I have to laugh. Mari would be the one where nothing would stop her from trying something new. However, most of us would think twice before doing so. Even then it could take us several more times and then we don't go through with it. There could be several reasons why. The bottom line is we stop to think about it. This is where Mari was on the more unique side because that's just it - she didn't think. She just did. Now I'm not saying this was always the smartest choice (hence dancing on the … [Read more...]
Day 13: The Matanuska Valley and Other Diversions
When I first saw the heading "The Matanuska Valley and Other Diversions," I was like "what the heck could this be about. Then I read the short exert. I had to laugh. I think one word can sum it up best: Procrastination. I don't think there is a person on this earth who hasn't procrastinated at some point in their life. Now grant it, there are some who have made it an art form with how great they do this. And others rarely ever do. God has made each and every one of us so different. We each … [Read more...]
Special Unforgettable Moments
I think we all have those special unforgettable moments in our life. Some heartwarming that just make you smile while others are gut-wrenching heartache. We never know when those moments will happen but when they do you know it. For me one of those moments was the day I found out I was pregnant with Mari. Keith and I have infertility issues. After having many test done and procedures performed we were told that the only way we would be able to have children biologically is to have IVF … [Read more...]
It’s been 4 years…
The month of July can mean so many different things to so many different people. The first thing that comes to mind for most Americans is our Independence Day. On July 4, 1776, we truly became an independent nation. There have been many struggles, hardships, good times and excitement but it is on this day that we celebrate our independence as a nation for the freedoms that have been given to us. For some this month is the end of Summer break as so many get ready to start a new school year … [Read more...]
Unchoices
When life gets hard, what should you do? Everyone is different and everyone handles their problems in different ways. For the most part, our lives involve different paths and the choices we make to get there. Some choices come by easily and others are difficult to almost impossible to have to make. And then there are the things that happen in our lives that can be called the unchoices. So what exactly is an unchoice you might be asking? Well, this is when something either happens to you … [Read more...]
Strength…
Strength: Where does it come from? Everyone always wants to tell me how strong I am for how I am today with dealing with the death of Mari. And I used to think the same thing when I saw a parent and how they were dealing with the death of a child. I would think to myself how incredibly strong that person must be to be dealing with the loss. The strength they have inside themselves must be so incredibly strong to be able to get through this incredibly hard time. I know I could never be that … [Read more...]
Talking from the heart…
Today I sit here thinking about how life can turn out so differently than you could have expected. Keith and I went to church this morning like we have started to do on a more regular basis since the Sunday before Thanksgiving. We decided to just try Sunday School since I haven't been able to handle going to church service at that point. That very first Sunday going to our brand new class I broke down and told everyone about Mari. It's the Sunday before Thanksgiving so you can imagine what … [Read more...]
The days, months, and years to come
I sit here wondering what life has in store for me in the days, months, and years to come. Just two years ago at this same time, I knew Keith, my husband, and I had a life of taking care of a severely autistic child that within the next few years would more than likely have to be put into some kind of home for her own safety. She was getting harder and harder to take care of and she kept escaping out of our house. We knew we didn't want to do this but we knew that the way things were going we … [Read more...]
