Life As We Know It: September 2008

BFF Ava

Oh how we love our playdates! Ava and her mommy Mica hung out with us Thursday. Brooke has REALLY been working on taking turns. And I have to say she wasn't too mean to Ava. This is a big improvement. Mica & Ava are good sports for letting us practice our niceness on them.

Apparently our carpet was getting too long, so Ava cranked up the mower.

Look everyone! Brooke is sharing! And I got it on camera!

Ava showing off some belly button.

Chillin' on the Lovesac.

Strollin' in the wagon.

We love you Mica and Ava! Come over again soon!

The Return of the Wig and Football Season

It's that time of year again! Tuesday evening was the first football game for the 8th graders. David called me around lunch time to say he had been entered in a teacher dance-off during the pep rally. Brooke and I just had to see that.

Turns out this $14 investment was well worth it. Unfortunately it has gotten a lot of use, especially in public. I can't believe Brooke recognized Daddy in this getup.

Of course I took pictures of the dance-off.

Supposedly the Cha-Cha-Slide

And onto the game that same evening...

We didn't even make it through the second quarter of the first game because Miss Priss did not want to sit still, unless of course she was eating.

Mmm, popcorn!

Warm up time, pretty much all I saw of the game.

Go Eagles!

Brooke prefered walking around instead of watching the game...

...and we're leaving.

Worth Smiling

It has been a really rough couple of weeks. I am so thankful for the love and support of our family, friends, and church.

While I was gone, people from our small group came and cleaned our house, took care of our dog, and they also mowed our yard! Cousins, aunts, and uncles came to be with us from all directions, including all the way from California! So many people sacrificed their work day to attend the funeral. Numerous cards filled with the kindest words have flowed daily into our mailbox. People have donated money. Two families volunteered to bring us dinner this week. One of my friends even bought Brooke some new clothes! Lots of hugs were given. Every day someone calls me to see how I am doing. Countless prayers are being said for our family. Love envelopes us. We are so blessed.

Here are some things that are making me smile these days...

California cousins

Mica's chocolate chip cookies

my awesome, supportive, selfless husband

Grammy swinging baby

wooden toast at the very cool NB Children's Museum

Rocky Balboa (you know, because he's a "boxer" mix), always the good sport

and a real horsie

someone trying to fill my shoes

Thank you everyone for all the love you have shown!

Verses of Comfort

I actually picked up Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul 2 (yes I am a cheeseball), and it had some very touching stories and bible verses that were of some comfort. I keep reminding myself that God has a plan, even if I can't understand it right now.

Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live." -John 11:25

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven." -Eclesiastes 3:1

"Whoever welcomes children in my name welcomes me." -Mark 9:37

"And all things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." -Matthew 21:22

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." -Proverbs 16:9

Please feel free to add to my list!

Fun at Landa Park

David & I enjoyed taking Austin, Ginny, & Brooke to Landa Park. We rode the Landa Express and had a great time on the playground.

Little Blessings

I thought I would share some of the bright moments during the past couple of dark weeks. Aren't they beautiful?

all of my nieces and nephews & me

Left to right: Kendra & Felix (Summer's kiddos), Ginny, me, & Austin holding Charlotte

Have you ever seen such a head of hair on a 4 month old? Brooke was jealous.

Princess Kendra & Princess Ginny

Going for a ride...Ginny, Brooke, & Austin

Scrub-a-dub-dub Ginny & Brooke in the tub!

My sis Kelly with Ginny

Kel french braided Ginny's hair. It looked quite fabulous!

Beautiful girl

Here's a video of the sweetest thing ever! Turn on the sound.

Hey Little Girl

I was always so proud of my big brother. I was in the third grade when Tommy joined the Marine Corps (without telling my parents, by the way). He would send letters, and we would all anxiously await his visits home. I remember several times staking out a window by the front of the house on a pillow patiently waiting for his car to pull in the drive. When it did, he would usually greet me with a grin and say, "Hey little girl." Without fail, Tommy would have a gift for each of his little sisters from whatever far off country he had recently traveled. He was my hero. I carried around a picture of him at school to show off to all my friends. During every single quiet prayer time during church, I would pray for him to come home safely and soon.

He was so sweet to me. When I entered adolescence and all the awkwardness that goes along with it, Tommy always gave me words of wisdom, advice, and understanding. When I decided to take French in high school, he would write French letters to me to help me practice since he already knew the language. He made a quiet place for me out of this old delivery truck of his in our yard and told me it could be a secret place for me to go whenever I needed to get away from it all. He taught me how to drive standard in his 1970 VW Beetle that became my first car. And even as I was learning how to drive, he called me "little girl".

After the Marines, he reconnected with and married his high school sweetheart Kristina. They were the perfect match. My sister Summer remembers asking Tommy who he thought was the most beautiful woman in the world, and he answered, "Kristina, in every way". He went on to earn an engineering degree, and maintained a strong Christian "family first" lifestyle. He was a wonderful husband and father. I hope to help keep his memory and their love story alive in stories I tell to his precious children.

I remember Tommy with love and fondness. I regret that we drifted apart through the last few years. If I could go back in time, I would try harder and put 100% into being closer to him. I have learned a valuable lesson through all of this heartache: don't hesitate to tell others how much you love them. Don't take them for granted thinking they will always be there when you are less busy. Don't give up. That is what I am going to do now. I just hate that it took this to get me to change.

I am so incredibly thankful that I got to spend the day with him last Thursday, his last full day on earth. We were able to tell each other so many times that day how much we loved one another. We connected again just like old times.

I love you Tommy. I am so sorry you are gone. I miss you. I will always hear your voice saying, "Hey little girl".

Tommy called this fast food.

with Dad

my wedding

Heartbroken

This past week, horrible tragedy has devastated the hearts and lives of my family.
Tuesday morning September 9th, a freak accident in the bathtub sent my sister-in-law Kristina to the ICU. My brother Tommy unceasingly prayed for a miracle and diligently stayed by her side around the clock. After some time, it was determined she no longer showed any brain activity. Tommy, along with Kristina's family, came to the impossibly difficult decision to remove her from life support and donate her organs on Thursday.
Tommy, or Tom, as most people call him, was a broken man. Kristina was the love of his life, and he felt completely devastated at the thought of going on in this world without her. He told me several times during this awful time to tell his children he loved them so much. By Friday, we thought we had convinced Tom that he would get through this with the Lord's strength and lots of support from loved ones. No one could have known what was to come. Tragically, Tom slipped away while others were sleeping Friday morning, and later that day he took his own life.
I cannot describe the pain I feel. It is like nothing I have ever experienced.
Kristina and Tommy leave behind three beautiful, amazing, loving children: Austin, age 7, Ginny, almost 3, and Charlotte, 4 months. I have been blessed to be able to care for them during this time of uncertainty.
Please keep these sweet children in your prayers, as well as Kristina's family and my family, who are all grieving the tragic loss of two vibrant and loving people. Our suffering is far from over. I have found comfort in the fact that both Tom and Kristina were deeply devoted to their Christian faith. I believe they were truly meant to be together, as they now are in Heaven.

Kristina & Tom

Wedding Day 1996

Not the baby anymore?

It is sinking for Brooke that she's not the center of the universe in Mount Pleasant anymore. She now has to share that spotlight with precious little Avery Grace. She doesn't mind too much...as long as Avery stays off her quilt at Grandma's house.

"Look Avery, just keep doing that cute face and you'll get whatever you want around here. Trust me."

Just like a football

Special reading time with Grandma

Brooke signing and saying "baby" around Avery

Ok, to the quilt business. Grandma used to lay this quilt on the floor for Brooke when she was smaller. I had no idea she would remember it, but as soon as we put Avery on it, Brooke threw a fit! We finally figured out that she did NOT want that baby on her quilt. Here I captured a brief moment when she wasn't trying to hog the entire quilt. Look how much bigger she is than Avery!

"MY quilt!"

Silly girl!

Babbling Brooke

Brooke's 15 month appointment was great!

In preparation, I made a list of all the words Brooke is saying, and it adds up to almost 40 words! She can also name several body parts and make animal sounds. She even feeds her baby doll a sippy cup, and she loves to hug and kiss and pat her baby.

The doctor was so impressed she was nearly speechless.

Whiz kid? I think so.

Anyway, here are her stats.

Height 31 1/2 inches (70th percentile)

Weight 21 lbs 5 oz (25th %)

Head 18 in (80th %) Big head for a big brain right?

BFF Ava

The Return of the Wig and Football Season

Worth Smiling

Verses of Comfort

Fun at Landa Park

Little Blessings

Hey Little Girl

Heartbroken

Not the baby anymore?

Babbling Brooke

Our Family

My Parks Blog

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