I sit here thinking about my beloved angel today and how much she is missed. I was looking at one of her pictures up on the wall and at how truly beautiful she was at just 5. Then I started to look at some of her other pictures. This got me to thinking about what she would have looked like once she was an adult. I think she would have been one of those adults that when people looked at her they would have thought she had such natural beauty. Unfortunately, we will never get to know. All we … [Read more...]
Mari’s book
Yesterday while at church, a lady from my Sunday School class announced something very special. She said she was going to hosting a Tastefully Simple (or is Simply Tasteful) party or something like that. I know that she plans on selling the goodies to members at our church. Then she announced that all proceeds would be going towards costs to get Mari’s book edited. To say I was shocked doesn’t even quite describe it. I am ever so grateful she came up with this idea and others are willing … [Read more...]
A Scholarship Program in Mari’s Honor
I want to start off by telling everyone I am still here even though I have not written a little while. I have started a new job and trying to do some other things. I know many of you know I have been writing a book about Mari’s life and the grief journey that followed. The book is done. However, here is where the problem lies. I have found an editor that I believe will be perfect for this book. Unfortunately, the price is quite high for me to pay her. I need to raise about $8,000 to … [Read more...]
I’m still amazed…
I am still amazed sometimes when someone tells me they think I am a good writer. I have never thought of myself in this light. To be honest, the only time I have written anything before in the past were for 2 reasons and 2 reasons only: an assignment/paper for school/college or writing in my diary. That was it. I never wrote stories or anything. Then Mari gets sick and I write out for all of our friends and family updates on her progress. Then she dies. I purchase a special journal to … [Read more...]
He’s back…
Keith got home last night after being gone for the last week on a business trip. I really missed him. Our dogs really missed him too. They like to act all goofy and nuts after he has been gone for any length of time. To be honest, they drive us crazy, especially our female boxer. Even though they drive you nuts you love them anyway. There is only one week (technically 6 days now) till our 17 year anniversary. It’s hard to believe it is already that close. Before you know it, you blink … [Read more...]
Going on Business
Keith leaves on another business trip tomorrow. He will be back on Friday. It’s not too bad. He will leave again a week after he gets back on another one for another week. He seems to usually go for about 2 weeks every month to different places all over the country. I think he likes the scenery but is getting tired of the traveling. It’s hard to believe he turned 40 today. For almost half of our lives we have been together. When you really start to think about it that is a very long … [Read more...]
Super Bowl Sunday
I sit here watching the Super Bowl where the Steelers and Packers are playing each other. Keith and I are at a friend’s house just enjoying each other’s company. It’s nice instead of just being at home. I sit here thinking about how this little pink journal I bring with me almost everywhere has become quite a companion for me. I am able to write down my thoughts that might otherwise be lost forever. It’s nice to know I have this. Some people think this is my personal diary. I tell … [Read more...]
Keith’s 40th
Today is Keith’s 40th birthday. He starts a new generation today. The last generation has had some of the biggest bumps and bruises he’s had in his life. Those bumps and bruises have slowly been healing but they will never go away. We both continue to live our lives on a path neither one could have expected or wanted yet here we both are anyway. I like to tell people, “It is what it is.” What I mean by this is can I do anything about the path that has been laid before me? No I can’t. … [Read more...]
Grateful for the little things in life
It seems that sitting in church, like I am now, seems to be a place where I feel I can open up so freely and easily. I am so grateful and excited to be going back to church and finding one that Keith and I feel at home with. I know that it is God who has been nudging our hearts to find a new church home. It just has been hard grieving as much as we have and having anger issues. But it feels good to be around fellow believers as we are now. I think now I am going to seek out another woman … [Read more...]
Seeing Mari again
I want to share a passage of the Bible that was recently shown to me: 2 Samuel 12:15-23 15 After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became ill. 16 David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth[a] on the ground. 17 The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them. 18 On the seventh day the child died. … [Read more...]