Brad's Transplant Journey Update

Click the link to see the update on Brad's transplant journey. 

Brad's Transplant Journey

Bri's Fashion Pose Flashes VBRD Virtue Background is a True Model Needed for USA!

Over the last five days the entire nation has been watching Ferguson, MO deal with a tragic loss of an 18 year old Mike Brown whom was shot by police.  Every day since this the events of protest have went from Peace to Looting to Protest to Military Type Control by the Police and even limitations for the media and journalist to report the events as they unfolded.  The pictures and videos look like a war driven area and main stream media was replaced by Twitter and Vine reporting. Today the Nation revolted for the First Amendment was violated and extreme use of force used to do this.  We as a Nation are divided on some issues, have common ground on some issues and are black, white, brown skinned people but we are Americans and that needs to unite us not divide.
Today Brad, Bri and myself went to help my daughter Brandi get her room ready for the new school year.  It was a day of hard work.  We all would have much rather been out enjoying the day but as a family we believe you help each other when needed.  At the end of the day I took this picture of Bri, who had worked the entire time sorting letters for Brandi's bulletin board.  Bri came all decked out in her usual fashionista  attire.  I took her picture and posted it to her public page.  I had stood her on a desk to get a nice picture and in no way paid attention to the background.  However, when I got home this is what I saw.
The sweetest cutest looking young lady sporting her own fashion with a background that was 100% the message needed for our country.  It is a program the school has chose to use.
Guiding Principles for VBRD
Virtue Based Restorative Discipline
1. We will dedicate ourselves to living virtue.
2. We will support others living virtue.
3. We will commit to Constructive thoughts, words and deeds.
4. When faced with challenges and conflict we will find solutions that cultivate virtue for ourselves and for one another.

Unity is the virtue chose for the school and each person will choose to a virtue to uphold for themselves. What is yours?

Faith, Hope, Charity, Love, Joy, Peace, Forbearance, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, or Temperance

May USA chose Virtue Based Restorative Discipline as their background just like Bri! 

NEVER JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER

5 sets of  tiny hands is what you see but never judge a book by its cover.  Here is an inside look of these special lives!

One has stage III kidney failure. Two more have kidney impairment.

All five have brain aneurysms.

One had 3 brain surgeries in one month for moyamoya (a rare vascular disorder) and a ruptured brain aneurysm.

Three have had surgeries and interventions for aneurysms.

Two of them had aneurysms coiled just a few months ago.

Four of them are on blood pressure medications.

One of them is getting dental implants.

Three of them have dentures.

Two of them have significant hearing loss.

One of them has a tracheostomy.

All of them are under 39 inches tall.

The oldest is 23 years old.

Four of them have significant orthopedic impairments, scoliosis, hip and joint disorders.

BUT THIS DOESN'T DEFINE THEM! THEY CHOOSE TO LIVE LIFE TO ITS FULLEST!

One is a gymnast, a college student nearing graduation, a purple (working on brown) belt in karate, a basketball coach, a hunter, a role model and idol of his nieces and cousins, holds the shortest sibling record for Guinness World Records and has had his own docuseries Big Tiny.

One received a two year scholarship for cheerleading in college,  is a fashion designer looking to start a new boutique, has the respect of all her nieces and cousins,  organizes and cleans better than anyone in the house, has a little dog that she loves and loves her dearly, has reigned as the shortest living woman and is currently the shortest siblings for Guinness World Records and had her own docuseries Big Tiny. 

One of them loves to dance and sing, has performed around the world in plays, loves her dogs and birds, inspires her nieces and nephews, and is an awesome artist!

One of them is still in school, loves hanging out with her sisters and brothers, works hard to give back for Potentials Foundation and charity with her parents, and never meets a stranger!

One of them is the most social butterfly anywhere,  he loves girls most favorite is I Carly, he loves showing off his muscles and dance moves.

All of them have MOPD II dwarfism.  All of them are not just friends but family to each other....it may not be by blood but by souls! 

www.potentialsfoundation.org

ACCEPT THE THINGS YOU CANNOT CHANGE!

Well with the beginning of the year, most of us made new years resolutions.  One of my wonderful friends talked me into making goals instead of resolutions.  Why?  Resolutions are made to be broken...lose weight, exercise more, get out of debt etc.....  Goals are made to be realistic and achieved and not instant results.  I did that......I am on my way toward mine. The other thing I did was come up with a motto for the year: Accept the things you cannot change!

That is much easier said than done but man has it helped decrease the anxiety and stress.  What are the things we cannot change? We cannot change when we, our kids or family members are sick.  We cannot change when we get bad weather.  We can not change how someone else feels about things.  We cannot change that there are going to be just drama, craziness, and trials in out lives! 

BUT WE CAN CHANGE.....how we deal with and accept it.We can let God lead us.  We can take care of our bodies, our family and our health.  We can help others as they experience these things that we cannot change.  Perfect example...Brad & Bri have many health challenges, quite serious ones.  We lost two dear friends this year to complications of the same dwarfism and Bri was critically ill herself.  I was getting in quite a funk, I really couldn't shake the down feelings.  Well I had two choices stay in the funk, worry and make everyone around me miserable or do something about it....I chose the harder road, accept what I couldn't change! I cannot change they have MOPD II and along with it comes many health problem.  I CAN however do something about it!  I CAN seek that expert care and make sure they get the checkups, medicine and treatments needed. I CAN make myself less busy and more available for my family.  I CAN make real differences with the research, uniting and sharing of information for our Potentials Foundation to find treatments, cures and support for all of those with primordial dwarfism and MOPD II. I CAN help Brad with his dreams...get a college degree, live with his friend Nick someday, act, play or work with a band, and most recently become an avid hunter. I CAN help Bri as she wants to design, model and open her own boutique.  WE AS A JORDAN FAMILY WILL DO THIS, CAN'T DOESN'T LIVE HERE :)

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CJ