Christmas Cards

I try to send out Christmas Cards each year with a few pictures of me and Alex so everyone can see how big he's getting. I'm not one for writing the big long letters about what's been going on throughout the year becase 1) I hear a lot of people don't like to read those and 2) Alex and I don't really have a whole lot of exciting stuff to talk about. He gets sick a lot but that's the most there is to talk about. Most people don't want to read a letter saying "Merry Christmas! This year, Alex had 1 seizure at the beginning of the year, he had an ear infection that caused his eardrum to bust, he was diagnosed with asthma, and he got glasses because he has one lazy eye and both eyes are really bad!" I figure when he gets older and he is doing stuff like going to school or playing sports, then I'll do the fun family letters but for now I just hope that he gets out of this always-being-sick stage. SO... I had my good friend Kristy go with me and Alex up to the mountains to take some pictures in the snow. It was really cold, but there honestly wasn't much snow to get pretty pictures in. Most of our cute pictures came from inside the lodge of one of the ski resorts. Here are a few of the pictures...

Halloween

Alex went Trick-or-Treating for his first time this year. We were still in St. George at my Grandma's house so we just walked around her neighborhood. At first, he wasn't sure about what to do. But once he got his first candy, he was super excited. He wanted to eat every piece of candy as soon as he got it. He wouldn't say "Trick or treat" but he said "Thank you" at about half of the houses we went to. He was the cutest little Kangaroo I've ever seen!

We love you Pop-Pop!

My last living Grandpa, my dad's step-dad, passed away in October. On Monday October 26th, I found out he had 6 weeks to live. I immediately started planning when I'd be able to go down to St. George to visit him. I figured I'd go on my birthday weekend, that was about a week and a half away. On Wednesday, the 28th, however, I got a phone call saying "If you want to talk to your grandfather, you better call him soon." I asked what was going on and my mom said that he had less than 48 hours to live. I fought with myself about whether I should drive down there immediately to see him, since I hadn't seen him in a year and a half. Unfortunately, I wouldn't even have had a chance to see him even if I had driven down there right away. He died that night around 5:45 pm. My dad had actually just gotten there about an hour before he passed. I wish I could have gotten to see him before he passed, but I'm glad I got to talk to him on the phone and tell him I love him. I didn't get to do this with my other Grandfathers, or with my Great Grandfather. I do miss him greatly, but I feel that he is probably in peace where he is now. He was in a lot of pain before he died, as he was dying from lung cancer. I love and miss all the family I've lost very much. I hope that my "Pop-Pops" are taking care of Jakob and James up there. I love you Pop-Pop!!!

Here is his obituary (it meant more than anyone will ever know that my little Jakob was included in this obituary!!!):

Ted was born in Roxboro Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. on September 16. 1934 he passed away on Wednesday, October 28, 2009.

"Gone Fishing"

Ted's passion was fishing. He was also an avid hunter, getting elk, mule deer, white tail deer, turkey, fox, wild hog and pronghorn. He was a lover of the quiet mountains and streams of the west. He also was a "rock hounder" and traveler, traveling throughout the United States and while serving in the United States Navy on the aircraft carrier USS Tarawa, traveled the world crossing the equator twice, the Arctic Circle and the Antarctic Circle. He lived in Pennsylvania; Holladay, UT.; Hanna, UT,; Greenehaven, AZ.; Bandera, TX. and Ivins, UT. He retired from SPS Technologies after 37 years. Ted's other passion was the Philadelphia Eagles and he was a 21 year season ticket holder not once missing a game. A kind, giving and loving father to his step-children for 40 years loving them as though they were his own. Ted's relationship with God and Jesus Christ was private and devout. He was a friend of "Bill W.". He was a loving, supportive brother and an amazing husband. Anyone who met Ted admired his quiet sense of humor and reserve. He will be missed by all who had his acquaintance.

Preceded in death by his parents: Theodore A. Kunz and Lucinda Kunz of Oreland, PA., Son: Wayne B. Kunz Cripple Creek, CO., and Grandson Jakob D. Tease. Murray, UT., Grandson James G. Brownett Hatboro, PA.

Survived by his wife Janet (Brown) Kunz, Sons: Donald S. Tease (Patricia F. Tease) Murray, UT.; Clifford R. Tease, St. George, UT. (Lynda Kline, Marvon, PA.); Brian W. Kunz, Murray, UT. (Lynsey Doms, Ivins, UT); daughter, Dorothy A. Tease, Ogden, UT. Brother, Robert A. Kunz, Oreland, PA., and Sister-in-law Anne Brown Didier, Palos Park, IL. He has 9 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. Cousins in Kentucky, California, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. He is also survived by lifetime friends Edwin Foody, Oreland, PA. and Joseph Shaw, Fort Washington, PA. and close friends DeWayne Pirtle and Paul Adair.

Services will be held privately at the convenience of Ted’s family. Arrangements are made under the direction of Spilsbury Mortuary, 110 S. Bluff St., St. George, UT. 435-67354 In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to C.A.S.T. For Kids Foundation, 227 S.W. 41st Street, Renton, WA. 98057 or go to the website at CastforKidsFoundation.org Please specify that you would like the donation to go to the Salt Lake City group in memory of Theodore A. Kunz, Jr. This foundation gives disabled children the opportunity to go fishing.

The family wishes to thank the Zion’s Way Hospice Care folks. They gave Ted the very best loving care and support. Chris, Kylie, Victor, Joan, Chuck, Mona, Dwight, Cindy, Lynsey and Kathy just to name a few are the kindness caregivers one could ask for. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. May God Bless You Always.

Aquarium fun

Kristy, William, Braxton, Jacob, Andrew and Daniel all went to the aquarium one day. They invited us to come with and I thought Alex would love it. At every fish tank Alex would run up and say "FISH!!!" He was so excited. It was lots of fun and we got to spend time with Kristy's family which doesn't happen a whole lot so that made it even better. When we got home, I gave Alex dinner and he was so exhausted from the busy day that he fell asleep while eating! Then he was out for a while!!!

Last Girl's Night Out with Jen

We wanted to have one last girl's night out with Jen before she left to go to Missouri. Kristy, Marti, Jen and I all went to Olive Garden for dinner. It was nice to be able to spend one more night with my friends since we don't see each other very much anymore. We love you Jen and we'll miss you very much!

Build a Bear

There is a store called "Build-A-Bear" where kids (or adults) pick out which animal they want, then they get it stuffed as much as they want and they put a heart in it, then they pick out an outfit for it. Finally they fill out a birth certificate and choose a name for their animal. I have a friend who works there so I decided to take Alex and Elizabeth to make their first build a bear. They both had fun but I think they are still too young to understand the whole thing. Elizabeth would have been happy just taking home the stroller they had! LOL. After you're done, the store puts the bear in a little box that is shaped like a house. Both Alex and Elizabeth dragged around their box like it was a suit case and it was the cutest thing!

NICU Reunion

Tonight was the annual NICU reunion. It was really fun. I haven't gone before for multiple reasons. Alex got out of the hospital about a month and a half before the reunion the first year we could have gone. He was still super tiny. We didn't go that year because we had CAST for kids the same day and I was just too tired (so was Alex). Last year CAST was the same day again and we didn't go for pretty much the same reason. This year I decided to go, mostly because I wanted to see one specific person... his primary nurse from the time he was in the NICU. I feel like I owe so much to this woman. Her name is Carrie and she is the most amazing nurse I have ever met. I wanted her to be Alex's primary nurse and she was already the primary for another child so she told me she couldn't do it. About a week later she asked if I had found someone else yet and I told her I hadn't so she said she would do it and she'd just figure something out and try to work with both Alex and the other child she was primary for. She was really good with Alex and always kept me updated on things that were going on with him. She was amazing with me as well. I have to admit that the NICU is a major roller coaster. It is not an easy thing to have to go through, you feel like you don't get to take care of your own baby. She was always there to listen to me whine and complain and vent my frustrations. If I had any issues with the NICU or with something going on with Alex, she made sure they got solved immediately. I feel that it takes a very special person to do her job. She was my guardian angel while Alex was in the hospital. Carrie has such a big soft heart. In December I received a Christmas card from her. It didn't say much except "Hope all is well, Carrie" but when I got it I was immediately filled with joy because I wanted her to know how well Alex was doing. I got the return address and sent her a card with a picture of Alex in it and I included a letter telling her how grateful I am for meeting her. Today, at the reunion, I was a little upset becaues I couldn't find her. Alex was getting tired of being there and was ready to go. As we were leaving I saw a woman from behind that looked really familiar and as soon as she turned around I felt the tears coming! She saw me and gave me a huge hug and I told her that I was so excited to see her. She said that she was working and wanted to come down to see if I was there. That made me feel very special and it proved again that she is a very caring, loving person. She said that she had asked one of the other nurses if they had seen me but they didn't know who I was and as soon as she turned around, there I was. I started crying and told her that if it weren't for her I honestly don't think I would have survived the NICU. She cried as well which really touched my heart. I feel like this woman was my saviour and she did so much to help Alex and I get through his first two months of life. I am so overly elated that I got to see her tonight. She was kind enough to hold Alex for a picture for me. Carrie is one of my heroes and I am so blessed to have met her. I owe her so much for being a part of Alex's life and mine.

We'll Miss you Jen!

One of my best friends, Jen, and her husband Jerry are moving to Missouri. They had a little going away party and invited everyone. It was nice to get together with everyone and relax and have a good time before they left. We'll miss you guys so much! Love you!
(There are lots more pictures but I'm not quite sure where they're at, maybe on a CD somewhere, so I'll add them later)