Happy Birthday Kyrie!

There are moments in life when you just know...God is involved.  Today was one of those days...full of those moments.

For those of you who don't know, today is Kyrie's birthday.  This day is so special for her family as it is full of memories of when she was brought into this world.  She was truly a gift from God...of this I am sure.  Last night as I was reading on facebook, I came across this post written by Lacie.

"Hard to believe my sweet little angel in heaven would have been 7 tomorrow.... Missing you like crazy here on Earth but so thankful to know we will be together again someday! Happy Birthday sweet Kyrie Dawn, not a day goes by we don't think about you! Sending a great Big I LOVE YOU to Heaven tonight!"

Kyrie Dawn Thome was more than a special little girl.  She was a special little girl with a mission.  A mission bigger than Jordan and Lacie could ever imagine.  Kyrie was sent to be loved and to inspire.  I know this as I was inspired by her.  I was inspired by a little girl I had never met.  I was inspired by a little girl whose story wouldn't reach my email until almost a year after she'd gone to be with Jesus.  I was inspired by a little girl's parents and their battle with her cancer.  I was inspired by the true love that encircled the people in her family and in her life.  I was inspired by the group of people who stared the Kyrie Foundation in Kyrie's memory to help save other babies and their families from ever having to go through what they went through.  

I can't thank God enough for allowing me the opportunity to be touched by Kyrie.  She touched my life and the lives of those around me in ways I can't explain.  I know those of you reading this post can relate.  If you are a part of this foundation, you have been touched as well.  

Today, we celebrate Kyrie's 7th birthday.  She is loved and missed beyond all comprehension.  She has two little brothers and a baby sister who will sing Happy Birthday to her tomorrow at a family gathering.  There will be pink cupcakes...and most likely balloons.  There will be laughter...and a few tears.  But there will be love and a lasting memory of Kyrie and how she touched their lives and continues to do so every, single day.  

With every smile from a child...remember Kyrie.

With every donation...remember Kyrie.

On September 15th, 2012 at Bishop Carroll High School...with every step...remember Kyrie.

With every candle that burns on a birthday cake, be grateful...and remember Kyrie.  

We are so very thankful for Kyrie Dawn Thome...the life she shared...and the story God continues to write.  

And...as a friend, I thought it only right that we share "our" news.  Seeing how this is a family matter...I decided to let Jordan's post on facebook do the talking.  

"A very special Happy Birthday Today! My sweet princess Kyrie would be 7 years old today. Sept 1st has always been a happy day for me. And this Sept 1st, I get to Welcome a new little niece Emerson Grace into this world. Congratulations to Megan and Chad on your sweet baby girl! Today has been very special to us, and now you have this day to celebrate too.! And Really........What are the odds of that happening, today was meant to be the day. :)"

Today was full of those kind of moments for me.  I hope it was for you too.

Have a blessed day!
Amy Nelson

This is why you should come to the Twilight Walk.

Written by Jordan, April 2007

Oh, God, where do I even start.

Kyrie is such a blessing to our lives, though we only her for such a short amount of time I am forever touched and changed having been her father.  Even through all this pain, I still thank God for every moment I was allowed to be with her.  Lacie and I really believe that every day is a gift.  Lacie lay with Kyrie last night sleeping on “Dog” with her, watching as she struggled to breathe.  We watched Kyrie until our eyes wouldn’t allow us do it any longer.  With every short breath, we wondered if it would be her last.

            I can’t even describe the pain we feel right now deep in our hearts.  Being her “Dadda” has forever changed me.  Her little life has touched us both in ways only a parent would understand.  As we spent the early morning talking last night, we remembered all the special times we shared with Kyrie.  Kyrie use to make it a game to sneak under the counter and pull Daddy’s toe hairs while I would try to eat at the counter.  I would let out a little squeal, and it would make her laugh so hard.  Or the many mornings I would wake up to a little set of fingers pinching Daddy’s “ouchy." Well she quickly learned that Daddy’s ouches were “boo-boos."  Lacie thought it was the funniest thing how I would wake from a deep sleep to her pinching, and they would both giggle. 

            There are so many precious moments that we shared with her, and I can truly say I don’t regret any time we had with her.  From the time Kyrie was born, she was our entire life.  Lacie and I both wanted to spend every moment we could with her.  I would hurry home from work to play with her, and even got in trouble a few times for getting her wound up.  Once Kyrie started walking it wasn’t long before she began running.  Every where she went, Kyrie would run.  And it was so cute to watch her run behind me every where I went.  Run, half hop—it was adorable.  Since Kyrie’s first surgery she hasn’t walked or even crawled. 

            When the time comes for her to leave us, I believe she will be running to God, and He will accept her with wide open arms and show her the love that Lacie and I have for the last 19 months.

There are soooo many things Kyrie didn’t get to do.  Like lose her first tooth, or skin her knee learning to ride a bike, prom, children of her own.  Life just isn’t fair.  My heart is so heavy, I cannot write any more at this time.

Thank you to all who have been praying for Kyrie, and to those who have left comments for our family.  It has really lifted us up knowing that so many people care and have been touched by Kyrie’s little life.  

Jordan 

And this kind of story is being felt by nearly a dozen families each and every day in the U.S. because of pediatric brain cancer—the #1 cancer-killer of children. This is why we do what we do. Please join us September 15! http://kyriefoundation.dojiggy.com

Thankful Thursday: Sponsor-style

We are SO INCREDIBLY grateful once again as we work to plan the 5th annual Twilight Walk!!! Every year is a simply a leap of faith: Will we be able to pull this off? Will people help? Will people come? Will people care?

And each year as the event gets closer and closer, and stress builds and builds, there are plenty of moments that completely bowl us over. Today we are acknowledging a special group of do-gooders—the sponsors. These businesses, these people who said yes, make the impossible possible. They are the ones in the community who deserve your business because they are so much more than "just business."

EXTRA SPECIAL THANKS to those who have generously stepped up to support the Kyrie Foundation 2012 Twilight Walk!!!

Family Church 

Jayhawk Oilfield Supply 

Valley Center Christian Church

Thankful Thursday

Still so thankful to JustinMcClureTV and all of our friends & family for helping put this message together. So .... are you registered yet, friends????? Share the link! Share the love!!!!





REGISTER HERE: http://kyriefoundation.dojiggy.com/

Thankful Thursday

Ah! So much to be grateful for today ...

If you haven't heard, registration is open and hopping for the 2012 Twilight Walk!! Spread the word! http://kyriefoundation.dojiggy.com Grateful for all those who are already forming teams, fundraising and sponsoring this incredible, and much-needed event to cure pediatric brain cancer!

Grateful for the brand, new fundraising event in St. Louis this year!

Grateful that children like Kyrie and Taya and Ethan and now little Ava are not lost in vain because of what you are doing to help. We're doing something and that's always better than doing nothing.

And grateful for this today:

What are you grateful for today?

Thankful Thursday

SPIKE IT!

Today we're so thankful for the chutzpah it takes to try something new. Of course, we're no strangers to this concept. Every idea, every ask we endeavor is a brave step forward—a step that leads to the cure no matter what kind of response we get. But there are some really cool peeps in the world that really embrace this concept.

So thankful that Wendy and Susan are trying something new for sick kiddos around the globe, a new event in a new city with new people. Pretty courageous, eh?

SPREAD THE WORD TO ANYBODY YOU KNOW IN ST. LOU-EEE!

Another big milestone!

Since the day a few people gathered in 2007 to talk about doing something big and good to fight children's brain cancer, there had been a yearning to financially help families going through the fight in addition to funding scientific research. It was a tough call, but we decided to work on the research arm of the Kyrie Foundation first because that's where the impending cure resides.

With each passing event and each family we met, we knew we wanted to grow our good. Lacie and Jordan can attest to how shocking and heartbreaking and staggering medical bills can be during the fight, especially at a time when one parent likely needs to be home from a job in order to care for the child.

We are so proud to announce a brand new event in a brand new city that will launch the Kyrie Foundation Family Assistance Fund!!!!!

Share the info with your St. Louis pals via Facebook!

Saturday, July 14
5:00 p.m
Firefighters Sports Complex
115 McMenamy Road
St. Peters, MO

A 6x6 co-ed tourney in round robin format followed by a single elimination tournament. Round robin matches consist of 2 games to 21, win by 2, max 25 points. Tournament matches will be best 2 out of 3 games to 25 points, win by 2, max 28 points. All teams guaranteed 4 matches. Tournament winner receive t-shirts. Divisions: Rec, Intermediate and Competitive. Food & bev available at complex (no outside food/drinks allowed).
$200/team of up to 8 players

Get your registration form here.

Contact Wendy Wilkinson (316) 644-7475/wendy@kyriefoundation.org or Susie Berry (636)-284-4942 for registration and questions.

Can you believe we get to grow like this?!? Spread the word! Hope to see you there!!