Opportunity to honor our boys and help others

Just a couple weeks after our boys died, I received several emails about a Bible study starting up for moms who had lost a child in the first year of life. I contacted the leader (she is a part of M.E.N.D.), and she had a "comfort bag" sent to me from the M.E.N.D. organization (Mommies Enduring Neonatal Death) MEND.org.  I went to the first study- just 2 weeks after Michael and Jake died and although I was not not ready to be in such a small group discussing this (I would have to talk even if I didn't want to because there were only a couple of us), Jon and I decided to do the "Walk to Remember"through M.E.N.D. the following Saturday. click here for post I have also been a regular at the M.E.N.D. support group which meets once a month (different than the Bible study).  There is also a "Daddy's group" that meets quarterly and Jon has been twice.  We also participated in the Christmas candle light service in December. click here to see post
M.E.N.D. has been SUCH a great group and blessing to us.  There is a connection with the other moms/dads that you can't have with someone who has not experienced the death of their child.  It is unspoken and yet so comforting at the same time.  There are women who have been coming for several years (to help others) and some meetings there are parents who have just lost their baby days ago.  I have been able to hear "what to expect", "how to make it through..", "there is life after" and all the comforting things that no one else could understand or say.
So why am I writing about this?  I am asking for your help. M.E.N.D. is a Texas non-profit organization (Christian too) that relies solely on donations.  Not only do they give "comfort bags" to families, they also have the ceremonies in Oct. and Dec., plus a free bi-monthly newsletter.  Everything including the meetings is free of charge.
I hate thinking about all the families that will be in our shoes one day, but I am so grateful for the blessing that the M.E.N.D. family has been to Jon and I (and even my parents).
If you would like to honor our boys' lives and be a blessing to others in a VERY hard situation then please consider making a donation on their behalf.  All donations will go to the Houston Chapter and you will receive a tax receipt.
Each donation made will be in memory of Michael and Jake and will go in the newsletter "in the Memory of"section.  It will include your name, our name and Michael and Jake's names.  I will even get you a copy for your keeping if you make a donation.

Please send your check to: 
M.E.N.D.- Houston 13519 Pegasus Rd. 
Cypress, TX. 77429 
PLEASE  put MICHAEL and JAKE KLUBNIK on the memo line of the check.

There are not many times that we will get to see our boys' name written down and as silly as it seems, just writing it in this blog and seeing it in the M.E.N.D programs has been such a blessing.  It means that they were real, they left an imprint on this world and that their lives can touch someone else.
Thank you so much for being a part of our journey through this and for letting me ask you for your support!

Fun times with friends

We are so blessed to have so many friends who have kids Allie's age.  Heather from our Sunday school class organizes a "Friday Fun Group" each week and we get to do lots of fun things!  Plus, it's so great to hang out with other moms who are going through the same thing!  Sometimes we have over 20 kids come and sometimes, it is a small group.  I usually forget to take my camera, but here are some pictures since Jan

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Monkey Joe's back in Jan. - Claire and Allie

 Valentine's Party at Allison's house -Kennedy, Allie and Lindsey

 Heather, Karen, Bonnie, Trisha, Jeri Lynn

 Claire and Allie at the Roller Skate Rink.

 They had the music and lights on and the kids could bring puch toys

Allie was not happy and Sam was trying to cheer her up!  It was too cute!!

At the park.

Pregnant moms!

Cason, Allie and Christian

Allie and Claire

Bellaire Nature Discovery Center

 

Learning about frogs

Pretending to be a frog

 Looking for frogs!

 At the park

 we also spend lots of other days with Allison and Bonnie and their kids

 Chick Fil A had a princess night and it was PACKED!  Allison and her family went and I also saw Lindsay and her family there.  Allie and Megan didn't want anything to do with the live Cinderella or Belle!  It was fun but way too crowded and will not do that again!

 Allie in Megan's  Cinderella  dress.  She is not really into princess stuff yet

 At a park with Megan

 We went to the Children's Museum the other day and Allie got to ride in Lindsey's car seat since she was with her Grandma that day.  Allie was so excited to ride in Allison's car!

Megan and Allie making a picture from stamps.
I have learned so much from hanging out with these moms and getting to see how they discipline and what their kids are capable of has really been so nice this year!  Everyone needs a great mom's group and friends!

Mother's Day 2011

Needless to say, Mother's Day this year was bittersweet.  Allie is such a blessing and I love being her mom, but I also wish I could have Michael and Jake with us as well.We got to spend time with my parents on Mother's Day and I am also very thankful for my mom.  Her mom died just 2 months prior and I know it was a difficult day for us both. My mom has been such a wonderful Grandma to Allie ( and mom to me) and I have learned so much from watching her interacting with Allie.  Allie adores her and I am so thankful that they live close by so that they both get to know each other so well.  My Grandparents lived in different states growing up and I never really got to know them.     I think I missed out on so much not getting to know them better.  This is a sweet picture of them.

Three generations

 My silly girl!  The day was pretty uneventful and I think it was good that way!  Sometimes holidays can be over rated!

She just looks so sweet and grown up in this picture!

First year of Mother's Day out

This year, we put Allie in Mother's Day Out at Sugar Creek Baptist after the twins died as a way to give me a break and time to heal.  What we didn't know was that it would be the BEST thing that we could have done for Allie!  She LOVED it and her teachers, Ms. Amy and Ms. Christie were so awesome!  They were so good with her and loved her so much.  We often heard their names at home as Allie loved to talk about them.  Ms. Amy's little girl, Taylor, went to be with Jesus last December at 10 years old.  When she shared that with me, I knew this was where Allie needed to be.  There was a connection there and I am thankful for her.

Mom's and Dad's got to come last week for a little celebration.

 Ms. Christie reading a story.  Somehow, Allie didn't seem interested- can you tell?  :O)

The top picture was taken yesterday and the next one was taken on her first day of school in late Sept.

They made a scrapbook of her year and a basket of goodies for her.

The last day was a fun day and she got her face painted!  (Behind her is some of her artwork from school).  I love that they did so many fun crafts with them because I would never have thought to do them and now they are great keepsakes!  She learned how to sit at the table and eat lunch (without getting up!), how to nap on the floor (when she actually did!), lots of songs and stories, to tell her teachers when she needed something (like going potty!), and so much more.  It was always fun to hear what she had done during the day and how she interacted with her friends.  I remember for a long time them telling me that instead of taking a nap, Allie would sing to the other kids!  I guess she thought she needed to help them go to sleep!  She never had an accident while potty training and in fact, some days she didn't ever go!
We will miss this class!  But we are so thankful for the great first year experience!

Easter weekend

Lots of fun Easter weekend...  Allie's little friend Audrey had her 2nd birthday party the Saturday before Easter complete with an egg hunt and lots of fun.

 Fun little roller coaster!

 Audrey, the b-day girl is on the middle swing

 Gotta love great friends!!!  Bonnie, Alicia, Allison and I

What great sports!  The dads put on bunny ears to get the egg hunt ready!

Then we drove to Austin to spend Easter with Jon's brother's family.  We left straight from the party and I knew Allie had to use the potty, but was having a hard time going at the party.  I guess I just figured she would fall asleep once we were in the car since it was nap time.  WRONG!  Literally, the whole time we were either listening to her say "Mommy, I have to go potty," or stopping and trying to get her to go!  We even tried walking around to see if that would help get things going!  We used the travel potty, we went indoors to the store potties-nothing worked!  Needless to say our trip took  A LOT longer than usual!  She was finally able to go once we got there though!  :O)

That night, Riley babysat for us so we could go out to eat.  What was so nice was that Kim had called me earlier that week asking if it would be alright if Riley watched Allie!  I didn't have to ask at all-she was asking me!  How fun is that?

 Kim was so sweet to get Allie an Elmo basket complete with goodies!  (Good thing too b/c I totally forgot hers at home!)

 Allie, Cade, and Riley (Reed was not feeling well and Carson was still at church)  I love Allie's face!

 Riley and Allie

 Jon was jumping up and down making them laugh!  Too cute!

 Aunt Kim

 

 Allie loved this trash can because when she stepped on it, it opened for her.  She loves to throw things away and here she is peeling her orange- right into the trash!  Gotta love her!

We went to church with them in the morning and then we all drove to San Antonio to have lunch at 

Kim's parent's house.  Carson (the oldest cousin), shared about his trip to Zambia last year and the incredible things he witnessed God do there.  He is going back this summer and I am sure he will have even more incredible things to talk about.  It's so neat to see teenagers be so fired up for God, especially when they have witnessed things that most Americans would deny could happen!  (I didn't get a picture though! :o(  )

 A ball is always fun!

 Last egg hunt and she was a pro now!

Daddy checking out the goods with her!

When we drove home from San Antonio Sunday night, Allie again had a lot to say about going potty!  We made several stops; again to no avail!  Luckily, she finally fell asleep around 9pm and she forgot about it!  I guess I really can't complain because she has not had any accidents since potty training (well one in the house) and she is really good about going when she needs to!