Linguini & Love

It began for the family around 2pm on Sunday afternoon. We got to Amerigo, put on our aprons (feeling very official), rolled up our sleeves and got to work cooking & preparing. It ended around 11pm after the last of our guests had left & we had finished cleaning the last of the dishes.

I could write a novel about how special Sunday evening was for me & our entire family, but for now will leave you with these brief, but genuine expressions of gratitude:

Thank you to those who blessed us with your presence. We cannot express the deep affection that we feel for you--you not only show up for the difficult times, but the joyful times as well. We truly are honored to live life with people like you.

Thank you to those who served alongside us on Sunday afternoon/evening. Liz, Tara, Lane, Andrea, Sean & Aunt Peggy-the way you served our family so effortlessly & joyfully brings me to tears every time I think of it. Seeing you wash dishes, clear tables, roll silverware and mop floors without hesitation and without being asked was truly beautiful. You are Christ in action to every member of our family.

Thank you to my sweet family (Daniel, Wanberg's & Rice's) who took my orders & crazy vision for this fundraiser & made it possible and incredibly fun. I am the luckiest girl in the world to get to have family like you. It will make me giggle every time I think about Daniel calling, "order up!" from behind the kitchen and Sue saying, "don't mess with my system!" as she is trying to sort out her orders. Megan & Mom-you two are good at everything you do. Dad-you make everything fun. John & Kait-so blessed that you both showed up & lit up the room. Peter & Mark-you were the hidden heroes of the evening...thank you for your willingness to serve all those around you!

Thank you for letting us serve you & for being so gracious as we figured out what we were doing & how to serve you better. To be able to bring you food, clear your plates, fill your glasses & see you enjoy your evening brought us more fulfillment than I could possibly express. We finally had a small chance to give something back to all of you who have given us so much & we are grateful.

Thank you for gifting John & Kaitlin so generously-we made nearly 3 times the money we were expecting to bring in for their long term care and we are still speechless three days later. We are AMAZED and inspired by the way you each give-lovingly & without reserve.

Thank you to Iain, owner and head chef of Amerigo Delicatus. He gave up his Sunday (a night when his restaurant is usually closed), gave all of the proceeds directly to John & Kaitlin, prepped the food on his own time and was incredibly patient & gracious as our family tried our best to make it in the restaurant business on Sunday! He has been a family friend of ours for a long, long time and we are so honored that he continues to love us & serve us so well through his resources and incredible talents. If you haven't had a chance to eat at Amerigo, please let me know what else I can do to convince you to make a reservation! I promise to you, that you will not be disappointed in the slightest. Our families favorite phrase to use when eating there is "we are in food heaven!" Those who had the pleasure of eating his famous linguini on Sunday night can vouch for this!

Please consider joining us for the next Amerigo fundraiser....date & times to be announced soon! Keep your eye on the blog and tell your friends--we have no doubt that the next evening will be just as wonderful as Sunday was!

As always, thank you for your love & devotion. We are on our knees each day praising the Lord for your friendship.

Love,
Carolyn

A Celebration of Life

My son the engineer….only John could pull off making Kait into a John Deere tractor for Maestro’s annual October Costume Party Gala last night. Tony London (DJ Maestro & his vendors) generously expanded his annual party to include a fundraiser for John & Kait’s long term needs. The idea for our costumes grew through laughter at the dinner table on Monday night to make our family into a seven-person costume called the Wanberg Farmily. From John morphing into an ear of corn, to Carolyn as a lamb, Daniel as a cow, Peter becoming a very legitimately looking chicken, to Anita in a farmer costume…to be normal would be so boring. A united front; we will enjoy life together. We will not lose the precious life we have been blessed with. We are going to be joyful, laugh and of course-look ridicules together. It’s rolling back into our life, redefining playful, sometimes only taking subtle baby steps…but each step worth the fight. Our resolve: Kait’s accident will not define us, grace and new mercies will define us. No loss of hope, but a redefinition of “be joyful always"(1 Thessalonians 5). If God has our best interest as part of His heartbeat, we are not victims. Being a victim is not Biblical. Our inner joy is unchanged. We claim a house built on rock; whatever happens we stand on solid ground, rooted in the authority and sovereignty of Christ.

The Wanberg Farmily

Have you noticed how courage and bravery is defined differently for every person? For some it’s jumping out of an airplane with a parachute, for some-bungee jumping from a great height. Others may see bravery in waking up each morning and facing their workday. I witnessed bravery and courage in a new light last night. For one young couple, it was packing gear into a car from Craig Hospital, driving to Broomfield, assembling an elaborate costume (yes, needing legitimate tools to assemble), entering a room full of loud music filled with people in crazy costumes dancing…and choosing to celebrate life. This is a party that they are familiar with, as in the past they had both attended in creative costumes sharing the season with their closest friends. This year, it looked different. The girl in a wheelchair, seemingly fragile and scared, all eyes on her, and John standing tall beside his wife, together. It seems like every week I am forced to redefine my definition of what bravery looks like.

Judging the costume contest.

The whole party was centered on her. One of the first girls to approach Kait said, “I’m so surprised to see you here.” John and Kait judged costumes, engaged in conversation, smiled and laughed…all the while exhibiting graciousness and shaky confidence; shaky, but authentic. Testing their newfound confidence with every old, but new experience. Behind her smiles Kait struggled with searing pain in her upper back, the late night hour- home by 11:30 (finally in bed at 1AM), the two transfers to a higher profile vehicle. This morning she woke up proud of pushing her limits, and thankful to have been part of the fun. Kait recently has been explaining to those who are near, “this chair is part of who I am now, it’s part of how I achieve freedom on this earth. It has to be.”

As a Dad, I’ve never been prouder of my son; I’m witnessing integrity and courage with every step. Watching them learn to function as a married couple, learning about how to resolve all the normal communication issues with a new marriage. John sees Kaitlin through the lens of Jesus & he is captivated.  -Tom

Grandma + Jesus

A Tribute 
Jeanne Wanberg
November 08, 1925- October 21, 2013

Sweet friends,

Full of humor, vibrant and active - about to turn 88 years of age, my grandma Jeanne died last night. She was a grand lady, with a sharp mind, full of wisdom, humor and grace. A few days ago my cousin Elizabeth and her baby Caleb were swimming together with Grandma, and she said, "I'm feeling great, I'm full of joy and  plan to live until I'm 100 years old".   She woke up very short of breath yesterday morning with symptoms of pneumonia.  Upon arrival at the hospital in Illinois, she was immediately admitted her to the ICU.  They felt confident that she was stable, with the pneumonia in check, when her heart stopped beating about 6 pm last night. One of our biggest praises to the Lord is that she died quickly, without any apparent pain & with complete peace.

Interestedly, our whole Denver family (with spouses Kait and Daniel) went to a restaurant last night right next to Craig Hospital. Just as we were sitting down ordering drinks, my Dad got the call that his Mom had died. Through intermixed tears of joy for her soul and pain for our loss, the first thing we did was raise our glasses to a life well lived & to the new life she received last night in heaven. We turned quickly to prayers of gratitude for the hope we have in the grace of Jesus Christ - knowing that Grandma is discovering heaven's mysteries with the one she loves the most - her Creator! My grandma loved (and loves) Jesus more than anything on this planet and she truly longed to be in His Holy presence. 

Before dinner arrived, as we were holding hands praying a tribute to Grandma, I couldn't help but overhear the joyful conversation at the table next to us. They were raising their voices and glasses in celebration of the birth of a new grandchild. It brought my mind back to that terrible night Kait was admitted to the ER, when we were told Kait wouldn't walk again. On that night, my cousin Elizabeth and her husband Greg described the irony that their son Caleb (Grandma's first great-grandchild) took his first steps that same day. I can't help but reflect in this season on the natural cycle of life and death- that we truly are not meant for this broken world. We are meant for something greater, and this morning as I woke up my first thought was, "she is home!" The Lord promises in Jeremiah 29:11 that "I have for you... plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." He is with us in every step that we take, or don't take. He is the one who gives life and the one who decides when we are ready to turn to dust. We trust in His sovereignty and in His power to use our lives for His good.

One final thought that came from an e-mail my Dad sent this morning to our family-
"While I’m going to miss her terribly, I’m happy for her today. She has been yearning to be with Jesus. My guess is she is having a conversation right now with the Lord about Kait, and advocating to allow her to walk. I pray she will be successful." 

From the day of Kait's accident, Jeanne Wanberg never wavered from her absolute certainty that Kaitlin was going to walk again. We continue to invite you to pray boldly for this to be a reality & to believe wholeheartedly that the Lord is so pleased to hear our prayers.

I've included a few pictures of the most beautiful Grandma in the world. My prayer is that each of you would share the gospel like she did-passionately & without reserve!

Thank you for your thoughts & prayers!
We love you,
Carolyn, Tom, Anita, John, Peter, Daniel & Kaitlin

Grandma and my Dad on graduation day from New Trier East High School, Illinois. 

Halloween Party Fundraiser Reminder

Hello everyone...as Carolyn noted, we SOLD OUT the Amerigo dinner last week. However, there is another chance to attend an event and visit with John & Kaitlin.

Please see below for a reminder from Tony "Maestro" London about the Halloween Fundraiser Party this Friday night.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The Halloween Party for Kaitlin and John is coming up this Friday, October 25th at Noah's Event Center from 7 pm-12 am!

Party admission is free, with a suggested donation of $25 per person at the door. A silent auction will also take place with many fabulous gift packages. If you have any items you would like to donate to the silent auction, please send that information to KaitsHalloweenParty@gmail.com as well. All proceeds will go to support Kaitlin and John and Thrivent Financial will be matching donations!

Come enjoy food, drinks, music and fun- and all to support Kait and John! Don't forget to wear your best costume. The costume contest prize is an Ipad mini!!! More info on the party can be found here.

Finally, if you can, please RSVP by sending an email to KaitsHalloweenParty@gmail.com with the number of people in your party. We look forward to seeing you there!

- Tony "Maestro" London

Helping Hands

A post from Tom:

I received an email a few weeks ago from a friend of mine attending college in the Midwest. He relayed a story from Exodus 17 in the Old Testament.“I'm sure you know the story, but, the Israelites were fighting against some enemy and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the mountain to pray. Whenever Moses' hands dropped, the battle went in favor of the enemy, but when his hands were raised to the heavens, the battle shifted in favor of the Israelites. However as time went on, Moses couldn't hold his hands up anymore, so Aaron and Hur stood beside him and held his hands to the sky until the battle was won. I just want to encourage you to keep your hands up. When they're up and you're praying, Kaitlin's battle is shifting in her favor. But, they will get tired, you will get tired, you won't be able to pray anymore. Your hands won't fall though because I am here, as well as many others, to support your hands and hold them to the sky until Kaitlin's battle is won.”

Well, our family has gotten tired; yet we are coping relatively well in the midst of what we consider to be nothing short of a battle. What is sustaining us? Ask any of the family members and they will say without hesitation it’s because of the layers and layers of caring and faithful people supporting us, both in prayer and action when we are overwhelmed and exhausted. Consider the last three or four days. Due to amazing professionals in the construction business, all donating/discounting their time, John was able to successfully pull a permit with full architectural plans, a detailed work schedule with a very reasonable budget for electrical, plumbing, framing, drywall, and tile. We are on a very tight renovation schedule, since we are hoping to accommodate Kait when she returns home around Thanksgiving. Due to the amazing generosity of our community donating funds directly to Kait, she has the money in her checkbook to pay for the bulk of this work. Move out day was this past Friday night and Saturday for John, Carolyn and Daniel – they couldn’t stay in the house during construction due to noise and dust. Collectively, we had about a dozen volunteers that helped pack, load, and then unload the entire contents of their house. Most items will be stored at a donated warehouse until the rehab is completed, with the rest of the items temporarily in our garage on Ivy St. On Sunday after the move out, we had demolition day at Lima Street. The demo day was accomplished with another 15 volunteers, including a hand full of dedicated CU fraternity brothers of Mark (Kait’s Dad). Completely filling a big dumpster with construction trash, we striped out walls, trim, carpet, toilet, sink, hardwood floors, plumbing vent pipes, plus a very heavy pink cast iron tub- making Kait sad- she loved that tub!

Both days’additional volunteers provided great lunches to the army of workers (thank you Debbie, Joan and Sharon!). Moving the shed in Kait’s backyard (so we can do concrete work this week), was an engineering task; sliding on metal tubes taken from the chain linked fence- primitive yet effective!

If you read the daily newspaper, it’s easy to fall into the trap of feeling bitter and cynical about people and the times we live in. But as our family has experienced the unity and generosity of our community over the past six weeks, I can’t help but think of how closely our feeling have mirrored what the early church must have been like as written in the book of Acts 2:46 in the Bible.“They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.” Carolyn has repeated many times how humbled we are to witness the uprising of our community as they walk beside our family in love and deeds. You truly are holding our hands to the sky as we regain our strength and balance. 

-Tom Wanberg

EAST SIDE!

Dear family and friends,

I sat with my precious girl in the garden at Craig Hospital this afternoon. It was a beautiful fall day and we enjoyed the colorful leaves and cooler temperature as we reflected on all of the changes that have occurred during the past 6 days. This has undoubtedly been Kaitlin’s biggest week of change since her surgery and her admittance to Craig on September 11^th. We agreed that we need to catch you all up on her progress and prayer needs.

Craig hospital patients reside in either the east or west side facilities. Kaitlin had been in the west building since her arrival. This facility is much like any traditional hospital with single/double occupancy rooms, hospital beds, IVs, gurneys, etc. Last Friday, Kaitlin moved from the west side to the EAST side of Craig!  This has been such a wonderful transition for her and we are so proud of her hard work which made it all possible. The east side is comprised of small studio apartments. These apartments have large accessible bathrooms, a small living room area complete with a fold-out sofa, small functional kitchenette and best of all…no more hospital bed! Kaitlin is now in a regular double bed and JOHN CAN STAY WITH HER! YES! These two have waited a long time for this day and we’re thrilled for both of them. Kaitlin loves the freedom and space that her new place has provided; she enjoys her huge window and especially the double bed! She told me that she’s feeling a sense of independence and normalcy as she is pushed to adapt to what life will be like when she returns home and resumes daily tasks like giving herself a shower, using the kitchen, dressing herself, and sleeping in a normal bed. Such great progress!

On Tuesday Kaitlin had her cervical brace removed. She will continue to wear her back brace for one more month, but the cervical one was the most confining and claustrophobic. With her neck able to move more freely, her therapies are easier and she feels that she will make faster progress. She’s participating in some new therapies which she couldn’t do before and she feels more able to express herself when interacting with others because she isn’t so confined. She is making progress towards driving which will boost her independence. She will not miss that neck brace!

Kaitlin’s daily therapies were also increased this week.  On Monday, she had seven hours of therapy/classes with only a one hour break for lunch.  It’s very tiring but is important for her to get the most out of her stay at this excellent hospital. Most of her therapies involve mastering her transfers, gaining muscle strength, working on her balance (even sitting up can be challenge with no abdominal muscles), learning how to negotiate sidewalks, curbs, stairs and attending classes on skin care, diet, etc. She is one busy young lady.

Since earning her ‘pass’ to travel by car, Kaitlin has been enjoying occasional outings on the weekends which have included a Pumpkin Chunkin launch, dinner at the Rice’s kitchen table and a date night movie/dinner with John. We were all so thrilled to have her back home again and our dog Razz was totally beside herself with excitement. 

One last thing I wanted to share with you before listing our prayer requests. Kaitlin is really jazzed about a new wheelchair technology she tried out earlier this morning which would allow her to go longer distances with less effort. A wheel is affixed to the axel of her regular wheelchair and a battery pack goes between her thighs. When she pushes the wheelchair, she can lock in her speed. Even if she doesn’t push again, she will remain at the same speed as her first push. This technology will help her go up hills almost effortlessly and makes different types of terrain easier to navigate, saving her a ton of energy and potential damage to her shoulders. This technology is one of many that encourages her and gives her hope that she will be able to keep up with her friends and family when she’s out with them, while still remaining independent.

PRAYER REQUESTS:

Pray for God to restore Kaitlin’s legs so that she may walk again.

• Pray for restoration of her abdominal muscles.

• Pray for her nerve pain to be reduced or be totally taken away (if it is not necessary in order for her to regain sensation).

• Pray for John to manage his diabetes.

• Pray for safety for the construction crews as they begin the house remodel on Monday. 

• Pray for protection from catching a cold or the flu. It is difficult for Kaitlin to cough since she has no use of her abdominal muscles. This is a big concern and we pray that God will protect her and keep her well. 

• The pressure sore on Kaitlin’s sacrum reopened just a tiny bit. It’s important for it to heal completely. Please pray for healing. 

• Pray for the Craig Hospital community. Kaitlin has been such a bright light at Craig. She continues to encourage good friendships and interaction between all of the patients. When we first arrived at Craig, patients did not readily interact with one another. Two individuals might share a therapy mat and not even know each others names or interact at all. Kaitlin has changed all that. EVERYONE knows Kaitlin. She is so outgoing and has been the instigator for helping others to get to know one another as well. This has been GOOD MEDICINE for everyone! She has truly changed their Craig experience by modelling friendship, encouragement and empathy. Even the staff members have commented about this. Her physical therapist thinks Craig should hire Kaitlin as the ‘good will’ ambassador!  

Thank you all for your love and faithful friendship! You have been the hands and feet and very heart of Jesus to us. We will never forget this. Please continue to lift up Kaitlin and John daily. We appreciate YOU!

With love,

   Sue

AMERIGO DINNER FUNDRAISER IS BOOKED!

WOW. We are so overwhelmingly grateful for the response...I am SO pleased to announce that all of the reservation spots for our dinner at Amerigo fundraiser are taken! Thank you so very much to those who RSVP'd and are supporting John & Kaitlin so generously...this will be a night to remember, I promise!

For those who did not get a chance to RSVP but are interested in participating in a fundraiser like this-stay tuned! We are planning on hosting one of these evenings each month for as long as people will come. We are anxious to see all of you, enjoy time together and know that you are so ready to see John & Kaitlin and support them as well. The time will come again soon!

Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support and love...we are so humbled by each of you!

Love,
Carolyn

Impact Players: A post from Tom

Every week the party grows. The folks that work at Craig poke their heads in the door and say hi, or grab a quick bite to eat, or simply smile as they stare through the conference room window.  As Peyton Manning and the Broncos do their thing on TV, the real action is happening in this room on the third floor of Craig Hospital. Courage & bravery in every wheelchair, pushing themselves daily to find new limits. Hurting people taking risks to roll from their room and come into a larger group of people that they don’t know. Awkward shuffling of chairs & tables to accommodate various sized wheelchairs. Trying to eat chips and dip when your fingers don’t tighten like they use to. A fledgling community testing what it is like to expose their personal story and hurt.  An occasional newbie to Craig, still showing surgical pain in their face, towing tired family members with blank stares looking for hope, but not really expecting to find it. The heavy reality of the new beginning- how can I be social again, how do I start?

Enter Kait, the real Impact Player of the Game. She’s invited everyone at Craig to the party- told all the other patients (in that sweet, smiling-  but very commanding tone that she can get) that they need to come and cheer the Broncos. As people arrive, she shouts their name with joy, and is liberal with her introductions to make each person feel welcome and comfortable. She is energized, hooting and hollering with every first down, setting the tone for the room. I laughed out loud last week when a new woman patient came in and Kait cheered with contentment and said “we girls need to stick together!” She then promptly abandoned the Bronco game, turning her chair around to focus completely on the new girl and her story.

It was interesting to watch the babies and kids in the room. Instant acceptance of what to us is a challenging situation. Tessa climbed on to Kait’s lap with joy and I watched them roll through the bridge-walkway that separates the East and West wing. 

 Every patient in that room has a unique story, saturated with grief and loss, yet striving to learn how to live and define their individual hope. Tears mixed with laughter, fighting for the inner strength to fly again. Redefining possible.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

-Tom Wanberg

FUNdraisers coming up for Kait & John!

I am so very honored and excited to announce to all of you that we have not one, but TWO fundraisers coming up THIS MONTH to benefit the long term financial needs of John & Kaitlin. In case you haven't realized by now how absolutely incredible our community is...here is further proof. We are once again, humbled by how generous those around us are & how deeply they care for John & Kait and for our families.

Please see below {and under the "fundraiser" page!} for all the details that you may need on these two events. Both John & Kaitlin plan to attend both events to see you all and to enjoy the fun! Both families will be at the dinner fundraiser on October 27th as well. We are really looking forward to celebrating life, costumes, dancing, great food & excellent company with all of you who choose to attend!

Please Note: For the dinner fundraiser on the 27th, we have a limited number of places-make sure to RSVP to carolynwanberg@gmail.com -- first to e-mail will be on the list! Please specify in your RSVP which time slot you prefer.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FUNDRAISERS HERE

Kaitlin's "debut" {A post written by Kait}

I cannot possibly start this post with anything other than the biggest thank you I can summon. Each and every one of you has blessed me and my family immensely and I am grateful for your continued support and encouragement.

As my "debut" back into the community, I wanted to share with you a few details of my life at Craig, as well as what The Lord is teaching me through each trial, change, and victory I face.

My life here is full of transfers, walks, weight lifting, aerobics, showers, classes, dressing, balance drills and more. Although many of these things seem simple and trivial, the most important thing to remember is that everything I do is powered by only my upper body.

From the armpits down, all I can feel is a heavy weight. This weight is carried by each push with my arms up a steep hill. I drag it behind me as I transfer back onto my bed from my chair and painstakingly lift each leg onto the mattress. I feel it when I want to turn over at night, but don't have the power to do so. Although this weight that I carry poses challenges each day, The Lord has already begun to use it to give me a greater understanding of the gospel and his grace, and I am confident that this is only the beginning of His work.

When you think about it, my spinal cord injury has served to create an interesting metaphor for the gospel and God's grace. My lower body has fully functioning muscles, tendons, organs, and bones; yet while it is set up to work and move the way it was intended to, it instead proves to be a useless pile of tissue that fumbles aimlessly at any attempt to work properly. And why? Because it lacks connection. Just as before Jesus, we lacked connection to God, so my lower body now lacks a connection to my brain. The result of a disconnect is the loss of all purpose and function...and the solution is Jesus.

What a reminder to carry each day in the weight of my lower body. I feel its worthlessness. I feel its dysfunction. I feel its stubborn resistance. Jesus chose to come and save THAT. While we were dead in worthless dysfunction and stubborn resistance, He came to give us a connection. He wants to know us and be near us badly enough that he sacrificed himself for that "useless pile of tissue" that I carry daily. Now when I transfer or wheel up a hill, it's easier to see GRACE above struggle or pain; and I am daily blessed by this powerful reminder.

Ultimately we are assured in scripture that our flesh receives life through none other than the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:11 tells us that, "If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his spirit who lives in you." My body (no matter what shape it is in) has been given LIFE through the spirit. What a glorious gift!

Thanks for taking the time to glance a little further into my life since the accident. Please know that you all continue to serve as a blessing of encouragement from Jesus that inspires me to live each day in a way that is glorifying to Him. I am looking forward to writing more updates in the future, but until then, I am grateful for your continued prayers for strength, determination, and growth as I complete my therapies here at Craig.

All my love,
Kaitlin