Katelyn Renee Shumaker

Wednesday January 30, 2008

I was at mommys today watching all the kids and I just started thinking of all the fun times we had!

I was mainly thinking of the last time we played together.. it was actually the Friday night before you went into the hospital. We were playing basketball and I remember me running down the hallway and waiting for a minute and then running back into the livingroom and scaring the crap out of you...it was soo funny and you absolutly loved it we were cracking up!! No one would have ever even guessed you were sick! I had to give you little breaks though because you were laughing so hard you would stop breathing. After that mommy came home from the store and we all had a box fight from her cleaning out the cabinets and with all the empty boxes..we all had a blast! I will always remember that! I miss you so much and I love you with all my heart!!

January 15, 2008

Tonight I went to Children's for a parent support group. It was the first time back there since you went to Heaven. It was such a distraught feeling at first I felt as if there were these heavy bricks just sitting on top of my chest and I couldn't breathe. Walking down the same halls you & I had walked down on so many countless occassions was almost unbearable! I then just took a deep breath and then it felt "normal" (in a good way) to be there. I felt part of you with me! YOU made it ok for me!

I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART!!

January 10, 2008

It has been 3-months since I lost you I could also look at it as you received your beautiful wings 3-months ago Either way I miss you more and more each passing day! I reminesce endlessly of our time together

I'm selling our van. I found someone who really needs it and I think is going to appreciate it tremoundously! So I am now in car shopping mode. Hence it reminds me of another time I was in car shopping mode from totaling the previous car! Remember? You and I were going to Richmond to go shopping and we took the back country roads. Mommy went aruond an s-curve and hit gravel. We went spinning out of control hitting a ditch, bouncing out, skidding for what seemed to be forever, doing several 360s in a corn field, and finally being stopped by a barbwire fence, which was just a few feet from a pretty deep and narrow creek! You all the meanwhile laughing and having the joy ride of a lifetime! Mommy was of course in extreme panic mode!! When we finally stopped I remember rushing my attention to the backseat to make sure you were alright. When you seen my face you stopped in mid-giggle and just froze until I reassured you we were both ok then you let out the rest of your giggle. After the sherrif did the full report and we had went to a nearby friends house so mommy could recollect herself they asked you if you were ready for another joyride and you excidely said YES!! Come to think about it that was your first and last ride in a sherrifs patrol car too! Oh the memories You were definately a true dare devil!!

I love you with all my heart and think about you every second!

CHRISTmas Eve 2007

Merry Christmas Sweet Pea! Katelyn, as Christmas draws near, only hours left, I think of our Christmas' pasts and am forever grateful at the time we had!!What I would give to be with you right now!!!! I know you are in an absolutely amazing place and I am truly comforted by that fact! We will be together again for Christmas one day, until then I love you with all my heart and I treasure our wonderful memories all the time!!!!Did you hear Aunt Ashley & mommy singing you Christmas songs at your site? I know others didLOL! I hope you and Grandma Joan liked your "decorations", daddy gave me the idea! Don't worry, Aunt Ashley & mommy got everyone else too;)

Katelyn, I love you so very much!I know your Christmas will be like no other now that you are free and with our Lord but for me it will never be the same until you are in my arms again!  

Sweet dreams & I love you with all my heart!

Monday December 10, 2007

I can not even believe it’s been 2-months since you’ve been gone.  The heartache I feel just gets heavier as every day passes! I yearn to see your smile and your mad face. I crave to hear your giggle and squeal again. I actually thought I heard your squeal yesterday morning! I dream of the day I can hold you again and hug and kiss you. The kids all talk about you constantly. Madi wore purple earrings today because it was your favorite color! Devon always wants to watch your “picture movie”. We heard your song today, Beautiful, and Devon recognized it and asked if you could hear it up there w/ Jesus! Everyone misses you so much! I love you with all my heart and long for the day that we will be together again!

Daddy and I lit a candle for you last night at the Children's Memorial Service. It was really beautiful but I doubt you would have liked the music because it was slow! Grandma, Mamaw, Papaw, Aunt Jessi, Aunt Ashley, Jamie, Alexis, and Rebekah all came. We set up a table full of picutres for you. I also put your Disney scrapbook, your coat signed by Cinderella, and your cowgirl hat out. We signed your name on a quilt that will hang at Children's in the Sanctuary. Merry Christmas baby, we all love you very much and miss you!!!

Katelyn :]

i remember coming to your house so that your mom could babysit me. we used to just lay around on the couch and watch T.V. i helped you mom with you quite a lot. i loved it so much <33

i will never forget the way you laughed.

i loved to make you laugh.

when you smiled it made me soo happy.

i will miss you.

iloveyou.

<33 kaileigh

Katelyn, I have so many wonderful memories of you and your gregarious personality. I will never forget your smile and how it made everyone in the room smile too. No matter how bad it got, you still had a great sense of humor. I was amazed at how you communicated through your facial expressions.  Who needs words when you can look them in the eye, or not, (depending on whether you were happy with them or not) and everyone knew exactly what you were saying. And who could forget your gun.  It may not have been the most “lady like” thing to do, but it was hilarious.

I will always remember our trips to the zoo, the mall, the fair, and our trip to see Barney.  Those were some of the best times! Alisha still talks about riding the camel and watching the Barney show. Even though she isn't old enough to write to you, I'm sure she misses you, we all do.

As for Chasity, you have been such an inspiration to me.  I know that life has been challenging and it may seem even more challenging now.  However, you have been the best mother anyone could ask for. No matter how hard things got, you gave Katelyn a life that most children could only wish for, 24-7 undivided attention, unconditional love, trips to the mall, shows, family celebrations, and even Disney World. Katelyn was truly blessed to have a mom like you and it showed by her incredible warmth and orneriness. I pray that God fills your heart with love and grace and that he helps you keep Katelyn's memory alive. I also pray that he helps you write new exhilarating pages to your life too.

God bless you both!

Love,

Amy

Katelyn & Chasity came into my life when Chasity attended a support meeting at the ESC when Katelyn was just shy of 2 years old. We were a small group with various parents attending to seek friendship in a safe place. Most of us have sons and here came this sweet young mom of a daughter. Chasity didn’t yet have answers for Katelyn’s challenges but she was definitely “one of us” in her determination to enjoy life as it comes and to refuse to get bogged down in the “tragedy” that the outside world thought must surely be our lives. She knew that life can be pretty great for those of us chosen to have a child with special needs. The group dwindled and eventually just fizzled out. But through that group, a handful of us had clicked and decided to stay connected. Those of us with older kids could share experiences and strategies with those with younger kids. Those with younger kids could share their frustrations and triumphs with us. We were all empowered by our common passion for making and drinking a healthy dose of lemonade. It was/is good! We could all just be girls at times – briefly “forgetting” that primarily we are moms! We were just a group of moms whose children brought us together. Our genuine fondness of each other made and has kept us friends.

Several years ago, my family and I ran into Chasity and Katelyn at The Fair. They’d come out on a cool (well, for August anyway!) evening to enjoy the sights, sounds, visits with people, and smells that define the experience of The Great Darke County Fair. It was good to see them doing their thing, having a good time. During one of Katelyn’s many hospital stays, Tina and I took a road trip to Children’s for a visit. We’d taken a goodie-bag with some of the things a girl has to have. Katelyn’s eyes lit up when her mommy told her that they’d change out nail polish after we left! A girl can’t be going around with chipped polish – and a Princess really can’t be doing that J! They’d had a few rousing games of basketball and were ready for some quiet time but the giggles had taken over upon our arrival. Katelyn’s laughter and giggles are so contagious that we couldn’t help but carry on like giggling girls tend to do when grouped together!

I am honored to be your friend, Chasity and Katelyn! Chasity, I truly understand that having your hands full is a billion times preferable to having your arms empty… I’m truly sorry that your arms are empty now but I’m grateful for your abundantly full heart and spirit. I am certain that Katelyn is loving you from heaven and that she’ll always be with you… for “us”, the connections we have melding us with our child are uncanny and eternal…at times it is truly as if we are one with our child. You and Katelyn are one of the outstanding examples of that phenomenon.

Hugs and love,

Lonnie