Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Remembering with some favorites

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I wish all I could remember was the joy of her life. But the painful reality is that I remember almost every single detail of that awful. horrible, heartbreaking, confusing day of July 2 . So yes, the next few days will be hard, but we'll put one foot in front of the other and ask the Lord for continued GRACE and STRENGTH to get through it even when we don't "feel" like it. I'm just ready for the day to pass. I'm remembering my theme verse today....Could you remember it with me and claim it today and the days to come for our family....

Lamentations 3:21-25 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness...The Lord is my portion, therefore I will wait for Him.

HE ALONE IS OUR HOPE!

I'm so grateful that you've chosen to "walk" this road with me....even you stalkers out there :)

This will probably be my last post for the next few weeks. We're painting, cleaning, moving -so there's just too much going on to blog, but I'll be back.



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Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Beach Pictures followed by an Update.....

 

 

 

 





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June 2008



Hey friends....

It's good to be prayed for. Thank you for your very kind comments. I'm doing "better" than I was a week ago. Somehow?? God has given me a little more room on my stress meter to handle this move. He gives grace for the moment and at this moment, right now, I think I'll get through another move. Not sure if I'll feel the same way tonight, but for now, I'm ok :) And as I think of July 2 approaching, I do realize that it's not the actual day that's anymore heartbreaking than any other...it's the hot weather, the swimming, the beach, the flipflops, the pink goggles...all reminders of the days leading up to July 2. It's the time of year. It's remembering. Yesterday as I was cleaning out my desk area I started reading cards that were sent the weeks after Alaina died and was so encouraged by SO many who were/are holding us up. And I thought "I know how I should spend July 2." It's not a day to celebrate..it could be a day to be very very depressed, but I want to spend it remembering her life...remembering God's faithfulness during this hardest year of my life, reflecting on all God has done this year and the ways He has used the body of believers to encourage us... and looking ahead to all God can do.

We had a really really, really good time at the beach...nobody wanted to leave :) We also visited an alligator farm while we were in St. Augustine...very interesting and kinda creepy but they loved it. Just knowing that those things will eat you if you fall in is disturbing.

And the moment you've all been waiting for....surely the next post will have pictures of our doublewide on our land, in its place, ready to move in. No rain, no rain, please no more rain so the thing can get moved out there and you can see it in all its glory. Please come visit us, we love company and there's room for you, the thing is like 2500 sq. ft. No kidding.

Gotta go...I'm officially packing today.


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Sunday, June 7, 2009

Ok people, I have lots of pictures to share and can't figure out how to get them all on one post without it taking FOREVER so they'll be divided up for your viewing pleasure. I'm so behind so I just tried to give you a quick "explanation" of each picture...kind of a man's version if you know what I mean.

We just got back from the beach but those pics will be for another post. I'm not sure where to begin with all I want/need to share...Do you have a few hours? I've had some hard days. I've had a HARD year. I'm tired. Tired of grieving. Tired of crying. Tired of fighting through the visions of July 2, 2008 over and over again. Tired of emotions and feelings catching me off guard, for example Elley's end of the year school program. As we were driving to the church I thought for the thousandth time that I wished we were going to watch two little girls instead of one. And I have to surrender for the bazillionth time. Before Elley's class the four year olds performed. I cried sitting there as they sang "She'll be coming around the mountain," one of Laina's favorites, and then listened as the teacher said "If you're the parent of a 4 year old, stand up, and they will find you." Then I watch as they all run to their parents, smiling and excited. And in that moment, my heart is breaking(again) and I want to scream....this is just too hard, why Lord? Why should any parent have to endure this? How can it be anything in that moment but heart....breaking? I'm tired of the heartbreak. I'm not giving up, just tired.

Yesterday was one of those days when I came to the end of myself and as I prayed all I could say was "Jesus, I need you." This morning as I thought and prayed some more I realized something about my stress. Grieving is so absolutely draining....physically, emotionally, spiritually, mentally. It has taken every bit of energy I have for almost a year now. We have purposely tried to avoid things that would create stress, like committing to things, people, etc. Well, this move that is approaching has created a new area of stress for me. I don't have any "room" on my "stress meter" for anything else and part of it gets down to one of my idles of wanting things to be easy. Moving is not easy. Getting land ready and putting in a road and all the time it will require of Billy is not easy. But we're right in the middle of it all and there's no turning back now. I am excited about being out there but it's the process that's exhausting...ESPECIALLY when you're still grieving, when your approaching the one year mark and everything is all too familiar and when you still listen to your kids say they wish their sister could come back. Otherwise it would just be a move, not really a big deal. But it's a big deal to me right now. That's where I am. I turned on the tv last night and it was on one of the church channels and a verse in Hebrews was on the screen....HE is the same yesterday, today and forever. He was God before we lost Laina. He is the same today with what I'm facing. He will be the same God tomorrow when I get up, and when we move, and when July 2 gets here and when I meet him in heaven. He does not change through all my shifting emotions, my highs and lows, which means his faithfulness, grace, mercy, character cannot change either. I cling to this HOPE. I cling to this God who does not change, who does not grow tired or weary.

Bye for now...be back soon with beach pics.



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Good memories on this porch
 

 

 


Elley's program at school
 
leaving this

 
enjoying the new aquatic center
 

 
Got rid of these
 



Finishd baseball
 




 


Owners of a doublewide