Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Kelsey - My Little Girl
As I reflect on the beautiful wedding ceremony that took place last night, I can't help but think about what a lovely young lady my daughter has become. She was a beautiful bride last night, but to me she will always be "my little girl". Thank you to everyone who followed my reverse chronological journey of Kelsey's life. I would like to put an exclamation on the journey by sharing a video presentation I put together for her Christmas gift her Senior year at DCA. It is still relevant today, even though she is a few years older.
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
God works in mysterious ways
I know the phrase is used a lot, but God surely does work in mysterious ways. Courtney, spent her first 6 months in the PICU at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital and had many more extended stays there during the first few years of her life. During that time, we developed a close bond to the staff in the Family Resource Center and Child Life group. They helped us gather information about Courtney's genetic disorder and prepare us for surgeries that she faced. They also helped explain things to Kelsey in a way that she could understand and used dolls and puppets to let her see simulated IV insertion and other procedures.
Kelsey became very close with the staff, writing letters to Mrs. Beth after she left and made visits to the Family Resource Center when we were in the hospital with Courtney over the years. Jennifer and I have worked with their Families as Mentors (FAM) and Families as Classroom Training (FACT) programs, allowing Vanderbilt medical students from a wide array of disciplines to come into our home and discuss Courtney and how to better care for families while in the hospital. Jennifer has also given several speeches to nursing students at Peabody and made a video with Courtney for the 20th anniversary of the Family Resource Center.
After Courtney passed in February last year, we have not made as many trips to see them, but they kept in touch to make sure we were doing okay. Kelsey started her college career at Western Kentucky University in 2011 with a Musical Theatre major, but always had her eyes on being a nurse or working with kids. She transferred to Union University her sophomore year and changed her major to Nursing. Her junior year, she decided that she would rather work with the kids on a more personal level instead of providing medical care and changed her major to Family Studies with an emphasis in Early Childhood Development. Her senior year she learned that she could get a Theatre major by using her transferred credits from WKU. This combination of degree and experiences allows her to pursue several different career choices.
That brings us to the mysterious. While interviewing for a different position at Vanderbilt, she learned that there was a position open in the Family Resource Center and applied for the position. After going through the interview process, she was offered the job today and will now be working with the people who have meant so much to us over the years. She will have the opportunity to touch the lives of other families and children like her and use her experiences to make a difference in someone else's life.
As she prepares for her wedding in 12 days (she reminded me of the # of days today) LOL, I can't help but be so proud of her and know that God will use her in wonderful ways.
Kelsey became very close with the staff, writing letters to Mrs. Beth after she left and made visits to the Family Resource Center when we were in the hospital with Courtney over the years. Jennifer and I have worked with their Families as Mentors (FAM) and Families as Classroom Training (FACT) programs, allowing Vanderbilt medical students from a wide array of disciplines to come into our home and discuss Courtney and how to better care for families while in the hospital. Jennifer has also given several speeches to nursing students at Peabody and made a video with Courtney for the 20th anniversary of the Family Resource Center.
After Courtney passed in February last year, we have not made as many trips to see them, but they kept in touch to make sure we were doing okay. Kelsey started her college career at Western Kentucky University in 2011 with a Musical Theatre major, but always had her eyes on being a nurse or working with kids. She transferred to Union University her sophomore year and changed her major to Nursing. Her junior year, she decided that she would rather work with the kids on a more personal level instead of providing medical care and changed her major to Family Studies with an emphasis in Early Childhood Development. Her senior year she learned that she could get a Theatre major by using her transferred credits from WKU. This combination of degree and experiences allows her to pursue several different career choices.
That brings us to the mysterious. While interviewing for a different position at Vanderbilt, she learned that there was a position open in the Family Resource Center and applied for the position. After going through the interview process, she was offered the job today and will now be working with the people who have meant so much to us over the years. She will have the opportunity to touch the lives of other families and children like her and use her experiences to make a difference in someone else's life.
As she prepares for her wedding in 12 days (she reminded me of the # of days today) LOL, I can't help but be so proud of her and know that God will use her in wonderful ways.
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