Our crazy couple of weeks!

Well, crazy could describe our past couple of weeks and also the reason I haven't got around to blogging. We made it to TX and have really enjoyed being with family again. It seems almost strange to have all of our family close by (living away from them for so long) but a wonderful blessing. Faith has transitioned very well, which I'm so thankful for. She has enjoyed playing with her cousins and being reunited with Callie's dog, Annie. Although much to my dismay and disgust I found her on all fours, head down, drinking Annie's water!!! I guess to a toddler whatever a dog eats or drinks must be tasty for them too. =)
Jason started back to work on Thursday and so far things are going well. He is enjoying being back and just trying to get the swing of things again. I'm doing well, it's been a big couple of weeks and at times have been a little overwhelming. I've been coughing more so we are going to call my local doctor and see if we can figure out the problem. We feel like we have been through a whirl wind yet through the craziness I have had to stop and reflect on what an amazing God we serve. It's a huge miracle and blessing for me to be where I am and to be doing the things I am able to do now. It's easy for me to get caught up in the silly details of life and forget to stop and say, "thank you" to the Lord! There is much to be thankful for though! I thought I would just share some videos and pictures of the activities that have kept us a little occupied.

I guess the best place to start would be the great moment of firing up the truck!


Here it ROAR! from Emily Mulkey on Vimeo.

Faith loves to "help" daddy with his truck and if she could drive it she would!


We had a fun good-bye party with our great Sunday school class, which we pretty much consider them family! They have been through so much with us and we feel so blessed to have them has friends! WE LOVE YOU ALL!!!


Faith is just lounging around in daddy's shoes watching TV! (Look relaxing, huh?)


Saying good-bye to our house


Of course, our big adventure was heading out to TX and like all moves and road trips there are always "bumps" and delays that go along with it (or at least on our trips there are). =)

Are we there yet? from Emily Mulkey on Vimeo.

The unloading of the truck!!


We are very excited as we WELCOME 2 new nieces this week! Christie, Brandon's wife (Jason's brother) will have her c-section on Wednesday (Baby Nan)! And....Melissa (Jason's sister) will be induced on Thursday (Baby Lily)! So, we got here just in time for all the excitement!

Pumpkin Patch

I really should be packing right now instead of posting on my blog but I know things will be crazy with the move and I'll never get these pictures up if I don't do it NOW! I never grew up going to a pumpkin patch to pick out a pumpkin (we just went to the store) but since we have lived here I have loved going to the "Great Pumpkin Patch". It's so much fun for the kids (& adults) to ride the wagon to the pumpkin patch and pick your favorite pumpkin in the midst of hundreds! It's also a great time to take fall pictures!
At the "Great Pumpkin Patch" they offer more then just pumpkins. There is pony rides, petting zoo, inflatable park & much more! Faith loves horses so she was thrilled to ride a pony! She wasn't afraid at all, in fact she pointed to which one she wanted to ride and ran up to it, ready for someone to put her on it. I guess she gets her love for horses from her mama. =)




Which one to choose? from Emily Mulkey on Vimeo.


My first pony ride! from Emily Mulkey on Vimeo.












Moving/Health Update~
Praise the Lord, my sweet mother in-law, Mitzi, came to help me pack! It is so great to have her here since she is quite an expert in packing/moving. Our house has not sold yet but we need to go ahead and move but we continue to pray that it will sell soon! Since my mom got married and has moved into her new house, we will be able to move into my old house and rent it while we wait for our house to sell. It will also give us time to figure out where we want to live.

Yea!!! Jason got his truck up and running! It was a great moment and we were barely able to get it out of the garage without deflating the tires. Maybe I'll be able to share the footage of the "beast" coming to life! I'm very proud of Jay and the awesome work he has done! It's going to be a fun truck!

I'm feeling pretty well these days. My feet and ankles tend to stay swollen and it gets worse as the day progresses, so I have to take breaks to rest my feet. I have some other not so fun side effects but I am so thankful I can breath and have no rejection right now.

Prayer for us~
*Please pray we will get everything done this week and safe travel
*I'll stay healthy and strong through all the changes
*Pray for Jason as he gets back into work and Faith with the new changes
*That our house will sell soon

Mulkeys.....You are clear for take off!!!

Well, we are not headed to the moon but yes, we have been cleared, given the OK to go a head and move to TX. There is still some things with my blood work that are not exactly where they need to be so I will be getting blood drawn every other week so they can watch it. Praise the Lord my lungs are doing good right now! I'm still experiencing some swelling in my feet and ankles, which might just have to be for a while (My feet look like the hobbits in "Lord of the Rings"). It always seems to be a puzzle to figure out just the right balance for your body.

We are looking forward to being with our family in TX yet it is very much mixed emotions leaving our home in AL. God has blessed us so much with wonderful friends, church family, home, & medical team (which we will be staying with UAB) it's hard to leave those things. A new season is starting and we continue to trust the Lord as He moves and guides us in many new ways. We are planning on taking off in less than two weeks, CRAZY! So, we would really appreciate your prayers as we try to get everything together! Thank you!

Party Time!!!

Well, I'm extremely late in posting this but I said I would post some videos of Faith's birthday party so I finally got it together! We had a great time celebrating Faith's 2nd birthday. Of course, her heart's desire would be to have a "Dora the Explorer" party and so we did Dora all the way! I could take the time to write about our fun day but I thought you all might enjoy it better if you could watch some of the action. ENJOY! (You can scoll down to the end of the blog to turn down the back ground music)

Side Note~ In case you haven't been up on your children shows, "Dora the Exlporer" is a fun, educational show that has captured many children! (Including my child)



Birthday Girl from Emily Mulkey on Vimeo.





Fun in the Sprinkler from Emily Mulkey on Vimeo.


Happy Birthday to YOU!! from Emily Mulkey on Vimeo.


Birthday Cake from Emily Mulkey on Vimeo.


Pinata Time!! from Emily Mulkey on Vimeo.

Angels in Waiting

Note~ You can scroll down to the bottom of the blog to turn down the back ground music so you can hear the "Angels in Waiting" clip.

Many of you have heard this song but I'm not sure if you knew this song was dealing with CF. Tammy Cochran captures the sweetness, beauty, and joy she got to experience in the short time her brothers were here on earth. I can't imagine how difficult it must have been for her to write this song but I'm so thankful she did. The reality of Cystic Fibrosis is horrible but it always amazes me how God uses the lives of those who fight, live with CF however long their journey maybe. When I hear of someone, a friend who has CF and has passed away, I don't like to hear people say, "they lost their battle with CF," I would rather them say,"they finished their race."

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:7-8

I would like to dedicate this song to a sweet friend, Katie (CF) who just finished her race. She was on the transplant list for 8 months. We were hoping and praying for those "new" lungs to come and the Lord did bring her the perfect pair of lungs, just not what we were hoping. I know she is breathing better now then she could ever imagine. I know Katie, was loved by so many and she was a joy to be around as well as an example of Christ's love. She loved the Lord and I know she fought the good fight, physically as well as spiritually. My heart aches and hurts for her family and I just want them to know they are in my prayers and I just ask you to be praying for them as well.

Katie, you were an angel, a light for Christ to so many and even though I did not get to meet you here on earth I know one day I will see you in perfect health. No longer waiting but praising God for His amazing grace and mercy.

The Old Rock Church

The Old Rock Church

(Was built in 1886)
I was reminded just how beautiful the sunsets are in TX!

We were so thankful we could head out to TX and be with our family and say good-bye to Papa Johnson. The Old Rock Church, holds a special place for Jason's mom's family as it is where most of their family is buried. Clifton, TX ,where the Old Rock Church is, is an old Norwegian settlement and also where Papa & Mimi grew up (or a town close to it known in the family as "The Gap"). The grave site service was nice and Papa was honored for his service in the Navy and Mimi presented with the American flag. Papa left a special legacy and God used him in many ways and we look forward to the day when we will see him again.

It was great to see the cousins again, we miss them! Jane, Tom, Jake, Peter, Sissy (their foster baby) & baby Nan who we are expecting to see in November!!

We also were able to stop by and visit with my cousin, Tiff (& her family), my uncle, Tom (who I have asked for prayer for) & also my cousin , Jesse, who is on leave from Iraq. We had a great time visiting with them and Faith enjoyed playing with her cousins (Tiff's children). We are so proud of Jesse for his sacrifice for our country! Thank You!!!!

Tiff's children; Jack, Gwyneth, & Liv

Crazy fun! Love those faces

Please continue to pray for my Uncle, Tom, who is still fighting some serious health issues. My dad (his identical twin) will be going through the procedure of harvesting his stem cells in hopes that it will "cure" his brother's cancer. This is the only option for my uncle or he would have to do chemo the rest of his life. He has a lot going on and it's been very tough but we are very thankful he has a twin that has a perfect match for him to receive these stem cells. Thank you for praying for him.

Thanks for your prayers as we made the 13-14 hour trip to TX. Faith did well in the car, although I don't think she would want to do that too often. =)

A Hero flies Home

We all have people we look up too, our heroes. They inspire the lives of all they have touched but it's also the legacy they leave behind that makes them the cherished hero. One of Jason's hero's, his Papa, Merrill Johnson, died last night after being in the hospital 6 months fighting to recover from his heart valve replacement. We are thankful he no longer is hurting but it's always hard to let go.

Jason always looked up to Papa. He was a true Texan from his cowboy hat down to his boots. He was a welder most of his life but above all he was a devoted family man with a kind and gentle spirit. Papa, you will be dearly missed and always remembered.

Some GREAT memories; Papa burgers, Papa dollar, super jalp, shooting the left ear of a locust, first snort of beer, swing set, tree house, horny toads, turbo fan, aggie gadgets, firearms, jerky treats, hermit crabs he dearly loved, Pete the cat and great stories and sayings that always made you laugh.


I remember Faith was crying and Papa seemed to think us, women were not doing a good enough job of keeping her happy. So, he happily held her and they had a good bonding moment although it did not last too long. (I guess nobody could please her that day)

A special Papa tradition is giving his grandchildren or in this case his great-grandchildren a "Papa Dollar". Faith was only 2 months old when she first met Papa Johnson and received her treasured dollar.

We will be heading to Clifton, TX for the funeral. Please keep Jason's family in your prayers, thank you.

"Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But, thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:55-56

Christ's victory over death gives us hope that we who are in Christ will live with Him forever!

Big Girl!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FAITH!!!

Our sweet baby girl is growing up (I guess I forget they do that)! Though I've loved every stage so far I tend to get a little emotional about her moving more out of the baby phase and into being a big girl. Although she is growing up to be a beautiful and sweet little girl, she is also quite the fire cracker (commented by many as well as the doctors.....great!). She is our blessing and God's wonderful workmanship,masterpiece.

"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well." Psalm 139:13-14

Well we had to be in clinic most of the day on Faith's birthday so it started out a little on the boring side for her. (She was as bored as she looks waiting for the doctor)



However we tried to keep up the birthday spirit by singing her "Happy Birthday" through out the day. We did get to celebrate some when we got home by giving her our present, BIG present! We were excited to give her, her first kitchen set. She loved it! I taught her how to "cook" well.... OK, I can't really cook that great but I can teach her how to boil water and cook mac-n-cheese (her favorite)! I guess we will both learn to cook.=)



We headed off to DQ for some dessert and we thought since it's her special day we will let her get her OWN treat so, we got her a strawberry Sunday! Well.....she took 2 bites of it and decided my blizzard looked much better! So much for trying to make her feel special with her own treat!

We had a party for her on Saturday (next post!) and she had a great time! Once again, I'm sorry for the long delay since my last post. We have been so busy and I have also been trying for A WEEK to upload some of the birthday video's onto the blog to show you. However! I am NOT happy with blogger and for what ever reason it will not upload the videos. I will continue to try to get it to work but I'm sorry for the delay and not being able to show you them at this time.

Quick health update~ I ran another very high fever last Tuesday night and so that was the reason we had to go into clinic on Wednesday (Faith's b-day). Turns out I do have some pneumonia in which they have put me on an oral medicine. I go back to clinic in a week and see how things are going so far. I pray this medicine works as I am not use to treating pneumonia just by pill and not IV. I'm still learning how to adjust to new lungs. =)

NO REJECTION!!!

No rejection.......those are the words we have been hoping and praying to hear. My doctor informed me today that my biopsy came back negative for rejection (I had to hold back the tears)!!! We are in a state of shock (I don't know why because we knew God could do that) but sooooo thankful! This is a huge step forward for me and feels like a breath of fresh air. God is so gracious and merciful! Praise the Lord!

To add to our blessings today we found out that I do not have pneumonia. When I got to UAB they took another x-ray and found it to be clear....it's all God! They kept me over night to watch me but I got to go home today. We went out with some good friends tonight to celebrate the great news! Once again I can't begin to express how amazing and huge this is to have no rejection. However, we won't get the results back about the infection (mold) for a couple of weeks. Thank you for your prayers!

Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits
who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagles.
Psalm 103:1-5

Thursday & Friday

Hello everyone! It's Emily Tardy. Em is without her computer tonight so she called and asked if I would put up a quick post to keep you up to date. She had her bronchoscopy yesterday and everything went really well with the procedure. She was home by late afternoon, went to a Bible Study last night, and went to bed early since she was pretty tired. They should find out the results of the bronchoscopy sometime next week.

When she woke up this morning, she had a very low grade fever and some sinus pain. After getting in touch with UAB, they decided to go to the Cullman ER in order to do a couple of tests to see if she needed to be back at UAB. As she was on her way there with Jason, she complained that the right side of her chest hurt a little bit so they did a chest xray and found pneumonia. They had done a chest xray after the bronchoscopy yesterday so either the pneumonia hit really quick or did not show clearly on her xray yesterday. They decided to transfer her to UAB so she is back at her "2nd home" tonight. She probably will not see the doctor until the morning and will hopefully know more about what this means. She has never had pneumonia with non-CF lungs so it is definitely new territory.

One praise is that the house is going to show tomorrow! They received a phone call about the showing this afternoon so Jason is at home trying to get the yard and house ready tonight. Please pray for them and for the showing tomorrow! Thanks~Emily T