2010 - Part I (Kellisa's First 18 Years)

 We continued submitting on children into the new year without any success. We were lucky if we received an automatic email reply with the subject, "Your Submittal Has Been Received". 

 

Our first trip of the year was during Kellisa's spring break a week after I completed my 2nd Bataan Memorial Death March. The first weekend was also Easter, so we spent a few days in Texas visiting family before Lisa went home and Kellisa and headed for a week in the Southwest. While in Texas, we went for a nice hike at Brazos Bend State Park where we enjoyed its abundant birds and alligators.

 

2009 (Kellisa's First 18 Years)

 

The Okefenokee Swamp - the Land of Trembling Earth.

 

One of our all-time favorite places to explore and we tried to start each year off with a visit. January 1, 2009, was no different and it would set the pace for what would become Kellisa's most adventurous year by far. 

 

Kellisa had outgrown even the largest baby jog strollers, and we broke two frames on a jog stroller made for special needs children. We needed a new solution and after many hours of research, we purchased a WIKE. The chair looks awesome and offers a ton of weather protection; however, it is not built for rugged trails. We still have it and it has its uses; it's just not an all-around mobility device for our needs.

 

Kellisa's 27th Birthday

May 23, 2026

 

Kellisa turned 27 years old today. We let her sleep in a little and ended up going out for a movie and dinner. Everyone enjoyed the new movie, Michael, about Michael Jackson. Instead of cake, we lived it up at  an ice cream shop on our way home where we sang Happy Birthday to Kellisa. Once home, Kellisa opened her cards and presents before spending the rest of the evening watching TV with her family in the living room.

 

Not bad for the 25 week micro-preemie.

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2008 (Kellisa's First 18 Years)

Kellisa went another calendar year without surgery.  

 

Hannah Montana came to Jacksonville in January. The concert sold out in minutes before we were able to buy tickets. We even tried to buy accessible tickets without success. I couldn’t pull the trigger to buy three tickets together that were selling for thousands online. It was breaking my heart that I didn’t have tickets for Kellisa. 

2007 (Kellisa's First 18 Years)

 

FINALLY!  

2007 was the first calendar year that passed without Kellisa having to endure surgery.

 

Kellisa really started to thrive with her newfound medical stability. She started taking dance lessons and it was obvious from the start that Kellisa has the heart of a dancer. Kellisa danced in her first recital, and she garnered the loudest cheers from the audience during the encore.