Found this in my email today...

My Oldest Daughter Kristy and this Mom

Kristy hired a photographer when we were in Texas and some of the pictures are now back. Today I found an email with a note... and this photo. I hate pictures of myself, but this is not too bad except for the 15 pounds 50 put on definitely bothers me.

Christmas Pictures from Texas

We missed having Kristy and her family home for Christmas.
Kristy posted this new picture on her blog and this Nana had to share. The girls have gotten so big since we last saw them in September for Marissa's wedding.

Kristy with Kasja (21 months) and Chris with Mahala (5 months already).

Being Thankful--Triple Blessings

Today Kristy posted on her blog her humorist post on the Top 10 Ways to Pass Time in the ICU her first post after ending up there this summer.

Her post made me think, and with the upcoming Thankgiving holiday I am beginning my daily post on what I am grateful for this year...

This post is a our triple miracle ...Thank you blessing.

This Thanksgiving season we are blessed to have another year with Miss Becca and the crisis and miracles of Mahala joining the family and Kristy's Septic Shock episode two weeks after Mahala's birth. For those who do not know the events of this past summer, read the story of Kristy's uterine rupture and the miracle survival of the baby and Kristy's bout of septic shock which almost cost her her life.

This Thanksgiving season we have much to be thankful for.



Twenty years with Becca, who has defied the odds.
Check back on Thanksgiving Day to read her first
Thanksgiving Story.

Thank God for Miracles

Kristy and Mahala










After the mini-crisis phone call this morning, we headed out to avert them with picking up all the needs of the wedding day forgets. (Walmart is the closest to the hotel, and they had everything we needed). I had downloaded the pictures right before we left, and this picture says it all of our conversation. I cried then entire way, tears of gratitude, my second set of tears for the day. And there will be plenty more. I know what we forgot at Walmart... Tissues. We will have to run back.

Kristy and Mahala... unexplainable miracles...we could have lost either of them or both, three times since the end of May. A uterine rupture which is an immediate emergency which went unnoticed and uncomplicated for weeks (one for the medical journals)...to the challenging delivery, Mahala surprised everyone with being fully out of the uterus... to Kristy's septic shock.

I had been praying for weeks, feeling something amiss, covering my children with God's protection. God answered my prayers. Having them with us for this blessed day, Becca's is still here 20 years later, our family is what truly matters. Having Becca has given me the gift of today, and treasuring each day with our loved ones.








Becca now 20 on August 3rd.















Thank God for the Miracles and Family.
Anny

Kristy is Home

After the Storm God Showed me the Rainbow.
Actually a double rainbow, but my little pocket camera could not capture it. It was the largest and brightest rainbow I have ever seen. Thank you God for caring me through the storms and your promise of the rainbow at storms end.

Kristy is out of the hospital and home with her husband and two little girls. We could not head out, but her friends in Texas and their friends from Minnesota came to their aide and we thank them for helping with the girls and running the house. The infectious disease doctor came and confirmed Jim's diagnosis, Septic Shock caused from the absesses. Kristy once again had to come to terms with her near death experience and the Miracles of God's Healing. Prayers from across the country were answered.

Thank you everyone for understanding my absence and neglect of my blog. Bargain hunting and posting doesn't become a priority when a Mom is in the midst of crisis with family on more than one front. Long story.

Kristy is Out of the ICU

Thank you for all the prayers, for the second time in the past few months we have a miracle.
She is getting better, but there are still many unanswered questions so we need to keep praying.
I got to talk to her for the first time since before she went to the hospital and it was amazing to be able to hear her voice. She told me that the doctors told her that there was a 50% chance of mortality with her sepsis. Prayers were answered.

Thank you for being patient with me, my blog has been neglected with all the concerns with Kristy and the new baby, and life in the Yurcek world.

Please say prayers that we can get Detamara stable and sleeping at night. She went in today for a medication adjustment and maybe we can get her back on track. Life in the FAS lane is sometimes a challenge.

I have a house full of backpacks to fill on Wednesday and the social workers from the county and some of the hospital employees will be heading over to help get the project done and the supplies out the door and into the hands of children in need in Grant County.

It has been hectic, sleep deprived and a worrisome praying time as of late. I cannot wait for some simplicity and the time to blog.

Anny

Another Miracle--

Thank you God for a Miracle






July 22, Kristy and her Husband Chris became parents of their second daughter Mahala. I posted that she had arrived, but there was a much bigger story. I had to give Kristy time to reflect on the miracle that spared my oldest daughter and my granddaughter.
When they went to do her c-section, the doctors were shocked to find Mahala not cozy inside of the womb, gut in Kristy's abdominal cavity. She was right next to Kristy's stomach and intestines. Chris calls me and informs me on the discovery.

Remember at the end of May I had to fly out stat for Texas to help Kristy? She had hurt her ribs when she felt something tear and was unable to barely breathe, much less lift my busy then l4 month old granddaughter Kasja. Her husband Chris was heading to Singapore for two weeks and I needed to help with Kasja as Kristy knew she couldn't lift her. Thank God I jumped on a flight on 48 hours notice, we now know that she probably didn't tear her rib cartiledge, but she tore open her uterus and my granddaughter popped out delivering her into the abdomin. Uterine rupture and it is deadly and it was like that for maybe a month or more.

Talking with Chris and then calling Doc (my husband) who gets confirmation from his collegues that we were blessed with a miracle...two miracles. With talking with my Mom and sister (family physician) she tells me it is unheard of that all went well. The doctors can't find another case of this outcome, the baby completely out and the amniotic sac not rupturing, the mom not bleeding to death or the baby becoming hypoxic and dying. It is hard being up north in Wisconsin and having Kristy and Chris in Texas, I want to hug all of them.

Kristy finally has posted on her blog to story of her delivery along with Mahala's arrival story and pictures.

I apologize for neglecting my blog for a crisis hiatus, but between Kristy's delivery and supporting my best friend Lisa who is managing her 5 year old twins (one with severe Cerebral Palsy) while trying to care for her Mom who is on hospice dying from Cancer and my other friend whose son is struggling with transition to adulthood with his special needs I have been on the phone not searching for deals or being on line. A week ago Friday we had severe hail which blasted our county, our house and our rental house (which I bought for my friend who has 5 adopted kids when they were facing homelessness) roofs were damaged. Blessing, our cars are fine, my insurance will probably save me money getting us two new roofs for the cost of our deductibles.

Mahala Arline Howe Arrives 7-22 --Congratulations Kristy and Chris

Mahala Arline Howe arrived today weighing 7 pounds 3 ounces 19 1/2 inches long.

We are thankful for the safe arrival of Mahala and Kristy's safety.

Waiting--Grandparents Again 7/22?

Kristy has finished her last days of work this week and has been busy getting ready for the impending arrival of her second daughter. The C-Section is scheduled for the 22nd.

This morning I woke and read her updated blog and this sign from her nursery pictures posted on her blog made me tear up. How fast they grow up. It doesn't seem so long ago we brought our "Sunshine" home from the hospital. Kristy is our "Sunshine" and we sun her song to her as we rocked her to sleep. Kristy soon will be a Mom to two precious little girls. Kasja and Mahala.

Kristy has updated her blog and has posted new pictures of the new baby's nursery and Miss Kasja. Nana brag time.