Jump on it!!

Could not resist sharing this with all of you. Sierra , her oldest brother Tim and his girl friend Sara dancing the Fresh Prince of Bel Airs "Jump on it"

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So much life around!!

Wow this has been a terrible week..... My last post mentioned a friend who died from complications from surgery. Well since Sunday night our small rural community has lost 3 wonderful people...all too soon and all suddenly. Our former school secretary had a massive heart attack while walking the beach in Florida and early this morning another dear friend died from a massive stroke after a seemingly successful surgery. It has been tough to come to terms with it all. Last night I was majorly bummed. I knew Alice had irreversible damage and her family was by her side. I thought""Enough already!" Enough sadness and death. And although I know death is not something to be feared, it is still hard on the families and friends who are not expecting it. I woke up this morning feeling like I got punched it the stomach.. I kept asking" Why so much death now??" I took my usual walk out along the field. It was not long before the answer became apparent to me. Yes , there has been alot of death this week, but as I walked along, listening to the birds chirp, watching the turtles sun themselves on the log in the swamp, seeing my dog Emma chase a chipmunk, noticing the new tiny beginnings of corn popping up in the dirt rows and thinking of my beautiful little girl asleep in her bed with her awesome big brother in the next room, I realized that there is so much more life around then death. The problem is we don't always take the time to notice the things that are right there in front of us. God's beauty and light fills our lives every single day..it's there and although death often takes our breath away, so too should the life all around us. Goodbye Robert, Donna and Alice...I know you are all in a better place. I will miss you all but I will try to remember to notice, not only the death but LIFE. Thank you for this gift!

Another tough day in our community...

Shortly after 9/11 we had a new family move into our community and our school. It was a family with 4 young children who used to live near NYC in Brooklyn. They are actually relatives of friends of mine. The father, Robert, was a New York City Fireman. He held the rank of captain. On Sept. 11th he had taken the day off to work on his kitchen. The men, his men, who worked that day, all were killed when the towers came down. Robert moved his family upstate, hopefully away from such tragedies. He continued as a fireman in the city,working long hours at the site, cleaning up the aftermath of that terrible day. Just a few weeks ago Robert was diagnosed with a very rare lung cancer.His family was told it was very possibly from working in that junk! Last night Robert died after complications from the surgery to remove one lung. Almost 9 years later
the atrocities are still happening. People are still dying from that single day of terrorism. Please keep Robert's family in your thoughts and prayers. He was a great guy who so loved his family. He was to retire in August and was so looking forward to it. Tell your family you love them.

Some musings!

As I have been following what has happened in a hospital room in Texas I can't help think about little Chrissie. How her life has been nothing short of a miracle since the day she was born...and the miracles are continuing right up to this moment. But the biggest difference is she now has a family to sit by her side as her tiny body fights and fights to stay alive. What a story of adoption, of a family's selfless love for their new daughter, of a daughters love for a family she has only known for 6 short months. And of God who loves them all. I am overwhelmed with it all but grateful for the opportunity to follow along..watching one miracle after another.

I can't help but think of our sweet friend Grace..who left us this past November. How her short life had touched so many people and continues to do so. Grace's family will be traveling soon to China..to bring home their daughter Isabella. This adoption was started before Grace got sick and the family decided to go ahead and continue....because Grace had so touched their lives.

And I think of Sierra,,and what the future holds for her...and how in the space of one year she has brought such joy to so many people. I can't imagine our lives without her in it. I think about her past and hope that the wounds are not too deep. She is healing..that I know. But because there is so little I don't know its hard to predict how bad the scars will be. We see glimpses of the hurt. We see little snapshots of life in the orphanage. This week has been hard on me..she has pushed me away more times than I can count. All she wants is her Daddy.( I don't blame her...he is an awesome father!!!) I know its normal, I know she is testing and I tell her its OK, I love you. Today was better. We are together all day and I love every minute but I have to be the one to say "no" or to correct an unwanted behavior. But tonight she said Mama, I love you and I love Daddy!

Praying for Chrissie!

Thank you all.  This story has so moved me!  She had surgery today to close her chest and to try to get everything working the way it should. She has defied the odds since the day she was born and is continuing to do so!! Keep on praying!!!

Please Pray for Chrissie!

Please pray for this family!   What they are going through right now is unimagineable.
http://www.allarepreciousinhissight.blogspot.com/

A little baseball and a little Spring!

The other night I went to Dave's baseball came...alone.  Sierra stayed home with Scott who watched the little boy I babysit for so I could leave for the game ( Thanks, honey!)  It was a great night for a game and a great game to watch.  Unfortunately we lost, but the boys played very well.  Believe it not I got to visit with a college friend that I haven't seen in 31 years!! He is the Athletic Director at the school we played and he came over to see if I was there. He knew from Facebook that I had a son who played baseball.
It was also a great night for pictures.  I took some of David and Paul.  The lighting was awesome.  On the drive home I passed through many apple orchards.  The trees are in full blossom! I actually pulled into one of the orchards to take some pictures.  Then I got a call from Scott that they had a fire call and Sierra was at the Firehouse.  So my picture taking ended early so I could go gather her.  It was such a pleasant evening on many accounts!!

My second baseman!

The two coaches sitting on their chairs!  Number 11 is my son Paul!

Big brother giving Dave some advice.  As a Mom I love these shots!!

Don't tell anyone but I took these next few shots while driving!

Orchards in full bloom!!

I don't know if you can tell but the orchard goes up hill and there are thousands of trees in bloom!