Happy 5th Birthday, Kari!

Happy Birthday, my sweet angel! I can't even express how much I love you!

You've come so far in this past year.  You've made me so proud to be called your Mommy!

I love listening to you pray.  Listening to you sing.  Listening to you talk about Bible stories and retelling them the way your own imagination remembers.  I love listening to you interact with your brother...interacting is a word with many meanings these days.  :)

I love how you love your family...each and every member, you LOVE. 

God has a great plan for your life, Kari!  I can't wait to see where He leads you. :) 

I love you with all my heart!

Love,

Mommy

Thankful

I just want to take a little time today to say thank you.  Thank you to those of you that pray for us, those of you who text or call just to let us know you care,  to our family who gives us their steady support...I'm so thankful to God for each and every one of you! 

I was thinking back to last year when Kari was diagnosed and how the employees of Farmers National Bank (my former co-workers) came through for us financially and in several more ways.  They continue to keep close tabs on the kids and I and are quick to help when we need it. 

(If you're reading this, Bill Pollom, thank you for providing the tent for Kari's birthday party!  We are so grateful for it!)

So many friends, and even those we didn't even know, came through for us in so many different ways.  If I forgot a thank you card, please know that whatever you did for us was greatly appreciated.  I often pray for God to bless those that helped us and prayed for us during THE HARDEST time in our lives.  We love you!

It goes without saying that our family is WONDERFUL!  I could really go on and on about them, but you all know how much we love and appreciate them! 

Most of all, I thank God for his blessings on us.  Just when I think things are going to be a mess, God comes through and works it out for our good.  While I readily admit that I definitely don't understand His ways, I do know that He's got us in the palm of His hand and, for that, I'm grateful. 

I'm thankful for the good report we received last Tuesday at Clinic.  Her ANC is still low but her individual counts are GREAT!  We enjoyed an awesome day in Lexington together.  It was a reminder of just how far we've come in the past year.  We've gone from horrible clinic days every single week to once a month clinic visits that end with a day spent in Lexington having fun.  Thank you, Jesus!

(If you ever wonder why I have more pictures of Kari than Malachi, it's because Malachi refuses to smile or be still for the camera unless I promise a prize; I'm running out of prizes)

Don't forget the Light the Night Walk on September 22nd!  Please email me at kariandmalachi@live.com  for more information! 
We love you!