El Paso Times- Kellisa Video

Below is the video that the El Paso Times made about our 2012 attempt to complete the Bataan Memorial Death March at White Sands Missile Range, NM. We completed 20 out of 26.2 miles because the temperature was above 90F and I was worried that the extreme desert sun and heat would trigger Kellisa's seizures. It wasn't worth the risk.

Run on Water

Run on Water

Bayfield Winter Festival

Bayfield, WI

March 3, 2013

A 2.1 mile ice road connects Bayfield, WI to Madeline Island across frozen Lake Superior. Every year as part of the Bayfield Winter Festival, a race to the island and back is held. I had decided to try with Kellisa as a new and exciting challenge. Originally, I was going to leave Egypt at home with Lisa. However, Egypt has been very interested in seeing snow and she really wanted to try sledding. I was hesitant to bring Egypt since this would be her first weekend of real cold and snow. I decided to bring her and she did not disappoint me. My plan was to push Kellisa and pull Egypt in a sled at the same time. Not knowing if Egypt would sit on a sled for 4.2 miles, I brought Kellisa's Wike chair which is barely big enough for both girls in full winter attire.

We almost didn't make it to the race. About 20 minutes from Bayfield, Kellisa started crying a little. Kellisa never cries unless she's about to blow. I quickly pulled over, jumped out of the van and opened Kellisa's door. I told her that she was OK, but I could tell from her face that all the liquids I gave her for breakfast were on their way out of her stomach. It was cold, just above zero with the wind chill and we were in the middle of nowhere. Any chance of participating in the Run on Water would be over if either Kellisa or myself got soaked in projectile vomit. 

Thinking quickly, I undid Kellisa's seat belt and leaned her out of the van as I spread my legs apart. Within an instant, 16 ounces came flying out and luckily, most of it landed on the road. My boots got a little wet as did Kellisa's waterproof wind pants. At the same time, Egypt was screaming in horror because the whole process in pretty violent and scary, even though she has witnessed this many times. I had to calm Egypt down as I wiped Kellisa's face. I knew Kellisa was feeling better and asked her if she was still up to the race. She smiled and signed "yes". I got back in the car and raced to the registration and then to the starting line. 

We barely had time for this picture before the race started: 

Looking out to Madeline Island:

Egypt sledding across frozen Lake Superior:

Kellisa with Bayfield in the background:

Heading back to Bayfield, after reaching Madeline Island:

Egypt was done sledding. I was glad I had the bigger chair:

A large crack in the ice:

Kellisa was the only participant pushed and Egypt was the only one pulled (for most of it anyway). 

We weren't last- the finish line (1:27:10):

Kellisa wanted her chance on the sled:

Arrival back at Orlando International Airport with our ton of weekend gear:

Thanks to Lisa for trusting me with the girls in the far north. A big thanks to Scott Armstrong for allowing us to race in our own special way...see you again next year!

Voyageurs National Park and Run on Water Trip Totals:

Miles Walked:      6.58

                                  2.38 (Voyageurs)

                                  4.2 (Run on Water)

Miles Driven:        1,166 

                                  280 Jax - Orlando (RT)

                                  886 MN and WI 

Flight Segments:   2 (Orlando - Minneapolis - Orlando)

Air Miles:              2,620

Rainy Lake Ice Road

Rainy Lake Ice Road

Voyageurs National Park, MN

March 2, 2013

We traveled to the far north to play in snow and to drive on the Rainy Lake Ice Road:

Islands:

Looking out the van door to see a crack in the ice:

Parked in the middle of the lake for some winter exploring:

The girls are excited to get out and play:

Egypt was so excited to go sledding (this was her first time). I left Kellisa in the van because Egypt couldn't wait:

After a little sledding with Egypt, I got Kellisa ready and into her Wike. I then pushed Kellisa and pulled Egypt:

Sun setting:

I used the GPS to route our way back to the hotel while we were still on the ice and took this cool picture:

Just before driving back on land, I saw the Voyageurs National Park sign for the customary pictures (Egypt was a little chilled):

Voyageurs National Park and Run on Water Trip Totals:

Miles Walked:      6.58

                                  2.38 (Voyageurs)

                                  4.2 (Run on Water)

Miles Driven:        1,166 

                                  280 Jax - Orlando (RT)

                                  886 MN and WI 

Flight Segments:   2 (Orlando - Minneapolis - Orlando)

Air Miles:              2,620

Kellisa and the Rock Wall

Abilities Expo

Atlanta, GA

February 9, 2013

I'm tempted to let the pictures below do all the talking:

Kellisa loved every second of her rock wall experience

Kellisa saw the rock wall from a distance and started saying, "me, me, me". Hard to believe, but this was a first for Kellisa and I have to admit that having her climb a rock wall wasn't even on my radar. Now that I know climbing can be adapted and seeing how much Kellisa enjoyed the adventure, my mind is racing with all the new possibilities.

 

I couldn't have been more proud of Kellisa. 

 

I apologize for the poor camera phone quality pictures. Lesson learned- you never know when an adventure will present itself!

 

A huge thanks to Catalyst Sports and the Abilities Expo- Atlanta for making this possible.

A Warrior

We are often asked about Kellisa's name, so I thought I'd share the background. We only had one boy name and one girl name picked when we found out Lisa was pregnant with twins. We really liked Kelly for a second girl name and thought it went well with Kirsten. Lisa had a concern that Kelly wasn't a formal name that could be shortened. 

I don't remember where or when we purchased the following book:

Taking Lisa's concerns seriously and thinking our daughter might be president someday, I opened the book to see if there were any long forms of Kelly. As soon as I saw Kellisa, I knew it was the name. The perfect combination of Kelly and Lisa. At the time, we never intended to call Kelly Kellisa. 

"A Warrior".

Is there a more fitting meaning of a name that could have been given to Kellisa? 

Most people when they see the name written combine Kel and Lisa as they pronounce the name. That may be the proper way to say the name, but when Lisa and I both saw the name, we thought it was pronounced like Melissa, but with a K. 

We named the girls in the womb. Kirsten was the normal, healthy developing baby and Kellisa was the baby without a chance to be born alive. How could we tell them apart? Kellisa was the baby with a large void in the ultrasound (another blog entry for another time). 

Kellisa was born first, just a minute before Kirsten. It's hard to say born, because they were literally ripped out of Lisa's stomach. The anesthesia started only a few seconds before the knife started cutting Lisa. I will always hear the doctor saying, "we don't have time for anesthesia" as he was starting the c-section. Lisa was pleading, "we have time", as I was rushed out of the operating room amid organized chaos. 

I sometimes think about what would have happened if we named the first girl born Kirsten because that was the name we had first. The girls would have had each others names. Would anything be different? Kirsten isn't as unique a name as Kellisa. We wouldn't have to constantly correct people on the spelling and pronunciation. My biggest pondering is- would the personality be the same?

In 1999, Calista Flockhart was on top of the world as the star of Ally McBeal. However, at the time (and even to this date), Lisa and I had never watched the show or really even knew that Calista Flockhart existed. The rest of the world knew and everyone thought we named our daughter Calista. Not to be mean, but no one was happier than us when Ally McBeal ended in 2002 and Calista faded from popular culture.

Kellisa has never been called "Kelly".