My Favorite Monkeys

A pretty day in Memphis means one thing... outside time for my crew! 

The kiddos were on spring break this week and we headed to one of our most favorite places... the zoo.  Always a good time!  I don't even know how many times we've entered those gates...but I can honestly say I never get tired of going!  It's always fun- even if you don't have enough time to see every animal... it's worth the trip!

After we left, we made our way to another one of my favorite stops... Jerry Sno Cones!  YUM!

Such a fun day and it sure makes me SO ready for summer!!   

Blowing a getwell kiss to sweet Lucy Krull.

Lucy has a picture like this,

and Ava wanted to take one to send to her. 

watching the gorilla...

she really wanted him to come to the window. 

That would have been interesting!

In a Memphis shirt (something new for him)...

but something I LOVE to see!

Go Lucy Go!

About a month ago, my friend, Adrian, shared with me the news about a little girl who was recently diagnosed with Medulloblastoma.  As she talked, I felt my heart ache for a sweet family that I didn't know.  I remember sitting in my car wondering what I would do and how I would handle that kind of news.  News that my sweet baby was now on the roller coaster ride of her life... a ride that had no end in sight.  A ride that only God knew what direction it going to lead you on.  Goodness, I just felt so terrible for them.  She mentioned the mom's name to me and it was someone that I went to college with... but we were in different sororites and I figured I would know her face.. just not her name.  So Adrian told me to read their family's blog..."Three kids, a minivan, and a mortgage." 

When you hear the title it sounds just like most of the blogs I read... a young family that is on the same journey we are on.  A sweet couple that is raising a family, trying to keep up with schedules, getting homework done each night, and tackling all of the obstacles life throws at them on a day to day basis.  That's exactly what I would have thought when I first heard the name of the blog. 

And that's exactly what the blog used to be about.  A precious family that used to live in Memphis, but moved to Covington to be closer to family and raise their family in a small tight-knit community of friends.  And one afternoon their world changed completely... "in the blink of an eye".  This was the name of the first post that I read about sweet Lucy Krull... and let me just say that this little girl has completely stolen my heart!!!

Well, March 7th was Lucy's 5th birthday.  Kate had made a post that Lucy was really wanting a Pump It Up party for her 5th birthday... this is the same kind of birthday party that my Lily has asked for as well.  But sweet Lucy is at LeBonheur... she just had her brain surgery and was trying to recover enough to head over to the best cancer hospital in world- St. Jude!  She is completely unable to have that special birthday party that she she wanted to badly and was so sad, as most kids would be!  This weighed so heavily on my heart!  I just couldn't imagine how helpless I would feel if I were in the same situation. I know there were several of us that felt such a need to do something special for her birthday!  As moms do... our minds are always thinking ahead... and let me just say that our minds were rolling!!  First, Adrian and another friend Tracey came up with the idea to get this incredible Toy Story cake made for Lucy's birthday (her mom said she loved Buzz Lightyear).  This incredible favor was asked, and without a moment's notice, the girl that makes these cakes said Yes!  Yay! 

Then, I was laying in bed on Sunday, the day before her birthday, and wondered what else we could do to let her know we were praying for her... and then it hit me!  A video!  What better way could we personally send out our birthday wishes to this special young lady!  The plan was put into action!  All girls wear pink and purple and all boys wear blue to school in honor of the birthday girl... then we all met up at the clubhouse after school to video the kids!  Another sweet friend, Julie, who takes awesome photography met us and took some precious pictures of the kiddos!  We had the kids sing "Happy Birthday" and they all got to say their own special birthday wishes.

I came home at 4:30 and got right to work!  I don't even think I said a word that entire afternoon... I don't think my face left my computer screen!  But by 10:30 it was finished!  It probably would have been done much sooner, but I am very OCD when it comes to any kind of artwork, scrapbook, video, etc that I tackle... it just has to be perfect!  And I felt this video had to be "just right!"  I wanted to make sure Lucy and her family knew how much her Lakeland friends are praying for her... how much we are cheering her on during her hard and long battle... and how much she has truly made an impact on our lives! 

Here is the video...

I wish we never had to hear about sweet Lucy Krull's journey.  I wish I never had to hear about another sweet baby that is fighting for her life.  I wish that she was at home in Covington with her family, getting ready for Kindergarten, and playing outside with her friends.  So many things I wish could be different... but one thing that is the same.  God is still good...and God is still God!  For some reason, he has chosen Lucy for this journey.  I wish it weren't the case, but I trust there is purpose for her fight.  This little girl is changing lives!  One day her fight will be over, but impact she is leaving on so many lives will never change.  She is bringing so many to their knees... she is bringing countless others to call upon the Lord for help... her story is touching lives and changing hearts!  She will be cured of this nasty disease... this I feel to be true.  But until we all hear those words... I only have faith in God!  One day I know He has to get tired of all of us banging down His door in prayer and He WILL heal sweet Lucy.  Until then we will continue to pray!   

GO LUCY GO!!!