Keeping Kendra: Bucket List #6 HAVE CHILDREN

Having children was sixth on the list. Neither one of her pregnancies were planned, but Kendra loved her kids! Ethan Daniel Grant was born December 12, 2007. At around 3 he was diagnosed first with delayed development then later on with Aspergers. She was so proud of Ethan, at how smart he was. Anything he had an interest in, he developed a passion for learning everything about it and would become an expert on that particular subject. She loved that his interest in books and learning was just as intense as hers was.

In October of 2012, she discovered she was 6 months pregnant with Gianna Her doctor discovered that Gia had a rare condition, a heart tumor. Kendra was hospitalized the first of December, because the baby had fluid building up in her lungs, abdomen and around the heart. We were so scared, because they did not have a high success rate for those babies. It was so rare that Gia was only the 22nd case ever at Childrens Mercy Hospital in Kansas City. Kendra's water broke when Gia was only at 32 weeks and there was a huge team of doctors on hand for the delivery. They took Gia into surgery at only an hour old. She was a little trooper and defied all the odds and came through that surgery. We were told she was truly a miracle and we knew she was. We had hundreds of people praying for her. She was born two days after Christmas and we call her our Christmas miracle! Her middle name is Faith, so appropriate. She was in the NICU for a couple of months. Kendra lived at the Ronald McDonald house so she could be there with her the whole time. After all that, it makes me so sad that little Gia lost her Momma right before her fourth birthday.

We didn't just lose a daughter or a sister, these little guys lost the most important person in their life, their loving mom. So as sad as I am for us, I truly grieve for them. My hope is that we always keep the joy and spirit of their mother alive for them. That we tell them how funny and outgoing she was and how much she loved them.

Because our dear Ethan is special needs, our oldest daughter Danielle and her husband Ryan have asked to adopt him. It was agreed upon and accepted by his father who will still continue to raise our Gigi. I praise God for all his blessings even in our sorrow because he listens to our cries and continues to take care of all our needs. No matter what, God is good, all the time.

I live by Kendra's last words in her journal: "Keep praying. Good things are coming". I try to find joy every day, even in my sorrow and always believe there's still lots of good ahead! I'm so happy those were her last thoughts!