Dear Friends and Family of Jude Bradley Hall –

         This time last Monday our family was settling down for bed time when Cindy and I started feeling that our 2 month old son, Jude, wasn’t acting like his normal self. He hardly would open his eyes and he had a persistence wet cough that he could not shake. He was also beginning to “pull” his breaths and having a hard time getting oxygen with all of the fluid in his lungs. He had a doctors appointment that next day at 4pm and we both realize now that we were in denial that he was sick enough to go to the ER. We had called the nurse line multiple times and we got the same story that if he wasn’t running a fever he was fine. We kind of knew what he had…a cold, because our Daughter Bethany had just started to get over a cold and it was quickly grabbing a hold of both Cindy and I as well. We took Jude’s temperature (with 3 different thermometers) and found out quickly that his temp was up over 100. We quickly made plans to go to an urgent care in Aurora where we live in a suburb of Denver. I looked up the directions and Cindy packed up and took off to the clinic. After 30 mins Cindy called me almost in a panic and said that the clinic that I sent her to was closed. She then called the nurse line of the Colorado children’s hospital which is only 5 mins from our house. The nurse said that since we were so close that we should just come on in to the Children’s Hospital ER. I truly believe that this is the first time that God lead us that week.

It was extremely frightening to see Jude laid out on the ER table with 5 or 6 strangers surrounding him. All I could do was cry as they put a tube down his nose to suck all the mucus out and stick an IV in his tiny arm. They hooked him up to oxygen and then he got a chest x-ray. After 3-4 hours in the ER we were moved to the PICU. Mom and Dad Eckstein came up and met us there. The next 2 days were filled with numerous deep suctions, another IV, an oxygen device called a c-pap, Tylenol, antibiotics, 24 hours of fasting, and many tears. The first time I spoke with doctors they thought he might still have several rough days left. All the nurses where saying a week or two was normal for this type of sickness. But we had put out the word to as many friends and family that we could reach and your prayers were already strengthening Jude and guiding his nurses and doctors. Thankfully Mom Hall had arrived to help as well. Baby Jude began to make small but steady improvements and by Wednesday evening he was moved to a transition room where he had a restful night and was able to eat whenever he wanted.  After that your prayers continued to strengthen him and he made such rapid improvement that the doctors released him on Friday! Jude was diagnosed with RSV Bronchiolitis. The good thing is that he shouldn’t get sick from it again. Next year it will be a different strain but he will just have a cold if he gets it and not have such a hard time.

Jude’s rapid recovery and strong will to fight and get better quickly are all a part of Gods amazing ability to heal as He sees fit. Thank you all for lifting our baby and us up. Your support was felt all this last week as we cared for our son and daughter. We are so thankful to be surrounded by friends and family who are willing to help and pray for us at a moment’s notice.

 

Thank you all so much and we love you!!

 

-Brad, Cindy, Bethany & Jude

  

Jude Bradley Hall

My Son will turn TWO MONTHS OLD here in a couple of hours! What a huge blessing it has been these last 8 weeks getting to know my wonderful baby Boy. I'm so blessed to be the father of two fantastic children. Jude has just started to start smile and laugh. His fat checks make it hard for him to smile too big but when the mood catches him right he lights up like Christmas. Of course his mama can make him laugh the most. Here's to the best son a dada could ever ask for. I love you Jude and your Dada is so proud of you!!!

My Family

I have been joined together with my wife Cindy's family now for almost 5 years now and I love to be considered a member of this wonderful clan. I have become very close to Nana and Grand-dad and consider them my second set of parents. Also I am blessed with wonderful sisters like Holly, Tammy and Jenna. Godly bothers like Ethan & Aaron. And of course I love being an uncle to Sweet Maddy. Cindy, Bethany, Jude and I had a wonderful time of fellowship in Colorado Springs for our annual Christmas/New Year celebration. I always enjoy the love and joy that is present when this group gets together and I am so glad that Bethany and Jude have such a loving and godly family that loves them and cares for them. We opened presents, ate lots of good food and of course did lots of talking. Maddy and Bethany had a blast playing with Nana and each other as well. I enjoy the relaxation part of it, it feels great to do NOTHING sometimes! What a wonderful end to the Holiday season and a great start to the new year!

Happy New Year 2013

As the storm passes and we can finally come out of the haze of the Holiday season I think I am ready to look back and reflect on what took place place. Don't get me wrong, i absolutely love the holiday season but it seems that sometimes I just crave the drop of the New years ball. My Holiday season starts really in October when Whole foods starts having Holiday meetings and we start getting ready for the massive amounts of food that we will have to produce. They build up and work load is huge and it truly amazes me every year how we get it all done. It really is amazing to see. The 3 days leading up to Thanksgiving at Whole foods was ridiculousness, long hours and food leaving the store in groves. After T-Day things seem to easy up a little but the month in-between seems taxing in other ways. Its almost that your ready for the new year before Christmas is over. I try though to not make the holidays all about work, especially for my family's sake and for the most part I think I do a good job at it. This Christmas was made special by the birth of Jude and Bethany's new found excitement of Santa. We were blessed to have a white Christmas and huddle indoors from the 4 degree weather with Cindy's parents and enjoyed the day together  We made a Turkey dinner and enjoyed watching Bethany tear through the presents like she was rabid. I always miss it when its over and long for it to come next year. All in all this was a head spinning, crazy, life-changing Christmas and i got everything i could ever want. Thanks Santa!! Here's to a wonderful 2013....Cant wait!

My Son, Jude Bradley Hall

I am proud to announce that my son, Jude Bradley Hall was born on December 18, 2012 at 5:56pm. We have been overjoyed and feel blessed beyond all belief to be given this gift from God. Cindy and I feel like our family is complete. We have spent the past first 3 weeks of Jude's life bonding and enjoying his sweet, calm personality. He was born in the same birth center as Bethany and the birth went a lot like Bethany's birth. Labor was fast and Cindy did an Amazing job. I am so blessed to be the Father of two wonderful kids!!

Don't deck the Hall's, that would hurt

Well, by the Advent calendar on the fireplace mantel I see we are 4 days into the month of December. This is the eye of the storm for the holiday season were the ramping up for Thanksgiving has come and gone and Christmas is a couple of weeks away. So here is a recap of my favorite day of the year Thanksgiving/Christmas (or Thanksmas if you will). 
We were blessed to have Mimi, Pappy, Caleb, Sarah, Aiden, Cora and Uncle J take the 1,000 mile trek to us in beautiful Aurora, Colorado. The main reason being is that Cindy is getting ready for the big push. They all arrived Thanksgiving eve (except Uncle J who flew in the next day) and I was working that day. I ended up working 14 hours the day before and 10+ hours that day. I came home to a wonderful Ham dinner and some catch up time with everyone. I was blessed to have the next 3 days off to enjoy with everyone. Thanksgiving day was an incredible day of family and feast. I was blessed to cook along side my Mom, lovely wife and sister Sarah. The meal turned out perfectly. The 19# Turkey that my beautiful wife brined for 36 hours was so dang succulent that you could have cut it with a butter knife. What a wonderful feast it was. My pops was in hog heaven because of the rare event of both Texas football teams were playing on Thanksgiving, An all Texas Turkey day football afternoon...Thy will be done. We also had are Christmas gift exchange with the family that afternoon. It was extra special this year to watch all the kids as they have that excitement of ripping and tearing to unveil there treasures. Later that night after playing some 'rock band' (one of my gifts) we had to do some serious planning for the mission to unfold later that day under the cover of night. The ops name was code name: BLACK FRIDAY or operation Big Savings. we lined up with around 300 of our fellow Black ops agents and infiltrated the local Target down the street. We got in at 8PM and everyone agreed after the mission that it was the smoothest one we had ever been apart of especially last year in Brenham when mom got ran over by an overeager Wal-Mart shopper. Our annual shopping spree is when I usually buy all my Blu rays for the year. 
The next day the girls took another mission to Joanne's for some...will whatever it is that women buy at those places and is men went out for CheeseSteaks and to see the Movie Lincoln. Fun was had by all. We are very blessed to have a wonderful family and this Thanksgiving will go down as one of my favorites. 
Next up.....Jude!!!

Happy Hall-O-Ween!!!

Happy Halloween to all my family and friends. Now begins the most wonderful time of the year.... The Holidays!!! Cinderella had a wonderful time at the Ball and Gus-Gus (Cindy) made sure the Princess was ready for her Prince charming!!