Today’s the day…our little girl is now 1! I can’t believe it…we’ve been through so much this past year that sometimes the days just dragged on, but at the same time…it has flown by. Each and everyday Kate teaches us something new about life. I wouldn’t trade her for anything. She is our little angel. We love you Kate.
That’s what I wrote on our family blog on Kate’s 1st birthday.
She was doing so well. We had no idea what the next six months would entail, almost all of it spent in the hospital, including four open-heart surgeries. We had no idea that would be her one and only birthday party.
We are so grateful that she was the healthiest she ever was that summer. We even got to take a mini vacation.
So many memories from that 1st birthday…
💜 Her 4-year-old cousin, Lucas (at the time, there were three little boys in the family), asking why his plate had flowers on it. The days of Spider-Man and monster trucks were boldly interrupted by flowers and all things pink!
💜 Driving all the way to Lake Michigan and forgetting her very necessary heart medication. Boy, did I feel like a failure—but Walgreens came to the rescue with a three-day supply.
💜 Being a “normal” family of four—doing all the vacation things: sightseeing, eating ice cream, and spending time on the beach.
💜 A very unseasonably warm current of water in Lake Michigan. That’s the day we got our favorite photo of Kate. No one would ever know what was happening inside her sweet little body. Just a 1-year-old enjoying warm splashes of water. We went back the next day, and it was freezing—to the point that we couldn’t even put our toes in. Be thankful for the extraordinary days. We have no guarantees.
Today, we celebrate Kate’s 20th birthday.
It doesn’t even seem real.
What would she love? Would she have just finished her first year of college? Would there be a special boy in the picture? Would her birthday wish list be filled with clothes and makeup?
It’s a busy day. One brother is working all day. The other is in Indianapolis playing basketball. There was an early morning TV appearance from 5–7 a.m., a donor’s retirement party, and plenty of last-minute Ice Cream Social preparations.
But we will still celebrate Kate.
Andy and I will push the Kart at Dupont and remember the joy of hearing, “It’s a girl!” at that very place. And of course, we’ll treat ourselves to some ice cream, because that brought her so much joy.
Will you celebrate Kate with us this weekend?
Celebrate her sweet smile, her strawberry-blond hair, and her love of books by visiting one of our 36 partnering ice cream shops this weekend and helping us reach our $175,000 goal.
Oh, sweet girl, you are so deeply missed. You are forever loved. And you have made an impact in this little corner of the world that is bigger than any of us could have imagined.
Happy 20th Birthday, Kate. 💜🍦📚
Krista
