. All accompanied by parkling apple cider!

We each got a personal assistant to help us look around and that's what we did! Rex, the owner, encouraged us to take our time looking but to consider a significant piece, versus a few lesser items. He acknowledged that most things in his store were on the more expensive side so that we should enjoy our prize and choose something that we would treasure for years to come and that would remind of us our love stories. I had thought at first to get a watch but then decided that I wanted something I wouldn't be worried to wear. I didn't think I'd be wearing a $500 watch to the park!! So I then thought of an earring/necklace set. But as I looked, nothing really struck me as "meaningful" and technically I had already been given the earrings! I had a hard time not thinking of quantity over quality, wanting to stretch my prize as best I could, not sure if I wanted to spend my whole certificate on one item. Until......

I went and looked at some of the displays in the window cases and saw the only pearl pendant they had in the whole store. I was interested in something pearl, but not a strand of pearls. It reminded me of Kristen's Christmas ornament and I knew that was it. It is a single pearl on a sterling silver base edged in diamonds. I looked at the price tag and it was 1/2 again more expense than what I had to spend, priced at $1,450. Lori (my personal assistant!) said "let me go check on something" and went to ask Rex what he thought. He came over and said "I can do this two ways, I can change your gift certificate to $1,450 or I can change the price of the necklace to $1,000. How does that sound?" As you can guess, I agreed! The more I looked at it, the more I liked it. I had thought I wanted a pearl pendant, but this one makes me think the pearl is being held, not just dangling there by itself. And if I really wanted to get into "significance", the shape holding it is a triangle, which could represent the Trinity!

As we all had our packages wrapped up we were given a gift from Spirit 105.3 of a T-shirt, a Third Day CD, the DVD "Fireproof" and our Chris Tomlin tickets. Wow! The gifts just kept coming! We all gathered outside for a few photos with our limos and then we were off once again! The three of us winners agreed we should get together before the Chris Tomlin concert which would be fun!







Needless to say it was a very fun day with lots of treats and surprises! Thank you Spirit 105.3 for the opportunity! Thank you Marci Jewelers for the experience and the wonderful gift! Thank you Salon and Spa Dolche for the fun, new hair style! And thank you everyone who voted for our story. It was an honor to honor Kristen in such a way!

Katelynn's First Dance

Katelynn's grandpa (Kevin's dad) had been waiting for years to take Katelynn to the Father Daughter Dance they have at their church each year. Katelynn was finally old enough to go this year and daddy went along. She looked so cute in her beautiful dress she got for her birthday!
It sounded like she had a great time, running around in circles, chasing the dance floor lights!

Katelynn's New Ride

Our friends Ryan and Staci gave us their daughters bike and helmet she had outgrown. Katelynn thinks she's pretty cool on it! Of course she still needs a little help from daddy. :)