Gosh its been about 4 years since I last updated this site.  Alot has changed in our lives.  I was talking with a friend today and she was asking me if I had updated my journal lately... she has read my "other journal" Life on the Branch and I asked if she read this one, she said no... I didn't know about that one.  SO I logged in to show her and later on decided to go back down memory lane and read our story.  As I was reading my entries of those last few weeks of our time with Brooklyn, I could feel a great panic building up with in me.  Feelings rushing back that I know that I have suppressed.  I believe God allows our minds to "shut off" to those things or memories that are most painful to us.   We still here on the Branch miss our Precious Brooklyn soo much.  Our lives have been forever changed. She has not been forgotten - we still talk about Brooklyn EVERYDAY.  But as I was reading over our entries and realized how long it has been since I last updated, I thought I would give you a glimpse in our life now.    We are STILL a family, who loves deeply, who still LOVES the LORD, has greater faith, still believes in miracles, and still serving the one who has given us such HOPE.   The LORD has never left us. He is still FAITHFUL and he has been good to us on the Branch.   Yes, we have had more struggles than we would like, yes we have questions, doubts, and been through the different levels of grief more than once. We are grieving, but we have HOPE.  Many have stated, that we are a strong family- I always like to refer them to 2 Corinthians 12:9  "My Grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness".   I am so glad that the LORD sees when we are weak, and he gives us strength to hold on.    
Now I would like to up date you on Shawn and Hannah:
Shawn is turning 26 in July- He is single but looking lol-he would kill me if he knew that I said that- but its true-  I guess I am helping him look for his bride (HAHAHA)     Shawn spent 2 years at Bible College in PA, accepted the call to Preach the Gospel, he preached recently at our church and done an outstanding job!  He will graduate in 2020 with a theology degree from Luther Rice University.  Shawn as you may remember has a heart condition (born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome)  But the LORD is still keeping his hand on Shawn and he is doing well, over the last few years we had some bumps in the road, and thought Shawn may be heading toward heart transplant last year, he had a cardiac cath - his CVP pressure was 15, he will go to transplant if it gets to 19 he still continues to follow Cardiology closely every 6 months. GOD IS FAITHFUL and we still continue to pray for healing. 

As you may remember our little Hannah Banana is our baby- she just GRADUATED high school a couple weeks ago.  I don't even know how that can be possible.  Hannah is in many ways like Brooklyn- head strong, funny, strong willed, determined, and such a joy in our lives. (Shawn's a joy too, in his own man child way lol). Hannah has been accepted to attend University of the Cumberlands in the fall and will be moving into the dorm- I'm a tad devastated that she is moving away ( about an hour or so). She plans to go into to nursing and become a  Nurse practitioner - she has a desire to work with children and she will do fantastic.  Hannah also helps teach little kids in sunday school at our church.   WE are very proud of Shawn and Hannah-  they each love the LORD and we have been blessed to call them ours. 

Kevin and I ....well I guess we are getting old and wrinkly.    I decided to go back to school and will graduate in Dec 2019 with a Master's in Nursing and practice as a Nurse Practitioner.    Words of advice, do not wait til your this old to figure out what you want to do in life, its hard.lol      Kevin is still in the Utilities business and doing very well. 

There has been many stories that I have followed over the years-  Many I have wondered about. How are they doing?  I know alot of people followed Brooklyn's story- and prayed earnestly for her and our family.     I have learned that grief never leaves you-  it still hits me so hard at times, I still break down often, we see Brooklyn everywhere, we imagine what she would be like today- She would be 22 years old.  She has been gone from us now 10.5 years.....soon she will be gone as long as I had her.  I worry that as I grow older, will memories fade from me?  Will I not remember that she had a freckle on the bottom of her big right toe?  I want to remember everything about her...... I never want to forget anything.   Does any other parent that has lost a child think about these types of things?  

I hope you all are doing well, I am not sure if anyone really visits this site anymore or gets notifications.    I just wanted to update, and let you know that GOD Is still faithful.  He still delivers, he is STILL the Comforter, His GRACE is sufficient, and we STILL BELIEVE!!!    

Blessings from the Branch,
Tonya