Ron is doing better!

Just wanted to post and let my bloggy friends know that Ron is doing so much better! He has been in and out of the hospital and had several blood transfusion. It's been a very long road to recovery! He's had lots of set backs and been very ill at times! But we always knew that God had us in the palm of his hands! And with Chris as our guardian angel, we knew it would all work out! He is back to work and taking it very slow. He is only working a couple hours a day then coming home to rest!

He is on a lot of Medicine, 12 pills a day...and will be for at least a year...slowly he will cycle down to around 5-8 pills a day. 

Thanks for all your prayers and good thoughts and wishes! I will try and post more often. It's just been such a life altering event. We are so changed in our priorities and are spending our moments together with a new found appreciation for each other! We loved each other before, but now we know how it could all slip away in a blink of an eye! Our thoughts are always with Suzie and the kids. They are coming to visit us in June and we can't wait! Our families are tied together forever! We saw them in March and it was to short of a visit...just 4 days! Now we'll get a week with them! Counting down the days till the Jones' arrive!!

A life lost and a life saved!

Chris and Suzanne have been a part of our family for 17 years. We met while Chris and Ron were stationed aboard the USS Kitty Hawk CVN 63 back in 1992. Since then we have always stayed in touch with weekly phone calls and visits whenever we could. Their children call us Aunt Wendy & Uncle Ron and our children call them Aunt Suzanne & Uncle Chris. I was also asked to be Godmother to their daughter Julianne. Our lives are so intertwined with one another. When you are military and away from family, you turn your friends into your family. They support you in every way possible and you do the same for them. Chris and Suzie have been there for us through it all! Their friendship through the years has been an unbreakable bond. They have blessed our lives in so many ways! And we are better people just by knowing them.

This photo was taken in July 1993...Long Beach CA...trip to Six Flags. We were so poor in those days we shared a room together at the Navy Lodge. Mollie and Christopher shared a pack"n"play. It was so much fun and we laughed a lot!

This was at Chris and Suzanne's apartment in San Diego CA. We were so young and full of hopes and dreams for our children's future.

On January 29th 2009 Chris was killed while ticketing a man for speeding. A car hit his police cruiser and he was pinned underneath the vehicle. Suzanne and the kids will forever be changed by this horrible tragedy. Words can never describe the despair that we felt in the moment of hearing about Chris's passing! Chris was a wonderful man, who loved his family more deeply then anyone I have ever known! He had a huge heart and never met a stranger. He put us all at ease and made us smile constantly. Chris was a very devoted father, brother, son, and most of all a husband who loved his wife! He was one of a kind and will be missed for all of our days. He was a shining light in this world and it is a little darker now!

In Suzanne's darkest hour she was thinking of my family. She asked the doctor's to give Ron Chris' Kidney. And because she requested that Ron have his kidney, the Gift of Life Program notified our hospital and the Transplant Team. After they talked on the phone and had checked for blood type and other test they confirmed that there was enough of a match to have the kidney sent to our hospital. The Transplant Clinic called us to give us the news that the kidney was on it's way to us. We found places for our kids to stay overnight and Ron and I headed to the hospital to start the testing on Ron and wait for the kidney to arrive and be tested further. We then waited all day to find out the results of the testing. I was in constant contact with Suzanne, she had just been through the worst tragedy in her life, and somehow had the presence of mind to bestow the greatest gift ever given to us...It was overwhelming! It was a miracle! Chris and Ron were well on their way to being joined together. I cannot tell you how emotional it was waiting...as each hour slipped by with no word if the kidney was a complete match. Finally at 2:55 pm on Friday the 30th a nurse came rushing in the door to say the transplant team was coming to get Ron....Chris' Kidney was a match! I quick grabbed my phone...hit the video record button and Ron said a few words to Suzanne and then we threw our arms around him, hugged and kissed him, then watched him rolled down the hall and out of sight.

Ron and Chris forever joined!

Ron did excellent in surgery. When they rolled him back into the room at 8:30 that night he looked really good! He was alert and the first thing he said to me was "I pee'ed"...it was so emotional! We hugged and kissed on him and then I called Suzanne, so Ron could speak to her! It was the most amazing thing I have ever experienced. Suzanne is a true life saver in every sense of the word! She and her kids will always be our family!
It's now three weeks later and Ron was just released from the hospital again. He is feeling better but has a long road ahead of him to make a full recovery. He is still doing Plasma transfusions and will have another Kidney Biopsy on Wednesday. But we are so full of faith that it's going to be okay. It could not have happened this way for it not to work!

We are still struggling with wrapping our heads around why Chris was taken from his family! I think we will always be asking that question! It hurts in a way I have never know! But when I look at Ron and see him working desperately to heal and make this Kidney Transplant a success story, I know in my heart Chris' memory will live on forever through the eyes of his wife, children, family, friends, and Ron! We are so grateful to Suzanne, she has given us the gift of life, we will forever be her family!

Hazy Days of Winter!!

We had a snow day today! Kids were very excited. Nothing like having hump day off. Although Matthew was up at 6:30am....he came in our room and said "mom..psst mom...did I wake you up eating my breakfast?' I was like "what"...no...you woke me up asking me if you woke me up eating your breakfast...lol! What a silly boy! This is the view from our front door.

Still the front door....it's to cold to go out there.....I'm such a wimp!

Back yard view...lol! To cold to swim or hot tub!

Matthew was trying to get the ice and snow off my car...I caught him using a putty knife...YIKES!!! Thank goodness I saw him before he scratch the window. Sometimes I have no idea what this kid is thinking...lol!

New Pantry

This is my under the stairwell Pantry. I hate it! I'm always bumping my head or hurting myself somehow in this cramped space. It makes me crazy. A week ago, when I was over at our friends Gabriel and Melissa's house she said to me..."we made new shelves for our pantry!" I was so impressed by what an awesome job Gabriel had done, I asked him would he make some for us. He was immediately on board to help us out. I was so excited! Even though the weather was not helping...rainy and freezing cold, he worked non stop to complete our beautiful custom built shelves in his very cold garage. Thank You Gabriel...I LOVE them. And thank you to Melissa for helping your hubby and keeping his measurements straight...lol!

I took everything out and filled the holes and painted it the same color as the majority of the kitchen walls. I hate painting...not my forte. I like giving the orders and having other people paint...lol! But, since I'm not going to pay anyone to do it I'm doing the scut work and painting. But, I feel proud of myself for a job well done.

Here it is when I finished painting. I love the color..it's called Med Mocha.

Here they are. Gabe...you did an awesome job!!!

Aren't they beautiful!!! I love them!! Better than I imagined!! There are actually five shelves. A small one on the very top but, I can't get it in the photo because I'm backed up against another wall.

I was even able to get my small appliances in there. I have so much more shelf space since he extended the bottom shelf to wrap around the back wall.

I'm still looking for bar and hooks for my broom and mop to go on this side of the pantry. I need a trip to Ikea...lol!

I'm so happy how it turned out! It looks more uniform and cohesive. Gabe...your the man!

Mollie made the Honor Roll!!

Mollie did it! She brought up her Calculus grade to a "B" which placed her on the A-B Honor Roll. Math has always been her least favorite subject. It's mine as well...math sucks...heehee! But, she buckled down and brought it up. We are so proud of her for tackling it head on. Your hard work payed off baby girl! We knew you could do it! Keep it up girlfriend! You CAN do it!

Matthew made the Honor Roll!!

Our beautiful boy has been working very hard to make the A-B Honor Roll this nine weeks. Well, all his hard work paid off! He did it...2 A's and 4 B's! Last night at the Parent-Teacher Conferences all of his teachers had high praise for his efforts to do his best and  his continued hard working attitude! We are so proud of him and his determination to do his best! Matthew has a lot of obstacles that he has to overcome to even make it through a day in middle school and he rose above his disabilities to do just that! He is a inspiration to us every day! We love you buddy and congratulations on your awesome accomplishment!

Thanks for your Support!!

Well as most of you know Ron has been facing a Medical Board to decide whether or not he is fit for active duty due to his Kidney problems. I don't blog about Ron and his health issues out of respect for him and our family's personal struggles with him being sick. As of November 4th he was placed on the Transplant waiting list. It has been a very trying time in our lives...but with prayers and well wishes from our family and friends it has helped us cope better. Through the grace of God and his never ending miracles that he provides for our family, the Navy is letting Ron remain active duty until August 2010. This is what Ron was hoping for....he will retire with 22 years of service to his country. He might also be able to receive his transplant while still being active duty. Also we won't have to move so Mollie will be able to graduate from high school (May 2010). All in all every one is thrilled over this news! So thank you once again to all those who have been sending us prayers and well wishes...God was listen...for sure! 

Happy New Year to all!!!

I have been meaning to blog more....but I have been so busy with traveling and vacationing, I just haven't had the time. So much has been going on here. We had a wonderful Holiday and fantastic visit with my parents!! I miss them already! The kids have gone back to school and Ron is back to work. We are remodeling our pantry...thanks to Gabe...he is building some really beautiful shelves! I'm patching and painting. Can't wait for it to be done! It's going to look fabulous! I will post before and after pictures when it's done! Hope every one's holidays were merry and bright!! Love to all!