A Letter from Kelly

o        To my church family, friends and people in the Crosby/Humble Community...You have no idea what it meant to me when we started unloading baked goods, when I saw people bringing goods with their children and then buying what someone else made. My heart was overcome with emotion. I have been fighting illness with Sam, my 3 year old since October of 2010. I thought to myself and asked why....why God do you think I can deal with this? I’m not someone who handles problems well. In the past, I was someone who strayed from you for years, who went against everything I knew you wanted for me. WHY ME!!! Needless to say, He never answered that question and then in June of 2011 when the youngest Olivia was 1, she was diagnosed with a malformation in the artery in her brain. I thought to myself OH NO, here we go again and once again found myself asking the question I knew would never be answered, WHY. On a routine trip for a checkup, an inoperable tumor was found in Olivia's brain. Since the beginning, of both children’s illnesses, things have changed dramatically. Sam has been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and is undergoing radiation and oral chemo. Olivia is receiving radiation on the tumor in her brain and steroids for her swelling in the brain. She has seizures, and has begun to regress in her eating skills and communication skills. When Michelle said we were doing a bake sale, I was overjoyed! Even to get enough to offset the cost of traveling was going to be the best news for me. A young child made a sign that said "Help Bring Hero Home", as it sat outside Arlan’s, people would ask what the sale was for and others would begin to listen as Michelle told the story of Olivia. We had people writing $100 checks, giving $100 bills, people coming from Humble with a van full of women and spending well over $100. The outcome was AMAZING!! Had it not been GOD, I never would have thought we would have ended up with what we did. Whoever says God does not provide all our needs has never met a church family full of Faith in God, full of never-ending prayer and full of God's unconditional love for others like First Baptist Church Crosby. Through everyone's help, the funds were raised to pick up Hero on the 18th of this month, the funds are available to have all travel expenses for that trip paid, there are funds to pay for BOTH Sam and Olivia's treatments and medicines for a month and we have been able to order the ID tags and Service vest that Hero has to have in order to go in public with Olivia. OUR GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD!!! At the end of the night when the bake sale was over, I was at home with the girls in bed and couldn’t stop crying. Then all of a sudden I could hear myself breathe. I could actually breathe. I now know that without a doubt in about two weeks, Hero, named well by Hannah would become my Hero. No longer will I be up all night watching Olivia. I can rest, I can breathe, I can cook my family a meal without it taking hours because I stop every 5 minutes to check on Olivia. My faith was truly tested and once again I found myself on my knees asking God to forgive me for my doubts. I am blessed that God chose me to care for HIS children Sam and Olivia while he plans out their life. I am blessed that He allowed me to be the one to show them of God’s love not only through me but through the generosity of all His other children. I am blessed and honored to know that through this there will be 3 totally awesome testimonies used ONLY for GOD’S GLORY!!! You all have touched my life in an unforgettable way and I will forever be thankful. You have made a difference in my children's lives as well. I’m reminded of a post on facebook I saw "You have never really lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you" I can never repay all the love and prayer and generosity that came from such wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ, but everyone will always be special to me and hold dear places in my heart.

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people Galatians 6:10

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children Ephesians 5:1

I thank you all again so much and ask that as always, please pray for my family for healing for the girls, for patience and understanding for Hannah and for rest and guidance as I continue to care for God's children every day. Me and my family love you all.

Love,

Kelly