Sun. Update...DONOR-HEART PRAYERS

* UPDATE*

Sunday, morning...Little brother is staying with friends...but celebrating his big sister's courage and her NEW heart!


Little brother celebrating Big Sis's new heart

























Around 1:30pm, Sunday
After the heart was transplanted there was residual blood loss and some new blood clots.  The team of doctors had to re-open her chest and find the problems.
Sunday, 3:55pm
About an hour ago, they completed the repair.  Katie has come through surgery! Prayers answered! I've been a nervous wreck because she was so critical and we didn't hear any update for two hours. Dr. Kogan came and talked to us.

He got the clot and cleaned out some lines. Her vitals are much better and her blood drainage has improved.

We can see her in a few minutes, hopefully. Thank you for the prayers! Keep them coming! --Kerri



We've never seen this before with Katie:
Oxygen levels of 100%. This made us cry. --Kerri

 

 

Saturday night, 9:39pm

My sweet great niece is in surgery now; the doctors will be removing her sick heart soon. 

The transport team has flown out to pick up the donor's graciously-given heart.

Thanks for keeping she and her family in your prayers.
















John 8:31  "If you continue in my word, then you are truly Disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."

Blessings,

BACK IN THE DAY becomes TODAY!

BACK IN THE DAY...
















as a youth counselor we had wonderful large gatherings of youth in
our home....
(just to clarify:  I couldn't see into the future--the timestamp on the camera was WAY off)

BACK IN THE DAY...

life was changing and transitioning as I left youth leadership with many tears in my eyes, a drape over my heart but my season was over for participating in that way.

(I had no clue at that point just how difficult my next couple of years would be...and that's a good thing)

BACK IN THE DAY...
I was new to blogging...and jumping around participating in 'memes' for the first time.  Leaving comments and receiving comments from many people I did not know at that time.  One of the first 'new friends' came into my world through SECOND CUP OF COFFEE's "I See What You're Saying" meme.  In response to my post that September day,

Kim said...So nice to "meet" you. My quiet place was the recliner in the living room at the parsonage. Then we began the pilgrimage that brought us here and I'm thinking my new quiet place will also be in the living room, but in my new Poang chair from IKEA since I couldn't bring the recliner.

Like you (and so many of the other commenters) say, blogging is such a huge blessing. Not only a way to keep in touch with loved ones far, far away, but a way to make new friends.
Hi new friend! I'll be back to your blog.

9/30/08

Instead of 'Back-in-the-day', THIS PAST WEEKEND, life changed in an 'oh so sweet' way.  "Be Still and Know" & I had the pleasure of getting to meet, hug, laugh, sing, praise, worship and reminisce with JUST A SOUTHERN GIRL's Kim.

There just wasn't enough time ya'll.  What fun we all had meeting, catching up and planning for our next visit (probably in 2016). 

 

God blesses in so many unexpected ways, and we are thankful.

 

John 8:31   "If you continue in my word, then you are truly Disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."

Blessings,

I NEED…

Skoot is HOME! She arrived earlier than expected and was HAPPY WITH THERE HAVING BEEN NO traffic issues throughout her four-hour drive to Atlanta.
After hauling her bags to her room she approached me with her first I NEED…we were off to run errands …

she has a job tomorrow helping with a friend’s wedding set-up in the morning and serving and clean-up in the evening.

First Stop:  for a split-end trim and bangs cut

and straight to

looking for sweater tights…no luck…they had tights but no sweater tights.

Trekking down the Mall corridor, we also check out



 
 
















unfortunately, their ad didn’t quite work … we didn’t find what we wanted…
 
so, trekking continues as we decide to go into

where we find ‘fingerless gloves’ for $5.60..(I can’t make them for that much…),
a pair of ‘heart’ earrings ($3.30)
and houndstooth tights (for a different outfit, $7)

But…we are STILL looking for the ‘sweater tights’…now to
and they had a wonderful selection…one pair really fit the bill but too pricey ($22)…
where we found some great tights, but they weren’t textured…
Next storefront we thought would be a good bet….
 we HAD to check out the ‘smells’ while there, since Hubs was NO WHERE around, we could spray, test and stink to high heaven if we desired…

Skoots wanted me to smell Lady Gaga’s new fragrance that ‘morphs’ while you wear it


















FAME…The first ever black Eau de Parfum compounded by Lady Gaga… black like the soul of fame, but invisible once airborne. This luxurious holiday gift set includes:

• Ultimate Masterpiece Eau de Parfum, 3.4 oz
• Black Shower Gel, 6.7 oz
• Temporary Tattoo
• Rollerball, 0.34 oz
• A $128 value only $84

A gift set that can be broken apart and spread throughout the friends…












Back on task the trek takes us to the ‘restroom’ next…’nuff said.

Of course, what would a visit be without *bucks…

specifically, an orange-cranberry scone and two Caramel Brulée Lattes –




rich caramel sauces, espresso and steamed milk, topped with whipped cream and shimmery caramel pieces.
 
 Rejuvenated, we relaunch our endeavor to purchase appropriate leg coverings….this time to


 
 
Finally find what we need…2 for $14…that’s better

…also found a black cowl to go with her black beret…score!…(I’ll be making her a couple of these in different variegated yarns for Christmas, but no time to make this one)
(I got a couple of plain beige and dark black tights for myself)

Before heading out the door to the car, a wedding gift was in order for the ‘newlyweds to be’…stopping at Belk’s always fares well for those type events…
and we were NOT disappointed…a Jim Shore ornament for their first Christmas tree is PERFECT!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 








What a day of shopping, fast walking and catching up on the latest college news.
Phew…

I was exhausted, my credit card was too, and now home to make dinner.  Thank goodness I have leftovers in the fridge.

What did you do Friday afternoon and Friday evening?

THANKSGIVING: done!

Set the table and was ready for the food...then, forgot to get a pic with all the food.  Dangit! 

Turkey, dressing, giblet, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, steeped apples and cranberries all followed by black forest cake...yummm to the OH!

But, the best part was getting to share it with my mother  (Nana is her real name now, you know) and Pops...they drove in from Alabama and enjoyed talking, eating, and watching some football, of course. 

Soon they were off because they were going to the hospital to sit with my aunt until she has hip replacement surgery on Friday.  Aunt Jackie, I'm sending up many prayers for your doctors, nurses, you, and your healing.  God bless you during this valley that I pray becomes a mountain top.  Amen

Jer. 33:3 "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."

Blessings,



THANKFUL THURSDAY...joy!!

"WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE YOUR HEART WILL BE ALSO." MATTHEW 6:21.

Goodness knows, our treasures are our children, the costs of our children, the costs of college, for sure. so, i guess i will have 'new value' when she heads off to her college of choice.

The 'beginning' of her high-school-ending journey begins with tonight's 'honors program' at one of our larger church sanctuaries.

She'll be receiving her HONORS letter and 'stole' to wear with her green cap and gown. This little strand of woven goodness has come with MUCH EFFORT in completing her College Prep curriculum: NIGHTS WITH LESS SLEEP, EXTRA SESSIONS WITH TEACHERS and STUDY SESSIONS AT THE LIBRARY. She's accomplished 5 accelerated (college-level) classes in her senior year AND worked as an intern in our county's internship program with a 'physical therapy practice'.

Her maintaining an A-average and becoming our HONOR GRADUATE is a BIG thankful today...we are excited to celebrate with her. (Her Nana and Pops will be arriving later today to be with us during this less-hectic event...graduation in a 25-000 seat arena is a little much for 'more seasoned' grand parents with less tolerable knees).

She's also exempt from ALL final exams...which opens her up to take each subject-specific AP test (graded by the College Board). Her passing these would capture those credits for college and may exempt her from many of the college freshmen classes at her university.

Our Lord has walked with her through all of these accomplishments and we are so THANKFUL and JOYFUL! JOIN GREG WITH A 'THANKFUL THURSDAY' POST.

Jer. 33:3 "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."
Blessings,

MAUNDY THURSDAY...thankful thursday, even today

hosted by Greg

MAUNDY THURSDAY of HOLY WEEK...some recognize it as Holy Thursday, Covenant Thursday, Great and Holy Thursday, and Thursday of Mysteries...the holy Thursday before Easter, commemorating the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles.
Step back in time...See Christ hosting the Last Supper and striving to teach the disciples.


Christ was already envisioning, knowing...the one who would betray Him, the people who would convict Him, the leaders who would shuffle Him back and forth not wanting to claim their having to be the one to sentence Him (for even the governor struggled with doing THE DEED...he was the one who had the notice penned for Jesus' cross).


John 19:19-22 "Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was: JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. This title then read by many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city, and it was written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin." 


It would have read as:

Yeshua haNotzri, Melech haYehudim הגדר (Hebrew, God revealed Himself to man)

Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum (Latin, Roman Empire, representing authority)

Iesous ho Nazoraios ho basileus ton Ioudaion (Greek, world commerce, universality)

Yes, many things Jesus was envisioining:
..ALL the SIN to be thrust upon Him
...the world not recognizing Him as King
...authority over Rome—the entire universe (yet Roman soldiers rolled dice for his clothes)
..dragging the cross, suffering, bleeding, trying to breathe, thirsting, feeling forsaken, dying
...praying for US while hanging on the cross
...hanging on the cross (God sitting on His eternal throne)
...knowing He'd be with Him in a little bit.
God was hearing Jesus's prayers...and He and telling Jesus things

Jer. 33:3 "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."
Blessings,