The Owensboro Catholic family, community supporters, and Allen County – Scottsville supporters all chipped in and donated toys and cash to help people at Kosairs Children Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. 
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Kristi and took our kids and the toys and dropped off the donations. While we were there we were able to see two of Jordan’s nurses during her time at Kosairs.
Thank you to everyone whom willingly and cheerfully donated to the kids and families at Kosairs
The Owensboro Catholic boys basketball team will be hosting a home game December 6th. In addition to admission we are asking people to donate a toy for a family at Kosairs Children’s Hospital.
Below is a video describing the event.
Today would have been Jordan Grace’s 2nd birthday. We wanted to acknowledge the day on her blog which we used to update many friends and family about her journey with HLHS.
Two years later and not a day goes by which she is not thought about in some way. It hasn’t been the easiest two years yet we still remain thankful to have had the time with her during her 114 days.
Kristi and I are thankful for the support from so many people. We give God praise even during times of grief and we look forward to the day in which we will be reunited in God’s Kingdom.
Matthew Jax Hayden is here!
I wanted to share the birth of our son on Jordan’s blog. We won’t use this blog as a forum to post about Jax but we wanted to share with great news this one time. I am sure Kristi and I will follow the trend of many current parents and post a million pictures of a our new baby on Facebook and Twitter!
But we did want to use the blog again for a few reasons. One year this week, July 12th, we will have said goodbye to our precious daugther Jordan Grace and yet a year later we proudly announce the birth of Matthew Jax. We choose the name Matthew Jax for several reasons. Matthew is my middle name and also my favorite book of the Bible. We will actually call him Jax but decided to use Matthew as the first name, so we could give him the initials MJ to honor his late sister Jordan Grace. I felt like the initials MJ honored her life since she was named after my favorite basketball player Michael Jordan.
I am sure many more pictures will follow soon but Kristi and I wanted to share the good news.
Matthew 6:33
-Neil
With today being the first day of spring, it is fitting to have Jordan’s birthday on the same day. Over the past 18 months Riley, Kristi, and I have adjusted to change or new seasons of life. Going from adjusting to having a second child, to learning she had HLHS, watching her fight, and most recently learning how to deal with her passing.
Jordan may have only lived 114 days but we have a lifetime of memories with her and those that shared those days with her. Rather than send individual messages to everyone who contacted us today, I thought I would post on her blog. Kristi and I can not express how meaningful it is to us that so many people remembered her birthday. The kind messages and prayers have been a vital part in allowing us to deal with her death.
We went to visit Jordan’s monument and released some balloons with Riley’s old pacifiers attached. That was Riley’s gift to Jordan Grace. We also lit a birthday cupcake and sang her happy birthday.
Today hasn’t been the easiest of days since her passing but I have thought about many of the memories we shared with her and our friends. I was also reminded of the day after she passed away. That afternoon a rainbow appeared in the sky and it reassured me of the promise God made with Noah and His people in Genesis 9. The strongest thing which anchors our emotions in coping with Jordan’s loss is the promise we will be reunited with her one day and our Savior.
Again, we can’t thank everyone enough for the kind words and prayers. With full hearts I say thank you on behalf of Kristi, Riley, and our families.
Neil
The response to the donations for Kosair has been absolutely amazing! I would say I am completely overwhelmed at this, but I am not at all surprised. I knew the people around this community have such loving and giving hearts and would jump at this opportunity. Tonight at Tamarack Elementary we had a craft night were several people came together to make the fleece tie blankets. Counting blankets that some people had already given me, we had about 30 all together and they are super cute! We have all different sizes and colors for babies, kids, and teenagers. I have some McDonald’s gift cards, books, puzzles, socks, toys, and baby items. I know there are several more people working on things. We have six stools that are currently being painted by a very special friend of mine. I have two baby swings, 3 bouncy seats, and a Bumbo seat. If you haven’t figured it out, this is going to take more than one truck to haul all of these things to Louisville. I am so excited to take all of this stuff because I know it is all sent with love in memory of Jordan. I am selfishly so glad to have this distraction when we walk back in that building for the first time because I know it will be emotional and hard. I have been in touch with our sweet nurses and I know they will be so glad to receive the goodies we are taking to them as well. I cannot thank everyone enough for everything once again. You are not only bringing some comfort to hurting families, but also helping this family heal a little more. Thank you for helping us make this such a great success! I will update with the final count of everything we are taking and with pictures. (Thanks to my mom for feeding our volunteers tonight!)
Everything collected and blankets made, just tonight!
In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of The Lord Jesus, how he himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”God has really been working on my heart lately about how much our family has received over the past several months and I am feeling very burdened for those families spending the holidays in the hospital with their ailing or dying children. We still cannot begin to thank each and every one of you for everything that you have done for us. It is time for us to give back.
In December, the week before Christmas, we will be spending a few days in Louisville with the basketball team and we feel it is the perfect time to visit our friends at Kosair. I am really dreading the first time I walk back in those doors since that is the only and last place I saw my sweet daughter’s bright and beautiful eyes. We do, so very much, miss the Kosair staff we spent countless hours with daily, so it is something we must do. We do not want to go in empty handed though, we plan on taking some things to donate in Jordan’s memory, but God has laid on my heart to do more. My plans were to go in with an armload of things for the patients, their families, and staff, but God’s plan is that we go with a truckload. That is where you come in.
If we could come together this will be all the better. If you would be interested in making some donations here are some items that would be useful:
homemade fleece “tie” blankets- different sizes for the patients (I have found that 1 yard will make two the perfect size for babies like Jordan. I am working on some myself. I do not mind to purchase the fleece if you would be interested in making some. It would be nice to have some twin size blankets too for older patients.
Soft throws for family members
toys- These would be for the hospital to keep and have for the patients to play with during their stay, so items that can be wiped with disinfectant. During our stay they really did not have very much for babies to use to work on developmental skills. Things like mobiles and other toys they track with their eyes. Musical toys are good too.
Baby swings- You may have one that you want to get rid of, like us. We ended up buying one for Jordan while we were there, just so she could have that experience and Riley could interact with her without being on a stool.
Wooden bar stools- It is nice to have for families to sit right next to their baby. Even old ones you don’t want anymore. Some of them had been painted by families in memory or honor of a loved one. They don’t have to be, but if you would like.
Typical items for families like magazines, puzzles, or handheld games.
McDonald’s gift cards- These came in so handy for us.
Baby items- hats, booties, hairbows/headbands- anything to help personalize
Items for staff members- I am having a hard time thinking of items for them, but I know someone will come up with some good ideas. If you have some ideas please share. The best I can come up with is goody bags of candy and treats. Gift cards for McDonald’s would be good for them too.
Well, this is what I have come up with so far, but if you come up with any other ideas for items that would be nice for families staying at Kosair, please share. If you would like to donate money or gift cards and let us do the shopping, that would be very much appreciated as well. If you decide this is something you would like to do for the holiday season here are some drop off points:
Owensboro area:
Of course our house is fine
You can bring them to Neil or I at work, Apollo High School or Tamarack. If you drop them off in the offices and tell what it is for we can get it that way.
McLean County area:
Either of our parents would be happy to get them to us
Buck Creek Baptist church and my mom and dad can get it from there
If you will call me 270-836-2923 or message me on Facebook, I will be happy to meet you somewhere if we need to make other arrangements.
Thank you in advance and remember God’s plan is truckload!
Six months ago today we were blessed to give birth to Jordan Grace Hayden. Six months ago we didn’t think we would have more than one day with her and we were given 114 days. We still desperately miss her but we have been blessed by her life and the many people whom have been generous to us and our family. It has been two months since Jordan passed and over the past six months our lives have completely changed.
Recently we discovered Kristi and I would have another baby. But yesterday, we had a miscarriage and felt the loss once more. The past six months we witnessed struggles with Jordan but we have also watched other family and friends deal with very difficult circumstances. I never thought I would post on the blog again, but I have chosen to do so for a couple of reasons. We felt it would be a way to update people but also to encourage people as well. Even with the disappointment we faced with losing Jordan and recently our new loss Kristi and I hold on to our faith in God’s promises and love. 1 Corinthians 13 states that “love never fails” and we hold that statement firmly in our hearts and minds.
We hope anyone reading this post will continue to pray for our family but also many others who are facing difficult circumstances.
– Neil & Kristi
Kristi and I wanted to share some pictures we received yesterday from a chaplain at Kosairs. The chaplain came to the visitation to deliver a CD of pictures of Jordan’s last hour as well as some hand molds made of us holding hands with Jordan and Riley. Kristi and I also wanted to thank everyone for their support and prayers. This has been a difficult road but we have not made it alone. We have been blessed to have a wonderful network of friends and family. We would not have had 114 days with Jordan if it were not for the staff at Kosairs. Many of them loved Jordan as much as any member of her own family. They truly became family to us.
Kristi and I also want to express our appreciation to everyone who attended the visitation and funeral. It was a celebration of her life and the past few days will never be forgotten. The funeral was finished with people releasing balloons and that moment was led by Riley releasing a purple balloon and shouting JORDAN GRACE. Again, thank you for being apart of our lives and loving us during this time.
-Neil
jordansheart 