Sunday, June 24, 2012

Special Olympics-Softball

 I have recently started to volunteer with Special Olympics in our area and love it!  Right now we are doing softball.  I wasn't needed to play so I took photos, which you know I love to do.

This is my new friend Ms. L.  She so fits the saying "Wouldn't hurt a fly."  We warmed up before the "game" tossing the ball back and forth.

 I thought she was so cute rounding the bases.  Everyone (by every means of the word) is so encouraging and helpful.  She tuckered out near home plate, but with help, she made it.


I don't now this gentleman.  His daughter/granddaughter helped him to get first base.  Everyone got to get to first base.

To explain this video: The taller young man (teen) needed someone with him.  He gets distracted very easily.  The other young man (teen) took full control with such maturity and grace.  Lead him around the bases with a totally understanding of what it means to help and support.  Although they only got to first.  The compassion was not lost to me.  It a powerful sight to watch.

Friday, June 22, 2012

The Baby We Prayed For - Going Home

part a, part b, part c, part d

Going back home was surreal to say the least.  Our house seemed emptier than before.  Quieter.  Robert and I feel onto our bed and cried.  It was the first time I had ever seen him cry.  He tells me that it was the first time I really cried since this whole ordeal happened.  Cry I did.  My poor eyelids weren't just puffy, they actually bruised a little.  Only one other time in my life have I cried so hard that my eyelids bruised.  During our first hours alone Robert did something that helped glue our young marriage even tighter together.  With the gentleness and care of a nursemaid he helped dress me.  He patiently took waited as I sat on the edge of our bed slowly putting one leg into my dark blue shorts and then another.  He was down on his knees filled with love and care.  It was like nothing else mattered, like we had all of the time in the world.
     Neither of us could escape the constant sound of monitors beeping.  Paige's heart monitor.  We hadn't realized just how present those monitors in the hospital were until then. For the next few days that beep, beep, beep would play over and over in my ears and heart.  It was a sound we wished we could stop.  That same beeping would sound in my eardrums every now and then over the following months.
     My mom and Grandma drove across state lines to come see us.  I don't remember just how long they stayed.  They cooked, cleaned, answered the phone, made sure I ate.    It did me good to have then with us.  They helped as much as they could.  How do you take your daughters pain away?  How do you help heal her grief?  They did it the best way they could, by mothering me.
     Meals were brought over the next week.  Tears were shed over the babies we each had lost and the hope of life moving on was planted.  I can't tell you what we ate, but I remember the faces, the stories and the love.  One of my friends made a small embroidery that said Paige in mint green thread and a heart below it.  She framed it in a delicate gold frame.  That sat on our bookshelf for some time.
     Another thing that sticks with me is the way my body reacted.  I still had post delivery contractions, that were almost as bad a the real ones and my milk came in.  Nothing to relieve them except time.  These were both something no one told me would happen.  I remember sitting on our rust colored sofa telling Doreen about the contractions.  She said they were normal and would go away soon.  My contractions stopped and the milk eventually dried up too.  Gone were any signs that I was just pregnant.  Any signs that we had just had a baby girl.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Random, Just Random

 We have dill growing in our garden.  I used this wreath to dry it out.  Our laundry room smells so nice and herby.

 Bad photo but nice dill flowers.

 Some of the church folks and the kids and I went to Three Rivers.  See the tall boy in the red shirt?  That's my boy!

 C. started her first job at Taco Bell.  (Taco Bell was my first job too.)

 This doesn't even show how hot it has been here.  Dry and Hot!  Our A/C went out last night.  The A/C guy is on our roof as I write.

 J. and his friend painted the front trim on the house yesterday.  (Excuse the windows.  I sprayed them off before they painted.)  They hung an old shower curtain up to cover them from the sun.

Surprise!  The next second he was running from the camera.

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Happy 14th

In May we celebrated our son's 14th birthday!
credits: birthday bliss by just jamie & the story boards by charm box studios