Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep Photo Link

We were blessed with two photographers that joined us for our sacred day with Kavannah.

You may see our photos, if you are interested, by clicking on the image below or following this link:
collages.net

The login info is as follows:

Username: The Strecker Family
password: 30110-100205

(Currently, there are only photos on from one of the photographers. The other will be adding soon. )
Grab your tissues before you click to start.
Psalm 139, fearfully and wonderfully made.
with love,
the streckers

Feb. 21

I have had a few requests to keep posted. This is such a journey that I never wanted to have my ticket validated for or punched for laps of use. However, I have found that there are a few things that keep me going. Mostly, Mara and Asher. I am not sure if I am doing it well but they deserve parents that are present.

Maybe the best way to tell you how I am doing is to let you know what is playing.
Steven Curtis Chapman, Album Beauty Will Rise (just the jacket is worth it for the heavy lifting of grief)
Kutlass, Album It is Well (great version if you like the words but your life is sort of electric guitar vs. pretty harps)
Sara Groves, Album Fireflies and Songs
Marc Schultz, Album Come Alive
Selah, Album You Deliver Me

And my side table reading is:
The Promise of Heaven by Randy Alcorn
When Life Comes Undone by TJ Addington
my journal
my bible
The Shaming of the Strong by Sarah Williams
The Valley of Vision, Puritan prayers and devotions
Heaven by Joni Erickson Tada
and a kid's book called SkippyJonJones...if you need to smile this one works with a two year old in your lap (you can come over and borrow the book or the book and the boy any time ;)

Know that I appreciate your prayers and the check ups. I feel like the lights are dimly on but the check engine light is not on. That's good, right?

I know that heaven is real and that my longing to be there grows daily. I now understand a few of my salty friends better. These are women who have buried children and parents and friends and husbands...and....and, they can stand on this side and still breath...but they talk about heavenly things with a fondness that makes sense to me now. This is 'first person present'.

OK. off to bed...here's to sleeping...cheers.

Keep praying...

Feb. 15

I promise to post about Saturday's celebration for Kavannah's life. We were humbled by the entire process. The time was worshipful...beautiful sorrow and celebration.

The main purpose for my post tonight is to just ask for continued prayer for us. I still am not sleeping and fighting last week's infection. Asher joined me with croup that set in on Sat. night. I took him to the doctor today because he was having respiratory difficulty. Pray that he will be able to sleep tonight. If the treatment that we did with the doctor earlier does not seem effective later tonight she recommended that we head to the ER.

I feel like we are just shy of a plague or two. Pray for protection and healing.
~maegan

Wednesday Randoms

Here are some random thoughts. Pray for our family.

I do not like mastitis. And, I seem to not like the antibiotics either. Pray that my system would dry up my milk and that infection would be contained.

Asher chose this week to make his most productive days for potty training. It is wonderful but also might have been easier another 7-10 days from now. But, rejoice, he is doing great. And Mimi and Bahkah (grandpa) have made it very productive. Thank you!

We received a small refund check today from the IRS from our 2006 tax year. This is random but just makes me laugh at the absurdity of the timing. Apparently, if you over pay they can put it in a 2-3 year cd before returning it to you.

When someone has to say something over the phone about "your daughter's remains" I have realized that I get all prickly and despise the phrase.

In the New Testament there is a book called first Corinthians. Chapter 13:12. Today I emptied a sleeve of pictures that were in my purse from the end of January of Kavannah. The pictures were so vivid that it took my breath away. But, they were only 'mostly' accurate on all her facial structure. Then I was able to open up the pictures that we have from the day of her birth. The similarity was there but there was also a contrast. It made me think of this verse. Look it up ;) I wonder what everything looks like to Kavannah in all the clarity of being able to now SEE fully. Based on this, we are going to use a song called SEE by Steven Curtis Chapman in her memorial on Saturday.

And lastly, my mother in law smuggled a cauliflower here from her garden in California. This tidbit just made me laugh. One, because she did it. Two, because she talked her way out of having to pay extra for luggage weight by putting it in her carry on. And, three, that she told us the whole story. So, I guess the homeland security might need to be notified that the next bomb might be in garden produce not a shoe or an aresol canister.

Rumblings over and out!
m

preparations...

Today was 'meet with the funeral home & then select flowers day'. For those who have been through this, you know what that means. I personally have never been on this side of that conversation with a loved one. I have a new empathy for those who have done this with their parents, a spouse, sibling, and especially a child.

I am so thankful that my kindred, Ellisa Jean, was with us today. She helps me with the secret decoder ring that I need some time to communicate with the outside world. What became perfectly clear to me today as we (Jim, Ellisa, Funeral Director and me) were wrestling with arrangements was that my deepest desire is to communicate how much Kavannah mattered to us on this earth...and now in Heaven waiting (ok, I highly doubt she is just sitting there 'waiting'...she is on to more fun things). I realize that the only space that she had taken up on this side of heaven has been in my womb. And, how do we communicate that she loved chocolate shakes, the sound of her papa's voice, and her sister's voice and that she pounded back on Asher as they were both trying to "share" my lap (siblings!), just one more time to show off in an ultrasound... and bedrest with her mom...just to name a few things.

But tonight I finally had a chance to check my messages and email. My inboxes were full. Her message got out. And some how I am overwhelmed that the Lord has created her and acknowledged her in so many ways. Thank you to each of you who have left a message either on the web or on phone. Your tenderness to our lives literally brings me to tears.

Thanks for acknowledging that Kavannah matters. Remember the meaning of her name. The name that the Lord gave to both of us before she was created. We each held the name to ourselves because we are both "infertile". When we found out we had miraculously conceived, we each secretly already knew her name. It was a fun day to reveal to each other what her name should be! Review her name & definition and ask yourself today if you are living out Kavannah.

~pray, study, love, live...
maegan

a side note

Mara Mercy is our eldest daughter. This is one reality that made us breathe a deep prayer of gratitude. Mara was born prematurely because I had preeclampsia with HELLP syndrome. We both nearly died.

However, the amazing thing to contemplate was that Mara Mercy was born at 3 pounds 10 ounces and 16.25 inches long. She fought for every breath and today we have a beautiful nine year old who struggles to keep her room clean but lights up a room with her gentle smile & little giggle. How often do I take for granted that the Lord spared her life?

It was powerful to hold and caress Kavannah who was born and weighed 3 pounds 12 ounces and was 16 inches long. It certainly put our lives in perspective.

Never underestimate the seeds of gratitude and mercy that you have along the journey. For me, this is one.

Kavannah Strecker

Kavannah Strecker

Born February 5, 2010
Three pounds 12 ounces
16 inches long

We truly appreciate all those that prayed for us. It was a holy & sacred day seasoned with the sorrow that makes us long for our completion in Heaven.

The care that we received was beyond our comprehension and any human coordination. We had such sensitivity from our doctors (the amazing Dr. Cresta Jones, Dr. Carr, Dr. Stanley-Christianson, Dr. Gruppier and Dr. Foil) and some nurses, especially Bonnie! We also had two angels that came with 'Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep" and captured our day with Kavannah. You have created sacred memories. I have had some of the above comment about how fortunate we are in our support people in friends and family. I totally agree. We are blessed beyond measure.

We treasure you. Kavannah has changed us forever.

Look for the finger prints of God in your life today.

Memorial Arrangements

Memorial Arrangements for Kavannah Strecker

Saturday, February 13, 2010 @ Kenosha Bible Church
5405 67th St.
Kenosha, WI 53142
Phone: (262) 652-4507
10 a.m. visitation
11 a.m. memorial celebration

Tea Party luncheon to follow....

Please know that this is a family friendly event. Our children will join us (yes, even the 2 year old!). It may be noisy...and glorious...and you may hear "questions" out loud that would not normally be heard. :) But know that we are open to each family determining what is best in your circumstances.

Our church community here desires to serve others by loving deeply and passionately. If you are coming in from out of town and would like a host family, please contact Jill at (610)360-7672 or ddc6@wi.rr.com

33 weeks...

It is with sad hearts that we ask for your prayers. Since seeing Kavannah at a fetal echo scan on Tuesday afternoon she has been pretty quiet. We came in today to check on her and discovered that she is home with the Lord. The doctor suspects that she passed on Tues night some time.

Please pray for us in our delivery and celebrating the next several days.

~to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.
with love,
maegan & jim
mara, asher & kavannah