1.  In a pan, brown the sausage for 3-4 minutes.  Add in the onion and continue cooking until
   sausage is completely cooked through.  Drain off excess grease. Add sausage and onion to the slow cooker.
2.  Add broth, water, celery, carrot, potatoes, garlic powder, thyme and parsley to the slow cooker.
3.  Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours, or until potatoes are tender.
4.  In a small bowl combine salt, pepper, and flour. In medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter over medium low heat. Stir in flour mixture by tablespoon at a time to form a roux. Whisk in milk, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth.
5.  Stir cream mixture into slow cooker and then let cook on high without the lid for 15 more minutes.
6.  While soup is cooking add Parmesan cheese into the soup.  Cut up kale leaves* into bite size (or smaller) pieces and add to the soup.  Ladle into soup bowls and serve.

*I lay a piece of kale on a cutting board and then cut off the leaf portion and discard the rib and stem.  It’s kind of time consuming but the stem is bitter and tough…you won’t want to eat it.