Five Beautiful Blessings Between Heaven & Earth

Today was memorial day,  and it rained almost the whole day.  :(  Sadly we didn't get to do our annual family walk up to the cemetery.   It was a hard day for me at least and a little sun would have been nice.  But it was just not meant to be.  We did get a little break in the clouds right before the kids bedtime so we hopped into the car and went up to the cemetery.   It's beautiful this time of year.  As far as the eye can see there are flowers everywhere!   There are some headstones near Colette's and every year their families do the most beautiful flower pieces with real flowers, for their 3 family members who are at the cemetery.  It's fun to see them every year.  I kind of prefer the silk flowers myself since they last so much longer.    But it is fun to see all the beautiful things that people do for their loved ones.  Most of the time when we go visit Colette we don't often see people in the cemetery...

While we were out of town Aaron had his first report due at School,  For over a week he and I have been working together to get it written and to practice saying it and to get his poster done. The subject?  An animal.  Which animal did he pick?  Why this one! For those of you who don't know this is our pet Bird.  Her name is Birdie.  yes very original I know but that's her name! Here is his Report : Cockatiels belong to the Bird group.  They come from Australia where they live in tall trees near water and farms.  They eat grain from farms and fruit from trees, and even some vegetables.  Ours loves popcorn. Cockatiels are about 13 inches long, and weigh about 80 grams, and live for 15 to 20 years. They care for their young for about 5 months, after 5 months the babies are full grown Cockatiels are very friendly and smart birds,  they love to play and scream if they are lonely.  Some learn to talk, our loves to whistle...

So while we were out visiting my Sister we got to do some shopping,  And while we were out I found the most darling butterfly solar light, and I just had to buy it and bring it home to put at Colette's headstone.   Today I took a walk with my good friend Tiffany and we walked up to the cemetery and I took her butterfly light to put up there. The sun was really bright so it's not the best picture but look how cute it is!  I only hope that it's not so cute that someone steels it.  (you would be surprised the things that people steal from the cemetery. )  But I'm hoping that it stays for a nice long while.  I love that its a little higher off the ground so I can still put flowers down towards the bottom too.  I'll have to go over one night when it's dark and take another photo.  I'm always on the lookout for something cute to go up at the cemetery for Colette.  I know that she probably does not mind one way or the other.   But I'll admit...

So while we were at Tamara's one afternoon she had something that she needed to do so she left Michaela her oldest (13 years) and I at the house with only one job.  To watch Emersynne,  her youngest.   While she was gone I started sewing a skirt for Michaela and we started talking.  After a few minuets I realized that it was very quiet in the house....to quiet!  So I mentioned that we should probably see what Eme was doing.  And this is what we found. Yes she was into my sisters makeup.  What great babysitters we are!  I think if we were not family we might have been fired!  :D

May 10th was our 9 year wedding anniversary.  It's kind of amazing to look back over the last 9 years and see all the things that Dusty and I have been through together, have survived together, and have grown closer through together.  It's been quite a wild ride,  lots of ups and downs and even some loop de loops.  And of course it's fun to look back and see how our family has grown,  from just the two of us,  to having 3 beautiful children. This year for our anniversary we got on an airplane and flew across the country to visit my Sister and her family for a week.  Ten years ago Tamara and her husband moved to Worcester Massachusetts and I have never been back there to visit them.   They just bought a house a few months ago so I thought that maybe this would be the perfect time to go and visit and see their new house.   Did I mention that it's a long plane ride?  I have no idea how she does it with all her little ones when...

So I've been working on a little something for my Sister.  They just bought their first house a few months ago so i wanted to make her something as a house warming gift.  After thinking about it for a while  this is what I came up with.  i even did a piano key border all around the edges.  I love how it turned out.  You know you did pretty good if when your done your almost tempted to keep it for yourself! My sister loves music and is a wonderful piano teacher,  I sure wish she lived closer so that she could teach my kids! Congratz on the new house!!!

"A family is a circle of love,  not broken by a loss but made stronger by the memories we remember."   Thinking of all of my 3 beautiful children today and how one day I'll have them all together again! I love you Aaron, Bridgett and Colette!  You are my whole world and my everything.  I am so grateful and so proud to be Mommy to each of you.

So I just wanted to take a few moments to talk about something.  After Colette passed away,  Dusty's Aunts and Uncles bought us a basket of plants and had it delivered to the hospital.  To have a living plant at the time was actually very comforting,  and instead of bringing home our sweet Colette we brought home our basket of plants.  We found a new home for it in our room and it has brought great peace for the last year.  Surprisingly it's still alive! Over a year later these plants are still brining us peace and adding a touch of green to our room.

Every year (usually the Saturday before Mother's Day) our support group holds a walk of remembrance.  Dusty and I didn't got last year because he took me down to Zion's for our 8 year anniversary and we just pretended like Mother's day didn't exist.  But this year we just decided to face it head on.  So to the walk of remembrance we went.  They hold it the day before Mother's day to help ease the pain on Mother's day,  or perhaps so we can get all the tears out the day before and be a little more happy on Mothers day.  For some people the child that they have lost is their only child so far and they feel them selves in the awkward position of still feeling like a mother but having no child to take care of.  I can't even begin to imagine how hard that is!   The walk is held at Thanksgiving point.  They have a slide show with touching music,  We sat down for a while to watch the slide show and look for Colette's name and date. ...