Hello blogging buddies! I'm wondering if I should introduce myself since it's been ages since I've written a post...do you all remember who I am? In all honesty, I don't think I'm quite the same person I was a few months ago...lots of "stuff" has been going on and let's face it, with the "stuff" you are bound to change. I have a little bit (very little, sadly) of stitching to report, but lots of "life" stuff too...so grab a cuppa, this may be a long post...or not...depends on who needs my attention and when. I still have a wee bit of time before DS gets home, so lets get crackin'!
Let's start with last night. I don't know if Astrid will ever understand how much I needed last night. A friend of hers couldn't attend a concert and had two tickets, so Astrid asked me if I would like to go to Woodbridge, VA and see "Girl's Night Live" with her. I wanted to go, but dreaded the trip...but I rarely turn an invitation down that includes girlfriends and excludes the guys. Don't get me wrong, I love my guys, but spending time with them usually includes a sporting event or a gross and disgusting movie. I love it when I'm allowed to let my feminine side show. LOL So...needless to say we went, saw Anita Renfroe, Laura Story and Mandisa, laughed, sang, boogied and had a good time. Just what I needed to refresh my soul!! Thanks for asking me Astrid...and you're right, next time we MUST invite more girlfriends!! Here are a few shots, my camera doesn't do well from so far away...
Well, I did mention that I spent time with my boys...here we are at Opening Day for the Baltimore Orioles baseball team. It's a tradition that we go every year. It was not long after I had had surgery, so that was a big day for me. Don't let the blue sky and sun-shiney weather fool you, it was pretty darn cold that day!!
If you are wondering why we are hovering around the 8, that was Cal Ripkin Jr.'s number, they have a statue in the courtyard of all the retired numbers, and we always touch the 8 on the way into the ballpark, for luck. It seems to work, because the O's won that day! I love the pic of the ballpark in my glasses, my son has a great eye for good shots. He isn't interested in photography at the moment, but I think he would be great at it, don't you?
Now for the barely there stitching. I don't know if it was the anesthesia or the narcotics afterward, but I have had some pretty "duh" days. Forgetfulness and just feeling blah, it's been hard to wrap my brain around stitching. I've gotten some done, so here is my progress on Friendly Stitcher's Dawn of Spring...
1979 Ship Sampler from Carriage House
And Sweet Flowers from Angie Designer
A few days after surgery, some of my stitching buddies surprised me by coming by to stitch and bringing me some goodies. Alice brought me this beautiful lily...
And Sonya brought me this lovely Easter gift that she stitched. Thank you ladies, you really shouldn't have, but I love both and cherish our friendship so very much! In all honesty, you guys treat me better than family. I love you guys!!
I'm going to leave you with a couple of parting shots... I was on facebook a couple of days ago and the ladies were talking about spring cleaning, so I got just a touch of guilt and decided to clean my bedroom...if you could catch a glimpse of it, even after my day of cleaning, you would think I should be on an episode of hoarders...I seriously need an intervention. I cleaned off the top of my dresser, but then couldn't find my bed...truly it was a mess. I threw a bag on the bed at one point, and Thomas spotted it when my back was turned. It truly was the only spot on my bed with a space big enough for him...I couldn't resist his cuteness...
And last is a tree I pass frequently on a side road near my house. Every time I see it I think of Mouse, don't ask me why, but doesn't it look like a tea pot? I finally had my camera with me today and couldn't resist getting a shot. Hope this gave you a smile today. Have a good one, and I must say, it's great to be back blogging again! *Hugs*
Yesterday we laid Tyler to rest.
I cannot express in words what it was like to see the gymnasium of our church full to the brim with people, people who loved and will miss Tyler. All the seats were full and there were people standing in the back. People spoke of Tyler's wisdom well beyond his 15 short years, his moral compass and his love of Jesus. I hope you don't mind I share some of the stories that were told about this remarkable teen. As my son said as we were leaving, the world needs more Tyler McGinns...and I hope to live like Tyler and love like Jesus in honor of him. Makes my heart swell that in the midst of all the sadness and disappointment that Tyler wasn't healed on this earth, that my son hasn't changed how he feels about God and will continue on the road lit with a holy light.
Tyler's Mom spoke of his love for others, and that he kept saying that he hoped people would come to know Jesus through his illness. I have no doubt that that wish was granted. There was a group on facebook called Pray for Tyler, and there are numerous testimonies of how people came to a decision about their faith through Tyler's struggles. His fight was not in vain. She shared a few stories, how she "stalked" Tyler on facebook...as a mother she wanted to know what he was doing, and she read a conversation that he had with a young lady who was in his class. He plead with her not to give in to a young man that she really liked, not to give away her purity because the guy wasn't being honest with her. He begged her to wait for her future husband because she was worth so much more than what the other guy had in mind. We don't know what she finally decided, but how many 15 yr old kids do you know who cared so deeply about another that he would risk anger and ridicule to spare her soul? He also asked another youth leader to befriend a friend of his who was not a Christian, he said he had known him a long time and never shared the gospel with him and shared that he was afraid he wasn't worthy of heaven because he had neglected this friend's soul. See, Tyler wanted all his friends to follow him to heaven so they could live together in eternity. A teacher shared that he came to her after a test and told her he needed to change an answer on the test. He had panicked in the middle and had looked at someone else's paper. When he had had time to think it over, he wanted to make it right. She thanked him for his honesty and wanted to reward him for his actions so said she wouldn't change the answer, they would overlook it this time. He argued with her until she corrected the test. He didn't want to live with the guilt that he had cheated and wouldn't let it rest until he had made it right. I have my own story of Tyler. While I was going through chemotherapy for breast cancer, I ran into him in the hallway at church one night when I went to pick up my son. He was with a group of kids, but he stopped and let them walk on and asked me how I was feeling. I told him I was doing well, but he touched my arm, looked me in the eyes and told me he was praying for me. I can't tell you how much that surprised me, he was friends with my son, but just the fact that he knew what struggles were happening in my life and that he took the time to pray astounded me. But that's just the kind of person he was.
It was so sad to think that Tyler, although he has a half sister, was the only child living at home. Their whole life for the past few months, has been wrapped up in Tyler and his illness. They were living in a hotel near the hospital to save them time so they didn't have to drive back and forth to their home. They became friends with doctors and nurses who cared for Tyler, who even came into their hospital room and prayed with them for their son. They even came to Tyler's funeral. Now they will be home, in a house full of reminders of their son, with no other distractions. My heart is breaking for them. But during Tyler's illness and during the funeral, Tyler's Mom had only one thing on her mind...to care how others were going to cope with Tyler's death. When my son gave her a hug and offered condolences, she hugged him hard and said "I'm sorry for your loss." SHE was sorry for my son's loss!! It's no wonder Tyler was the way he was, what a wonderful example he had in his parents. Their example makes me want to be a better parent. Tyler's illness and death were not in vain. Tyler's Mom asked his friends to keep in touch with her, she wanted to know when they graduated, what future plans they had, when they married, and had children. What an amazing woman she is! So now they need our prayers for peace and rest and strength.
So even though it is so very sad that Tyler left us all behind at such a young age, it was a celebration of sorts as well. We know that he is in heaven, praising the Lord and singing at the top of his lungs as he did here on earth. It may seem that our prayers were not heard, but he is healed, just not this side of heaven. We prayed that God's will be done, and His will was that Tyler should be with Him in heaven now, his work that he was meant to accomplish on this earth was done. We will miss him, but we will see him again. One of his friends had a dream after he died but before the funeral and shared it with his Mom. She said Tyler came to her and said, "Seek Him, and you will see me again." Hallelujah! Can't wait to give you a hug in heaven, Tyler!
