Notice how my last post was almost a month ago? Yeah. June went quickly!
Our fun kicked off on June 3, Ainslie's 4th birthday. I can't believe how fast her year of being 3 went. All the new things she can do! In the past year she started preschool and dance, got moved up (again!) in gymnastics, learned to sound out words and read a little, made tons of new friends, said a million hilarious things, and grew three and a half inches. On her birthday, we did fun things all day, then grandma and grampa came over for her birthday dinner--she wanted pepperoni pizza, popcorn, and strawberries. I had never served popcorn as a side dish before, but whatever, it was her birthday!
The very next day, I drove her to Kingdom City, MO, to meet my mom, who took her back to LS for a whole week, because Craig won a trip to Cancun--so that's where we were until the 9th. The resort was gorgeous, the beaches were beautiful and it was a great time.
The following week, Craig and I ran around in circles getting work done and getting ready for Ainslie's return and the Big Birthday Party and Dance Recital Weekend. 15 4-yr- olds at our house. Dance recital the next day. Lots of relatives. Fun--but if I had it to do over again... alas, I do not. ;-)
Then we had a week of VBS, peppered with trips to the water park, gymnastics class, playdates, farmers' markets, and me trying to get to my new job and the class I teach now and then. (Luckily I can work from home most of the time!)
June ended with 6 of us kidnapping my friend Holly, who will soon be a fabulous 40, and taking her to Chicago on the train overnight, where we all tried to act like we are 20 again. FUN WEEKEND!
July looks a tiny bit less busy, but we are having fun. Lots of trips to the library and water park, swimming lessons, and I start a new quarter at Robert Morris, this time teaching 3 sections. That is a lot of papers to grade.
Happy Summer!
Monday, June 30, 2008
Monday, June 02, 2008
Sunday, June 1
Carrie was born on Sunday, June 1, 1980. I remember being scared because I peeked out of my room and saw a shadowy figure asleep on our living room couch early in the morning. I crawled back into bed, until I heard the phone ring, and a strange voice answering the phone, "A girl? Carrie Jane. Oh, wonderful!"
It was Barb, a friend from church, who had come to stay with Chad and I. A new baby sister! A future best friend.
It all hit a little harder than usual this year, on what would have been her 28th birthday, and I know exactly why. Two weeks ago, Pastor B's brother and best friend, who was also 28, also passed away suddenly. Pastor is my age, which means he and his brother share the same age difference as Carrie and I.
Pastor B is really great at his job, and I can't say that for every pastor I've known. He really is right where he should be, in my opinion. As wonderful as I think he is, I was stunned when I saw that he was preaching yesterday.
I speak in front of groups all the time. It's a big part of my profession. Public Speaking does not frighten me in the least; in fact, I've designed courses to help others speak in front of groups. All this goes out the window when it comes to Carrie. I can rarely tell others about her without melting into a soggy mess, even 12 years later.
Pastor B. was talking about the Wise Man and the Foolish Man and where each built his house... "The rain came down on both houses. The rain came down on BOTH houses." Pause. He came clean with us. There has been so much rain on his house that he has not been able to see God.
Amen to that. I remember after Carrie passed, our family minister telling us that it is ok to be mad at God. WELL, HOW COULD WE NOT BE?
Losing a sibling makes you part of an exclusive, horrific club. I happened to sit next to my friend C, yesterday in church, who is about the same age as my mom. Before service, we were talking about Pastor B and how sad we felt for him, and she told me she'd lost 2 of her sisters last summer. Losing a sister hurts.
I don't want to relay the sermon word for word, because it seems almost a private thing, but the congregation applauded Pastor (and Lutherans do not clap for people in church!), a few even stood. I'm proud of him. Hurting with him, hurting with everyone who loses a sibling, that person biologically more like you than anyone--but so proud.
Carrie and Kevin--take care of each other up there.
It was Barb, a friend from church, who had come to stay with Chad and I. A new baby sister! A future best friend.
It all hit a little harder than usual this year, on what would have been her 28th birthday, and I know exactly why. Two weeks ago, Pastor B's brother and best friend, who was also 28, also passed away suddenly. Pastor is my age, which means he and his brother share the same age difference as Carrie and I.
Pastor B is really great at his job, and I can't say that for every pastor I've known. He really is right where he should be, in my opinion. As wonderful as I think he is, I was stunned when I saw that he was preaching yesterday.
I speak in front of groups all the time. It's a big part of my profession. Public Speaking does not frighten me in the least; in fact, I've designed courses to help others speak in front of groups. All this goes out the window when it comes to Carrie. I can rarely tell others about her without melting into a soggy mess, even 12 years later.
Pastor B. was talking about the Wise Man and the Foolish Man and where each built his house... "The rain came down on both houses. The rain came down on BOTH houses." Pause. He came clean with us. There has been so much rain on his house that he has not been able to see God.
Amen to that. I remember after Carrie passed, our family minister telling us that it is ok to be mad at God. WELL, HOW COULD WE NOT BE?
Losing a sibling makes you part of an exclusive, horrific club. I happened to sit next to my friend C, yesterday in church, who is about the same age as my mom. Before service, we were talking about Pastor B and how sad we felt for him, and she told me she'd lost 2 of her sisters last summer. Losing a sister hurts.
I don't want to relay the sermon word for word, because it seems almost a private thing, but the congregation applauded Pastor (and Lutherans do not clap for people in church!), a few even stood. I'm proud of him. Hurting with him, hurting with everyone who loses a sibling, that person biologically more like you than anyone--but so proud.
Carrie and Kevin--take care of each other up there.
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