TRIPLETS 6/2/04 EMAIL

Hi everyone... judging by the long list of e-mails waiting for me this
morning, you want to get more updates so I called up to the hospital today
and chatted with Kirk for some information to pass along.

Let's start with Kim... she's had some complications due to her prior back
problems and at one point had to be on oxygen, but she's doing much better
now.  One of the nurses at the hospital felt that with all the anxiety Kim
was feeling, that she should see the babies so they took her (oxygen, IVs,
bed & all) to see the babies and when she talked to Kendra, she reached up
for Mommy's fingers and held on.  That really lifted Kim's spirits. Kim is
pumping to produce collustrum and milk for the babies to give them the
added nourishment from Mommy.   Kim is recovering slowly but she is
progressing and they're hoping she'll be released from the hospital on
Friday.  I have to stop here and say how impressed I am with Kim.  She has
been physically tortured in this process suffering every kind of pain and
complication and while it brings her to tears sometimes, she endures and
keeps pushing forward to recovery.  She's so much stronger than she ever
believed herself to be and I'm so grateful to God for giving her that added
strength that she's needed to push through the pain.

Now for the babies!

Katelyn - what a little miracle this baby girl is and what a fighter!!!
She's still retaining a lot of fluid in her head but the fluids in her body
are leaving via some holes the doctors poked in her abdomen.  Kirk says you
can see her little arms and legs now and they all look normal.  A specific
prayer request would be that she pee.  If she doesn't urniate, there are
dangers to her kidneys and if potassium levels get too high, there is
dangers for heart problems even a heart attack.  Also, that the fluids in
her head continue to travel to her abdomen where they can escape.  She
tries to open her eyes when Mommy & Daddy talk to her but she can't because
of all the fluid in her head.  She moves like crazy though at the sound of
Daddy's voice!  Thank you Jesus for this little miracle.

Kendra - she's still the smallest and having some difficulties as well.
She also needs to pee.  Because she is being fed through an IV and not
urinating,she is starting to retain fluids in her little arms and legs
like her big sister.  That in itself is scary, but she also has the same
risks as Katelyn in regards to her heart and her kidneys if she can't pee.
It's not unusual for premies to have difficulties with this issue, but it
is imperative that they both pee soon.  Please pray for that.  Kendra also
responds to the voices of Mommy & Daddy.

Kiersten - As you remember, Kiersten was the only one who was breathing on
her own and didn't require intubation.  She's had some developments since
Monday and she's been hooked up to a ventilator now.  She has an issue with
one of her arteries in her heart that has not closed up like it should
have.  They are going to treat her with medicine and if that doesn't work,
she might have to have surgery.  She's also suffering from Apnea (where
your brain forgets to breathe).  The positive sign is that she was crying
yesterday.  Most premies don't cry because they don't have the strength.
Kirk said it was wonderful to hear her cry.  He also mentioned that she has
her own little personality already... giving him some attitude on his last
visit.  : )  Please pray for her heart complications to be resolved
quickly.

Kirk - We don't talk as much about him, but I just would like to take a
moment to thank God for the amazing husband and Dad that Kirk is.  He has
been a pilar of strength for his wife throughout all of this and his baby
girls are already little Daddy's girls.  Thank you Lord for giving Kirk a
warrior's heart for fighting for his family, but also for that tender side
that embraces and comforts all of his girls.

Kirk & Kim feel so blessed to have all of you praying for them and
appreciate so much your concern for them and the babies.  I was talking to
Kirk this morning about how inspirational they have been in how they've
dealt with this scary situation by turning to God first and once again I
was floored by his response.  "How could you do this without God?"  I feel
so blessed to have friends like them in my life to show me what it really
means to trust in God in EVERYTHING!  And, it has also blessed me to see
how all of you love them too.  Thank you for continuing to pray, thank you
for forwarding these prayer requests to your prayer chains and thank you
for lifting this family up to our Lord and Healer!

As you pray for this family, please also thank the Lord for all the
miracles we've seen so far and even for the unseen ones.

Through Him, all things are possible!

In His Love,
Jennifer