Casher sings

Video for grammy Carla

Thank you for the new clothes and "bug." You are the best!

Casher gives kisses video

Bedtime

Casher turns 2!

Casher 22 months

Look at that golf pro! His Daddy is so proud.

I realize it has been a loong time since I posted, and I wanted to share some recent pics. Casher is doing so well, excellent, in fact. He is a joy. He is very busy! He is responding well to speech and developmental therapy. He is starting to make sounds like "moo" and "woof" and trying to say words like "bird." I see him making progress each day. His health is great - you would never know that he had any issues and people that meet him now are very surprised that he had such a rough start.

We are looking forward to a long visit in Colorado in June.

April 2011

We had a great visit in Colorado! Casher especially loved playing outside in the hot rod and sharing popsicles with his Cousin, Dawsen. As you can see, he wasn't so excited about taking the family reunion photo :)

Casher continues to be amazing - not only in his health but in his spirit. He has a little spring in his step. He is starting developmental and speech therapy to give him an added boost in those areas, and as with all he has been through we are trusting God's timing and His plan.

It is a beautiful Spring here in North Carolina. We missed seeing many of you on our visit but we will be back in Colorado in June for a few weeks. We will catch up with you then!

Happy days

Growing up...

Our little guy is getting so big these days. He is 18 months and doing great. He eats well and feels well. Mom was just reminding me of a time when he would cry and we would all feel so stressed because we knew he could possibly be in pain, and now when he cries we know it is just normal. Normal feels good. The only current effect we are seeing from Casher's hospitalization is his delayed speech. He isn't communicating with any words at this point. We are praying for his speech to kick in! Normal development would be for him to be saying at least 10 words. Haven't we seen God's perfect timing in every other part of his life? That's what I am reminding myself. Hope you enjoy these photos and his happy smile as much as we do. Love, Kari

Happy 2011

What a nice Christmas we had. People tell you what a joy it is to see life through your child's eyes, and that is so true. We had new excitement on Christmas morning as Casher woke up to a new little table and chairs. He loves the simple things - a good book, his own little seat, walking on the trail behind our house looking at all the leaves and putting his toes in the rain puddles.

I felt a great deal of joy as Mitch and I sang Christmas carols with Casher and read him the Christmas story. It's a new challenge for us to think about how to teach him about the celebration of Jesus' birth in the midst of shopping, wrapping, cooking, and all the business. Each year on Christmas Eve, our family lights a candle and floats it in a glass bowl of water - making our Christmas wish as we light them. It makes a beautiful center piece and lights up the room. I wish you joy and peace this year, too. xo

Casher cracks up

Casher's favorite show is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. He totally gets Donald and Goofy's slap stick humor. Here he is laughing at Donald Duck being silly. Yes, we just sit back, watch, and laugh right along with Cash. It's contagious.

Playing & Picking out the Christmas Tree

How quickly a year goes by. It's time to pick out a tree again. I remember taking Casher to pick out a tree last year. He fell asleep on the way to the Farmer's Market and we carried him around in his infant seat. He missed the entire thing! This year it's a matter of wrangling him away from the parking lot and keeping up with him as he gets into every possible thing on his level. You can see his funny personality in the pics with my grandpa's hat. He likes to cover up his face and walk around blind and then peek-a-boo. He's so serious and so funny at the same time. Obviously, he's got a round little belly and he's been eating great. We saw the GI doctor and she said she would see us in 6 months for a check up. Music to my ears. Happy Holidays!

October 31, 2010

My first thought when I woke up this morning was 'thank you.' I know I felt joy one year ago today when Casher was released from the hospital for the second and final time. I was beyond tired, beyond fatigued, beyond emotion. In the midst of the toughest circumstances in my life, I was grateful for Casher's life and grateful that God saw me through the three weeks of hospitalization after his lung collapsed on October 11. Waking up this morning one year after those events, I am humbled beyond words. What haven't you provided for me Lord? When have you not been with me holding my hand and been a lamp unto my feet to guide the way? The deep gratitude I feel is possible because the dark and hard times I went through.

I'm thankful for my son. I'm thankful for his vibrant life. I'm thankful for this year of watching him grow and laugh and love. For my husband's strength and love. For our friends and family and all the prayers for us and all the caring you bestowed on us.

I remember praying at one point during my pregnancy when we found out our baby was in trouble for God to make it all better. I told him I didn't want to be a deeper person for this experience, let me skip it! That wasn't his plan as we know now. But standing on this side of all of it, I am so much deeper - my love. my gratitude. my joy. my peace.

Here are three photos. One of Casher with his chest tube, pretty darn sick last October. Then a few days after his release last Halloween at our dear friends Cheryl and Don's. And one taken yesterday of a little person vibrant with the gift of life.

October

Last October 1st Casher was released from the hospital. I remember walking out of the hospital doors with him and tearing up thinking this is his first breath of fresh air. It was a beautiful fall day in Denver. I was beyond grateful, overwhelmed, exhausted, exuberant...how many emotions can live in one person at one time?! I remember all of your support at that time and I can't believe how wonderful you are that you are still following our amazing little journey.

Our little Casher is amazing himself. He has healed. His scar from the g-tube looks really good. It healed up perfectly. He is off of the formula and drinking whole milk like a champ. He is eating more and more and his gas pain and all pain associated is pretty much gone. He is still on prevacid which helps with reflux and it does seem to help him still so we are thankful that is working.

As you can see from the photos he is super busy and super adorable. I think it is safe to say that if you have followed us this far you agree that he is adorable. He is walking more and more - still a little unstable but getting there. He is in the Children's Program at BSF, the bible study I attend, every Thursday morning. He loves to eat his snacks, play with his aunts, go out in his wagon, pat Ginny, and explore and climb everything! Life is good. God is good.

Casher's very first steps! Caught on camera by our amazing Tisha!

He wasn't sure he wanted to climb through at first :)

Update on the boy

Well, as you can see from the pics Casher is doing amazing. He got his feeding tube out on Tuesday! We are so thankful. It would have been 1 year on the 15th that he had the surgery to put it in. It is amazing what a difference a year makes. It's God's perfect timing. Cash is eating great and growing great.

I remember clearly how fragile he was after that surgery. He was so little and so sick. Now to see him try to climb UP the slide is...a true miracle. We love each day we all get to spend together. Casher is a determined little guy. He knows what he wants and he goes for it. He is sweet and quiet one minute looking through a book and yelling loudly the next trying to make his point. He really likes to laugh and he cries freely when he is hurt. Life is good.