March

Sorry, Picasa is no longer allowing me to put up lots of pictures in a slide show format. Maybe its a good thing, so you don't have to see a ton of pictures, but makes me mad because I liked to photo journal more than write-its just easier! Anyways, a few clips from March: Joey started Speed skating! He really enjoys it, the skates are quite different from hockey skates and if we didn't have a wedding yesterday he may have participated in his first meet, but we might do that over the summer and see if he really likes it. He was learning his turns using buckets at his last session and was getting into it more and more. We also celebrated Nonna's birthday and a few pictures from the wedding yesterday. Today Joey shaved his head for St. Baldrick's in honor of his friend Connor at school who has leukemia. Joey was very brave and proud to shave his head for his friend.

Feburary

Some pics and updates: In February we had plenty of snow so took advantage of a friend's recipe for homemade snow-scream, ice cream made from snow! Joey caught all the snow we needed and we mixed it up to make a delicious concoction! Joey has been busy at Lego Builders Club at the library, they both have been having fun learning karate, and we went with Auntie, Uncle Chris, Andrew, Emma, and Grandma to a Steele hockey game where we found out Emma takes after her mother and won Blackhawks tickets to their game at Soldier Field!

5 years of missing Joshua, but feeling him by our side and in our hearts every day. I am so thankful that Joey and Jillian know, love, and miss him too even if it is emotionally difficult at times. I am thankful for my entire family. I love you Joshua.

December 2013 and January 2014

So as usual I am going to post the rest of the month's pictures and activities and then move in to the new year. Jill had her dance recital which she wore a jingle bell skirt and danced a great performance. The next day we went to the Arboretum for their Illumination event. It was very cool and interactive, hugging trees to make them light up, seeing our faces projected in lights on the trees, going for a winter hike, warming by the fires, and at the end finding our luminary in remembrance of Joshua. The following day was our first Christmas exchange with Auntie Miya, Uncle Mark, Nathan, and Jake. The following Friday we were already at the last day of school before break so Jill had her Christmas program. Christmas Eve: Christmas Day: Jill's Birthday party and birthday: New Year's Eve at Auntie and Uncle Chris' house: New Year's Day skating with the Soles: Jan. 4 Auntie's birthday, but also Jill's first ER visit when she poked her eye really badly by breaking sunglasses and snapping them in her eye on her way to dance class, a late Christmas get together with Miklautsch family and their little ones, Jill started karate, and Joey started Lego Builders club! (I will get the other pictures up, for some reason I can't embed them and I need Phil to figure out this stuff!)

Catching up, a season's worth of pictures!

So I am finally starting to catch up on things. I figured before Christmas and Jillian's birthday I better get back to the blog or I will be in too deep! Grab a hot chocolate, coffee or whatever you'd like, but this will take a while. So without further ado, here is the fall in pictures! September 2013: Medieval Times, Uncle Wally's big birthday, 1st day of school, Jessie Dock Diving, apple picking, Joey's first "marathon" (ran many times over the summer to train to finish the last mile of a 26.2 program), painting our dining room, NICU reunion party. October 2013: Goeberts farm, Joey and Andrew's 1 mile S'mores run, GG Joe's 92 birthday, Sonny Acres, Pumpkin carving with Grandpa, Jill's Halloween parade at school, Halloween. November 2013-Dec. 8: Joey earned a stripe on his karate belt, circus, Joey is now in Alpha 1 hockey, putting up the Christmas tree, Joey's new hat (1 of 2 from Auntie Miya!), Jillian got her ears pierced with her Godmother Auntie Trish, Thanksgiving, Tree lighting with the Soles, library open house where they had lots for the kids to do and I was able to check out one of the books that our great friends donated in memory and honor of Josh! I can't begin to tell how thoughtful, sincere, and how lucky I am to have Miya and Mark as our friends/family.

I know, long overdue. Yes, things are busy, but really do you know how much had been going on in Josh's life at this time? Baptism, surgeries, learning trach care, figuring out life with twins... these months remind me of so much. Josh and Joey both had a blessing in the NICU and before Josh's first surgery, he was baptized. I am so grateful we did that. I was torn on waiting until he left the hospital even though I knew it wouldn't be at the time of Joey's baptism, or doing it in the NICU. Auntie Trish and Uncle Chris came to the NICU, Auntie Trish was in school at the time but came home for the occasion, and the small and personal baptism with Father Tony was like nothing I have ever or will ever experience again. I can replay some his words verbatim. It was a powerful and perfect ceremony. Joey's baptism anniversary was at the end of October, and Josh's homecoming was this first week of November. After 126 days in the NICU he breathed his first breath of outside air, traveled in a car for the first time, met Java, saw his room, his crib, and slept the night with his family under the same roof. It would only be a couple of weeks before he'd need his shunt revision but these days were a glimpse of what it is supposed to be. Even after his shunt revision, which was an adventure all in itself with Phil out of town for work and the stress of an emergency type surgery where Josh would be in the PICU (big boy status-once you leave the NICU you don't return!) for a little over a week, we weren't sure if we'd be home for Thanksgiving. Josh had just returned home at Thanksgiving time, and this time for a much longer time. It was definitely a season of celebrating family, friends, love, and life. Josh's biggest giggles on Christmas morning still can bring tears to my eyes. So many wonderful memories of what my family was, what I wish it could be now, and the blessing I do have today. So for now, yes a post is long overdue, I will get to it, I am dealing with many emotions and memories but will snap back and share the fun we are having today. Josh is still a daily part of our lives, Joey and Jillian talk about him often and are still learning how wonderful their big brother is.

Fundraising Award!

It was with great, great surprise that we received this award in the mail the other day. We were not able to make it to the conference...something that weighed heavy on my heart to begin with, but I really wish we were there to accept such a great award! The award was sent with a most kind note from the President of the CHARGE Syndrome Foundation acknowledging our efforts the past 5 years. It is things like this that are so unexpected but make things so much more worthwhile. We are so fortunate to be able to remember Josh while helping those in the CHARGE community. Thank you again to all that volunteer, run, walk, and support us in any way, this success would not be possible without YOU!