Spring Pictures

Saturday, I took my kiddos to Granbury to get their pictures taken by A & C Photography! They had so much fun and I love how the pictures turned out. If you live in the DFW area, they do a great job and have great prices. Go check them out :)

Make sure you go check them out!

Spring Break

My precious little girl turns 6 on the 28th and we celebrated by going to American Girl on Monday of spring break! I had been telling her for about a week that I had a special girl trip planned for her birthday. Monday morning she was so excited as we (me, mom, and Jordy) headed to Ft. Worth to meet my sister and two nieces.

We headed from Ft. Worth to Dallas (which took about an hour longer thanks to two sisters not able to shut up talking and watch for the correct exit!) and parked underground at the Galleria. There were many little girls walking with us holding their dolls and Jordenne kept looking at them and them looking at me! When we made it to the store, her eyes were huge! She was so excited that she was going to get a doll that looked just like her!!!

The American Girl boutique at the Galleria in Dallas.

Jordenne and Elliott Kate waiting to go in!

Trying to get a group picture...wasn't working too well!!

They have big glass cases with all the dolls dressed up. In one case they have the "Just Like You" dolls and Jordenne went straight to the one that my sister and I had already pointed out to each other. The doll looks a lot like Jordy! She was so sweet making sure that Elle and Beckett were having fun and made sure they were getting a doll, too!

Elliott, Beckett, and Jordenne

Jordenne and I after she picked out her doll. Jordenne named her Mia Michelle. Michelle is my middle name...isn't that sweet! We had a blast looking around the store and picking out an outfit for Jordenne and her doll to have that match! Hopefully, I will get pictures of that soon.

Thanks, Grammie, for the doll and lunch and a perfect birthday celebration!

On Tuesday, we left for Abilene to go visit Tony's family. We had a very good time, including amazing food cooked by my MIL. I love spending time with my in-laws! Thursday we had to come home early because Jordenne got the stomach virus. :( Friday went something like this--shopping with my sister and nieces--lots of good deals--spent way too much money--good lunch at On the Border--went to Hobby Lobby(my favorite place)--got home to my family--got the stupid stomach virus! YUCK...seriously, it was probably one of the worst stomach viruses I have ever had. It reminded me of my pregnant days and I'm not talking about the good ones! Then we were back to Monday....waking up early....school....siblings fighting, etc!

Spring Break was a blast (except for the last part), but most of all it made me ready for SUMMER! 9 more Mondays of school. :)

Heartbroken Children...

make for an even more heartbroken Mommy.

Thursday before last, Malachi did not sleep a wink. He was tugging on his ear and sure enough he had an earache. We started antibiotics and figured it would clear up like it always does. After leaving the doctor he started vomiting and the temperature starting rising. We did the motrin/tylenol thing and Saturday after waking up from his nap, his neck was huge. After calling the doctor we made the decision to go to the ER.

The ER doctor put us on a stronger antibiotic and told us to keep doing the motrin/tylenol rounds. Wednesday morning when he woke up with 103.7 for the sixth straight day, Tony took him back to the doctor. They ran lots of tests on him, which meant bloodwork, and took x-rays of his chest. Everything came back good. The doctor just thinks he had a very bad virus. Finally, Friday morning we had no temperature!! Yea!

During this same week we dealt with a very saddening tragedy. Monday morning I received a text from Isaak and Jordy's mom saying that her Papaw (the man who raised her) had a major heart attack and did not make it. This was an amazing man. He was always telling me how grateful he was for me and how blessed his grandkids are to have me, but the truth was that I was so blessed to have known him. He was a great preacher, husband, father, and grandfather. It is still hard to believe he is gone. His wife, who Tony and I call "Mamaw," is just as great as Papaw. She is so loving and kind, but I learned this past week how much strength she has. She got up and spoke at the funeral of her husband of 41 years. She was so strong for Isaak and Jordenne. Friday night she had a grandkids pizza party. They had so much fun. They had a popcorn fight and a pillow fight. They ate lots of pizza, ice cream, and cupcakes. They sat around at one point and talked about Papaw and told stories about him. Then, this great woman of strength, went around the circle of all the grandkids and told each one of them why they were special to Papaw.

Isaak was very close to Papaw because that is who he lived with until he was 5 (before he moved here). We decided to wait until Tuesday evening to tell the kids. Trista called on Tuesday evening and shared the news with Isaak first. He put the phone down and just clung onto me. Then Jordenne was told and curled up in her daddy's lap. They sobbed for awhile and we talked about heaven and that talked about how Papaw is with God and Junior (Tony's brother). That was by far the most difficult thing I've ever had to do. Seeing your babies' hearts break is terrible. I cry just thinking about it. My kids, in the last week, have went through something at 5 and 8 that I haven't gone through.

On the way home today, we stopped in downtown Granbury for some good Blue Bell ice cream!

Playing Catch Up With Pictures...

My mom has a great camera, so I just use hers instead of buying one for me :). Unfortunately, I rarely download the pictures after I take them. This past weekend, I downloaded pictures from the first day of school, Halloween, Christmas, and our Feb. snow day! I guess better late than never!

First Day of School 2009

Isaak--2nd grade Jordenne--Kindergarten

Halloween 2009

Christmas 2009

Snow Day 2010

Not just Valentine's Day...

It's the day that my love asked me to be his bride. Four years ago, Tony took me to Olive Garden with a cheesy grin on his face that I'll never forget! One of these days I will take the time to type up our whole story! Unfortunately I have ZERO pictures from that fabulous day, so I'll share one of our engagement pictures. I wanted to type the words that were written in the card I got him because I think it is so very true for us.

When we found one another,

we chose to listen to what

our hearts knew to be true

instead of what others would say.

We chose to believe that love exists

outside the lines people draw

and that happiness does, too.

And now, when I look at you

and see all of the goodness you are

and all that you

have made right in my life,

I would do it all over again.

I'm so in love with you,

so sure of what we have,

so proud of us.

We chose what matters most--

each other.

~S. Berry

Tony,

I am so grateful that God molded you just for me! I am so glad that I followed my heart and did not listen to all the murmurs around me. God already knew our story and I cannot wait to keep living that story out with you. We've been through more that most couples go through in 20 years and I am so blessed that I was able to have you by my side through it all. You are an amazing man of God! Thank you for asking me to be your wife and for loving me unconditionally. Just like the card read, I would do it over and over again!

With All My Heart,

Katie

Why?

Why do bad things happen to good people? I have found myself asking this question many times over the past few weeks...I just don't get it. I also know that it's not for me to get. Everything God does is for reason and we just have to make sure that we still glorify Him through it all.

I was asked this by a colleague of mine recently and it is a very hard question to answer to someone who is not a full fledged believer. He asked why my God that is so great and that I live to praise a God who could be so mean. All I could answer is that you just have to have faith in what He does. I daily take a leap of faith and trust that what He has happen is for the best.

So, this past weekend, here we go again. One of the most precious people I have ever met, a dear friend of mine in college, a twenty-seven year old man with a fiancee had a brain aneurysm. WHY? He spends his everyday giving everything he has to God. He has one of the best voices I've ever heard and he uses it to lift up our Heavenly Father. So, again, I am not to question...I am to believe that God is the healer. I am praying for a speedy recovery and that God heal him to a full recovery. There are rumors of brain damage and him being paralyzed, but they haven't been confirmed yet. What I do know is that God is good and he will heal. I know that Shannon is a man of God and would let anything happen to him, even a brain aneurysm, if it meant God would be glorified even more.

I am asking you to join me and the many other people that have been touched by Shannon. There is a facebook group called Prayers for Shannon "Superman" Bailey where you can go and read about Shannon and see a couple of videos of him. He is blessed with a great sense of humor and a voice that is angelic. There is even a paypal account set up for him if you feel led. But really, all I want you to do is pray for healing.

God Answers Prayers...

He always does, even when it's not the answer you wanted. Today is one of those days. One of those days that I sit back and cry, hurt, and have a heart full of disappointment because it's not the answer I wanted.

***This is probably the longest post EVER. Please don't feel like you have to read it; I just needed to write!!!

Let's go back to the beginning...

Thanksgiving, 2006, we were at Tony's parents' house celebrating. I unfortunately got the stomach virus--so I thought. A couple of days later I took a pregnancy test and found out I was going to have a baby! My sister married Eddie on December 2nd, so I waited until after that to tell my family. I gave my mom and dad these cute little poems to share the news. We gave Tony's parents an ornament that had the first five grandkids names' on the stockings and on the sixth one we put our due date. Everyone was so excited! My kids at school were excited, too. I told everyone when we got back from Christmas break. My school kids had bets going on whether it was a boy or a girl. I found out on March 2nd and the next day wore a shirt to school that said, "It's a boy." The sonograms were fun. I remember seeing my baby for the first time. That little blinking dot that showed the beating heart. It was amazing.

August 5, 2007, was my due date. Tony and I thought we'd be spending our first anniversary in the hospital with our new baby! In May, I looked like I was nine months pregnant! I waddled everywhere...and still had three months to go. I started having some problems with my blood pressure and then in June started going twice a week to the doctor to monitor the baby. It was scary, but things seemed fine. I made it to my July 10th appointment...with a migraine. As soon as I walked into the office, they saw me and took one look at me and put me into a room. The next thing I know, Dr. Arbabi sat Tony down and told us that I was preeclamptic. She continued to let us know that I was being wheeled over to the hospital and would deliver the next day. I was 36 weeks along. Wow! We called our parents and let them know. I had quite a few visitors that night, but hardly remember them because of all the medicines I was one. The next morning they induced labor and at 3:05pm my miracle entered this world. Malachi Lavon Cunningham was 6 lbs 9 oz and 20 inches long. We spent two more nights in the hospital and then came home on Friday afternoon. Tony's family came Saturday and brought loads of things for the baby. He was already loved so very much. Saturday night I could not lie down or sleep. I thought that it was because I was worried about Malachi. I called the doctor early in the morning and he talked me into going back to the hospital.

So, here we go, all three of us back to the hospital. They admitted me with double pneumonia. I thought that we would get to go home after a night there, but on Monday night I became completely incoherent. My mother had shown up a little while before I completely lost it. The doctors and nurses were arguing on how to take care of me, so my mom asked that I be transferred to Harris Downtown. Granbury has two ambulances and one of them was at a fire outside the city limits, so the Pecan Plantation volunteers came and picked me up. They almost dropped me, twice. Thank God Tony was there to help so I didn't go tumbling over strapped to the bed! We got to Harris and the poor guys didn't know where they were going. When we got up to the ICU floor I remember looking up and seeing about 12 nurses waiting for me a room. The doctor came and met us in the hallway and made Tony leave me. I couldn't talk at the time, but I remember thinking that I wasn't going to make it and they didn't even let me tell my husband goodbye. The nurses in the room poked me with needles and hooked me up to several machines. I had at least 15 cords hooked up to me. For three days I stayed in ICU. The nurses were amazing. I had many, many tests run and x-rays...you name it, I got it! The IVs were not wanting to stay in my arms, so they inserted a PICC line. Terri was so kind to stay right outside my room and talked to me while this was happening. It was pretty scary! The visitation hours were very strict and I couldn't wait to see Tony every two hours. He was able to stay in my room for 30 minutes at a time. My entire family were troopers. My parents, little brother, and cousin NEVER left the waiting room while I was in ICU. My mom's best friend kept the baby. Two of my closest friends brought me pictures of my baby to have with me in the room. A sweet nurse wheeled me and all my machines out for about 20 minutes one night and let me hold my baby! I was (and still am) so blessed. After 3 days, they were able to get my blood pressure, heart rate, and most of the pnuemonia under control. They moved me to a regular room and I was able to see Malachi every night! My cardiologist came in and told me that I had congestive heart failure due to pregnancy and I would not be able to have anymore children. At the time I was sad, but I had just had a baby, so it didn't hit very hard. I was just glad that they found out what was wrong and were able to treat it.

After a week and a half of the regular room, I was able to go home and be with my baby! I had doctor's appointments every day for the next week. Trying to get my meds leveled out was a pain. A month later I found out that God had healed my heart! It was such an amazing feeling.

About 6 months ago, I got a terrible itch to have another baby. I started researching on the internet and found some great news. Some doctors had done a study that looked good for me and I became hopeful. I have been sitting on it for awhile, but last week decided to make an appointment with a cardiologist that specializes in women with heart conditions that are pregnant. The appointment was made for today. I have prayed about it all week and had such a good feeling. I thought I would go in and he would tell me steps I needed to take in order to have a healthy pregnancy.

I was so excited this morning knowing I was going to find out about my future! We left and were actually on time!! They called me back into a room and the nurse came in. She took my blood pressure and it looked better than it has in awhile. She performed an EKG and it looked good to me, although, I don't really know how to read them. But it looked normal! She was very kind. The doctor came in a few minutes later. He shook my hand and then Tony's. He asked what was going on and I told him that I had a postpartum cardiomyopathy and I wanted another baby. He looked at me and matter of factly said, "We highly recommend no more babies." What????????????? That is not what he was supposed to say. That is not what I have read. What in the world was he thinking telling me what I didn't want to hear. I start crying (like I am doing now) and he told me the hard part of his job was telling people the truth instead of what they want to hear. I was just talking to God in my head, well not talking, screaming at Him....this is NOT what I want. He ensured me that he would get my chart from the hospital and talk to other cardiologists, but he was quite sure that the answer is no. He had good reasons. He made sense. I am just having a hard time taking the truth.

Clearly, God has other plans for me. Clearly, I just need to sit back and listen for His answer. Not the one I wanted, but the one He has for me. I think what makes me more sad than anything is because I didn't take enough time to enjoy my pregnancy. I was too busy complaining about being sick and tired and big and having to go to the bathroom all the time. I am sad because I'll never get to have another sonogram with the cold jelly on my stomach. I'll never get to go through the pain of the contractions. I realize that I can be looked at as selfish because I was able to have one baby. There are many people that can't even have any of this once, but it still hurts. It's not my decision to not have anymore children and I'm struggling with that!

If you took the time to read all my ramblings, please pray for me. Please pray that I will just sit back and be quiet so I can hear God's answer. I am so blessed to have an amazing husband and I have forgotten that he is sad in all this, too.