Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Giving Tuesday




Today is Giving Tuesday and the kick off to our affiliated fund of the Midlands Community Foundation's Matching Charitable Program of which the Little Giants Foundation is a part of! (See their website noted below for details) So instead of sending out Christmas cards this year here is ours on social media and we will instead donate to our nonprofit Little Giants Foundation. ðŸ’— Please consider giving and you may do so in 3 ways: (1) go to www.littlegiantsfoundation.blogspot.com (2) go directly to www.midlandscommunity.org & to Little Giants there or (3) send checks made out to LGF to 15603 S Hwy 6, Gretna, NE 68028. We thank you for the support for our Emily's rare disease and others afflicted past, present and future! Please feel free to share and Merry Christmas & Believe from Joe, Erin, Emily and Taylor-Jo Koesters ‪#‎givingtuesday‬ ‪#‎believe‬

Saturday, October 3, 2015

October?


What the what?  When did it become OCTOBER?  Last I knew it was a hot, Sunday Funday at home with the kiddos on August 9th!  All kidding aside here's a recap and some low down on life with the Koesters' right now:
Emily was inpatient at Children's Hospital in Omaha, NE for 16 days, eight of which were a scary blur and the other eight had us wondering what parts of our Emily would be coming back to us.  Then she was transported to Madonna Rehab Hospital in Lincoln, NE for 19 days.  The progress she made was super.  Emily has now been home for 22 days!  Her days are filled with outpatient aqua therapy, speech and OT @ Procare 3 in Omaha, NE, PT with Physicians Choice of Omaha, and homebound school. Sprinkle in some doc apts and figuring out a new regular family routine and bam- that's how it became October without me knowing it!  Week to week Emily smashes goals set for her.  That's our girl!  Our MIGHTY LITTLE GIANT!  The cognitive piece continues to be the challenge,however; the brain is such an amazing thing and it has been so interesting to witness her transformation and recovery day to day.  Those of you who know me well realize how much of a health nut I can be and so this is so intriguing!  Now Joe's brain and mine have taken a toll and we are doing are darndest to dig out of the spirally depths of doom and despair we have felt and I think we are making it above ground- finally.  For whatever reason this latest battle really did a job on we parents- it's not like she hasn't had really scary  and intense times before, and she will continue to have them- it's okay- she will- it's just part of - but this one kicked our batooskas!  Thank goodness children are more resilient than we adults!
Two more things: ONE- in EIGHT days the main event happens!  Joe and I are so grateful to those who stepped in for us and took over and have made this year's Annual Little Giant 5K Trail Run such an amazing event to be held!  YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS IT!  Stroll, Walk, Jog, Run- whatever- it is a timed event for you athletes out there, but it is also a fab surrounding in the country to hang out, get in some exercise and family fun!  So many new and cool things happening I can't even....
 SECONDLY, in light of Dwarfism Awareness Month and one of the reasons we run the Little Giants Foundation I realize Joe and I have much more work to do!  Not only do we need to educate, enlighten and enhance the medical world and others about Emily's rare disease- SIOD- Schimke Immuno-osseous Dysplasia- a rare genetic DWARFISM disease, but we need to do so for TYPES of DWARFISMS!  Albeit- Achondroplasia is the most common type and rings true for here in the MIDWEST, there are over 200 types.  Emily has a rare type of the SED form.  AND please do NOT confuse dwarfism with being a disease because it is NOT in and of itself, however; there are some types- like Emily's that do accompany a disease.
Well, Halloween is around the corner and now it is time to get excited for all things FALL and Pumpkiny!  Come out Oct 11th for all of that and more while supporting a cause for our Emily and other Little Giants now and in the future!
BELIEVE-
A proud mama bear of a child with dwarfism!
sites for more info:
LPA
Understanding Dwarfism



Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Our Little Giant's Continued Challenges

On the left is Taylor-Jo and Emily on August 7th at UNMC after a kidney clinic appointment.
On the right is Emily and Taylor-Jo on August 16th at Children's Hospital.  She was admitted emergently on August 9th after not being able to wake her up.  Please see her caringbridge site link for prior and continuous updates.
BELIEVE-

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Please follow our little giant!

Emily's Caringbridge Updates
Our Little Giant needs all the extra support she can get right now.  Please see our Caringbridge updates on her medical journey she is enduring right now.  BELIEVE

Friday, July 17, 2015

Weekend Events! Don't miss out locals of Gretna, NE!

Last year Gretna Days was voted best of Sarpy County in the People Choice Awards Community Celebrations category. Don't miss out on all of the fab activities including the parade @ 10:30 AM Saturday where The Little Giants Foundation will be on route and Sunday's community picnic where LGF will have an awareness booth and raffle for this gorgeous, made with love quilt in honor of our own Nebraska's Little Giant Help Emily Koesters!   #Gretna Days

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Black Dirt Days: Parade, Booth and Raffle!

Saturday, June 13th this little giant beauty will be riding in the parade at her mom's hometown of Conrad, Iowa for their annual Black Dirt Days.  The Little Giants Foundation will have a booth uptown and have a gorgeous quilt made in Emily's honor for raffle!  We hope to see some Iowa locals there this Saturday!

Sunday, May 31, 2015

BELIEVE QUILT

Look at this gorgeous quilt some awesome friends of mine made in honor of our little giant!  Find out how it can be yours real soon!  Stay tuned for details to come!

Monday, May 4, 2015

Event Update

The weather cooperated enough here in Nebraska to allow for a beautiful weekend event sharing at TLC Country Floral Spring Open House in Hooper, NE at our good friends, Auntie Sue's and Ken Fase's gorgeous garden acreage!  Not only are we thankful to them, but also for their busy bee workers, our family from Iowa, some True Buddies and of course, Grandma J!

Emily and Taylor-Jo had painted plaster of paris molds that their daddy made, and added some special coloring to some sun catchers as well to sell to raise money for Little Giants.  Between those and the raffle of some cute themed blankets with activities that Kathy Mann's mom made & Sue's book, Treasures of the Seasons we made a little over $500 for research for our children with SIOD! AND handed out A LOT of dum-dums with Emily's Little Giant cards to spread awareness!

We look forward to Ken and Sue's Fall Open House in September where we will be back at it again!








Monday, April 27, 2015

Spring Open House Event

TLC-Country-Floral/LGF Event This Weekend

Our little giant had a bad case of RSV and pneumonia this month and is still requiring doses of daily oxygen, but is getting back to her activity level and is ready to meet and greet all she can at the event this weekend!  We have some things planned as well.  Hope to see you out and about if you are in the surrounding states!

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Emily's 5th Annual Nebraska Little Giant's Day

Thank you for the support of the Little Giant's Foundation and helping raise awareness for this rare, genetic, dwarfism disease with no cure!  Please visit Facebook and  LIKE our site.  You will find more updates and photos there as well.  FB: The Little Giant's Foundation

Sisters @ 5th Grade Gretna Elementary Celebration


Nebraska's Little Giant


Saturday, January 17, 2015

Jays for Hope Event 2015

The Little Giants Foundation was honored to be part of the JAYS FOR HOPE event at Ashland-Greenwood High School's home basketball games vs Raymond-Central.  Awareness and monies were raised to help find a cure for cancers, and CureSearch for Childhood Cancers where Sadie Livers was the memorial recipient, and The Little Giants Foundation where Emily was the honored recipient.  Sadie's mother, Teresa along with Emily and myself were given donations between the girls and boys games literally surrounded in the middle of the gym floor by the players from both teams in a large circle around the court and the fans in the bleachers.  AMAZING.  THANK YOU to everyone who contributed to last night's event!
Little Giants Informational Table

Shooting for a Cure Night

The "silent" but mighty supporters!  Daddy Joe and Taylor-Jo