"Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time." ~Oswald Chambers

Please, please pray for this family. This was a teacher at Blake's preschool and I also volunteered with her in our church's 3 year old bible class. She leaves behind a 3 year old daughter and 1 year old son. God help them. My heart breaks for that precious little girl that is missing her Mommy. Her daughter's name is Adia...please pray for them.


Mother dies, 2 children hurt in north Fort Worth wreck
Posted Thursday, Apr. 29, 2010

BY ADRIAN MCCANDLESS AND BILL MILLER

Star-Telegram

A woman was killed and her two children, ages 1 and 3, were injured Thursday morning when a vehicle overturned in north Fort Worth.

The woman who died was Dawna Casey, 33, of Fort Worth, according to the Tarrant County medical examiner's office.

The wreck was reported at 8 a.m. in the 3300 block of North Tarrant Parkway, just west of the road's intersection with Old Denton Road.

The family was eastbound in a white Toyota Highlander, said Sgt. Pedro Criado, the police spokesman. He said investigators learned that the Toyota Casey drove was traveling at a "high rate of speed" while passing other vehicles just before the wreck.

Police at the scene said the sports utility vehicle was a 2010 model; vehicles from that class were involved in this year's floor mat recall and some were recalled for sticking accelerators, according to the Toyota website.

Police said Thursday that their findings on the wreck were "preliminary." They had no information about mechanical problems in Toyota vehicles.

The Highlander "swerved to the left traveling in the center median, passing vehicles, and then swerved back to the right onto the main roadway," Criado said.

Next, the SUV "swerved to the right and traveled through the bar ditch striking a concrete culvert," he said.

The Highlander then "went airborne," Criado said, adding that "upon landing, (it) began to flip side to side until it came to a rest in a field on its side."

Cheryl Givens of Fort Worth, who had been in traffic with the Highlander, said that before the wreck, the SUV had tried to pass her on the left.

The passing lane, however, was occupied by another vehicle, so the SUV "drove fast on the grass median for a bit."

The SUV, Givens said, passed other vehicles and returned to the roadway, then veered to the right and off of the roadway.

The Highlander rolled "many times until it stopped," Givens said.

Casey, Givens said, was pinned in the wreckage, but "there were many civilians that came to try and help hold the vehicle up."

The children, a boy and a girl, were "properly restrained" in car seats, Criado said.

They were taken in good condition to Cook Children's Medical Center, he said.

Their mother died at the scene, the medical examiner reported.

The scene was near the Monterra Village apartment complex and not far from Fossil Ridge High School in the Keller school district.

Kellie Mayhew, manager at the apartment complex, said she saw the children being rescued from the wreckage by emergency response crews.

"They weren't crying and seemed to be OK," Mayhew said. "They seemed to be in shock."

Debris was strewn on the roadway and field, including backpacks and a stroller.

The Highlander was so badly damaged that it was difficult to tell what type of vehicle was involved.

"I'm so thankful the kids were in their car seats and restrained properly," Givens said, "and that so many good people came to help."

Keller Citizen writer Alice Murray contributed to this report

Happy ONE MONTH Birthday Baby Kate!!!

We love you SOOOOO much.  This month has been filled with so many kisses, hugs and love.  We are so glad you are part of our family, we wouldn't be US without YOU!

At One Month Kate

-weighs 9 lb 6 0z

-looks directly into our eyes

- believe it or not, rolled over TWICE lastnight from her back to her belly, we were blown away!!

- puts up very well with all the lovin' her sister lavishes on her

- eats every 2.5 - 3 hours

- poops ALL the time

- gets twice during the night

- can go to sleep soundly in her bassinet or crib 

Baby Shower

About a week before Kate arrived I had a wonderful baby shower. My best friend (Jodi) and sister in law (Lindsay) threw it for me.  It was so fun having friends and family over for the evening. I'm always blown away by the generosity of those I love.  

Here are a few of the gifts we got:

A sit and stand double stroller, modeled by Blake.

A handmade carseat cover from my incredibly crafty friend, Jennie.

And here was my BIG suprise!  I knew there was some kind of "project" in the works for the last few months, but I had no idea what it was.  My sis-in law Lindsay put SO MUCH love and time and energy into this project it blew me away.  Below is a picture of a quilt that has pieces of fabric from almost everyone who is anyone in my life.  From close friends to grandparents to Blake and Nick, they are all represented here.  I was so overwhelmed, then to make it BETTER, she mad a scrap book that also had a piece of each fabric with handwritten notes from each owner.  I was a blubbering mess (who can blame me!?) and barely got through reading each page.  It's a quilt for Kate, but I'm being pretty picky with it right now, no spit up please!!  I will cherish this quilt and scrap book forever, and someday Kate can look back and see a real glimpse of my life through the fabric and words of those we love.  

Nick used a piece of a T Shirt that he wore ALL the time when we started dating. For Blake there was a piece of her Elmo pajamas (which I had been looking for!).  For Lindsay she gave a piece of her wedding dress.  From my Mom was a piece of bedding from when I was younger.  From my brother was a piece from an elementary school t shirt. I could go on and on...THANK YOU to Lindsay first for working so hard and making me feel so special and thanks to all of you who took the time and effort to make this quilt such a blessing to me.  

and here is the cake and food, sooo yummy.

If all THAT weren't enough, I had one more suprise that weekend. My Mom and Aunt Shelia had planned on coming from Arkansas to Texas for Kate's baby shower. I was so glad they could come, but really wanted my cousin Rachel there. I knew she had a 4 month old and that her days off at work were slim because she had just gotten back from maternity leave, so I completely understood when she couldn't come all the way to Texas just for a shower. Long story short, I hear my Mom get in at midnight that Thursday, walk down stairs and there was my cousin Rachel with her daughter Kinley (whom I hadn't got to meet yet). I was beyond excited, I don't know if I've ever been so suprised, and a little shocked that no one spilled the beans (we are not known for being tight-lipped in my family :) We had a wonderful weekend and I got to spend a little time with Baby Kinley.

Kinley and I

Sweet Kinley

Kinley and Blake

Kate's Arrival!!

My doctor had "warned" me that Kate would probably not make it to 40 weeks.  I was pretty excited that she may come early, but as the time passed I started to become skeptical and expected to have to wait the full 40 weeks.  We had my Mom and Aunt come one weekend, they really wanted me to go into labor while they were here, but nothing.  The next weekend my Mom and Step-dad came to visit.  We were all hoping she would come while they were here to visit.  I had been scheduled to work Sunday March 28th, but was feeling really sick.  I went to the doctor the day before and got diagnosed with bronchitis.  I called and told work I would not make it in and stayed home with my family.  

That Sunday night we rented a movie and hung out.  I was feeling lousy, coughing all the time.  We went to bed and around 4:00 a.m. I woke up having contractions.  I'm always the skeptic, so I thought they would pass...but a few contractions later I decided to start timing them.  They were already 4 - 5 minutes apart.  So I told Nick I thought I was in labor and I went to take a shower (tip:  if you can grab a shower BEFORE going to the hospital it's always a plus!)  I then woke up my Mom and told her we were going to the hospital. She was sooo excited.  She didn't get to be here when Blake was born so she was really hoping to be in town with Kate.  It felt like it was taking Nick forever to get ready, and the pain was getting stronger.  We loaded up in the car (ironically enough we forgot ALL our bags) and went to Harris.  I was SO thankful my stepdad was here (and later Baus came and stayed ALL DAY) to keep Blake so we didn't have to pack her up at 6:00 in the morning and take her to someone elses house. I was dilated to 4.5 when I got checked.  I was so glad it wasn't false labor and to know that Kate would be here soon!  

We got in a room around 7:30 and made texts/phone calls to let everyone know what was going on.  Jodi and Lindsay came to the hospital as soon as they could to sit with us.  I got my epidural around 9:30 and it was glorious.  It worked it's magic and I had NO PAIN whatsoever. I decided to have Nick and my Mom in the delivery room, it was so special to have my Mom there.  When I had my final "check" before pushing the nurse and doctor were concerned that Kate was breach, so they had to do a sonogram at the bedside.  We were praying so hard that she wasn't, because that would mean a C-section.  After lots of "checking" and "rechecking" they decided she was in the correct position, just "face up".  After pushing about 25 minutes Kathryn Bailey was born March 29, 2010 at 1:01 p.m.  She weighed 7lb 7oz and was 20 inches long.  The first words out of my mouth were "She looks like Blake!!" and she truly did.  She was beautiful and healthy and all we had prayed for.

Here is me after my epidural!

Blake came around 5:00 pm to meet her new baby sister.  She was sooo excited.  She knew exactly who Kate was and just wanted to kiss and hug and hold her all the could.  

Here is my first picture with Blake and Kate:

Kate's sweet hat made by a nurse in L & D

Snuggling before we all went home.

My hospital experience was good.  Poor Nick had a fever the day Kate was born, so he couldn't stay overnight with us.  Mom stayed with me and Nick went home to be with Blake.  

Here are a few shots of our first minutes at home

We praise God for you Baby Kate.  You are a blessing to our family.

Dear Blog

Dear Blog,

I'm sorry I've been an absintee blogger.  Here are some things we need to work on:

 -My baby shower

 - Kate's birth story

 -Kate's Arrival/ Family's visit

 - 1st and 2nd Doctors appointment

 - A new blog name

I will blog about these things, but in the mean time...know we are doing great around our house. Kate is a joy and I still have all my hair, so that's a good sign :)  Having two is definately busier than having one, thus the lack of blogging.