Monday, March 31, 2008
Want to know what to do for someone with cancer?
This blog post isn't a bad place to start.
My friend Amy wrote me not too long ago looking for suggestions on what to do to encourage a young person she knew who had been recently diagnosed. It made me reflect on the gifts that I enjoyed the most during my illness.
I'm with Mr. Sievers. Every gift was a blessing...but the best were those that injected moments of (relative) normalcy into a season of constant crisis.
My friend Amy wrote me not too long ago looking for suggestions on what to do to encourage a young person she knew who had been recently diagnosed. It made me reflect on the gifts that I enjoyed the most during my illness.
I'm with Mr. Sievers. Every gift was a blessing...but the best were those that injected moments of (relative) normalcy into a season of constant crisis.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Not a bad way to start Spring Break
The gang loved soaking up the sun with Aunt Sarah at Cocoa Beach. Sally, it was just a tad warmer than it was last Monday, LOL.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Birthday Thank Yous
To some of my favorite people in the world. Thank you for working so hard to get here this week. I can't imagine a better way to celebrate my birthday.
To Amy: Wow, the new book looks great! Thank you for the advance copy and for your sweet words of encouragment.
To my church family:
Thank you to my pastor's wife for remembering me with a card on Sunday. With all you do, I was astounded that you even knew it was my birthday. Your kind words were an extra ray of sunshine on Resurrection morning.
Thank you to the young mom juggling a toddler and a baby who still took the time to bless me with a card and gift. Wow, I'm blown away.
Thank you to the sweet new single in our fellowship for reading my heart. When I asked you yesterday where you would be going for Easter dinner then invited you over, you told me, "I almost called you last night...but I knew that I'd see you at church and you'd ask me to come over then!". Your words were a gift...and we loved sharing our noisy, messy, holiday with you.
To my friends and family--I love, love, love my new toy. Thanks to dh for coordinating that not-so-small blessing.
To my Abba. Thank you for the gift of another year. You are my life, my hope, my strength and my song no matter what the next year brings.
Happy Birthday
Dear Miss K,
One year ago today, your Mommy and Daddy were anticipating your arrival. They knew it would be any day now, as you were a bit "late" by your EDD. It was a joyous time of watching and waiting.
Things at my house, however, were not so joyful. In fact, the day before, my little boy had accidentally jumped up and bumped me in the nose. The pain startled me and I began to cry. I knew I was probably not looking at the best birthday weekend ever when it took me four hours, my mom coming over from Tampa, and two Ativan to stop crying. With one round of chemo to go, I was physically and emotionally spent, and not too confident that I'd see another birthday.
My family had a party for me that afternoon. As people were heading out, all I could think about was going to bed. Then your Daddy called. You were on your way.
NOTHING was going to stop me from being there. My sister and I hopped in the car and drove the hour to meet your Mommy and Daddy at the birthing center.
In the next hours, as you and Mommy worked so well and bravely to welcome you to the world, you gave me a gift. For one brief and shining evening, I wasn't a cancer patient. I was a doula and a friend. Your arrival reminded me that life goes on, no matter what.
My mother says that this picture with you is the only picture of me smiling my "real" smile during my season of walking through the valley. The timing of your birth was perfect, and I like to think that as the angels kissed you and sent you on your way to meet Mommy and Daddy, they whispered, "Carry hope", and you did. Thank you.
Miss K, may you have a wonderful birthday and continue to bring your family as much joy in the future as you have every day since your arrival.
Happy, happy birthday.
Love,
Miss Heather
To Trevor over at Laurie's:
Dear Trevor,
Happy Birthday to You! Thank you for being a friend to my son and helping him find his smile in the middle of a storm.
We love your sense of humor, your intelligence, and your all-around boyishness. Know that we're holding you in our heart today, even if we can't be there to celebrate with you.
Love,
Mrs. N and the whole Gang
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
The sunburns were so worth it
Congratulations to the OCS Strikers U12 girls! They finished a lovely third at the Region Cup finals last weekend and are now ranked in the top 12 teams in the state! They're also eligible for State Cup play next year. Needless to say, we're pretty proud of the TQ and her soccer buds around here.
How to lie with statistics
I've been tagged by Laurie.
HowManyOfMe.com | ||
|
Hmmm....this would make my name look pretty unique. Fortunately, I'm married to a statistician (Cue horrified looks here. Yes, he really did complete an entire degree--a graduate one at that--in statistics. And yes, I do love him despite this.)
Of course, I also found this out:
There are 511,668 people in the U.S. with the first name Heather.
Statistically the 104th most popular first name.
Statistically the 104th most popular first name.
Yes, and all of us were born in the seventies. Okay, that part I'm making up.
Not that I needed a survey to tell me this. I went to pick up three-year-old pictures at Target yesterday. The woman who waited on us, the other mommy there to have photos done, and well, me....yep, all Heathers.
Kind of like the 80's movie. But in a suburban, 30something, totally unhip kind of way.
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Thought for the Day
I'm teaching at our Women's Ministry evening tonight, thus the lack of any serious blogging lately. Any energy for higher-order cognition has gone into studying. This is my favorite quote from my reading:
Secular entertaining is a terrible bondage. Its source is human
pride. Demanding perfection, fostering the urge to impress, it is a
rigorous taskmaster which enslaves. In contrast, Scriptural hospitality is
a freedom which liberates.
Entertaining says, “I want to impress you with my beautiful home, my
clever decorating, my gourmet cooking.” Hospitality, however, seeks to
minister. It says, “This home is not mine. It is truly a gift from my
Master. I am His servant and I use it as He desires.” Hospitality does not
try to impress, but to serve.
Karen B. Mains, Open Heart, Open Home.
The Braces are OFF!
Before the appointment
After
Celebrating at Maggiano's with Grandpa Ted
Monday, March 03, 2008
And let's not forget the Florida Strikers.
Who are we?
The STRIKERS, of course!
I (and my good friend Heather) took the TQ to Round II of the Region Cup this weekend in Vero Beach. It was a nail-biter that came down to goal differentials, but they pulled it off...we're going to the semi-finals for the region. I can't tell you how proud she is to be part of one of the top sixteen U12 girls teams in the state right now. And, as an added bonus, she played midfield the entire last game. We got home late yesterday evening, and she's resting from all her exertions while I'm still trying to get my heart rate down from watching that oh-so-tense final game.
GO STRIKERS!
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