I referenced this in my last post. I was going through my old email and found this sent to me by Steve in 2004. What a true blessing he was!
To realize:
The value of a sister or a brother
Ask someone
Who doesn't have one.
To realize
The value of ten years:
Ask a newly
Divorced couple.
To realize
The value of four years:
Ask a graduate.
To realize
The value of one year:
Ask a student who
Has failed a final exam.
To realize
The value of nine months:
Ask a mother who gave birth to a still born.
To realize
The value of one month:
Ask a mother who has given birth to
A premature baby.
To realize
The value of one week:
Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.
To realize
The value of one hour:
Ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.
To realize
The value of one minute:
Ask a person
Who has missed the train, bus or plane.
To realize
The value of one second:
Ask a person
Who has survived an accident.
To realize
The value of one millisecond
Ask the person who has won a silver medal in the Olympics
Time waits for no one.
Treasure every moment you have.
You will treasure it even more when
you can share it with someone special.
To realize the value of a true friend:
Lose one.
Oh how I miss him. Hug those who you love and let them know how truly special they are to you.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Like Father/Like Son
I truly have been on a roller coaster of emotions this weekend. It's been eight weeks since Steve passed, eight weeks...at times it seems like 8 months or 8 years and at times it feels like 8 minutes, 8 hours, or 8 days...not 8 weeks. I can remember reading an email about how the passing of time can mean such different things to people and now I am living just that. I worry about when I will stop counting the weeks and what that will mean.
Spencer was asked to play in a drumline during our church service this weekend. Oh how proud I was...he was so nervous, but truly he did an outstanding job. It was also heart wrenching because it made me realize that he and Steve never got to play together....something I know that Steve would have loved, as well as Spencer. I know that he was smiling down on Spencer today.
Love the hand motion in this one... caught in the act. Thanks to all who came out to support us. Sunday, September 19, 2010
The Foundation
I have often caught myself wondering why I am not a puddle on the floor. I mean I lost the love of my life and best friend 7 weeks ago. Sure I have hard times and times that bring me to my knees, but I am trudging forward one day at a time. I am surviving to the best of my ability. I wonder sometimes if I am grieving correctly because it not only affects my life but my children's life. I truly feel like I am under a microscope with everyone watching me.
It wasn't until today in church that it all became pretty clear to me. The sermon was wonderful, but truly after Jim read the scripture, I had a hard time focusing on what else he said...it was truly an "AHH HAAA" moment for me. Here is the scripture he read: Matthew 7:24-27
24"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
Jim simply said just because you have your faith does not mean that horrible things won't happen to you. We all will have bad things happen to us, but what gets you through is your faith. It hit me hard...I had a HUGE storm in my life and my "house" could have fallen with a great crash, but because Steve helped lay a foundation of faith for our family we are making it...to the best of our abilities.
Please understand I have not always had a relationship with Christ. I attended youth group growing up, but that was more or less for the fun activities they had planned. I didn't go to church regularly in high school and when I was in college sleeping in was a better choice. When Steve and I first met he was a man of faith. I started attending the church he grew up in, but as time passed God led us to find a church that was fitting for the two of us....and He led us to the Lee's Summit United Methodist Church. Steve helped me to become involved and encouraged me to get out of my comfort zone and to attend meetings and volunteer my time. What a blessing. Had he not helped me build my "home" on a rock I truly do not know where I would be today.
If you live in the area, I would love for you to visit our church, but truly this isn't about you coming to my church, it's about you finding a place that you feel God's spirit so you can begin to build your "house" on a rock. There will be storms in all of our lives and we must remain strong in our faith to endure those storms.
It wasn't until today in church that it all became pretty clear to me. The sermon was wonderful, but truly after Jim read the scripture, I had a hard time focusing on what else he said...it was truly an "AHH HAAA" moment for me. Here is the scripture he read: Matthew 7:24-27
24"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
Jim simply said just because you have your faith does not mean that horrible things won't happen to you. We all will have bad things happen to us, but what gets you through is your faith. It hit me hard...I had a HUGE storm in my life and my "house" could have fallen with a great crash, but because Steve helped lay a foundation of faith for our family we are making it...to the best of our abilities.
Please understand I have not always had a relationship with Christ. I attended youth group growing up, but that was more or less for the fun activities they had planned. I didn't go to church regularly in high school and when I was in college sleeping in was a better choice. When Steve and I first met he was a man of faith. I started attending the church he grew up in, but as time passed God led us to find a church that was fitting for the two of us....and He led us to the Lee's Summit United Methodist Church. Steve helped me to become involved and encouraged me to get out of my comfort zone and to attend meetings and volunteer my time. What a blessing. Had he not helped me build my "home" on a rock I truly do not know where I would be today.
If you live in the area, I would love for you to visit our church, but truly this isn't about you coming to my church, it's about you finding a place that you feel God's spirit so you can begin to build your "house" on a rock. There will be storms in all of our lives and we must remain strong in our faith to endure those storms.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Waffles
Interesting title huh? Who would have ever thought that waffles could make a person cry? This morning Spencer was making himself breakfast and he pulled out of the freezer a bag of waffles. Now these weren't just your ordinary waffles you see...These were Steve's waffles. Steve LOVED and I mean LOVED waffles. I on the other hand am not a huge fan of waffles...not because I don't like the taste, but I cannot stand the smell of them cooking. It's not the waffles themselves cooking, but the oil on the waffle maker I can't stand. So why would waffles make me cry, I mean besides the obvious that Steve made them. It reminded me of all the little things he did to make me happy. You see, he would set up the waffle maker on the screened in porch in order to keep the smell out of the house. Those little things that he did, that I truly did not appreciate until it was too late. So today, take a moment and find something that someone does for you just because they love you and care and thank them...no matter how small that may be.
One more thing, waffles also reminds me of all the movies that Steve would quote, and boy he could quote many...see if you can guess what movie this comes from "And in the morning we will make waffles." Take time to appreciate life and all that it encompasses.
One more thing, waffles also reminds me of all the movies that Steve would quote, and boy he could quote many...see if you can guess what movie this comes from "And in the morning we will make waffles." Take time to appreciate life and all that it encompasses.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Once again
I have always been an on the go type of person, but since Steve's passing I truly find the most comforting place is at home. Truly if I am not at work or running the kids to their activites then I want to be at home, as there is just a sense of peace here. On Friday I dropped by the funeral home to pick up more thank you notes and also got to pick up Steve. It made it all so final. When Spencer and Sydney got home from school I asked if they wanted to see his ashes and Sydney said she did not. Spencer said he wanted to look at them on Father's Day. They truly amaze me with their thinking. Sydney at one point said she did not want to bury the ashes because if we ever moved we couldn't take him with us. Their perspective is truly amazing.
After Steve passed my sister Kim shared with us that she was expecting. I cannot tell you how happy this made my heart in all the sadness that we were facing at the time. However, early this morning Kim suffered a miscarriage and I am grieving yet another loss. It truly makes me think how much more can I take? The only comfort I can hold on to is that my dear sweet husband has embraced this baby in his arms and is going to take care of this precious soul that we never got to meet. Please keep my sister Kim and her husband Vance and son Gregory in your prayers as they cope with this loss. I love you Kim and wish I could take all your pain away.
After Steve passed my sister Kim shared with us that she was expecting. I cannot tell you how happy this made my heart in all the sadness that we were facing at the time. However, early this morning Kim suffered a miscarriage and I am grieving yet another loss. It truly makes me think how much more can I take? The only comfort I can hold on to is that my dear sweet husband has embraced this baby in his arms and is going to take care of this precious soul that we never got to meet. Please keep my sister Kim and her husband Vance and son Gregory in your prayers as they cope with this loss. I love you Kim and wish I could take all your pain away.
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