Dear Family and Friends,
Can you believe that the holiday season is already underway? Next week is Thanksgiving and in the blink of an eye it will be Christmas. It’s almost impossible for me to come to terms with that fact! Our family is very excited to celebrate Christmas this year with our newest addition. We were so blessed when in July, Josh and Kristen welcomed our sweet Laila Lee. She’s so adorable and we just love her so much. What joy she has brought us in such a short amount of time.
With Christmas comes our annual delivery of Christy’s Stocking to the patients at Kentucky Childrens Hospital. It’s so hard to believe that this will be our fourth year of sharing God’s hope and love with needy patients and their families. Many of these families will spend the holiday sitting in a hospital room with their children. Please join us as we spread the overflow from Christy’s Stocking with needy families at Childrens Hospital. Your tax deductable donations help provide - gas to parents who need to travel to and from their homes, food, Christmas gifts that they may not otherwise receive and most importantly, a feeling of being loved.
As in past years, we are seeking gift cards from restaurants (fast food or sit-down), gas stations, Walmart, Kmart, Target, Kroger, Meijer, etc. Also children’s books and appropriate DVD’s for children. Please remember when making your selections that the hospital has children of all ages, from infants to teenagers.
Many of you have asked about filling in the “To” & “From” information on the gift cards. If you wish to do this we have always written on each card – “To: Someone Very Special” - “From: Christy’s Stocking”. We try to be sensitive and stay away from “In Memory Of” since many of the families who benefit from your donations have a child with a terminal illness.
In an effort to make things as easy as possible for the accounting staff at Childrens Hospital would you please include with your gift - your name, complete mailing address and the value of your donation so that the hospital can mail you a receipt, which you can use for income tax purposes. Please note that your donation conformation letter will be addressed to you from The University of Kentucky.
Donations can be mailed to:
Christy’s Stocking
c/o Wells Household
104 Millhouse Drive
Nicholasville KY 40356
Please feel free to drop off your donation, or call and one of us will gladly pick it up from you. We will be delivering Christy’s Stocking to Childrens Hospital on December 19th, so we would appreciate receipt of your donation before that date.
Once again we can’t thank you enough for joining us on this journey of honoring Christy. Your willingness to be a part of our effort is a tremendous blessing to each of us! Thank you for helping us honor the life that Christy lived so beautifully. Her love of children, especially those hurting, can continue through your efforts.
Merry Christmas,
Chris, Julie & Kyle
Josh, Kristen & Laila
Friday, November 18, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Three Years
On October 11, 2008 at 8:45 p.m. Christy left her earthly home to enter her eternal home. It’s been three years. It’s been three years. Really? Three years. Sometimes I feel like I’ve lived forever with this ache in my heart. Other times, I feel like she was just here with us last week. How does time continue without her? How do I continue to breathe through the pain?
Friday, May 20, 2011
Anxiety
I have major anxiety. It’s not anything new, I’ve had it for years. However, it’s reached an all time high since Christy’s death. Most times I can deal with it, rationalize with myself that it’s my anxiety and not a heart attack (or whatever else I decide the problem is). Lately I haven’t been dealing with it so well. I’m currently doing a Bible study titled No Other Gods by Kelly Minter. I just love Kelly’s writing style. This study is about idol worship, not the kind of idol that looks like a nearly naked fat man, but the idols we build for ourselves every day. For instance, an idol could be our home, our car, our boat, food, even our husband or our children. It’s odd how we can take something good and make it into an idol by worshipping it above God.
When I cracked open my study book this morning and got to work, God revealed something new to me. I’m starving to death for a food that I don’t have – the food of peace. I have made my anxiety my idol and in doing so have robbed myself of God’s peace. Why in the world would I do this to myself? I think it’s because I’ve pushed God aside. I’ve stopped finding my joy in Him. I feel like He took away something that was so precious to me that I can’t really trust him anymore. (Please know that what I “feel” and what I know to be truth are two very different things, it’s just hard to convince my heart of the truth sometimes.) I love God. I know who He is and I know who I am in Him. I just don’t trust him. I trust that He will do His will, it’s just that my will and his are sometimes very different. That’s where the problem is. I desperately need to take the focus off of myself and put it fully and completely on Him. My will is nothing! His will is everything! If my focus is on Him, then my will and His will will be more the same. (I hope that makes some sense with all those wills in there.) Not that I will always understand His will, for as long as I’m on this earth that just won’t happen. But, I can better accept it if my focus is on Him.
Please pray for me as I try to get the focus off me and on Him. It’s going to be a process and something that won’t happen overnight but I need to be fed the food of peace. I need for God to fill me up with peace that passes all understanding. I want all of you to look at me and say, “She is filled with such peace, it must be from God.” Because we know that without Him, there really is no peace at all.
Thanks friends!
Seeking God’s peace,
Julie
When I cracked open my study book this morning and got to work, God revealed something new to me. I’m starving to death for a food that I don’t have – the food of peace. I have made my anxiety my idol and in doing so have robbed myself of God’s peace. Why in the world would I do this to myself? I think it’s because I’ve pushed God aside. I’ve stopped finding my joy in Him. I feel like He took away something that was so precious to me that I can’t really trust him anymore. (Please know that what I “feel” and what I know to be truth are two very different things, it’s just hard to convince my heart of the truth sometimes.) I love God. I know who He is and I know who I am in Him. I just don’t trust him. I trust that He will do His will, it’s just that my will and his are sometimes very different. That’s where the problem is. I desperately need to take the focus off of myself and put it fully and completely on Him. My will is nothing! His will is everything! If my focus is on Him, then my will and His will will be more the same. (I hope that makes some sense with all those wills in there.) Not that I will always understand His will, for as long as I’m on this earth that just won’t happen. But, I can better accept it if my focus is on Him.
Please pray for me as I try to get the focus off me and on Him. It’s going to be a process and something that won’t happen overnight but I need to be fed the food of peace. I need for God to fill me up with peace that passes all understanding. I want all of you to look at me and say, “She is filled with such peace, it must be from God.” Because we know that without Him, there really is no peace at all.
Thanks friends!
Seeking God’s peace,
Julie
Monday, April 25, 2011
Kyle
My baby boy is 24 years old today. Where does the time go?!!!!!! Kyle graduated from EKU in December with a degree in Human Resource Management. Two months after graduation he got his first job in his field, which required him to move to Paintsville. So, I thought that for the first time since his birth that I wouldn't be spending his birthday with him. But as we all know, God is good. Kyle is off today and home with us. I'm feeling very blessed.
Happy Birthday, Kyle! I love you!!!!
Happy Birthday, Kyle! I love you!!!!
Friday, April 15, 2011
Birthdays
Missing my girl on what would have been her 31st birthday. It's hard to believe that it's been 31 years since God blessed me with her. I'm very thankful today for her life and for the beautiful way she lived it.
Grieving forward,
Julie
Grieving forward,
Julie
Sunday, March 27, 2011
March 27, 2004
Seven years ago today was the happiest day of Christy's life. Remembering her wedding day joy and still missing her terribly.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Love Me
Someone I know needs to know this..............
Friend, I don't know who you are but I do know that He will love you!
Praying for you now,
Julie
Friend, I don't know who you are but I do know that He will love you!
Praying for you now,
Julie
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Dealing with Death
This past Thursday an angel of the Lord came to Rupp Arena. The angel came to the men’s restroom on what is known here as the purple concourse. The angel came for one of the Lord’s own, His servant Julian Palmer. Julian started working for Lexington Center just shortly after dirt (the beginning of Rupp time). His smile and laughter graced the halls of this establishment for nearly 30 years before he decided to retire. After his retirement, Julian continued to work here for the local union group that moves in and rigs concerts. So, we’ve had the great pleasure of continuing our relationship with Julian.
Julian got up Thursday morning, like so many others, and headed to downtown Lexington. He came in, laughing, smiling and just being the wonderful man we’ve all known and loved for so long. Julian didn’t know this would be the day the Lord would call for him. He went to work just like he always did, but this day was different, this day he wasn’t feeling well so he excused himself and went to the restroom. I think the guys have determined that Joseph was the last one to see Julian alive as he walked away.
RJ was the first to notice that Julian hadn’t returned. He radioed Mike asking him to check the restroom and make sure Julian was okay. Mike went to the restroom on purple and there he found Julian’s body. The angel had already taken Julian Home. Something inside Mike knew this, but it didn’t stop him from trying to revive the man he so dearly loved. The man who had been one of his best friends for so many years. Mike radioed for help and soon there were others there trying desperately to find life in their friend. They worked hard, taking turns trying to push life back into the chest of the man they cared so deeply for. But the angel had already come for Julian, so all of their work couldn’t make a difference.
The EMT’s finally arrived and took over, loading Julian’s body onto a stretcher and whisking him away to the hospital where surely the doctors could bring life back. But the angel had already come for Julian. Julian was already Home.
The last good-byes were said to Julian at his funeral on Monday. What a beautiful, honoring service it was. I have always known that Julian was a Christ follower, but I had no clue how devoted he was to his Lord. Julian was a gentle giant - not big in physical terms, but a giant for the Lord. I know as Julian arrived in heaven and stretched out his arms to hug his Father the Lord was saying to him, “Well done, my good and faithful servant!”
The offices and hallways of Lexington Center are now filled with sorrow and tears. Men crying, trying desperately to get those last images of their beloved friend out of their heads. Somehow, life will get back to normal here. Somehow, these men will smile and laugh again. They have beautiful memories of a wonderful man to help them along the way. They will survive, but these hallways will never hear Julian’s laughter again. He will never walk through that back door with that huge smile on his face. He will be missed for years to come. He will be loved until these men draw their last breath.
My heart breaks for Mike, RJ, Joseph, Jimmy and so many others. Please join me in praying for everyone here at Rupp as we begin to heal.
Praising Him through this storm,
Julie
Julian got up Thursday morning, like so many others, and headed to downtown Lexington. He came in, laughing, smiling and just being the wonderful man we’ve all known and loved for so long. Julian didn’t know this would be the day the Lord would call for him. He went to work just like he always did, but this day was different, this day he wasn’t feeling well so he excused himself and went to the restroom. I think the guys have determined that Joseph was the last one to see Julian alive as he walked away.
RJ was the first to notice that Julian hadn’t returned. He radioed Mike asking him to check the restroom and make sure Julian was okay. Mike went to the restroom on purple and there he found Julian’s body. The angel had already taken Julian Home. Something inside Mike knew this, but it didn’t stop him from trying to revive the man he so dearly loved. The man who had been one of his best friends for so many years. Mike radioed for help and soon there were others there trying desperately to find life in their friend. They worked hard, taking turns trying to push life back into the chest of the man they cared so deeply for. But the angel had already come for Julian, so all of their work couldn’t make a difference.
The EMT’s finally arrived and took over, loading Julian’s body onto a stretcher and whisking him away to the hospital where surely the doctors could bring life back. But the angel had already come for Julian. Julian was already Home.
The last good-byes were said to Julian at his funeral on Monday. What a beautiful, honoring service it was. I have always known that Julian was a Christ follower, but I had no clue how devoted he was to his Lord. Julian was a gentle giant - not big in physical terms, but a giant for the Lord. I know as Julian arrived in heaven and stretched out his arms to hug his Father the Lord was saying to him, “Well done, my good and faithful servant!”
The offices and hallways of Lexington Center are now filled with sorrow and tears. Men crying, trying desperately to get those last images of their beloved friend out of their heads. Somehow, life will get back to normal here. Somehow, these men will smile and laugh again. They have beautiful memories of a wonderful man to help them along the way. They will survive, but these hallways will never hear Julian’s laughter again. He will never walk through that back door with that huge smile on his face. He will be missed for years to come. He will be loved until these men draw their last breath.
My heart breaks for Mike, RJ, Joseph, Jimmy and so many others. Please join me in praying for everyone here at Rupp as we begin to heal.
Praising Him through this storm,
Julie
Monday, January 17, 2011
My 2010 Movie List
So, I thought I wasn’t going to post my theatre movies this year. But when I started listing them, there were more than I thought there would be - so here goes…………….
Pirate Radio (released in 09 but we saw it in 10) – good movie, the music is awesome.
It’s Complicated (again released in 09, we saw it in 10) – hilarious movie, if you want a good laugh you need to see this movie.
Leap Year – cute movie, love Amy Adams
The Book of Eli – I went to this movie because it was Chris’ turn to pick, ended up really liking it.
Valentine’s Day – good chick flick
Shutter Island – confused me.
The Bounty Hunter – not award winning theatre but I was entertained.
Date Night – Funny!
Death at a Funeral – not really my kind of humor.
Iron Man 2 – enjoyed it.
Letters to Juliet – REALLY liked this one a lot.
Toy Story 3 – I love the Toy Story movies, this one might be my favorite.
Grown Ups – surprised by how much I liked this one.
Salt – Not a fan of Angelina but I really liked this movie.
Dinner for Schmucks – no comment
Eat Pray Love – didn’t really like the movie but it was visually beautiful.
The Expendables – it was Chris’ turn again, violent but okay – I guess.
The Switch – I liked it.
The Town – Okay, I really liked this movie but I really hate it when movies make you root for the bad guy. The Town does that.
The Social Network – as an avid facebooker I had to see this. It’s a disturbing true story, but I really liked the movie.
Secretariat – I LOVED this movie! It probably helps that I was a huge Secretariat fan back when he ran (and won) the Triple Crown. I really, REALLY loved this movie.
Red – not a huge Bruce Willis Fan but I really liked it.
There you have it. I’ve already seen three movies this year so hopefully my 2011 list will be a little longer.
Hoping you enjoy your theatre experiences this year,
Julie
Pirate Radio (released in 09 but we saw it in 10) – good movie, the music is awesome.
It’s Complicated (again released in 09, we saw it in 10) – hilarious movie, if you want a good laugh you need to see this movie.
Leap Year – cute movie, love Amy Adams
The Book of Eli – I went to this movie because it was Chris’ turn to pick, ended up really liking it.
Valentine’s Day – good chick flick
Shutter Island – confused me.
The Bounty Hunter – not award winning theatre but I was entertained.
Date Night – Funny!
Death at a Funeral – not really my kind of humor.
Iron Man 2 – enjoyed it.
Letters to Juliet – REALLY liked this one a lot.
Toy Story 3 – I love the Toy Story movies, this one might be my favorite.
Grown Ups – surprised by how much I liked this one.
Salt – Not a fan of Angelina but I really liked this movie.
Dinner for Schmucks – no comment
Eat Pray Love – didn’t really like the movie but it was visually beautiful.
The Expendables – it was Chris’ turn again, violent but okay – I guess.
The Switch – I liked it.
The Town – Okay, I really liked this movie but I really hate it when movies make you root for the bad guy. The Town does that.
The Social Network – as an avid facebooker I had to see this. It’s a disturbing true story, but I really liked the movie.
Secretariat – I LOVED this movie! It probably helps that I was a huge Secretariat fan back when he ran (and won) the Triple Crown. I really, REALLY loved this movie.
Red – not a huge Bruce Willis Fan but I really liked it.
There you have it. I’ve already seen three movies this year so hopefully my 2011 list will be a little longer.
Hoping you enjoy your theatre experiences this year,
Julie
Monday, January 10, 2011
Thank You!
Please allow me to begin by telling you how sorry I am that this thank you is so late in coming. We have had a very busy end of the year – start of the New Year. As many of you know God so graciously blessed me, Chris and Kyle with a Thanksgiving trip to Hawaii. I can’t tell you how grateful we are and how much we needed this vacation. We were in awe of the beauty surrounding us. God used that week to show us His beauty and to renew our spirits and our closeness. We are truly blessed.
The night before we left for our amazing vacation we received some wonderful news. Josh and Kristen are having a baby! I am honored and humbled that they have asked me to be Grammy. I am in tears just typing this out. I can’t even begin to articulate just what this means to me. I am so grateful and pray that God will grow me in the new role He has called me to. Thank you Josh and Kristen, that sounds kind of inadequate but it’s all I know to say. I love you.
On December 10th Josh graduated from seminary. Again, what a blessing it was to see him walk across that stage and receive his Masters of Divinity. It has been a very long and hard road he has traveled and God has truly blessed him. We are incredibly proud of you, Josh.
And on December 18th Kyle FINALLY received his Bachelor’s degree from Eastern Kentucky University!!!!! WOOHOO!!!!!!!! Hallelujah and Praise the Lord! It was a long few years for Kyle too, but he persevered and his Momma is so proud of him. He has finally entered the world of full-time employment. :)
On December 20th we delivered Christy’s Stocking to Kentucky Children’s Hospital. This has truly become the highlight of my Christmas season. I can’t even begin to tell you how much joy it brings me to deliver this wonderful gift each year. I also can’t begin to thank you enough for your participation in keeping Christy’s spirit alive. You have no idea how much it means to me. I know that many of you give out of your love for Christy, that’s exactly why it means so much to me. This year we delivered stuffed animals, books and DVD’s. Plus, gift cards and cash totaling $2130.00. WOW! You are amazing and wonderful. Many have asked me how long we plan to keep Christy’s Stocking going. Well, that’s in the Lord’s hands. As long as he keeps prompting you to give, we’ll keep making our annual delivery. Again, thank you from the bottom of a mother’s heart. I appreciate and love all of you.
Like all of you, we spent Christmas celebrating the birth of our Lord and our love for our families. We had an awesome Christmas and pray that each of you did as well. I spent much of the holiday sick. First a cold, then the AWFUL, AWFUL, AWFUL four day stomach bug, and then another cold. I’ve had it with being sick! That’s part of the reason my thank you is so late this year.
Hopefully life can calm down a bit now as we anticipate the birth of a precious baby.
Blessings to all,
Grammy J
The night before we left for our amazing vacation we received some wonderful news. Josh and Kristen are having a baby! I am honored and humbled that they have asked me to be Grammy. I am in tears just typing this out. I can’t even begin to articulate just what this means to me. I am so grateful and pray that God will grow me in the new role He has called me to. Thank you Josh and Kristen, that sounds kind of inadequate but it’s all I know to say. I love you.
On December 10th Josh graduated from seminary. Again, what a blessing it was to see him walk across that stage and receive his Masters of Divinity. It has been a very long and hard road he has traveled and God has truly blessed him. We are incredibly proud of you, Josh.
And on December 18th Kyle FINALLY received his Bachelor’s degree from Eastern Kentucky University!!!!! WOOHOO!!!!!!!! Hallelujah and Praise the Lord! It was a long few years for Kyle too, but he persevered and his Momma is so proud of him. He has finally entered the world of full-time employment. :)
On December 20th we delivered Christy’s Stocking to Kentucky Children’s Hospital. This has truly become the highlight of my Christmas season. I can’t even begin to tell you how much joy it brings me to deliver this wonderful gift each year. I also can’t begin to thank you enough for your participation in keeping Christy’s spirit alive. You have no idea how much it means to me. I know that many of you give out of your love for Christy, that’s exactly why it means so much to me. This year we delivered stuffed animals, books and DVD’s. Plus, gift cards and cash totaling $2130.00. WOW! You are amazing and wonderful. Many have asked me how long we plan to keep Christy’s Stocking going. Well, that’s in the Lord’s hands. As long as he keeps prompting you to give, we’ll keep making our annual delivery. Again, thank you from the bottom of a mother’s heart. I appreciate and love all of you.
Like all of you, we spent Christmas celebrating the birth of our Lord and our love for our families. We had an awesome Christmas and pray that each of you did as well. I spent much of the holiday sick. First a cold, then the AWFUL, AWFUL, AWFUL four day stomach bug, and then another cold. I’ve had it with being sick! That’s part of the reason my thank you is so late this year.
Hopefully life can calm down a bit now as we anticipate the birth of a precious baby.
Blessings to all,
Grammy J
Friday, November 26, 2010
Christy's Stocking
Dear Friends and Family,
It’s hard to imagine that the Christmas season is already here! It seems like it’s only been a couple of months since we packed up last Christmas. However, it’s here and it’s time once again to think about Christy’s Stocking! It’s both exciting and difficult for us to think that this will be our third annual stocking delivery. Even more difficult is the thought that we will be celebrating another Christmas without Christy. Our hearts are not healed but we will celebrate again this year with love and joy.
Once again we are asking for your help to fill Christy’s Stocking with goodies for families who are suffering and in need. Each year we have delivered an overflowing stocking to Children’s Hospital and we hope to be able to do the same again this year. Your donations of gift cards, children’s books and DVD’s will be used to bring smiles to the faces of children who are not only needy, but facing the holiday in the hospital. Your gift will help put a smile on the face of a child who desperately needs something to smile about.
As in past years, we are seeking gift cards from restaurants (fast food or sit-down), gas stations, Wal-Mart, Kmart, Kroger, Meijer, etc. Also children’s books and appropriate DVD’s for children. Please remember when making your selections that the hospital has children of all ages, from infants to teenagers.
Many of you have asked about filling in the “To” & “From” information on the gift cards. If you wish to do this we have always written on each card – “To: Someone Very Special” - “From: Christy’s Stocking”. We try to be sensitive and stay away from “In Memory Of” since many of the families who benefit from your donations have a child with a terminal illness.
In an effort to make things as easy as possible for the accounting staff at Children’s Hospital would you please include with your gift - your name, complete mailing address and the value of your donation so that the hospital can mail you a receipt, which you can use for income tax purposes. Please note that your donation conformation letter will be addressed to you from The University of Kentucky.
Donations can be mailed to:
Christy’s Stocking
c/o The Wells Family
104 Millhouse Drive
Nicholasville KY 40356
Please feel free to drop off your donation, or call and one of us will gladly pick it up from you. We will be delivering Christy’s Stocking to Children’s Hospital on December 20th, so we would appreciate receipt of your donations before that date.
Our hearts are overflowing with gratitude for each of you. Your willingness to come along side us in keeping Christy’s spirit alive brings us so much joy! Thank you for helping us honor the life that Christy lived so beautifully. Her love of children, especially those hurting, can continue through your efforts.
Merry Christmas,
Chris, Julie & Kyle
Josh & Kristen
It’s hard to imagine that the Christmas season is already here! It seems like it’s only been a couple of months since we packed up last Christmas. However, it’s here and it’s time once again to think about Christy’s Stocking! It’s both exciting and difficult for us to think that this will be our third annual stocking delivery. Even more difficult is the thought that we will be celebrating another Christmas without Christy. Our hearts are not healed but we will celebrate again this year with love and joy.
Once again we are asking for your help to fill Christy’s Stocking with goodies for families who are suffering and in need. Each year we have delivered an overflowing stocking to Children’s Hospital and we hope to be able to do the same again this year. Your donations of gift cards, children’s books and DVD’s will be used to bring smiles to the faces of children who are not only needy, but facing the holiday in the hospital. Your gift will help put a smile on the face of a child who desperately needs something to smile about.
As in past years, we are seeking gift cards from restaurants (fast food or sit-down), gas stations, Wal-Mart, Kmart, Kroger, Meijer, etc. Also children’s books and appropriate DVD’s for children. Please remember when making your selections that the hospital has children of all ages, from infants to teenagers.
Many of you have asked about filling in the “To” & “From” information on the gift cards. If you wish to do this we have always written on each card – “To: Someone Very Special” - “From: Christy’s Stocking”. We try to be sensitive and stay away from “In Memory Of” since many of the families who benefit from your donations have a child with a terminal illness.
In an effort to make things as easy as possible for the accounting staff at Children’s Hospital would you please include with your gift - your name, complete mailing address and the value of your donation so that the hospital can mail you a receipt, which you can use for income tax purposes. Please note that your donation conformation letter will be addressed to you from The University of Kentucky.
Donations can be mailed to:
Christy’s Stocking
c/o The Wells Family
104 Millhouse Drive
Nicholasville KY 40356
Please feel free to drop off your donation, or call and one of us will gladly pick it up from you. We will be delivering Christy’s Stocking to Children’s Hospital on December 20th, so we would appreciate receipt of your donations before that date.
Our hearts are overflowing with gratitude for each of you. Your willingness to come along side us in keeping Christy’s spirit alive brings us so much joy! Thank you for helping us honor the life that Christy lived so beautifully. Her love of children, especially those hurting, can continue through your efforts.
Merry Christmas,
Chris, Julie & Kyle
Josh & Kristen
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
A Place for You
Over the past couple of years I’ve been asked to write a few devotionals for booklets that have been printed for various women’s events at my church. I stumbled across one today and thought I would share it with you. I’m not sure when I wrote this but I think it must have been leading up to Easter.
A Place for You
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” John 14:1-4 (NIV)
In April of 1980 I was a young woman about to go through a life changing experience. After 39 hours of labor I gave birth to a 7 pound 6 ounce screaming bundle of joy. As most mothers know there were nights without sleep and days that seemed to last forever, and those were only the first couple of years. Christy grew into a typical teenager, full of excitement over a cute boy one minute and devastated by a bad hair day the next. She graduated from high school and moved out for college. Then she met her prince charming. They married and started their life together living in seminary housing. God called them to a small country church where Christy flourished, she always felt most comfortable when she was surrounded by ‘home folk.’ Life couldn’t have been much better as Chris and I were anxiously awaiting news of grandbabies to spoil. My only prayer was for the arthritis that had ravished Christy’s body to be miraculously and wondrously healed.
Then, on October 11, 2008 at 8:45pm, Christy left us for the place He had prepared for her. The place where she is miraculously and wondrously healed! The place where she will forever be joyful in the presence of her Lord. You see, Christy knew the Way. She knew him intimately and loved him fully. Our earthly lives have been forever changed by this tremendous loss, but we certainly have great hope. Our hearts will never cease crying for Christy’s earthly presence, but we can look forward to a future and the promise Jesus gave us. He was speaking to us as well as to his disciples in the 14th chapter of John. Our hearts must not be troubled for He has prepared a place for each of us who are called to be sons and daughters of God.
Father, I thank you so much for the gift of Christy and the 28 wonderful years you shared her with us. Thank you Jesus for going to prepare a place for us. For the promise of coming back for us so that we can live our eternity in your presence. Amen.
Hau’oli La Ho’omakika’I
Me ke Aloha,
Julie
A Place for You
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” John 14:1-4 (NIV)
In April of 1980 I was a young woman about to go through a life changing experience. After 39 hours of labor I gave birth to a 7 pound 6 ounce screaming bundle of joy. As most mothers know there were nights without sleep and days that seemed to last forever, and those were only the first couple of years. Christy grew into a typical teenager, full of excitement over a cute boy one minute and devastated by a bad hair day the next. She graduated from high school and moved out for college. Then she met her prince charming. They married and started their life together living in seminary housing. God called them to a small country church where Christy flourished, she always felt most comfortable when she was surrounded by ‘home folk.’ Life couldn’t have been much better as Chris and I were anxiously awaiting news of grandbabies to spoil. My only prayer was for the arthritis that had ravished Christy’s body to be miraculously and wondrously healed.
Then, on October 11, 2008 at 8:45pm, Christy left us for the place He had prepared for her. The place where she is miraculously and wondrously healed! The place where she will forever be joyful in the presence of her Lord. You see, Christy knew the Way. She knew him intimately and loved him fully. Our earthly lives have been forever changed by this tremendous loss, but we certainly have great hope. Our hearts will never cease crying for Christy’s earthly presence, but we can look forward to a future and the promise Jesus gave us. He was speaking to us as well as to his disciples in the 14th chapter of John. Our hearts must not be troubled for He has prepared a place for each of us who are called to be sons and daughters of God.
Father, I thank you so much for the gift of Christy and the 28 wonderful years you shared her with us. Thank you Jesus for going to prepare a place for us. For the promise of coming back for us so that we can live our eternity in your presence. Amen.
Hau’oli La Ho’omakika’I
Me ke Aloha,
Julie
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Resting in Ruth
I have recently finished doing an excellent Bible study by Kelly Minter. The Living Room Series Ruth - loss, love & legacy. If you have ever loved someone, I highly recommend this study for you.
I have done many Beth Moore studies, I just love her ability to make God’s Word come to life, but I have to say - this study of Ruth has been the best Bible study I’ve ever done. Perhaps it’s because it’s the one I’ve most needed. I will tell you this as a word of warning – when I did day two of session four I cried through the ENTIRE lesson and for two hours afterward. As a matter of fact, I cried myself to sleep. It was simply gut-wrenching.
I didn’t stumble on Ruth by accident, God guided me straight to her. Ruth has always been my favorite book of the Bible. Who doesn’t enjoy a good love story? And to me that’s always what Ruth was, a love story. Oh, it is still an amazing love story but it’s also a story of love that grows from the roots of great pain and heartache. It’s funny how you can just skim over pain and heartache until you’ve lived it, then you can never skim over it again.
I don’t even remember who asked me one day a few months back, what my favorite book of the Bible is. Of course, I immediately said Ruth. Then maybe a week or so later I found out that Jennifer was doing a study on the book of Ruth. I remember thinking then how much I loved Ruth. Then there seemed to be more chatter about Ruth, I think Lori mentioned Jennifer’s study. Then came the eye opener! The last Thursday of each month I attend a grief gathering for mothers who have lost children. On this particular night we had a speaker who is a grief counselor and who has also lost a two year old granddaughter. She spoke in a way that made me feel like she was looking at my brain and reading my thoughts to the room!!!! One of the last things she did was read some scripture from the book of Ruth. She closed her Bible, placed her arms on it and said, “Ladies, may I suggest that you rest for a long while in the book of Ruth?” She went on to tell how God had brought so much healing to her from Ruth. I knew then that God had been trying to tell me for several weeks that he wanted me to “rest for a long while” with His beloved Ruth. So the next morning I sent Jennifer a text asking what study she was doing. She told me all about the Kelly Minter study and how much she was enjoying it. I got online and ordered it that day. I called Lori, asked if she was interested in doing the study with me. She was, so we embarked on Ruth.
I’m not sure how much you know about Ruth so forgive me if I share things you already know. The book is titled Ruth, but it’s also the story of Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law. In the beginning of the book Naomi is married with two sons. Famine drives them from their homeland of Bethlehem to Moab where Naomi’s husband dies. Now think about that for just one minute, you’ve left behind everything and everyone you know, gone to a foreign land, and your husband dies. The one person you depend on the most for your own wellbeing dies. That’s harsh!
Sometime afterward Naomi’s two sons marry and two daughters-in-law join the family. Then not one, but both of Naomi’s sons die. Friends, my heart can’t even stand to think about that. How does a person survive that? These were her ONLY children! First she loses her husband and then BOTH of her children! Really?
So Naomi decides it’s time to go home, back to her homeland where the famine has ended. She heads out on the road and both the daughters-in-law follow. Naomi gives her best argument to make them turn back and Orpah does, but not Ruth. Ruth loves Naomi and will not leave her. One of the most quoted scriptures comes from this part of Ruth when Ruth says to Naomi, “Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me."
Those are some pretty powerful words for a daughter-in-law to say to her mother-in-law, don’t you think? I think it shows the depth of Ruth’s love for Naomi. Ruth’s husband was dead and the one person who loved her man the most, other than her, was his mother. There is comfort in that, in being with people who love the person you’ve lost as much as you do. Not long after Christy’s funeral Josh went home to Texas. I tried to encourage him in that, mostly I tried not to discourage him from moving back there. I wanted what was best for him but he was drawn back here, back to the place where Christy’s family was. If Ruth had remained in Moab where Naomi tried to persuade her to stay with her own family, she would have missed out on so many blessings. If Josh had moved back to Texas, where his family is, he might have missed a huge blessing too.
When Ruth and Naomi arrived at Bethlehem the townswomen were so excited and asked, “Could this be Naomi?” To which Naomi replied, “Don’t call me Naomi. Call me Mara because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.”
This is one of the places where I needed to ‘rest.’ It’s not hard for me to understand how Naomi felt. Call me Mara, too! And guess what people? It’s okay to feel that way. Our God included it in his word so that we (I) would know that we’re not necessarily hell bound for feeling bitter! Now of course we can’t stay in that place, but it’s okay to be there for a while. Thank you, God, for including Naomi’s bitterness in your word! Honestly, I can’t help but feel like He included this whole book just for me.
After their return to Bethlehem and much about fields, gleaning, threshing floors and kinsman redeemers, Naomi urges Ruth to remarry. Ruth does, she marries her kinsman redeemer, Boaz, and Ruth and Boaz have a son named Obed. The book of Ruth ends with joy and happiness returned by the birth of this baby.
Josh, like Ruth, has found happiness again. Now, I’m not like Naomi in that my next meal did not depend on him finding a new wife. However, I do want him to be happy and I very much want him and Kristen to continue to be an intimate part of our family. I know that may be hard for some of you to understand. Honestly, sometimes it’s even hard for me to understand. That’s why I’m so very glad that God gave me the book of Ruth. It’s all there, every bit of it. And here’s just how beautifully our God works – He directed Kristen to the same study of Ruth at the same time he directed me there. We were doing the Kelly Minter study at the same time. Learning together (though not in the same study group) what God has for us. Now, I don’t know exactly what my relationship with Kirsten is supposed to look like. What I do know is that I love her, she makes that part very easy. She’s a daughter without her mother and I’m a mother without her daughter. Neither of us is looking to replace what’s been removed from us, ever. What we are looking to do is to make our way in this new place we’ve found ourselves in and to bring glory to our God as we do. Please pray for us as we continue to walk this bittersweet journey.
I have hope. It’s so hard to voice that. It feels like a betrayal of Christy. I don’t understand how, after the loss of one of my children, I could be full of hope, but I am. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life being called Mara. I don’t want to shut God out and miss His blessings. I want to embrace every blessing He offers, live in those blessings the way I am still able to live in the blessing of Christy. She would never want me to be in such deep mourning that I might miss one of His blessings. She loves me too much for that, I love her too much for that. That little 90 pound spitfire had more hope and strength than anyone I’ve ever known. It's her legacy of those qualities that keep me ever hopeful and fill me with strength.
I have done many Beth Moore studies, I just love her ability to make God’s Word come to life, but I have to say - this study of Ruth has been the best Bible study I’ve ever done. Perhaps it’s because it’s the one I’ve most needed. I will tell you this as a word of warning – when I did day two of session four I cried through the ENTIRE lesson and for two hours afterward. As a matter of fact, I cried myself to sleep. It was simply gut-wrenching.
I didn’t stumble on Ruth by accident, God guided me straight to her. Ruth has always been my favorite book of the Bible. Who doesn’t enjoy a good love story? And to me that’s always what Ruth was, a love story. Oh, it is still an amazing love story but it’s also a story of love that grows from the roots of great pain and heartache. It’s funny how you can just skim over pain and heartache until you’ve lived it, then you can never skim over it again.
I don’t even remember who asked me one day a few months back, what my favorite book of the Bible is. Of course, I immediately said Ruth. Then maybe a week or so later I found out that Jennifer was doing a study on the book of Ruth. I remember thinking then how much I loved Ruth. Then there seemed to be more chatter about Ruth, I think Lori mentioned Jennifer’s study. Then came the eye opener! The last Thursday of each month I attend a grief gathering for mothers who have lost children. On this particular night we had a speaker who is a grief counselor and who has also lost a two year old granddaughter. She spoke in a way that made me feel like she was looking at my brain and reading my thoughts to the room!!!! One of the last things she did was read some scripture from the book of Ruth. She closed her Bible, placed her arms on it and said, “Ladies, may I suggest that you rest for a long while in the book of Ruth?” She went on to tell how God had brought so much healing to her from Ruth. I knew then that God had been trying to tell me for several weeks that he wanted me to “rest for a long while” with His beloved Ruth. So the next morning I sent Jennifer a text asking what study she was doing. She told me all about the Kelly Minter study and how much she was enjoying it. I got online and ordered it that day. I called Lori, asked if she was interested in doing the study with me. She was, so we embarked on Ruth.
I’m not sure how much you know about Ruth so forgive me if I share things you already know. The book is titled Ruth, but it’s also the story of Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law. In the beginning of the book Naomi is married with two sons. Famine drives them from their homeland of Bethlehem to Moab where Naomi’s husband dies. Now think about that for just one minute, you’ve left behind everything and everyone you know, gone to a foreign land, and your husband dies. The one person you depend on the most for your own wellbeing dies. That’s harsh!
Sometime afterward Naomi’s two sons marry and two daughters-in-law join the family. Then not one, but both of Naomi’s sons die. Friends, my heart can’t even stand to think about that. How does a person survive that? These were her ONLY children! First she loses her husband and then BOTH of her children! Really?
So Naomi decides it’s time to go home, back to her homeland where the famine has ended. She heads out on the road and both the daughters-in-law follow. Naomi gives her best argument to make them turn back and Orpah does, but not Ruth. Ruth loves Naomi and will not leave her. One of the most quoted scriptures comes from this part of Ruth when Ruth says to Naomi, “Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me."
Those are some pretty powerful words for a daughter-in-law to say to her mother-in-law, don’t you think? I think it shows the depth of Ruth’s love for Naomi. Ruth’s husband was dead and the one person who loved her man the most, other than her, was his mother. There is comfort in that, in being with people who love the person you’ve lost as much as you do. Not long after Christy’s funeral Josh went home to Texas. I tried to encourage him in that, mostly I tried not to discourage him from moving back there. I wanted what was best for him but he was drawn back here, back to the place where Christy’s family was. If Ruth had remained in Moab where Naomi tried to persuade her to stay with her own family, she would have missed out on so many blessings. If Josh had moved back to Texas, where his family is, he might have missed a huge blessing too.
When Ruth and Naomi arrived at Bethlehem the townswomen were so excited and asked, “Could this be Naomi?” To which Naomi replied, “Don’t call me Naomi. Call me Mara because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.”
This is one of the places where I needed to ‘rest.’ It’s not hard for me to understand how Naomi felt. Call me Mara, too! And guess what people? It’s okay to feel that way. Our God included it in his word so that we (I) would know that we’re not necessarily hell bound for feeling bitter! Now of course we can’t stay in that place, but it’s okay to be there for a while. Thank you, God, for including Naomi’s bitterness in your word! Honestly, I can’t help but feel like He included this whole book just for me.
After their return to Bethlehem and much about fields, gleaning, threshing floors and kinsman redeemers, Naomi urges Ruth to remarry. Ruth does, she marries her kinsman redeemer, Boaz, and Ruth and Boaz have a son named Obed. The book of Ruth ends with joy and happiness returned by the birth of this baby.
Josh, like Ruth, has found happiness again. Now, I’m not like Naomi in that my next meal did not depend on him finding a new wife. However, I do want him to be happy and I very much want him and Kristen to continue to be an intimate part of our family. I know that may be hard for some of you to understand. Honestly, sometimes it’s even hard for me to understand. That’s why I’m so very glad that God gave me the book of Ruth. It’s all there, every bit of it. And here’s just how beautifully our God works – He directed Kristen to the same study of Ruth at the same time he directed me there. We were doing the Kelly Minter study at the same time. Learning together (though not in the same study group) what God has for us. Now, I don’t know exactly what my relationship with Kirsten is supposed to look like. What I do know is that I love her, she makes that part very easy. She’s a daughter without her mother and I’m a mother without her daughter. Neither of us is looking to replace what’s been removed from us, ever. What we are looking to do is to make our way in this new place we’ve found ourselves in and to bring glory to our God as we do. Please pray for us as we continue to walk this bittersweet journey.
I have hope. It’s so hard to voice that. It feels like a betrayal of Christy. I don’t understand how, after the loss of one of my children, I could be full of hope, but I am. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life being called Mara. I don’t want to shut God out and miss His blessings. I want to embrace every blessing He offers, live in those blessings the way I am still able to live in the blessing of Christy. She would never want me to be in such deep mourning that I might miss one of His blessings. She loves me too much for that, I love her too much for that. That little 90 pound spitfire had more hope and strength than anyone I’ve ever known. It's her legacy of those qualities that keep me ever hopeful and fill me with strength.
In remembrance of my sweet girl................
Love to all,
me
Monday, October 11, 2010
October 11, 2010
Two years. Today I remember.......................
http://s1108.photobucket.com/albums/h401/jwells1961/Christy/?albumview=slideshow
I couldn't get this to load the way I wanted it to but you can view the slideshow by clicking the link.
http://s1108.photobucket.com/albums/h401/jwells1961/Christy/?albumview=slideshow
I couldn't get this to load the way I wanted it to but you can view the slideshow by clicking the link.
Monday, September 20, 2010
My Birthday
Sunday was my birthday. I had to spend the day pretending that it wasn’t. It made getting through the quiet times, and church, easier. Sunday night was the ordination service for a friend of ours, Philip Jones. Philip will graduate from Southern in December along with Josh. I was so happy to be at Philip’s ordination service, he and Stacy are such a sweet, God loving couple. I know that Philip will make an excellent pastor and some church somewhere is going to be very blessed to have him. The service was bittersweet for me though. My heart cried through the entire service. The last time I was at this type of ordination service it was for Josh, and Christy sat by his side that night just as Stacy was at Philip’s side last night.
To celebrate my birthday on Saturday afternoon Chris, Kyle and I went to a movie, The Town. It was good but you know, I hate it when movies make you root for the bad guy. Why do they do that? I don’t want to root for the bad guy. But I’ll tell you, it’s not hard when the bad guy is Ben Affleck.
After the movie we met the gang at Cheddar’s and I had a really nice birthday dinner. Which brings me to one of the highlights of my birthday – After the food arrived someone said, “Who wants to pray?” Both of Katy’s little arms went straight up in the air and she said, “OH, I DO!” (FYI- Katy is all of 3 years old.) You know, with kids you never know. Sometimes they want to pray and sometimes you can’t squeeze a prayer out of them for anything. But Katy seemed ready, able and certainly willing. Now, before I tell you the prayer there are two things you must know. Number one, Lori and Jim promise she wasn’t coaxed. They assure me she did this all on her own. And number two, and the most important, Katy LOVES her some Chris!!!!!! I swear that girl could knock an elephant over if she saw Chris standing on the other side of it. She blows right past me ALL OF THE TIME to get to her bestest friend. If it wasn’t so darn cute I might be a tad offended. The way she disses me is so obvious that even Brynn feels sorry for me and has told me that she would be my best friend. :) But on Saturday night Katy made my day with her sweet little prayer for me…….. “Dear Jesus, Thank you for this wonderful day. For Aunt Julie’s birthday. For cheesecake and for letting us come out for dinner. Amen!” Now, isn’t that just the sweetest thing EVER?!!!!
Dinner was followed by…….. Lori’s famous cheesecake! It was yummy, of course. I got lots of nice Thirty One stuff (purse, wallet, zipper pouch, key fob) from Chris and from Lori and Jim. And from my kids (Kyle, Josh and Kristen) I got a FIRE PIT!!!! I’m so excited. I’ve wanted a fire pit forever!!!!! I can not wait until the evenings get cooler and we can roast some marshmallows!!!
Thanks to everyone who helped to make my birthday special. That’s not an easy job these days but you guys are great and I love you all so much!!!!!!!!!
BTW – please don’t forget that we’ll all be ignoring my birthday next year!!!!!!
Blessed,
Julie
To celebrate my birthday on Saturday afternoon Chris, Kyle and I went to a movie, The Town. It was good but you know, I hate it when movies make you root for the bad guy. Why do they do that? I don’t want to root for the bad guy. But I’ll tell you, it’s not hard when the bad guy is Ben Affleck.
After the movie we met the gang at Cheddar’s and I had a really nice birthday dinner. Which brings me to one of the highlights of my birthday – After the food arrived someone said, “Who wants to pray?” Both of Katy’s little arms went straight up in the air and she said, “OH, I DO!” (FYI- Katy is all of 3 years old.) You know, with kids you never know. Sometimes they want to pray and sometimes you can’t squeeze a prayer out of them for anything. But Katy seemed ready, able and certainly willing. Now, before I tell you the prayer there are two things you must know. Number one, Lori and Jim promise she wasn’t coaxed. They assure me she did this all on her own. And number two, and the most important, Katy LOVES her some Chris!!!!!! I swear that girl could knock an elephant over if she saw Chris standing on the other side of it. She blows right past me ALL OF THE TIME to get to her bestest friend. If it wasn’t so darn cute I might be a tad offended. The way she disses me is so obvious that even Brynn feels sorry for me and has told me that she would be my best friend. :) But on Saturday night Katy made my day with her sweet little prayer for me…….. “Dear Jesus, Thank you for this wonderful day. For Aunt Julie’s birthday. For cheesecake and for letting us come out for dinner. Amen!” Now, isn’t that just the sweetest thing EVER?!!!!
Dinner was followed by…….. Lori’s famous cheesecake! It was yummy, of course. I got lots of nice Thirty One stuff (purse, wallet, zipper pouch, key fob) from Chris and from Lori and Jim. And from my kids (Kyle, Josh and Kristen) I got a FIRE PIT!!!! I’m so excited. I’ve wanted a fire pit forever!!!!! I can not wait until the evenings get cooler and we can roast some marshmallows!!!
Thanks to everyone who helped to make my birthday special. That’s not an easy job these days but you guys are great and I love you all so much!!!!!!!!!
BTW – please don’t forget that we’ll all be ignoring my birthday next year!!!!!!
Blessed,
Julie
Friday, August 27, 2010
Happy Birthday
Happy Birthday, momma. My mom would have been 85 years old today. Since she died at 58 it's impossible for me to imagine what she would look like at 85. I look at pictures of my Granny to try and figure out the possiblities.
I love you momma and miss you every day.
Julie
I love you momma and miss you every day.
Julie
Love
This is set to animation, but it's a true and heartwarming story. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
http://www.wimp.com/coupleromance/
http://www.wimp.com/coupleromance/
Thursday, August 5, 2010
August 5th
I hate August 5th almost as much as I hate October 11th. It was two years ago today that our worst nightmare began. I was sitting at my desk, eating my lunch, when my phone rang. It was Josh. He was calling to tell me that Christy had had a seizure and was in the ER in Maysville, KY. She was at a meeting for her job, several people from the Cynthiana campus of MCTCS had traveled to Maysville that day for a meeting. I still have the e-mail she sent me that morning………
She and I always e-mailed back and forth during the work day, so she wanted me to know that I wouldn’t be hearing from her that day. She knew me too well, she knew that I would worry if I didn’t hear from her.
I left work as soon as I hung up with Josh and drove to Maysville. I can only remember traveling to Maysville once before in my life but I drove straight to the Hospital without a hitch. It poured rain on me the entire trip.
When I got there Christy seemed to be doing pretty well. She thought she had broken her knee during the seizure (which of course we found out later she had) but was otherwise okay. The doctor’s there couldn’t seem to find a reason for her seizure so they wanted to transport her to Lexington, where her records and her doctors were. We were all more than fine with that. Finally they loaded her (and me) into an ambulance and drove us to Lexington.
I went home later that evening. I wish I had stayed there soaking up every second of her life. Why didn’t I stay?
Of course many days later we took her home and thought she was well on her way to complete recovery. She was, just not the recovery we prayed so desperately for.
I’m still in pain - just reading that simple little e-mail from her has made me crumble into tears. I have no idea when, or if, this will ever get any easier to deal with. Please continue to pray for me as I continue to walk this terrible road.
Missing my girl even more with every passing day,
Julie
P.S. Also, would you please pray for my cousin’s daughter, Emily? Emily and her husband Gerald were ecstatic to discover that after 5 long years of trying to conceive they were expecting. Then, this past weekend and well into the ‘safety zone’ of her second trimester, they had to say good-bye to their sweet baby girl Delaney. Please keep this beautiful young couple in your prayers, they are completely heartbroken.
I won't be around today. Fall Faculty/Staff meeting in Maysville. I'm not feeling very well either. Threw up in the middle of dinner last night...at the Mexican restaurant. Please pray I don't have any such further humiliating situations today...
Call you later. Have a good day!
Love,
me
She and I always e-mailed back and forth during the work day, so she wanted me to know that I wouldn’t be hearing from her that day. She knew me too well, she knew that I would worry if I didn’t hear from her.
I left work as soon as I hung up with Josh and drove to Maysville. I can only remember traveling to Maysville once before in my life but I drove straight to the Hospital without a hitch. It poured rain on me the entire trip.
When I got there Christy seemed to be doing pretty well. She thought she had broken her knee during the seizure (which of course we found out later she had) but was otherwise okay. The doctor’s there couldn’t seem to find a reason for her seizure so they wanted to transport her to Lexington, where her records and her doctors were. We were all more than fine with that. Finally they loaded her (and me) into an ambulance and drove us to Lexington.
I went home later that evening. I wish I had stayed there soaking up every second of her life. Why didn’t I stay?
Of course many days later we took her home and thought she was well on her way to complete recovery. She was, just not the recovery we prayed so desperately for.
I’m still in pain - just reading that simple little e-mail from her has made me crumble into tears. I have no idea when, or if, this will ever get any easier to deal with. Please continue to pray for me as I continue to walk this terrible road.
Missing my girl even more with every passing day,
Julie
P.S. Also, would you please pray for my cousin’s daughter, Emily? Emily and her husband Gerald were ecstatic to discover that after 5 long years of trying to conceive they were expecting. Then, this past weekend and well into the ‘safety zone’ of her second trimester, they had to say good-bye to their sweet baby girl Delaney. Please keep this beautiful young couple in your prayers, they are completely heartbroken.
Monday, June 14, 2010
100 Things
Okay, so I’ve been challenged to come up with 100 things that make me happy. At first I thought it would take me forever. I was surprised at how quickly I could pop off 100 things. So, I thought I would share them with you.
1. Having my family together.
2. UFC fight nights at my house.
3. Going to the movies with Chris.
4. Making the Barkley girls laugh.
5. Jack.
6. Memories of Christy.
7. Having a quiet meal with Chris.
8. Remembering my granny’s sense of humor.
9. Iced tea.
10. Kittens.
11. Having a not so quiet meal with all my peeps.
12. Anonymous gift giving.
13. Spring mornings.
14. Surprise visits from Josh and Kristen.
15. The anticipation of our upcoming vacation to Hawaii.
16. Laughing with my friends.
17. Baby feet.
18. Driving to work when school is out.
19. Princesses on Ice with Brynn and Katy.
20. Walking when it’s cool outside.
21. Reminiscing with my nephews about when they were little.
22. Telling funny stories about when Kyle was young.
23. Hearing Katy say, “There’s Chris, my bestest friend!”
24. The male comedians in my Sunday school class.
25. Watching the kids sing at VBS.
26. Receiving the first donation to Christy’s stocking each year.
27. Little girls holding hands.
28. The ocean.
29. Sunday lunch at Ruthie and Jimmy’s.
30. Going to the pool.
31. Rainbows.
32. Delivering Christy’s stocking to Children’s Hospital.
33. Chris knowing what I’m thinking without me telling him.
34. Christmas Eve.
35. Grandmothers with grandbabies.
36. Sleepy kid voices.
37. Walking in tall cool grass with bare feet.
38. Chickens.
39. Christmas day pizza.
40. Post Secret.
41. Remembering my mom.
42. Watching my friend Traci with four boys all vying for her attention.
43. Facebook.
44. Snow.
45. Throwing Jack’s flippy flopper.
46. Christmas shopping.
47. Autumn.
48. The smell of candles burning.
49. Little girl giggles.
50. True friendship.
51. Long lunches.
52. Watching Jack trying to get Max to play with him.
53. Leaving work early on Friday afternoon.
54. Little House on the Prairie.
55. A hot tub in the mountains.
56. Sleeping babies.
57. Eating on a patio.
58. The zoo.
59. Driving in the country.
60. Thanksgiving.
61. Having the same thought, at the same time as Lori and knowing it without having to say a word.
62. Going to the hospital to visit a new baby.
63. Balloons.
64. Looking forward to being a Grammy.
65. Melanie saying, “sometimes I get a little confused.”
66. Big family reunions.
67. Watching children get off the school bus.
68. Mischievous little boy grins.
69. Tractors.
70. Thinking about the crazy uncles I grew up with.
71. Mexican food.
72. Watching stars at night.
73. Singing praise music.
74. Visiting with friends I haven’t seen in a long time.
75. Childhood memories of North Carolina.
76. Theological discussions with Josh.
77. Finding Kyle asleep with Max snuggled up next to him.
78. San Diego.
79. Nature.
80. Train rides.
81. Ballpark hotdogs.
82. My porch swing.
83. Cookouts.
84. Thinking about Kyle and Josh graduating in December.
85. Card shopping.
86. Remembering Christy’s funny sleep noises.
87. Drive-In theaters.
88. Driving Josh’s Mustang.
89. Remembering band trips.
90. Long hot showers.
91. Putt-putt golf.
92. A boisterous “good morning” when I’m feeling down.
93. Knowing a joyous secret.
94. Finding money in the pocket of a jacket when I wear for the first time of the season.
95. Hugs.
96. Rocking chairs.
97. Ducks.
98. Watching kids on a swing set.
99. Lazy days spent watching T.V.
100. Knowing that I’m a child of the King.
Still thinking happy thoughts,
Julie
1. Having my family together.
2. UFC fight nights at my house.
3. Going to the movies with Chris.
4. Making the Barkley girls laugh.
5. Jack.
6. Memories of Christy.
7. Having a quiet meal with Chris.
8. Remembering my granny’s sense of humor.
9. Iced tea.
10. Kittens.
11. Having a not so quiet meal with all my peeps.
12. Anonymous gift giving.
13. Spring mornings.
14. Surprise visits from Josh and Kristen.
15. The anticipation of our upcoming vacation to Hawaii.
16. Laughing with my friends.
17. Baby feet.
18. Driving to work when school is out.
19. Princesses on Ice with Brynn and Katy.
20. Walking when it’s cool outside.
21. Reminiscing with my nephews about when they were little.
22. Telling funny stories about when Kyle was young.
23. Hearing Katy say, “There’s Chris, my bestest friend!”
24. The male comedians in my Sunday school class.
25. Watching the kids sing at VBS.
26. Receiving the first donation to Christy’s stocking each year.
27. Little girls holding hands.
28. The ocean.
29. Sunday lunch at Ruthie and Jimmy’s.
30. Going to the pool.
31. Rainbows.
32. Delivering Christy’s stocking to Children’s Hospital.
33. Chris knowing what I’m thinking without me telling him.
34. Christmas Eve.
35. Grandmothers with grandbabies.
36. Sleepy kid voices.
37. Walking in tall cool grass with bare feet.
38. Chickens.
39. Christmas day pizza.
40. Post Secret.
41. Remembering my mom.
42. Watching my friend Traci with four boys all vying for her attention.
43. Facebook.
44. Snow.
45. Throwing Jack’s flippy flopper.
46. Christmas shopping.
47. Autumn.
48. The smell of candles burning.
49. Little girl giggles.
50. True friendship.
51. Long lunches.
52. Watching Jack trying to get Max to play with him.
53. Leaving work early on Friday afternoon.
54. Little House on the Prairie.
55. A hot tub in the mountains.
56. Sleeping babies.
57. Eating on a patio.
58. The zoo.
59. Driving in the country.
60. Thanksgiving.
61. Having the same thought, at the same time as Lori and knowing it without having to say a word.
62. Going to the hospital to visit a new baby.
63. Balloons.
64. Looking forward to being a Grammy.
65. Melanie saying, “sometimes I get a little confused.”
66. Big family reunions.
67. Watching children get off the school bus.
68. Mischievous little boy grins.
69. Tractors.
70. Thinking about the crazy uncles I grew up with.
71. Mexican food.
72. Watching stars at night.
73. Singing praise music.
74. Visiting with friends I haven’t seen in a long time.
75. Childhood memories of North Carolina.
76. Theological discussions with Josh.
77. Finding Kyle asleep with Max snuggled up next to him.
78. San Diego.
79. Nature.
80. Train rides.
81. Ballpark hotdogs.
82. My porch swing.
83. Cookouts.
84. Thinking about Kyle and Josh graduating in December.
85. Card shopping.
86. Remembering Christy’s funny sleep noises.
87. Drive-In theaters.
88. Driving Josh’s Mustang.
89. Remembering band trips.
90. Long hot showers.
91. Putt-putt golf.
92. A boisterous “good morning” when I’m feeling down.
93. Knowing a joyous secret.
94. Finding money in the pocket of a jacket when I wear for the first time of the season.
95. Hugs.
96. Rocking chairs.
97. Ducks.
98. Watching kids on a swing set.
99. Lazy days spent watching T.V.
100. Knowing that I’m a child of the King.
Still thinking happy thoughts,
Julie
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Yesterday
Yesterday was my hubs birthday, he turned 42. Yes, nearly 7 years younger than me – I know, it’s criminal. Chris gets his birthday off work every year so this year I decided to take off with him. We spent the day being mostly lazy but did manage to get his birthday shopping done.
We left around 11ish and headed up Nicholasville Road to Fayette Mall. When we got just past Catnip Hill Road, near the boot store, traffic came to a complete standstill. As we sat there waiting for cars to start moving, I couldn’t help but think about the young man who lost his life a few weeks ago just a few feet from where our car was sitting. For some reason that part of Nicholasville Road has claimed the lives of far too many. I was soon jilted back to reality when my impatient husband decided we should turn around and go Harrodsburg Road. So, I did a U turn and we turned onto Catnip Hill and drove over to Harrodsburg Road. We drove along normally until we reached Southland Christian Church, then traffic stopped again. This time we could see the holdup. Police officers had traffic stopped in all directions allowing cars to turn into the church for the funeral of Officer Bryan Durman. Officer Durman was the victim of a hit and run, killed in the line of duty. As we sat there, watching one police cruiser after another file into the parking lot of Southland, my mind went to the mother of the fallen officer. At a mere 27 years of age Officer Durman was a veteran of the armed services; he stood up for and served his country. After leaving the service he became a police officer, standing up for and even giving his life to serve his community. But before he was a man, deserving of the honor that was bestowed on him yesterday, he was a little boy. The baby boy of a mother who loves him. A mother who excitedly awaited his arrival, rather through birth or adoption. A mother who was up late nights for feedings. A mother who thought surely hers was the most beautiful baby ever born. A mother who threw her arms open to him when he fell and scrapped his knee. A mother who’s love could kiss away any boo-boo and make the world right again. A mother who worried about him when he got his driver’s license. A mother who prayed for her boy as he left his own country to fight its battle on foreign soil. A mother who watched the news every night, praying that she wouldn’t hear of an officer injured. A mother who’s worst nightmare came true. A mother who’s world will never, ever be right again. A mother whose heart I wish I didn’t understand.
Traffic finally started moving and we went on our way. We didn’t really talk much about what we had seen, I think Chris knew I couldn’t handle it. We went to the mall, did our shopping and headed home. Then I went to the cemetery. I planted tulip bulbs back in the fall and they bloomed beautifully this spring, but they were in need of attention and with all the rain I hadn’t had a chance to take care of them. Chris had a doctor’s appointment (nothing serious) so I went by myself. I worked for a while at my mom’s grave, then Christy’s. After I was finished there I went down to Mom & Pop’s graves (my dad’s parents). When I was finished there I stood up to walk down to Granny & Granddaddy’s grave when I saw a hearse coming up the drive of the cemetery, another funeral procession. The small pavilion where they do the “graveside” services is very near to Granny and Granddaddy’s graves so I couldn’t go down there to work, it would have been too disrespectful. So I just stood there at Mom and Pop’s graveside for the entire service. I watched as all of the cars drove around, parked and everyone got out. I stood there as they unloaded from the hearse the casket of someone I didn’t know. I looked at every face to see if I knew anyone, I did not. I watched as all the people in attendance gathered around the casket, I watched as they cried. I heard every word that was spoken, I cried for the loss of a life I never knew. I cried for the loss of my child, my sweet Christy. As I stood there I could see Main Street, cars zipping up and down as usual. I could turn my head to the right and see people in the park at Lake Mingo. Time was at a standstill for those gathered around the casket, but the rest of the world was still moving. How does that happen? How does the rest of the world continue when your world has suddenly and horribly come to an abrupt halt? Finally, the funeral was over and everyone began to leave. I went to work on my grandparents graves, when I finished I left. Then, life went back to normal for me too, as normal as it gets these days.
Julie
We left around 11ish and headed up Nicholasville Road to Fayette Mall. When we got just past Catnip Hill Road, near the boot store, traffic came to a complete standstill. As we sat there waiting for cars to start moving, I couldn’t help but think about the young man who lost his life a few weeks ago just a few feet from where our car was sitting. For some reason that part of Nicholasville Road has claimed the lives of far too many. I was soon jilted back to reality when my impatient husband decided we should turn around and go Harrodsburg Road. So, I did a U turn and we turned onto Catnip Hill and drove over to Harrodsburg Road. We drove along normally until we reached Southland Christian Church, then traffic stopped again. This time we could see the holdup. Police officers had traffic stopped in all directions allowing cars to turn into the church for the funeral of Officer Bryan Durman. Officer Durman was the victim of a hit and run, killed in the line of duty. As we sat there, watching one police cruiser after another file into the parking lot of Southland, my mind went to the mother of the fallen officer. At a mere 27 years of age Officer Durman was a veteran of the armed services; he stood up for and served his country. After leaving the service he became a police officer, standing up for and even giving his life to serve his community. But before he was a man, deserving of the honor that was bestowed on him yesterday, he was a little boy. The baby boy of a mother who loves him. A mother who excitedly awaited his arrival, rather through birth or adoption. A mother who was up late nights for feedings. A mother who thought surely hers was the most beautiful baby ever born. A mother who threw her arms open to him when he fell and scrapped his knee. A mother who’s love could kiss away any boo-boo and make the world right again. A mother who worried about him when he got his driver’s license. A mother who prayed for her boy as he left his own country to fight its battle on foreign soil. A mother who watched the news every night, praying that she wouldn’t hear of an officer injured. A mother who’s worst nightmare came true. A mother who’s world will never, ever be right again. A mother whose heart I wish I didn’t understand.
Traffic finally started moving and we went on our way. We didn’t really talk much about what we had seen, I think Chris knew I couldn’t handle it. We went to the mall, did our shopping and headed home. Then I went to the cemetery. I planted tulip bulbs back in the fall and they bloomed beautifully this spring, but they were in need of attention and with all the rain I hadn’t had a chance to take care of them. Chris had a doctor’s appointment (nothing serious) so I went by myself. I worked for a while at my mom’s grave, then Christy’s. After I was finished there I went down to Mom & Pop’s graves (my dad’s parents). When I was finished there I stood up to walk down to Granny & Granddaddy’s grave when I saw a hearse coming up the drive of the cemetery, another funeral procession. The small pavilion where they do the “graveside” services is very near to Granny and Granddaddy’s graves so I couldn’t go down there to work, it would have been too disrespectful. So I just stood there at Mom and Pop’s graveside for the entire service. I watched as all of the cars drove around, parked and everyone got out. I stood there as they unloaded from the hearse the casket of someone I didn’t know. I looked at every face to see if I knew anyone, I did not. I watched as all the people in attendance gathered around the casket, I watched as they cried. I heard every word that was spoken, I cried for the loss of a life I never knew. I cried for the loss of my child, my sweet Christy. As I stood there I could see Main Street, cars zipping up and down as usual. I could turn my head to the right and see people in the park at Lake Mingo. Time was at a standstill for those gathered around the casket, but the rest of the world was still moving. How does that happen? How does the rest of the world continue when your world has suddenly and horribly come to an abrupt halt? Finally, the funeral was over and everyone began to leave. I went to work on my grandparents graves, when I finished I left. Then, life went back to normal for me too, as normal as it gets these days.
Julie
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)